Buying my first weed whacker, need advice

[gunsmith11]

Had a Weedeater brand for 14 years ...it was great,,went too start it once and the damn thing sounded like a thrashing machine, took it apart,, screw in magneto had shearded off, JB welded it back on. used one more year,, then got feeling guilty,,,Lowes here I come,,,got a Homelite, so far it is good,,,well has been the last two years,,,but don't believe the crap about bumping it to let out more plastic twine, it isn't going to happen

 

[Igiveup]

I bought one to use around the corrals and base of trees, etc. Never did feed the string right, and discovered if I just sprayed herbicide around the trees and posts, nothing grew and it was a lot less hassel. The one I have is a Homelite, or maybe Honda.

 

[badam0112]

Got a Troy built weed eater from Lowes about 4 years ago. Never had a problem. You can get separate attachments for edging, trimming, tilling, blower etc, etc. Paid about $149 and love it.

 

[Frank237]

I've got a 1994 STIHL straight shaft drive weed eater. Had to get it semi rebuilt last year after running the engine over with my 4 wheeler. Had to replace the gas tank and a few switches.

Otherwise it's been a start on first or 2nd pull whacker. Had cheapies prior to the Stihl and they would last 2-3 years then crap out.

Dont buy a Taurus buy an older Smith. Same thing...buy a Stihl.

FN in MT

 

[gunsmith11]

go to Home Depot on Saturday, and rent a Mexican

 

[SIG229fan]

I have to maintain several acres. The advice to purchase a straight-shaft Stihl is good; choose a pro model that allows you to substitute a brush blade for the string-trimmer head if you need to whack more stubborn stuff.

And, if you need a chainsaw, you'll be well served with a Stihl or Husky model. I've used them for decades and they are just bulletproof [no pun intended] if you give them the most routine maintenance and use quality two-stroke oil in them.

 

[Jerry N.]

If you've been doing it by hand, I'm thinking you don't have a lot to trim. For just around the house light duty trimming, I would go electric. I have a large yard so I went with a gas trimmer but I'd rather not mix gas or use the gas powered equipment if I didn't have to.

 

[firedog3700]

Not a big fan of the Homelite.

There's a gap at the end of the shaft where the head attaches that allows tall grass to wrap around the knuckle and ruins your day. And it wraps it tight enough that you need a good pocket knife and about fifteen minutes to get it up and running again.

As for treating gas, if I'm not mistaken, Tanaka (?) 2-cycle has a fuel preservative in it. Don't have to remember the fuel ratio, as it's the same for everything.

We use an Echo at the FD that's still running despite our best efforts to break it (we tend to do that with our toys).

 

[marine2541]

weed wackers are tools made by the devil!
Get an attachment that you replace the line which are pieces about 6 inches long. Stay away from a bumper! Buy the line and cut them yourself. I'd get a good one and have it serviced because a weed wacker that takes 10 pulls to start is a pain in the arse! If your lawn isn't that big, go electric.

 

[enfield]

I'm a big fan of the straight-shaft Shindaiwa trimmers.

 

[kalei]

Simle answer Echo

 

[deanodog]

Most commercial users go with stihl. So do I

 

[mafuta54]

I've had a Ryobi for almost 13 years now. Straight shaft and modular are the way to go.

 

[DrewW]

For a homeowner I have to recommend Echo over stihl, I use stihls at work and they are great but if they aren't used for a couple of weeks they are a bear to start.

At home we have an echo that we bought when we bought the property in 1992, in is used twice a week to trim around the house and the shop and a couple of times a year we use it to trim all the fence rows on our 50 acres. Never had to do any work on it at all other than changing string, not even put a new plug in it. Never winterize it for winter and it always starts in 2-5 pulls even after sitting all winter.