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What do you all recommend? Looking for something with decent cutting radius and power, but not necessarily one as big as the two-handled models (though not opposed). Looking for something that will do a decent job clearing stands of ferns and such as well as large yard edging and trimming. Also a blower if anyone has a favorite (as well as clever plays on the word 'blower').
Thanks mags.
I have a Black & Decker Cordless. It's been great for the last 5 years.
http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/88...32_500X500.jpg
Got a Makita gas-powered leaf blower last fall and it kicks ass.
http://www.thegreenreaper.co.uk/Imag.../MKBHX2500.jpg
Whatever Stihl model fits your budget. Go to a local power tool place(commercial lawn mower type place) other than Home Depot or Lowes.
Places that rent equipment like skid steers and power washers will stock the good stuff too and will price match.
Not to entirely hijack your thread... FUCK blowers!
Other than that, I've been happy with my Poulan for 8yrs. +
Trim on.
I've always preferred gas blowers that have the tube running from the bottom of the machine as opposed to the top like the one Tipp posted. It's easier to get it flush with the ground (you need this more than you think with wet leaves, tight spots, etc) and it directs the air more efficiently towards where you want your debris to go.
That said, have you considered just loading up some day laborers on a weekly basis instead? :tongue:
i just bought an echo srm225 gas trimmer
i'm not liking it yet: it has been a bear to start
i'm probably just a dumbfuck, but i'm really having trouble with it
once it's on tho...it does its job pretty well
Stihl products
I have an electric B&D Grasshog for around the house and I love it - drop in spools, light, easy to use.
For around the farm/down by the river I use a Troybilt 4 cycle (HATE mixing gas/oil). It is pretty much a beast and will take down Kochia, Thistle, Water Hemlock you name it. Only trouble I have with it is in tall thin grass which will wrap around the head if I'm not careful. Just replaced my first one after 6 years of heavy use. My first one was a straight shaft, replacement is curved - both work well for me. Also have all the attachments for it.
Troybilt 4-cycle string trimmers
corded electric for lots of work
cordless B&D for pickup jobs
small displacement gas job for roughing
heavy duty Stihl for the big work
You really need a quiver of string trimmers if you want to do the job right.
this is definitely one of those things wher eyou get what you pay for. Spend more and you'll almost always get a better machine.
If you're looking at electric, you want to look at string diameter. Thicker string cuts big stuff better. For cutting big stuff, I would be weary of battery powered tools. Convenient, but the extra torque needed to cut heavier brush will wear them out fast.
For gas powered, just remember to do your maintenance (drain it in the fall), and use a gas stabilizer. Otherwise, you'll be getting the fuel system serviced every spring.
Got a beater Poulan pro trimmer that does OK work on my little piece of property but it doesn't even compare to the Stihls (had 3 chain saws, 2 string trimmers, a blower, and a ridiculous hedge trimmer) that I used to use on the farm. Those dammed things would just plain work whereas the little Poulan is kinda fiddly. My husky blower, on the other hand, works like the Stihls did. No bullshit, just crank and go.
Oh, and only use ethanol free gas in your equipment if available near by. Makes a big difference in the life/performance of blowers/trimmers.
yupyupx2Quote:
Originally Posted by Tippster
For what it's worth, I've had my gas/oil burning trimmer for 10 years now. No clue what the brand is, yard master or some such shit? All I know is that aside from new line, the occasional spark plug every couple years, and a can of starter fluid each spring; the thing won't die.
Eats through shit and edging better than any battery powered rig I've tried when looking to replace it which is why I still have it. Spits oil like a motherfucker on my right arm though if I get too close to the exhaust so there's that.
That aside Hugh is right, what you really need is a quiver of trimmers. Post up an in-depth TR once you've sunk no less than $1000 into your new trimmer quiver.
Rockered Trimmers ?
speaking from a standard 1 acre suburban plot, where I do all the work, I've always bought the cheepy corded toro yard broom (200mph) and homelite trimmers. 50-$75 a pop. Get maybe 2 years outta the blower and 4 from the trimmer. Less when I back over it in the car. i put a big diameter string on the trimmer, and it'll do what ever I need it too. The toro really gets the leaves up, super cheep, and we have a ton of leaves around here.
But I've never gotten more than two years outta one.
On a little different note, I finally splurged a few years back on a hi wheel Toro lawn mower, Techumseh, best piece of equipment I ever owned. replaced the high wheels a few times and I got 10 years of solid use out of it. so I bought another with a kohler holy hell what a piece of shit kohlers are. Constant bullshit about ethanol and carbiration. Fucking thing never ran more than 3 months without needing a new carb $75 a pop. I'm fighting them over warrenty / replacement now, but I'll never own another toro lawnmower. Got a troy-bilt / B&S and so far so good.
I've never regretted trading in my quiver of lawn equipment, for a quiver of mexicans.
what's this trading in? I thought most people had quivers of this shit just to have quivers of it.
I picked up this trimmer and blower and are very happy with them. No gas to deal with!! I'm on a postage stamp lot so it has plenty of battery life.
http://www.protoolreviews.com/tools/...trimmer/10701/
Sent from my XT1080 using TGR Forums
you know that according to google poulan is owned by husky ? They own some other samll brands as well like homelite I think its just cheaper stuff for the masses who don't wana payQuote:
Originally Posted by Cruiser
I run gas trimmers even for the residential lot cuz i don't like fucking with cords, you can get away witha cheap one for small jobs but if you have big jobs or want to run a brush blade spend the money for a high quality tool
I run premium in small motors always and fuel conditioner at end of season
homelite's owned by techtronic, not Husky.
76 stations.Quote:
Originally Posted by klauss
http://pure-gas.org/
76 stations aren't necessarily ethanol free, although Starvin' Sam's in B'ham are. The brand name on the gas station doesn't even tell you who is supplying the gas.
Seriously. There's a reason I still have my '94 K2 Extremes, Dynastar Vertical Assaults, and '96 Solly Force 9s; and it sure as shit isn't for taking a Harbor Freight chop saw to em.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh Conway
Strength in quivers. Or is it cred is quivers? I can't remember.
Ya off the top of my head I got homelite mixed up with mculloch in any case Huskavarna make more out door power products both cheap & expensive than anybody else in the world
I think often the lacklustre sample size of one reviews we read about in the padded room are cuz buddy picked the wrong product?
Recognise what you need to do a job and don't be cheap ... cheap turns out more expensive when you blow up gear
Heh......Quote:
Originally Posted by KQ
Whoa. Thanks all.
A quiver at no less than, what was it, $10,000? Done. Also $950 for a minivan with blown out suspension for my daily Home Depot parking lot runs.
Stihl you say? Word. Thanks again. Also thanks for the maintenance tips.
Those Amigo Depot guys can fix that suspension as well. Just sayin.Quote:
Originally Posted by biggins
FYI: If you are in the midwest, Menard's has awesome mountain bikes on special this week - $20 + a $20 merchandise credit so effectively free.Quote:
Originally Posted by biggins
He already said he has a minivan for the help.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh Conway
Huh. I just assumed that was 76's shtick. If it weren't for cheap beer, and air-cooled engines, the one near my house would go out of business, because they sure don't compete on price.Quote:
Originally Posted by grrrr
That I knew. I worked at a gas station when I was in high school. Even though it was a name-brand station, the tanker truck said something like "joe's refinery".Quote:
Originally Posted by grrrr
Ethanol free runs 50 cents more at the station I go to (and it's miles out of the way), but it's what I run in the bike.
This thread was a reminder that we needed a new trimmer. The old one was a Home depot cheapy that I always hated after having, unfortunately, spent thousands of hours of my life trimming our golf course with a legit husqevarna
So, I Got this bad ass mutherfuckker.
http://www.stihlusa.com/WebContent/I...ProductDetails
http://www.stihlusa.com/products/tri...rimmers/fs130/
STIHL fs130 pro series. ($409) the 130 has a larger engine than the 110 for only about $30 more. We put our weedwhackers through the paces up here in the jungles of VT so it seemed like a smart choice. Also bought a 22in circular saw for clearing saplings and a tri-blade for brush. Thing fires up with one pull, and doesn't bog down in the thicker stuff.
ps: recommending this shit...
http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/88...32_500X500.jpg
will get your man card Revoked :wink:
if you just need to do a small lawn, the B&D battery job's pretty cool
unless you need to be the GSA of lawn maintenance.
Nah, I've got several properties to maintain; a couple of acres of horse fence etc.... those little things cant hang.
just gotta bust balls in a Tim Allen kinda way
http://onedirectionforward.files.wor...mprovement.jpg
HAR HAR HAAAR!
I just bought a place with 1.35 acres that's mostly weeds and sagebrush. Obviously I needed a string trimmer.
The Shindaiwa I bought has been excellent. 2-3 hours at a stretch with only minimal discomfort. It's a lot nicer (and lighter) than the four-stroke Makita that I rented to try out. It's a little more expensive, but my motto is always: "Buy the best, and only cry once."
you trust a battery to not fuck up?Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh Conway
Even tho I hate cords I would just get something with a cord
Can someone PM Dunfee and request a lawn care forum...
like 99% of the people on this forum he probably lives in civilization here such things are easy to fix and you aren't clearing half of BC worth of slide alder, or whatever.Quote:
Originally Posted by XXX-er
but he probably needs a diesel dually pickup to hall his trailer of lawn care equipment for his 200 sqft yard.
[QUOTE=Tippster;4283435]I have a Black & Decker Cordless. It's been great for the last 5 years.
http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/88...32_500X500.jpg
I have this one too, works great for my needs, only if I were to buy another I'd get one with lithium batteries. Lighter and hold a charge longer.