Benzine
|
 posted on 22/9/22 at 02:32 PM |
|
|
Strimmer frustration
I've got a 52cc petrol strimmer. The blade attachment is okay until you hit rocks etc and it soon dulls and cracks. The string line head is doing
my head in. When it works it's amazing. Cuts grass, nettles etc as fast as you could swing it. But if you hit anything too thick it eats the
string and it's head off time, sometimes you'll get it all set and then strum for less than 10 seconds before it's failed again.
It's an Einhell strimmer, 52cc I think. I'm using the strimmer line from the local hardware shop. I guess that could be a poor brand and may
have been sat for years going brittle.
Any recommendations for decent strimmer line, other better heads that may fit, or anything else? I've seen some plastic tab type cutters at the
local tool hire place.
Any ideas welcome, but I'm not getting a goat.
|
|
|
|
|
SteveWalker
|
| posted on 22/9/22 at 04:07 PM |
|
|
On an electric strimmer, some years ago, I used the plastic tab type (I assume that is what you are referring to) where the head just has a metal pin
on it and the cutters just pull into place over it. I found them very effective, durable, but also easy to replace when they had finally had it. I
only don't have it now because the battery failed and was not worth replacing. Whether they would be as good for a petrol strimmer, I don't
know.
|
|
|
obfripper
|
| posted on 22/9/22 at 05:30 PM |
|
|
Try a stihl polycut type head, they will stick nettles and brambles pretty well.
You might need to take your strimmer to match up the head as there are several cutter versions and head fitments, i have seen clones on ebay but have
no idea of the quality they might be.
Dave
|
|
|
cliftyhanger
|
| posted on 22/9/22 at 06:15 PM |
|
|
I found that strimmers eat auto feeds, so bought one of these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385029149096?hash=item59a58691a8:g:8I4AAOSwAgBi4Rii&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4GbZ6g1OK7TxCq%2B%2BN5xzAYWY%2F9a1EjWPePmEhX8%
2FZRzdS%2ByKdxPBMt36ZpkVQvpo6NVXshAwkSiCn4LrGxK2RsoEuPYmKnuW7cqV6I8RFiK3wJYBEUFDlXj%2FyIePYwGIny87FIr4vM1Dk0jXQYxrijmrUH3YmIyK5Qb%2BJlT8ya9pe%2B00WBMO
Ijx35IQyucjYx9%2FutfcFyZuYM1zV3CkYohrJiHI8aYnJ3Tp6c9DB%2FgrUwyb4Q4Gd576QPWqTVc6pbT6eqmYgDpPWyk9M4KCDZkeP0hIklMCZsU7gBRGK9X0N%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR7TyqebsYA
I also bought some 4mm strimmer line, which is very tough. Been happy with that, and yes, manually changing line is a sight faff, but at least it is
reliable.
Under no circumstances be tempted by a chain type fitting or anything with pivots. Strimmer line or a proper metal blade only.
|
|
|
Benzine
|
| posted on 22/9/22 at 06:40 PM |
|
|
Thanks for the replies. That ebay head type looks good. And yes, a tree surgeon told me about a colleague that died because of a chain type head!
|
|
|
Sanzomat
|
| posted on 22/9/22 at 09:29 PM |
|
|
Like you I got sick of re-threading the line on my petrol strimmer. I then got some of the pukka Stihl branded line. Really thick (3mm?) and bright
orange. It only just goes through the holes in the line head but once its in it lasts for ages, even stimming close to a cotswold stone wall that used
to break the old line if you even got within sight of it! I think it was a couple of quid more than the generic branded line but based on how it lasts
I don't think I'll ever need to buy more!
|
|
|
nick205
|
| posted on 23/9/22 at 08:41 AM |
|
|
Benzine
Stihl seems to have been recommended a couple of times and it's a brand often conractors and heavier domestic users.
These guys should be able to help you identify if there's a Stihl head/line for your strimmer (family connection for me).
https://www.mowwithus.com/
Use the Search Bar and search for "STRIMMER LINE".
Also, give them a call and talk through the strimmer you've got and what you're trying to achieve.
|
|
|
coyoteboy
|
| posted on 23/9/22 at 08:53 AM |
|
|
I've never had to replace blades/line on my strimmer in 10 years. You guys must do a lot of strimming, or hitting objects.
|
|
|
nick205
|
| posted on 23/9/22 at 09:45 AM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
I've never had to replace blades/line on my strimmer in 10 years. You guys must do a lot of strimming, or hitting objects.
Strimming round the edges of my garden (grass) my battery strimmer line lasts for years too.
Strimming rougher ground with thicker/heavier stuff would wear the line out pretty fast. When 2 stroke strimmers first appeared on the market they
were often referred to as "weed eaters". The machines and lines were probably a bit more butch back then.
|
|
|
coyoteboy
|
| posted on 23/9/22 at 12:40 PM |
|
|
The only thing that seems to really snap bits of line off is hitting the washing line pole, the whip-around effect seems to very quickly snap the end
off. I don't generally mow my lawn straight away because I leave it too long, I usually strim the whole lawn surface prior to mowing as it's
at least 1ft deep. I've done 5 years with an electric Ryobi and the last 5 with a mix of that and petrol.
|
|
|
Benzine
|
| posted on 23/9/22 at 05:25 PM |
|
|
As a stopgap I've fitted thicker line. It's working a little better than before but still hit and miss. I don't really think
there's a perfect solution. A flamethrower or agent orange are my top choices at the moment.
I'm mostly strimming overgrown gardens and land prior to building on so it's usually overgrown with brambles, trees, shrubs and then all
sorts hidden under grass and ivy. I dug up a single cylinder engine yesterday! Old car headlights, a citroen bx rear bumper windscreens, citroen
suspension spheres, all sorts.
We once got a tree surgeon to clear a site in Oakham and they used a remote control flail. It was the size of a smart car, was very loud and it was
absolutely amazing, went through everything with ease.
|
|
|
Simon
|
| posted on 23/9/22 at 05:25 PM |
|
|
I bought a fat 3mm line as that was all toolstation/screwfix had at the time - didn't fit my electric strimmer (obvs, but doubling that cable
made a great diff on that machine) but the 3mm has been great in the petrol strimmer.
|
|
|
nick205
|
| posted on 25/9/22 at 09:01 AM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Benzine
As a stopgap I've fitted thicker line. It's working a little better than before but still hit and miss. I don't really think
there's a perfect solution. A flamethrower or agent orange are my top choices at the moment.
I'm mostly strimming overgrown gardens and land prior to building on so it's usually overgrown with brambles, trees, shrubs and then all
sorts hidden under grass and ivy. I dug up a single cylinder engine yesterday! Old car headlights, a citroen bx rear bumper windscreens, citroen
suspension spheres, all sorts.
We once got a tree surgeon to clear a site in Oakham and they used a remote control flail. It was the size of a smart car, was very loud and it was
absolutely amazing, went through everything with ease.
The flail cutter you mention is like the hedge cutters used on tractors. Pretty brutal and will go through the hedge and whatever's growing in
there. The tractor drivers often have metal cages round them to protect in case a flail comes free.
|
|
|
pewe
|
| posted on 27/9/22 at 09:20 PM |
|
|
Somewhere I saw a guy who'd cut slots in the strimmer head and was using zip-ties instead.
|
|
|
