Trimming Tips

We have a Stihl trimmer that can use string head or plastic blade head. People have personal preference. The string trimmer can work fast but also spray you with weeds.

The Stihl Kombi has a long and short sickle bar trimmer. The shorter bar has more cutting power and will get small branches, and brush no rotary trimmer can do. The larger sickle bar can cut more grass.

The rotary trimmer can make a bare trail tread if overgrown with weeds and grass.

Example of rotary trimmer getting a clear trail tread:

Tag Team: It can be very effective to work in a team with one person operating the sickle bar and another the rotary trimmer.

At times it's nice to have rake or blower, but lots of riding is the best solution for a buffed trail!

Trail Tools

Blackhawk trail building and maintenance depend on volunteers, but no trail or feature building is allowed without prior flagging and approval by the Blackhawk Bike & Trail Committee and Blackhawk operations manager. New trail, trail features and technical trail features must be flagged and illustrated prior to approval and build. Unauthorized trail and feature building may result in expulsion from the club. Source: http://www.blackhawkskiclub.org/building-trails-features/

Hand tools and power tools for trail building should be found along the north wall of the shop. When you walk in hand tools to your right and power tools to your left.

Hand Tools

Please return tools when you're done. If you find the dedicated trail building tools such as McLeod and Rogue Hoe elsewhere put them in or along the shelves on the north side.

Power Tools

The shelves with power tools have spare parts, attachments for the Stihl Kombi, safety gear and oil to for the Stihl engines (chainsaws, trimmer & Kombi).

Please read the labeling on gasoline cans so mixed and straight gasoline are used in the appropriate machines. Do not use the yellow diesel can for gasoline. Do not put gasoline in a diesel machine or diesel fuel in a gasoline powered machine.

If you empty a mixed gas can please mix up a new one. Small containers of the two stroke oil are on the shelf above the chain saws. The straight gasoline for mixing is in the wheeled tank in the shop. Instructions for mixing are on the small Stihl two stroke oil bottles.

The Stihl Kombi machine has 3 attachments - blower and sickle bar trimmer in two sizes. Always make sure the attachments are lined up with arrows on the shafts and fully inserted in the shafts.

Trimmer string and blades are in the grey container on the tool shelves. Please alert Pat, William or Dan if more supplies for the trimmer are needed. Use gloves handling the trimmer head if you're sensitive to poison ivy.

Tool Use & Safety

Never operate the power tools without proper safety precautions.

Remember the circle of death. Stay away from the reach of any tool. If someone is operating a chainsaw keep a distance where no tree or branch can fall on you.

Trimming: Wear eye protection when trimming, and I suggest long pants and sleeves to protect your skin from debris and weeds such as poison ivy and wild parsnip. Search the web for images of these plants if you don't know what they look like.

Chainsaw use: Always wear complete protective gear. Do not saw alone. There are chaps and head protection on the shelves with the power tools. There are two nails holding chains on the shelves. One has sharpened chains and the other dull chains.

Blackhawk facilities manager Dan, board members and past presidents are authorized to get needed tools and repairs. Please let them know if supplies are repairs are needed.

The Blackhawk power tools (click to enlarge for text):

The Blackhawk straight (not mixed) gasoline tank:

Send questions to: bike (at) blackhawkskiclub (dot) org