My one of these worked fine for a couple of years, but then gradually started to refuse to extend the string. I have tried a brand new B&D spool with string, but it still doesn't work properly. What is the general cause of this? Is it not worth bothering with, or can it be fixed easily? I see a certain grooving of the eyelet where the string comes out, but is that enough? Any useful ideas welcome.
I can't get mine to work either. It's supposed to be one that you tap on the ground to expell more string.
Me too, the problem I also have is that the cord goes brittle over the winter and snaps at the hole in the outlet, then no more can feed out until you go inside and pull it out manually. Surely in this age of upvc, we can make plastic cord that is less affected by temperature? I sometimes wonder if when you buy it its been out in some cold storage bin some place. Now I cannot see what I'm strimming I have not looked into the alternatives. Brian
Another problem is that the spool gets coated in grass "juice" which is very sticky. Once it dries it will tend to jam up the spool.
Best thing I ever did was throw mine away and buy a petrol one...
I've got one, but never use it 'cos it's bl**dy useless. It either refuses to feed any cord or feeds the whole lot in one go and empties the spool. The spool was replaced after a couple of weeks (under warranty after a lot of hassle with the shop) 'cos it broke.
Never again would I buy a B&D strimmer.
Ditto
Ditto
Never had that
Ditto
So basically, the system is crap!
Brian
The ones the council use seem to be chain strimmers, and usually its the things they strim that give in or the engine dies.
Brian
A bit harsh actually, mostly they don't break, but they do jam a lot as has been said. I wonder if one could modify one to use two little chains instead. I suspect the mass of the motor is not enough to create the inertia needed to use such things though. It needs a petrol engine and flywheel. Brian
That's what I get from this. It's headed bin-wards.
Thanks for all the replies, folks, at least it's not just me!
So the next thing is to ask for recommendations for a good replacement. My neighbour has a Flymo, which he says is good. I think it has flailing plastic arms with teeth.
Yes, I think it is a common problem. If you have one of those aerosol sprays of silicone fluid (brilliant for lubricating gutter joints, curtain rails, push-fit plumbing) you could try spraying that on the spool.
Ive never yet found a strimmer which stays working. There has to be a very good market out there for a product which just works.
The can of WD-40 is right there, I could try that tomorrow! It can't make it worse. But I can't help feeling that there is some fundamental mistake in either the design or manufacture. Everybody has the same experience, it works for a while, then goes bad. But what happens? What stops happening? Weird. Cleverly Planned Obsolescence?
I have two Black and Decker strimmers and have constant problems with the plastic string or whatever it is called. I have seen larger strimmers that just have two very thick strings that don't break easily. I've also seen a steel toothed wheel, but they are not available for small strimmers. I don't see why not.
I use one occasionally in my neighbour's garden. Had no trouble since I replaced the spool and line (EBay). Trying to re-wind the old one was a PITA. Anything with flailing plastic things doesn't last long in the average garden e.g. cheap Flymo hovers where the replaceable parts break on contact with pretty much anything apart from a blade of grass
I have a large multi-tool strimmer/hedgetrimmer/powersaw that works fine as a strimmer, but it's a big beastie that needs to be held up with the shoulder strap, definitely not what is needed for the wife to use cleaning up flower bed edges. The big one works best as a clearer of heavy grasslands. It also has a toothed wheel, but I'm afraid of it, it's so dangerous-looking! It could remove a finger before you knew it.
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