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.

 

[mrmikey]

........because they Echo/Saindawa replaced the reliable old 450 with the troublesome 500.

Apparently, according to Chichanic, they fixed the head problem with the string melting together on the 500. I can't find the video or I'd post a link to it.

 

[WinterDeere]

Apparently, according to Chichanic, they fixed the head problem with the string melting together on the 500. I can't find the video or I'd post a link to it.

Yeah, it'd be good to find that, before I tear open this package! Last video I saw from her on this topic said they acknowledged the problem, and had promised a fix, but were overdue on delivering.

 

[Torvy]

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.

We just put things that are ready to wash in a basket. We call it a laundry basket. Some people have fancy hampers for the same purpose.

I keep a small pile of re-use clothes handy. She has learned to let them be. She usually asks if I have anything else when she does a load. I probably wash the clothes 30% of the time. Used to be 100% during football season. The TV was in the family room near the laundry. I could get away with watching the games because I would do laundry during commercials.

 

[mrmikey]

Here's the original video. I may have misunderstood the video, according to her they knew they had a problem and were going to fix it. I thought she had said they did fix it.

 

[ning]

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

Supplemented with a portable UV disinfection unit to keep them sterile until use

 

[ning]

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
View attachment 3861140

I like the zero-moving-parts (other than the entire unit spinning of course) aspect of that. Don't like the "wastes all the stuff in the middle" but similar units also have waste where you push it through and have to keep a bit on the back side for pulling it out at replacement time. The echo one I use .155, I probably cut 8" lengths and throw out 3-4" of each when they've worn down a few inches, not a great percentage of use, though having bought two 500' rolls for $35 each a couple years ago I have plenty to burn...

Hawkins, what percentage of the entire string that you use would you say is left after the line wears out? How long a string do you cut to thread it through, and how much is left after you've worn it enough to replace with another string?

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I like the zero-moving-parts (other than the entire unit spinning of course) aspect of that. Don't like the "wastes all the stuff in the middle" but similar units also have waste where you push it through and have to keep a bit on the back side for pulling it out at replacement time. The echo one I use .155, I probably cut 8" lengths and throw out 3-4" of each when they've worn down a few inches, not a great percentage of use, though having bought two 500' rolls for $35 each a couple years ago I have plenty to burn...

Hawkins, what percentage of the entire string that you use would you say is left after the line wears out? How long a string do you cut to thread it through, and how much is left after you've worn it enough to replace with another string?

I would say 3 or 4 inches stays inside the head and then maybe replace it when only 1 or 2 inches sticks out on either side so you might be wasting 5-8 inches at replacement . Not the end of the world but a little more than I would like.

 

[ning]

I would say 3 or 4 inches stays inside the head and then maybe replace it when only 1 or 2 inches sticks out on either side so you might be wasting 5-8 inches at replacement . Not the end of the world but a little more than I would like.

What's the length of the entire piece when you start?

 

[HawkinsHollow]

What's the length of the entire piece when you start?

I have never really come up with an exact measurement I use but lets say about 15 or 16 inches.

 

[WinterDeere]

Here's the original video. I may have misunderstood the video, according to her they knew they had a problem and were going to fix it. I thought she had said they did fix it.

Yep, I think that's the one I saw, I'll re-watch tonight when I have more time.

But seeing that screen shot reminds me of how much I hate her marketing, which is like so many others. We don't need the fake drama on every splash screen, YouTube content providers! If the content is good, people will watch... maybe more so if they don't feel like every new video announcement is false baiting of new drama.

She makes great videos, full of useful content. She should just stop with the stupid preview thumbnails. I suspect it's a turn-off for most types who'd spend their evenings actually watching OPE repair videos.