Should I Buy a New Trimmer ?

[Mrwurm]

I've read the post about String Trimmers here . I am currently using a WeedEater Lite gas trimmer. It has a curved shaft and I must bend over to get the head close enough to the ground to work. This causes me some pain after a while. I've 'dry-tested' quite a few in the stores and I have found the Stihl straight shaft models to have the longest reach. I can stand comfortably and still touch the trimmer head to the ground.

I am guessing that the Stihl with its greater reach will cause less strain to my back (I won't need to bend). Anyone agree or disagree?

That being said, it seems the Stihl is also (by coincidence for me) a higly favored brand (see other thread). I saw three Stihl's at Home Depot. They appeared identical except for the engine (21 cc, 23cc, 25cc). Not sure on the engine sizes, but each jump added about $50 to the price. I only plan to trim lawn grass with mine. No weed, briars, saplings, or brushwork. So, I think the smaller engine model will suffice. Any thoughts?

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Any thoughts )</font>

Yep, I think you've pretty well said what you need to know and do. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[DavidJ]

I have a Stihl FS-66 and like it much better than any of the curved shaft models that I've owned. It also has a clutched head, so at idle the head's not spinning, so IMHO more safe.

 

[beagdog]

You sure that wasn't an Echo you saw at HD? The colors are the same, but I don't think HD sells Stihl (yet) /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[fishman]

You're on the right track MrWurm (interesting handle you've got there by the way).

Have you tried a trimmer with bike handles and a shoulder sling? In my opinion they are easier on the back. You can lengthen the sling so the the trimmer head is at just the right angle and then (by loosening a clamp) rotate the bike handles so that they are at just the right place.

Downside is that they usually come with a larger engine than you really need and thus are more expensive.

But they're just like tractors, nobody ever complains about too much power. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

As an aside, I really like my Stihl FS 85 pro. It's the smallest one they sell that is a straight shaft with a solid steel drive shaft (about $330). You might find the ability to put brush and saw blades on it useful one day. If not, it's got plenty of power to power it's double-line head, and since it's thick line, you don't have to refill the spool very often. In my case, maybe twice a year. I use it a lot for string trimming, but I also use a heavy 3-blade solid brush blade for cutting thick stuff like <1" saplings, sunflowers, and so forth. Last weekend, I put on the saw blade and cleared out an area to add to my lawn. It will cut up to a 5" thick tree.

Hope this helps.

 

[Slamfire]

I've got a Stihl and love it, but that doesn't mean that I'd hesitate to buy a Husky. I think you get nearly as much engine, for less money. I can't really understand that given the Swedish tax situation (I used to work with Swedes from ASEA).

 

[Will_C]

Jerry, I recently upgraded from a Husky curved shaft unit to a Stihl 85 straight shaft. Took around a half hour to get the hang of operating it, but what a difference in comfort. You have a good plan /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Will

 

[pruntyc]

I have a Stihl FS 44, straight shaft, works very good, has a lot of trouble with the weedeater, when I had it. The only problem I had with the Stihl is I cut a lot around my big chicken yard and if you run it full speed, it cuts the wire real easy with the heavy line and double too. So I was cutting at a lower speed. Then one day it would not start. I tryed everything I knew to do. Then I called Stihl, they told me I had a stuck ring, that it only has one and if not run at full speed the ring would stick. Took it apart and had a hard time getting it to free up enough to get it off. Bought a new ring, put it back together, started right up and been running every since. But I changed to Amsoil, 100 to 1, as it don't have the problem, when mixed at that rate, and I can use it like that, even in my old chainsaw, that calls for like 30 to 1. So now I cut around the chicken yard at low speed and high speed the rest of the time, and no more problems. Would I buy another Stihl, after I found out what oil to use, in a heart beat.

 

[Mrwurm]

Hmm /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif That running at full speed thing gives me the creeps. My first string trimmer was a Homelight and it leaked fuel all the time when I used it. I took it back to the dealer and the tech said that 'ya, they are designed to run wide-open, otherwise they'll dump the excess fuel'. This sounded nutty to me. I checked my owners manual and sure enough, it said the same thing. I sold it to a co-worker who did'nt care about this limitation. I like to match my engine speed to the task.

 

[Molerj]

If you are just using it around the house to trim with, I would suggest a curved shaft & the smaller engine. The curved shaft to me, is easier to manuever around the house. I use the bigger Stihl with the Bicycle handles & straight shaft in the woods & out in the wide open areas.

 

[pruntyc]

If you buy a Quart of Amsoil 100 to 1 then you don't need to run it at full speed. It don't leak fuel or any of that. But it did carbon the ring up bad. And the manual don't tell you to run it at full speed, that is what he told me on the phone. But I run it at the speed I want now, with the Amsoil. Just a better oil, for the job. I would recomend it for any 2 stoke now, and no I don't work for them, fact is I don't work, too old for that now. But for a great string cutter, I love the Stihl, it has a lot of power, not too heavy, and cuts fast. You can have a problem with any of them, if you use them enough. I wore out the motor on the weedeater, and not that many hours on it. Not near as many as I'm putting on the Stihl. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[trkbldr]

Having used both curved and straight shaft trimmers, I can say with certainty that the straight shaft is the way to go. For me anyway, it is much easier on the back. Also, if you have a need to trim under such things as a board or barbed wire fence, the straight shaft lets you get under there with ease. With all those trees to trim around, you most certainly need a trimmer that won't cause back pain /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. So I guess the answer to your question is - Yes, you should buy a new trimmer /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif!

 

[glennd]

In my opinion, ya get less vibration with the straight shart vs curved as well. The most common problem I've had with gas trimmers, is the mixture screws vibrating closed on the carb.

 

[Mrwurm]

Update.

Ended up with an Echo model. As pointed out by another poster, this is the brand sold at Home Depot. I have used it once and am quite pleased. It's going to take some time getting used to, but I can already appreciate the extra power and reach. Turns out that straight shaft trimmers turn counterclockwise, the opposite direction of all the other trimmers I have ever owned. Operating a trimmer requires quite a bit of fine motor control (muscle control) and switching to counterclockwise is like writing lefthanded (for a rightie).

Oh, and it is also easier on my back. Not painless, but better.

Paid $199 for the 21.1 cc model. It was surprised that it has a clutch at this price level, but it does.

Also, I pulled out the owners manual in the store and made sure that the manufacturer did'nt require the machine to run at full throttle all the time. It's been working great at various speeds. (so far)

 

[riptides]

I did the same thing a few days ago. My trimmer of the decade popped the starter coil. I went to a repair shop and got a "qoute" for all the things wrong with it. Hah, like it is a trimmer, ya know?

Ended up being cheaper to buy a new one. In fairness to the shop, that is what they recommended. Did the same thing with my decade old chainsaw last year too.

Dispose-o-2-cycles....

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif