What's the Best Small Excavator Attachment for Vegetation Control?

Selecting the right vegetation control attachment depends on three factors: the type of growth you're dealing with, your machine's hydraulic capacity, and the finish you need. Mismatch any of these and you'll either struggle to complete the work or damage your equipment trying.

Slanetrac produces three categories of attachments for this job. Flail cutters handle rough vegetation and scrub clearing, saw heads cut through thicker branches and established hedges, while finger bar hedge cutters maintain formal hedges that need regular trimming. 

Each performs specific tasks better than the others, and knowing which to use saves time and delivers better results.

Flail Cutters

Flail cutters mulch vegetation using multiple rotating blades. They're designed for clearing overgrown grass, briars, gorse, and scrub in single passes. The mulched material doesn't require collection, and the blades can be replaced individually when they wear out or get damaged.

FH80 specifications:

• Machine size: 1.5 to 3.0 ton mini diggers
• Oil flow required: 25 to 50 litres per minute
• Cutting width: 800mm
• Number of blades: 2

The FH80 flail cutter suits compact machines with limited hydraulic output. The 800mm cutting width provides reasonable productivity whilst the two-blade configuration keeps hydraulic demand within the capacity of smaller machines. This model works in tighter spaces around buildings, fences, and planted areas where larger equipment cannot access.

FH100 specifications:

• Machine size: 3.0 to 7.5 ton mini diggers
• Oil flow required: 40 to 90 litres per minute
• Cutting width: 1000mm
• Number of blades: 4

The FH100 flail cutter handles heavier work on larger machines. The 1000mm cutting width and four blades clear ground faster, making this model suitable for properties with significant areas of established scrub, gorse, or blackberry that need clearing.

Both flail cutters connect to your machine's existing rock breaker lines. The supplied hydraulic pipes and mounting brackets mean installation doesn't require custom fabrication or additional hydraulic circuits. The mounting brackets adjust to allow cutting at any angle between horizontal and vertical, which provides access behind fences, over obstacles, and along uneven ground without constant repositioning of the base machine.

Flail cutters excel as hedge trimmer equipment when the priority is clearing volume rather than achieving a formal finish. The rotating blade action tears through vegetation effectively but doesn't produce clean cuts. This works fine for scrub clearing but creates ragged edges on formal hedges. For properties needing rapid vegetation control, these mini excavator hedge trimmer attachments deliver productivity that precision tools cannot match.

Ready to match your machine to the right attachment? Download our complete Slanetrac brochure for detailed specifications and compatibility charts.

Saw Heads

Saw heads use circular blades to cut through established hedges and thicker branches. Unlike flails that tear, saws slice cleanly through material. This produces cuts that heal properly and promote better regrowth, which matters when maintaining hedges that need to look presentable or when working with plant species that respond poorly to rough cutting.

HS55 specifications:

• Machine size: 2 to 3.5 ton mini diggers
• Oil flow required: 25 to 50 litres per minute
• Blade diameter: 550mm
• Maximum cutting diameter: 150mm

The HS55 saw head works similarly to a hedge trimmer on smaller machines. The 550mm carbon steel blade cuts material up to 150mm diameter without requiring the weight or hydraulic demand of larger saw heads. The compact profile allows close work around telephone poles, fence posts, and other obstacles where wider attachments create clearance problems. This suits lifestyle blocks and smaller rural properties with established hedges.

HS75 specifications:

• Machine size: 3.5 to 8.0 ton mini diggers
• Oil flow required: 35 to 90 litres per minute
• Blade diameter: 750mm
• Maximum cutting diameter: 250mm

The HS75 saw head handles rougher hedgerows and thicker material. The 750mm blade cuts through branches up to 250mm diameter, which suits properties where hedges receive infrequent maintenance or where you're dealing with mixed growth that includes both hedge material and larger branches. This setup provides the cutting capacity needed for heavier rural hedge maintenance work.

Saw heads function effectively as small excavator-mounted hedge trimmers because the compact design and clean cutting action suit formal hedge maintenance. The ability to angle between horizontal and vertical, combined with the narrow working width, provides access around complex boundaries and obstacles that wider attachments cannot reach. These attachments deliver precision that flail cutters cannot achieve.

Finger Bar Hedge Cutters

Finger bar hedge cutters use reciprocating blades to cut hedges precisely. The cutting action works similarly to agricultural mowers but adapted for vertical and angled work. They produce the neat, clean finish required on formal hedges and boundaries where appearance matters.

HC150 specifications:

• Machine size (version 1): 0.8 to 1.5 ton mini diggers
• Oil flow required (version 1): 20 to 30 litres per minute
• Machine size (version 2): 2 to 3.5 ton mini diggers
• Oil flow required (version 2): 40 to 60 litres per minute
• Cutting bar length: 1.5 metres
• Maximum cutting thickness: 40mm

The HC150 hedge cutter comes in two versions matched to different machine sizes. Both provide 1.5 metre cutting length and handle material up to 40mm thick. The cutting sections can be replaced individually when damaged or worn, which reduces long-term maintenance costs compared to units requiring complete blade assembly replacement. These small excavator-mounted hedge trimmers suit properties with regularly maintained formal hedges.

HC180 specifications:

• Machine size: 4 to 7.5 ton mini diggers
• Oil flow required: 50 to 80 litres per minute
• Cutting bar length: 1.8 metres
• Maximum cutting thickness: 40mm

The HC180 hedge cutter extends cutting length to 1.8 metres for larger machines. The extra length covers more ground per pass and reaches higher or further without needing to reposition the base machine as frequently. This tractor mounted hedge trimmer NZ option suits commercial operations and larger rural properties with extensive hedge lines.

Operating technique varies depending on what you're cutting. For heavy cutting through thick growth, use your digger's slewing movement to provide the force needed. For lighter trimming and finishing work, the tracking movement provides finer control over cutting position and pressure.

Finger bar cutters work best on hedges that receive regular maintenance. The cutting action suits plant species that need clean cuts for healthy regrowth, and the adjustable angle allows work on vertical hedge faces, horizontal tops, and angled surfaces. These small hedge trimmers provide the precision needed for formal boundaries and hedges where appearance matters.

The limitation is material thickness. Finger bars handle branches up to 40mm maximum, so thicker material requires saw heads or manual cutting. They also work more slowly through heavy scrub compared to flail cutters, which makes them less suitable for initial clearing work on neglected properties.

Matching Equipment to Requirements

Your machine's hydraulic capacity determines which attachments will operate properly. Running equipment below its minimum flow rate produces poor cutting performance and risks damage to both the attachment and your base machine.

Material type determines which attachment suits the job. Rough scrub and mixed vegetation suit flail cutters regardless of property size. Established hedges with thicker branches need saw heads even on small properties. Maintained formal hedges require finger bars, whether you're cutting 50 metres or 500 metres of hedge line.

Access restrictions often determine equipment choice more than cutting requirements. Tight spaces, overhead obstacles, and complex boundaries favour compact saw heads even when a flail cutter would handle the vegetation type better in open ground. The right mini digger hedge trimmer for your operation depends on matching all these factors to your specific situation.

Need help choosing the right Slanetrac attachment for vegetation control? Visit our Slanetrac brand page for detailed product information and expert guidance.