Weed wacker - extending string life

[ArlyA]

I'm curious about this timmer head:
View attachment 3860102
"Oregon Jet Fit" (manufacturer link).

According to a couple forum posts I saw the orientation of the lines going into the header reduces breakage at that point, though to be honest that's not usually how I lose my lines. I kinda like how the end of the twine sticks out and should be easier to yank since the center of the echo head fills up with grass and dirt, though hypothetically having the little end out there in the air could incur extra drag though the velocity isn't that high close in.

There's a 2-line version and a also a 4-line version; the 2-line version has two aluminum disks which have the two lines going through them like this pic, and the 4-line has three disks with the other two lines going through perpendicular to the other two.

A post I read mentioned someone trying a knock-off from ebay for $25+tax/ship so I went looking and sure enough that knock-off is on aliexpress because most likely Oregon has the chinese build them so that company is also selling direct. I ordered two 2-line heads for $23 including shipping... previous experience says they could get here in a few days or a few weeks.

I'm curious as well and never seen that type before.

 

[RayIN]

I have what may be the cleanest collection of Victorinox Classic SD Swiss Army knives ever kept. Several manage to find their way thru the laundry, every year.

Usually this happens when I strip down and hop in the shower, and my wife sneaks my dirty clothes from the bathroom floor to the laundry without me noticing. So, not entirely my fault.

My DW used to do that too; until she found the clunking noise inside the washer was my cell-phone.
We then compromised, I wash my work clothes, it's cheaper that way.

 

[not2old]

Cam lock heads as we were chatting about are quite different from bump types, or do you know that?

I confess to being completely ignorant about that. I bump mine to advance more string.

 

[ArlyA]

I confess to being completely ignorant about that. I bump mine to advance more string.

Sorry i can't post photos being on the road but cam locks hold larger strings than bump heads since they don't have a spool of string. Bumps max diameter string tends to be 105 where as cams can do everything larger in sizes. I call them "cam lock" but manufacturers use different systems to keep string in them but I would say the best are cam lock type and call them different names . Some use the rap around pegs which I'd call poor. We can change out 3 strings in a cam lock in 60 seconds.

 

[skramer360]

I will never use anything but an Echo Speed Feed head. I keep about 12' of line in my back pocket (I usually don't need it) and if I run out of string I can fill it in about 30 seconds. I worked in a small engine shop for 15+ years and never saw anything that worked as well. Our commercial cutters loved them.

 

[jyoutz]

I will never use anything but an Echo Speed Feed head. I keep about 12' of line in my back pocket (I usually don't need it) and if I run out of string I can fill it in about 30 seconds. I worked in a small engine shop for 15+ years and never saw anything that worked as well. Our commercial cutters loved them.

They are absolutely the very best trimmer heads available. The first I’ve ever used that actually work and is easy to load. Unlike most trimmers that use the “bang and jamb” design.

 

[Engineer42]

What do you use to keep the water from turning green? Biology always finds a way...

Fish tank pump with charcoal filter. Keep the set up in a darkroom with dehumidifier and keycard access.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I use the Fixcut head from Stihl. It is a bit of a PITA to load the way I do it in a 4 line config. Looking it up it seems like there are numerous ways to load it that are not as much as a PITA. It wastes a bit of string but in the grand scheme of things no biggie. I use .155 string in it so it will last quite a while. Overall I would give it a 8/10

 

[kenmbz]

The M18 is very similar to the echo speed feed and works great.
I have too many rocks and woody stems to deal with.

 

[WinterDeere]

I will never use anything but an Echo Speed Feed head. I keep about 12' of line in my back pocket (I usually don't need it) and if I run out of string I can fill it in about 30 seconds. I worked in a small engine shop for 15+ years and never saw anything that worked as well. Our commercial cutters loved them.

I wish they still made the 450. I just bought a 400, which is tiny for my 36cc trimmer, because they Echo/Saindawa replaced the reliable old 450 with the troublesome 500. I received it yesterday, and will install when I use the trimmer this weekend.