"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote
== Check out Ryobi TrimmerPlus--An excellent powerful corded model that also accepts attachments. I have the mini tiller attachment and it's perfect for my small flower beds. Electric tools/equipment have markedly improved the last few years, you just need to do your homework and choose wisely.
If you do get a gas power, I would recommend thinking long and hard before getting a Troy-Bilt. I have the 4 cycle gas power one and I swear to God the guard is designed to toss the weeds into my shins no matter how its positioned. That and the strings for it are a crap shoot - easy to install, but some will break after 10 seconds, all have the durability of a Twizzler (and look like them too!)
It gets the job done for my 10,000 sq ft yard, but I'm not impressed.
If I buy a gas powered model, it'll come from a mower & yard equipment specialty shop, and I don't think they sell Troy Bilt. This is the type of purchase where, if there's a problem, I want to talk to someone real, ya know?
My Shindaiwa T270 kicks butt, and will do truly scary things to heavy brush when loaded with a good (or even a dull) Sandvik brush blade. Shindaiwa is one of the only about three brands the pros use.
No need to shut off the trimmer if it's got a proper clutch. Just keep a good grip on the head while changing the line, and if by some freak event the motor starts to spin up just drop the thing. They don't come up to speed instantly to begin with, and certainly not if you're holding the head. It's not like it's a sharp chain on a saw that will cut you with the slightest movement, the line has to be close to full speed to really do anything. OSHA and the CPSC of course wouldn't approve of this technique, but who cares.
Shindaiwa has a new auto feed head that is supposed to be vastly easier to reload and more reliable. There is info on their site.
The bump feed on my weedwhacker has behaved perfectly for the almost 15 years I've had it. Bump it on rocks, dirt, logs, gravel, roads, hydro poles, fence rails, stray kids and wildlife[+]... The only times I have to open it is when it runs out of string. It gets about 1 1/2 hours work every 2-3 weeks on some fairly heavy stuff out in the country. The sawblade gets reserved for trees ;-)
Mind you, it is a landscraper grade (FS85) Stihl.
Has never needed service, always starts with < 5 pulls - even after leaving it full of gas over the winter. The previous WW a Homelite whose motor gave up the ghost in < 3 years on much lighter work.
[The FS85's bump head is almost bigger than the motors on some WW's ;-)Reloading is somewhat obnoxious (getting the ends started), but you get the hang of it.
Recommended unit. But it is _not_ cheap. I didn't want to repeat my experience with the Homelite.
Our tree service uses one of these (D handle, not bicycle) with a chain saw head for branch lopping up to about 15'. Nice unit. Hard on the arms tho.
[+] Well, not wildlife.... Or kids either... just kidding.
Echo. Hands down. I've been using an Echo straight shaft for seven years - no problems. My own residential yard (1 acre), trim around the perimeter mostly. I should probably change the spark plug for the first time 'bout now ;-) I bought an Echo leaf blower at the same time. It's stood up and performed w/o a hitch to regular weekly use as well. Both gas models.
BTW, I've had 2 Ryobi rechargeables in the past. Key word *had*. Never again.
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