Specifications to Look at in Weed Eaters
A string trimmer gets into places where a lawn mower can’t and can also tackle tall weeds or grass that may choke a mower. It’s the optimal tool to keep the sides of the garden or walkway tidy and neat and for manicuring around fence poles and tree trunks.
To select the right string trimmer for the yard, you must answer two questions: What sort of shaft do you need-curved or straight; and which source of energy is most convenient-gas, electric, or battery? Here’s how to decide.
Gas-Powered Models
PROS: Capacity to cleanup a large yard, large cutting swath (16 to 18 inches)
CONS: Weight, noise, pollution, maintenance; the requirement to keep gas and oil on hand
Two-Cycle Engine
To have an affordable trimmer (under $200) with the power and also the reach to clean up up a big yard, look for a 2-cycle machine which includes separate primer, choke, and throttle controls for convenient starting. Two-cycle engines operate on a mixture of gas and oil.
Four-Cycle Engine
Using a big jungle to tame, you’ll need a trimmer using a 4-cycle engine. Though more expensive ($300 or higher), these powerful machines are simpler to start, quieter, pollute less, and run smoother than 2-cycle motors, and don’t demand a gas-oil mix.
Electric Trimmers
PROS: Portability and light weight; low cost ($50 to $150); less noise
CONS: Less power; limited extension-cord reach or battery; small cutting swath (12 to 15 inches); can’t handle brush cutting
Electric With Cord
While incapable of saw brush, a 3-amp or better corded electric machine is powerful enough to clean up up a suburban yard, provided you’ve got outdoor outlets as well as a long extension cord. Plus, it’s the most affordable option.
Battery-Powered
Cordless trimmers can handle grass and weeds in a tiny yard, and they’re easy to toss in the trunk when it’s your consider tidy Grandma’s patio. The rechargeable 12-volt battery means no hassling with extension cords or gas-oil mixtures, and getting a spare battery pack will alleviate the downside of the short term time.
Curved or Straight Shaft
String trimmers have either a straight shaft or possibly a curved shaft, the latter which is bent about halfway between the handle along with the spinning trimmer head. A straight shaft is often better for taller users because it’s longer, and also the design permits you to trim without kneeling or bending to keep the trimmer head near the ground.
Shorter users may should you prefer a curved shaft because it’s easier to support and maneuver, along with its design will make it easier to maintain the cutting head perpendicular to the ground. If you’ve never used a string trimmer, try one among each with a home center or hardware store to see which feels natural.
String Things
No Longer Tangled String
Typically, trimmer string comes wound around the head and is slowly eaten away with use. Some heads release more string automatically; others you tap on the ground. Eventually, if the spool is empty, you have to stop and wind a replacement.
Look at Echo’s new Rapid-Loader trimmer head, which contains locking clips that hold short items of plastic string. When it’s a chance to replace them, you only grab the old line and slide from the new-no winding necessary. Roger loves them. “I keep a few strings within my pocket,” he says. “Within thirty seconds, I could have new ones on and I’m off and away to work again.”
Trimmer/Mower
For rocky and hilly acreage, think about 4-cycle, two-wheel trimmer/mower. It will cut grass just like a rotary mower minus the shriek of metal blades scalping rocks, and since the string head sits way out in front, it trims right as much as posts and walls. The disadvantages are price (starting at $450) and because you can’t flip it up on edge for maintaining a crisp border around beds and walks, as possible with a regular string trimmer.
Trimmer Technique
Having the height right
A string trimmer can strip a lawn bald if held too near the surface. If you want to see more on String Trimmers Reviews [Issuu.com] review our site. Keep your string head a couple of to 3 inches up and running, like a mower blade, and sweep the machine side to side in the steady motion parallel to the floor. Don’t worry if you don’t have it right the very first time; most of us make a few mistakes, and this will grow out-like a bad haircut.
Cutting Overgrown Grass
If you trim tall grass and weeds at ground level, the stems are prone to tangle round the trimmer head and stall it. Roger’s option would be to trim tall weeds from the top down, hence the string chomps them into little pieces. For big fields of grass, consider obtaining a special grass-cutting head that has three plastic blades built to lay the stems down flat without tangling the mechanism.
Edging
Once you’ve established a clean edge along driveways, walks, and flower beds, it is possible to maintain it along with your trimmer. Just shift your grip so the string spins vertically, such as an airplane propeller. It can track right over the bed line to make hash for any sideways-growing grass.
Trimming near trees, posts, and steps
A string trimmer could get right approximately tree and shrub trunks, fence posts, and concrete steps. But make sure to stop short of hitting these with all the string. It is possible to kill a tree by stripping its bark, or cut a chunk out from wood or concrete. Approach these fixtures gingerly, and pull back once you hear or notice the distinctive click of slapping string. (Or better still, create mulch beds around trees and posts so that you never need to get close.)
Cutting brush
Whenever you switch to metallic blade for cutting brush and saplings, protect yourself with long pants, helmet, boots, and goggles or a face mask, plus shoulder straps to keep you from getting an aching back. Never get rid of the blade guard: It not only protects you, furthermore, it keeps the blade from wreaking havoc on rocks, walks, or posts.
Keeping it clean
With any trimmer, wipe off pieces of grass and debris if you stop for the day, and check the two gas level and what’s left on the string reel. Neatly coil the cord or recharge the batteries on electric machines. Some gas machines needs to be stored upright or level so fluids don’t leak; examine your manual.