Located on the Westmeath border near the town of Castlepollard, Joe Fay operates a contracting business specialising in hedge-cutting which he runs alongside a herd of 35 Simmental suckler cows.
Today, Joe runs three fresh McConnel hedge cutters – two PA 7775T EDS machines and one PA6582T machine – all of which are equipped with Twincut twin-rotor flail heads and pair with three pristine John Deere R series tractors.
During his time spent hedge-cutting over the past 30 years, clocking up as many as 3,000 hours annually on his two main machines, there has been two constants: McConnel hedge cutters, 26 of them to be exact and John Deere tractors. Both are brands that Joe has remained loyal to since the late nineties.
Since converting to twin-rotor Twincut heads, Joe wouldn't go back to a single-rotor head.
During the summer months, Joe works in partnership with local silage contractors, Brownes. He supplies the tractors and silage trailers as well as the loader and fork – an arrangement which has always suited, given the fact that the hedge cutters are hooked off in the summer months, leaving the tractors available with the exception of some slurry jobs. Micky Kavanagh is a valued member of the team having worked with Joe now for over a decade.
Hedge-cutting background
Joe was first introduced to hedge-cutting having taken up a job with local man, Jim Hughes, who was contracting at the time. When Jim retired in 2000, Joe saw an opportunity to purchase his own machine and get to work. He bought a new John Deere 6510 and McConnel PA5000T hedge cutter through Clarke Machinery.
A second, smaller machine was added to the fleet in 2007. This was a PA53 model which was bought at the time primarily to cut grass verges ahead of his main machine, a PA6500T. As time passed and the workload continued to increase, Joe found himself requiring more and more from the second machine, which led to him running two PA6500T machines.
All hedge cutters are fitted with the optional Revolution controls.
In 2012, the third machine was bought. This was a smaller PA5455 which, again, was intended for cutting grass verges ahead of the two larger machines.
Two major advancements along the way Joe noted, included the move to the more precise proportional controls and twin-rotor flail heads. Up through the years, Joe has maintained a fleet of fresh hedge cutters, trying to always keep machines within warranty.
Current machines
Joe’s current PA7775T machines are soon entering their second season, having clocked up in the region of 3,300 hours each. Meanwhile, his PA6582T is still in its first season.
Although the 7775T model has now been replaced by the slightly more powerful 7782T, the 75 series was at the time McConnel’s heavy-duty contractor series.
Breaking the model numbering down, ‘77’ means 7.7m reach and ‘75’ means 75hp hydraulics while T denotes telescopic. Both are top-spec machines equipped with the Revolution proportional joystick controls with the Easy Drive System (EDS).
The PA6582T model is offered with similar specification other than the fact it has a 6.5m telescopic reach and is equipped with a slightly larger 82hp hydraulic system.
Having the debris guards on gas struts allow for windows to be easily cleaned.
While many contractors are moving towards machines with variable forward reach (VFR) arms, Joe isn’t overly keen on the concept, having run one for two years. “It has a lot more moving parts, leaving the arm heavier and restricts your reach. We just never really warmed to it,” Joe said.
Twincut heads
Having demoed a machine fitted with a twin-rotor head in 2012, Joe was instantly sold on the concept. “The first thing I noticed was that I could do what had been two passes now in one,” he said.
“Where land is a little soft, one pass could be the difference in working and not. Working windows to get through field work can be challenging at times too so output is important.”
Joe has fabricated sign holders for each machine.
Joe believes that the Twincut head performs better on grass verges as the front rotor pretty much lifts the grass up, while the rear counter rotating rotor cuts it. “The extra weight was my only concern but we’ve never had any issue. The larger size just took a little getting used to, ” Joe explained.
The Twincut flail head is designed to deliver both a heavy-duty cut and a fine finish in a single pass. Featuring two high-powered spiral rotors, the head is available in 1.2m and 1.5m working widths, Joe’s being the smaller.
All tractors are fitted with right hand wheel weights to improve stability at reach.
The first rotor is equipped with a heavy-duty T-flail which cuts in a downward direction, reducing the amount of debris blown forward. It’s designed to finely mulch the material, while retaining the bulk in the hedgerow.
The second rotor is then set 50mm lower. It cuts in an upward direction and can be equipped with a fine-cut competition flail; however, Joe opts to run T-flails on both rotors. The Twincut head weighs in at 435kg which is just over 100kg heavier than the standard 1.2m head.
Joe runs wheel weights on the right-hand side of the tractors for better ballast when at reach.
Other tweaks and modifications
Joe’s experience over three decades has led him to both develop and co-develop some quirky modifications to make the job easier and safer.
The first is the installation of a stronger hose protection plate on the outer end of the arm on all machines. The new heavier steel guard is barely noticeabale, given the standard it is made to and matching paint finish.
A finer mesh guard protects the bonnet of each tractor.
Joe has also a neatly designed storage compartment fabricated for holding road signs which is positioned on top of the hydraulic oil reservoir. Every tractor is also protected using his neat bonnet and cab guards that Joe fabricated with the help of local man, Owen McFadden. One clever feature of the cab guard is that it can rise outwards via two gas structs to allow for the tractor’s windows to be cleaned without having to remove it.
Joe has also fitted window wipers on the left hand doors to improve visibility.
Tractors
Joe and Micky agree that John Deere’s AutoPowr CVT transmission is about as good as it gets for hedge-cutting, purely down to the fact that there is no going between powershifts or manual gears, speed is infinitely controlled on the pedal.
“Not having to change gears leaves one less thing to think about and if speed needs to be marginally increased or decreased, then it can. The CommandPro 6130R and new 6R145 with the additional joystick means directional changes can all be made with the right hand which means the left hand stays on the hedge cutter controls.”
Joe still runs a John Deere 6610 which shows just over 18,000 hours on the clock, 90% of which were clocked up cutting hedges. It’s a tractor he describes as bulletproof having owned it since it was on 1,200 hours.
“I’m grateful to have such a run of work locally, many of whom are longstanding customers. It is all private work we carry out,” Joe said.
“The focus in recent years has been to keep the trimmers in warranty and replace them every two seasons or so. This way, running costs are much more predictable. If I ever need an extra trimmer, saw or tree shear work done I call on a good friend Peter Lanauze and his lads.
“I don’t see myself moving away from McConnel or John Deere at this stage. With the exception of one or two machines, they’ve all performed well. The backup service from the lads at Alexander Mills and Pat Kelly at Meath Farm Machinery has been excellent over the years.
“I think there needs to be changes to the rules surrounding cutting roadside hedges. It’s something that should be allowed all year round if it makes rural roads safer,” Joe maintained.
Located on the Westmeath border near the town of Castlepollard, Joe Fay operates a contracting business specialising in hedge-cutting which he runs alongside a herd of 35 Simmental suckler cows.
Today, Joe runs three fresh McConnel hedge cutters – two PA 7775T EDS machines and one PA6582T machine – all of which are equipped with Twincut twin-rotor flail heads and pair with three pristine John Deere R series tractors.
During his time spent hedge-cutting over the past 30 years, clocking up as many as 3,000 hours annually on his two main machines, there has been two constants: McConnel hedge cutters, 26 of them to be exact and John Deere tractors. Both are brands that Joe has remained loyal to since the late nineties.
Since converting to twin-rotor Twincut heads, Joe wouldn't go back to a single-rotor head.
During the summer months, Joe works in partnership with local silage contractors, Brownes. He supplies the tractors and silage trailers as well as the loader and fork – an arrangement which has always suited, given the fact that the hedge cutters are hooked off in the summer months, leaving the tractors available with the exception of some slurry jobs. Micky Kavanagh is a valued member of the team having worked with Joe now for over a decade.
Hedge-cutting background
Joe was first introduced to hedge-cutting having taken up a job with local man, Jim Hughes, who was contracting at the time. When Jim retired in 2000, Joe saw an opportunity to purchase his own machine and get to work. He bought a new John Deere 6510 and McConnel PA5000T hedge cutter through Clarke Machinery.
A second, smaller machine was added to the fleet in 2007. This was a PA53 model which was bought at the time primarily to cut grass verges ahead of his main machine, a PA6500T. As time passed and the workload continued to increase, Joe found himself requiring more and more from the second machine, which led to him running two PA6500T machines.
All hedge cutters are fitted with the optional Revolution controls.
In 2012, the third machine was bought. This was a smaller PA5455 which, again, was intended for cutting grass verges ahead of the two larger machines.
Two major advancements along the way Joe noted, included the move to the more precise proportional controls and twin-rotor flail heads. Up through the years, Joe has maintained a fleet of fresh hedge cutters, trying to always keep machines within warranty.
Current machines
Joe’s current PA7775T machines are soon entering their second season, having clocked up in the region of 3,300 hours each. Meanwhile, his PA6582T is still in its first season.
Although the 7775T model has now been replaced by the slightly more powerful 7782T, the 75 series was at the time McConnel’s heavy-duty contractor series.
Breaking the model numbering down, ‘77’ means 7.7m reach and ‘75’ means 75hp hydraulics while T denotes telescopic. Both are top-spec machines equipped with the Revolution proportional joystick controls with the Easy Drive System (EDS).
The PA6582T model is offered with similar specification other than the fact it has a 6.5m telescopic reach and is equipped with a slightly larger 82hp hydraulic system.
Having the debris guards on gas struts allow for windows to be easily cleaned.
While many contractors are moving towards machines with variable forward reach (VFR) arms, Joe isn’t overly keen on the concept, having run one for two years. “It has a lot more moving parts, leaving the arm heavier and restricts your reach. We just never really warmed to it,” Joe said.
Twincut heads
Having demoed a machine fitted with a twin-rotor head in 2012, Joe was instantly sold on the concept. “The first thing I noticed was that I could do what had been two passes now in one,” he said.
“Where land is a little soft, one pass could be the difference in working and not. Working windows to get through field work can be challenging at times too so output is important.”
Joe has fabricated sign holders for each machine.
Joe believes that the Twincut head performs better on grass verges as the front rotor pretty much lifts the grass up, while the rear counter rotating rotor cuts it. “The extra weight was my only concern but we’ve never had any issue. The larger size just took a little getting used to, ” Joe explained.
The Twincut flail head is designed to deliver both a heavy-duty cut and a fine finish in a single pass. Featuring two high-powered spiral rotors, the head is available in 1.2m and 1.5m working widths, Joe’s being the smaller.
All tractors are fitted with right hand wheel weights to improve stability at reach.
The first rotor is equipped with a heavy-duty T-flail which cuts in a downward direction, reducing the amount of debris blown forward. It’s designed to finely mulch the material, while retaining the bulk in the hedgerow.
The second rotor is then set 50mm lower. It cuts in an upward direction and can be equipped with a fine-cut competition flail; however, Joe opts to run T-flails on both rotors. The Twincut head weighs in at 435kg which is just over 100kg heavier than the standard 1.2m head.
Joe runs wheel weights on the right-hand side of the tractors for better ballast when at reach.
Other tweaks and modifications
Joe’s experience over three decades has led him to both develop and co-develop some quirky modifications to make the job easier and safer.
The first is the installation of a stronger hose protection plate on the outer end of the arm on all machines. The new heavier steel guard is barely noticeabale, given the standard it is made to and matching paint finish.
A finer mesh guard protects the bonnet of each tractor.
Joe has also a neatly designed storage compartment fabricated for holding road signs which is positioned on top of the hydraulic oil reservoir. Every tractor is also protected using his neat bonnet and cab guards that Joe fabricated with the help of local man, Owen McFadden. One clever feature of the cab guard is that it can rise outwards via two gas structs to allow for the tractor’s windows to be cleaned without having to remove it.
Joe has also fitted window wipers on the left hand doors to improve visibility.
Tractors
Joe and Micky agree that John Deere’s AutoPowr CVT transmission is about as good as it gets for hedge-cutting, purely down to the fact that there is no going between powershifts or manual gears, speed is infinitely controlled on the pedal.
“Not having to change gears leaves one less thing to think about and if speed needs to be marginally increased or decreased, then it can. The CommandPro 6130R and new 6R145 with the additional joystick means directional changes can all be made with the right hand which means the left hand stays on the hedge cutter controls.”
Joe still runs a John Deere 6610 which shows just over 18,000 hours on the clock, 90% of which were clocked up cutting hedges. It’s a tractor he describes as bulletproof having owned it since it was on 1,200 hours.
“I’m grateful to have such a run of work locally, many of whom are longstanding customers. It is all private work we carry out,” Joe said.
“The focus in recent years has been to keep the trimmers in warranty and replace them every two seasons or so. This way, running costs are much more predictable. If I ever need an extra trimmer, saw or tree shear work done I call on a good friend Peter Lanauze and his lads.
“I don’t see myself moving away from McConnel or John Deere at this stage. With the exception of one or two machines, they’ve all performed well. The backup service from the lads at Alexander Mills and Pat Kelly at Meath Farm Machinery has been excellent over the years.
“I think there needs to be changes to the rules surrounding cutting roadside hedges. It’s something that should be allowed all year round if it makes rural roads safer,” Joe maintained.
SHARING OPTIONS