String trimmer replacement heads

I have a 2 cycle gas string trimmer. I finally wore out the bang-on-the-ground string trimmer head. Pretty much fell apart from being smashed on the ground to get it to feed new string, which it rarely did.

I see you can get either bump and feed or heads that take fixed lengths of string.

Are there bump and feed units that work or should I go with one of the units that take short lengths of string. Any recommendations welcome.

I use the unit almost exclusively for lawn edging.

thanks in advance...

Reply to
despen
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I prefer the fixed length strings edging. The fixed length systems require far less cussing. Takes less than a minute to change. Can take a greater variety of string. I buy a huge spool of string the last for years.

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bought locally for hundred bucks less three years ago. I must were safety googles this thing can throw rocks.

Reply to
Nad R

That looks like it can do some serious weed whacking.

I strongly suggest purchasing string trimmers from an authorized dealer that does maintenence/repairs on premises.

I have the GT 225i, light weight with plenty of power:

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have the Rapid Loader head, trouble free. I've been using the same jumbo spool of line for several years, during winter I nip off lengths with a pair of dikes, make bundles secured with a rubberband... put one in a pocket and head out:
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to choose a string trimmer:
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not litter spent string, it's unsightly and a danger to critters that may become entangled or eat it. I do not recommend string trimming around trees/shrubs, the string will cut the bark and eventually kill the plant.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

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>

There is one thing. I hate the mixed oil machines. For a while there was the snow blower, trimmer and chain saws. I ditched the mixed gas/oil machines and went towards all gas. Exception is the chainsaws and I hate them. Gasohol wrecked one, wrecked another when I forgot the oil mix and used straight gas. I am thinking my next chainsaw will be electric, battery or with a portable generator. So far I think of chainsaws as disposable item that does not last. That is why I like my swisher trimmer it uses straight gas.

Reply to
Nad R

The battery powered equipment are weak, and when it's time to replace the battery you find it costs about as much as as the equipment costs new.

Electric tools are inexpensive, and reliable, if you have a nearby outlet.

Reply to
Billy

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>>

Didn't you have separate cans marked for 4 cycle and 2 cycle? Boy would you be in trouble if you had to use diesel too. I wouldn't want an electric chain saw if it were a gift free for nothing, I toss it where it belongs, in the trash.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

Many corded electric tools are perfectly fine, like drill motors, sanders, etc., but electric chain saws are extremely dangerous out in the field, too easy to get tangled with the wire when avoiding a falling tree.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

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>>>

I have really limited use for a chain saw. Maybe once a year. I just took down my ancient dogwood with it. For at least 30 years I've been using the same electric model and never regretted buying it.

Really depends on what you need it for.

Reply to
despen

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>>>

The trash is typically were the chain saws go also after two years.

Yes I have separate cans, but I forgot to add the oil to the can. Today only the chain saws need oil and I keep the small one gallon can with the saws. The John Deere uses diesel and the day I mess up that machine is the day I check myself into a convalescent home. I wish Aricept was available over the counter, my doc won't give it to me, says I do not need it... Yet.

Still I wish the saws were built to last and use regular gas.

Reply to
Nad R
< snips >

Same here - maybe twice a year -

- limb wood for the backyard fire pit. For small limbs - I prefer the little swede saw. A bunch of 6 inch limbs will wear out my arm. The little electric goes through them fine. John T.

--- Posted via news://freenews.netfront.net/ - Complaints to snipped-for-privacy@netfront.net

Reply to
hubops
< snips >

I've never seen a tree-felling electric chain saw .. The ones that I've seen are 14 inch - 16 inch bar

- but not meant for any heavy work - it's obvious. That said - the cord IS a nuisance - and perhaps a hazard. John T.

--- Posted via news://freenews.netfront.net/ - Complaints to snipped-for-privacy@netfront.net

Reply to
hubops

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>>>>

That's also true. But for a dogwood you really don't need a chain saw, a bowsaw would do the job easily... I carry a 24" bowsaw and a lopper on my tractor, there are always small dead trees that have fallen onto where I mow. Usually in early spring and after a windstorm I find large trees and limbs that have fallen, then I get my Jonsered, best chainsaw I ever used:

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don't use it often but there are a couple three times each year when it sure comes in handy.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

Actually dogwood is one of the hardest woods known. I don't have a bow saw, but I tried a pruning saw on one of the limbs. For about 10 seconds.

I don't mind hard work, in fact I seek it out but sawing though my ancient 6 inch diameter dogwood is something I'd much rather do with something electric.

Obviously tractors and electric chainsaws don't mix well. I'm on 3/4 of an acre and have electric cords to reach everywhere.

Reply to
despen

Ancient dogwood 20ft high, about 6 inches diameter at the base. Felled and cut into lengths I could carry to the curb in a half hour.

My other trees are mostly 30+ inch Tulip Poplars and Oaks. Felling them myself is out of the question.

I find the cord easy to manage. I've used gas powered chain saws. I can't agree that one is more dangerous than the other, providing you are using the right size tool for the job.

Reply to
despen

I do not need to drop any trees. The chain saw is mostly for trimming trees and clearing paths from down limbs and small newly growing trees. It is the vibration of the machines that also bugs me. I have heard that electrics are easier to handle, run smoother and last longer. Time is something I have lots of. So if the battery plays out, I can wait until the next day. Battery or cord with a generator?

Reply to
Nad R

I'll agree that any power saw will require less effort, but a bow saw blade will clice through dogwood like butter, I've done it. Dogwood trunks are relatively small diameter making sawing easy. And dogwood trees are so squat trunked they need only one cut at about 30" above ground level to fell them... the rest is all small branch cutting. I carry a bow saw and loppers on my tractor because with small trees by the time I drive back and get the chainsaw, fuel, bar oil, tools, and safety equipment I can have that tree all cut up... shouldn't need more than 20 minutes with bow saw and loppers to reduce a dogwood to a brush pile.... gives me a chance to stretch my legs from driving a cramped tractor all day. I always choose the smallest tool that can do the job because smaller, lower powered tools are safer... a hand saw is always safer than any power saw... and one should never ever go out in the woods alone with a chainsaw.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

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>>> I bought locally for hundred bucks less three years ago. I must were safety

I bought an Echo SRM-2200 about 25 or 30 years ago. It was the smallest one Echo made at the time with a straight shaft and would take a metal blade. I might should have bought the 2500, but it's hard to complain; the 2200 is still going strong. It uses .095" nylon line, but usually I use it with a metal blade.

I found a 8" lawnmower blade that fits it and I love it. I hope I never bend it or lose it because I have no idea what it's supposed to fit and I'm unlikely to ever find another one. I have the proper weed blades and brush-cutting blades, but the lawnmower blade works better on anything up to 1/2" saplings.

One good thing about using a metal blade is you can tell *exactly* how close you are cutting -- and get right up to tree trunks or fences without damaging them. With a string cutter, you usually can't do that. (but if you do accidentally hit something with a metal blade you do a lot more damage that with a nylon string)

I've also started mixing fuel in a 500ml pop bottle using a syringe to measure the oil. That way the fuel is always fresh. I only mix a gallon or two of fuel if I'm gonna be doing a lot of chainsaw work -- and I don't do much of that anymore.

-Bob

Reply to
zxcvbob

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>>>>> I bought locally for hundred bucks less three years ago. I must were safety

I don't think those thin plastic pop bottles are very safe for storing fuel. They do make one and two liter approved fuel bottles, which are what are typically hauled into the woods with chainsaws.

I mix 1 gallon of 2 cycle at the start of the season; I use it in my echo string trimmer, mantis tiller, echo leaf blower and my chain saw... I usually go through two gallons a season, if I notice I'm running low towards the end I get miserly with the string trimming and leaf blowing rather than mix another gallon... I don't do tilling at the end of the growing season and any chainsaw work can wait until the end of winter/early spring, much easier chainsawing while it's cold, when the leaves are off and bugs didn't wake yet, as soon as trees bud out the forest can get steamy hot, not the time to do hard labor in and around wooded areas. My push mower is 4 cycle, I usually use 4 gallons of gas each season but only buy 2 gallons at a time... whatever is left at the end goes into my automobile. My two tractors use diesel, about 10 gallons a week, I have a thirty gallon storage tank that I keep filled from 2 five gallon cans that I fill in town. I don't use enough diesel nor are the few pennies a gallon savings worth it to buy bulk, they won't deliver less than 250 gallons, that would be over $1,000 a fill up... diesel here now is $4.30/gal at the pump, bulk would save me about 12¢/gallon, not really worth it... the growing season here is short, a bulk delivery would take me over two years. And at the beginning of this season diesel was 30¢/gal more at the pump, with a bulk fill at that time I would have been screwed. With this volatile oil economy I don't think it pays to stock up on fuel, I'm not a gambling man. I go into town at least once a week anyway so no biggie to stop for diesel.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

[snip]

I don't store gas in the pop bottle, I mix a half a liter and pour the whole thing in the fuel tank.

-Bob

Reply to
zxcvbob

Of course it saves to stock up ones fuel, not so much on money as time. Seems each year fuel prices go up on average. I have two five hundred gallons above head storage tanks. One for diesel and one for regular gas. They last about one year. I wait until fuel prices are low for the year, typically end of summer when the driving season is about over with. Also with diesel for tractors is that they have no road tax added to the pink colored fuel. Diesel in bulk is about fifty cents cheaper than the gas station and cheaper than regular gas because of paying less in taxes. But one does pay a delivery fee, but still cheaper than the gas station.

The down side is my next fill-up will be around $3,500 dollars for the year. I do not use as much diesel as regular but top off both tanks for delivery. I also pre buy my propane for the year also in the spring when propane is the lowest for the year, this year propane will cost me about $2,000 dollars for heat, cooking and hot water. This saves me about ten percent over pay as you go.

During the summer it now cost me around five gallons a week just to mow my six acre lawn with my ExMark mower. I should get goats instead.

Reply to
Nad R

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