[daycart1]

Will someone please help me with hand held weed whacking, lawn smacking, string whipping devices?

Brand names, relative merits of 2 vs. 4 stroke engines, etc.?

I had a battery powered one that sucked for about 20 hours of use before the battery died, so I'm not looking to go battery or electric (have to cover large area).

Thanks!

 

[breakfastchef]

There is no substitute for a gas powered grass trimming device. You need the power and the operating time to perform the job you need to do. I am a headphone system newbie, but I appreciate the performance of a good lawn maintenance tool.

Being that you are in Chapel Hill, Lowes is your home store. Look for any gas-powered unit in your price range. Brands like Black & Decker, Homelite and Echo are sufficient for most any genral trimming needs. Do not skimp on quality as it will pay off in the long run. I use a Homelite trimmer that has been inpoeration for more than 10 years and still keeps rocking. Go for one with a straight ( vs. bent) neck. they just seem to work better.

 

[synaesthetic]

Almost all gasoline-powered string trimmers are two-stroke. Four-cycle engines are usually more massive than this application allows for.

Stihl or Husqvarna are also good manufacturers. Craftsman (the Sears proprietary brand) string trimmers and chainsaws are actually rebranded Husqvarna products.

 

[fatcat28037]

I've had a Stihl trimmer for 3 years, love it. Starts ever time, the auto string feed works great and it's powerful enough to swing an 80 tooth saw blade for cutting brush and up-to 1 1/2 inch saplings. When you buy a trimmer get one with a straight shaft, not one that curves at the end. They aren't as durable. Mines an older model a 210, I don't know what the equivalent is with the newer models. It was about $220, it will last a long time, like 15 years.

 

[breakfastchef]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatcat28037 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've had a Stihl trimmer for 3 years, love it. Starts ever time, the auto string feed works great and it's powerful enough to swing an 80 tooth saw blade for cutting brush and up-to 1 1/2 inch saplings. When you buy a trimmer get one with a straight shaft, not one that curves at the end. They aren't as durable. Mines an older model a 210, I don't know what the equivalent is with the newer models. It was about $220, it will last a long time, like 15 years.

Yea, listen to the guy from somewhere between Troutman and Asheville. He is smart.

 

[fatcat28037]

Quote:

Originally Posted by breakfastchef /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yea, listen to the guy from somewhere between Troutman and Asheville. He is smart.

Denver.

 

[Copperjacket]

In my experience the Stihl range is just about unbeatable - and I have used and abused several machines. Choose model according to usage.

If not Stihl, definately get a straight shafted 2-stroke because the 2/ has the lube oil mixed with fuel and it doesn't really matter the angle it works at. Furthermore to get the best performance out of these tools, the cords need to spin as fast as poss, so you rev the nuts of them which is where a 2/ works best.

 

[Old Pa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daycart1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had a battery powered one that sucked for about 20 hours of use before the battery died, so I'm not looking to go battery or electric (have to cover large area).

You are absolutely correct, and with electric ones with a power cord, the cord is always in the cutting zone.

I've been using these things for over forty years and have found out some stuff. In gas whackers, 2 stroke is the way to go; power stroke on every revolution and much better power-to-weight ratio. Just plan to drain the tank and let the motor suck out the carb at the end of each season.

In gas whackers for homeowner use, lightweight is good and having the powerhead on the other end of a straight shaft balances the best. Just make sure you do not get the smallest displacement/output motor in the bunch. Bigger is not better, and for grass trimming, the model one up from the bottom of the line is just dandy and usually on sale in the Spring sometime.

I like dedicated whackers (do not have interchangeable tool ends) for less complexity. The weak part of most whackers is their cutting head's system for holding and advancing the line. They can be fragile, tend to get packed with gunk during use, and have individual idiosyncratic ways of loading line. Check the owner's manual before purchase to make sure you are going to be happy.

And in my experience the aftermarket hard blade and other cutter heads are not worth the powder to blow them up. Finally, I found some diamond shaped cutting line in various diameters that cuts better and lasts longer. It's available in bulk, so you "roll your own".

Brands? Stihl is good, but price controlled. I have issues with the durability of some Homelite models. Right now, I'm very happy with the Ryobi I bought several years ago.

 

[Aimless1]

Good advice Old Pa! Sad to say I also have 40+ yrs of lawn care behind me. I personally use Stihl for most home lawn power tools. Durability and dependability are the biggest reasons why.

Old Pa and I would disagree in that I like the interchangeable heads. I prefer the 4-stroke motor, the flexibility of interchangeable heads and the smaller foot print (don't need as much space to store the tools).

Either way, you won't go wrong.

 

[Zombie X_o Love]

Definitely Stihl's there reliable and strudy.
My favorite is the FS 80 R Had the chance to use it I was very impressed.

 

[trains are bad]

If it was me, for residential trimming, I would buy the lightest cheap two-stroke I could find. I understand if you have actually weeds or brush, then getting a bigger stronger one would make sense, but 90% of the time, it's just going to be weighing you down.

 

[kansei]

I have a no-brand 2-stroke weedwhacker and it works good enough for me. There is a trick to starting it, just like every other 2-stroke engine.

1. Prime the carb with the little primer bulb thingy. 10 or so times will do.
2. Put the choke on full - the symbol is usually I-I
3. Pull until the engine turns once and stops (no throttle)
4. Move the choke to the 1/2 setting
5. Pull until the engine starts
6. Feather the throttle so it keeps running. If it stops go back to #2. If that fails, prime it some more and continue.
7. If it keeps running, wait about 10 seconds and turn off the choke completely.

You're ready to go.

 

[daycart1]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I ended up with a 4 stroke "Troybuilt" which works pretty well. It's kinda heavy, but I can use the exercise!

 

[kansei]

At least you don't have to impersonate the Crazy Frog when starting the 4-stroke.

 

[StanleyB1]

The only weed whacker I know about is a chalice...