Weed wacker - extending string life

[kenmbz]

I use red Razor Renegade blades on my FS110 with handle bars as my brushcutter.
I have used it on grasses, but it's really focused on the small woody brush up to 2" or more.
I've used it to cut some big firebush and Autumn olive up to 3", but those are pretty soft.

using two tools to cut through this stuff is a pain, but the woody stuff is getting less and less.
Unfortunately the stiltgrass is filling in and the deer drag it through the woods.
When it dies off for the winter, it falls over, blocking anything else from growing.

This winter I hope to move more of the fallen tree parts and be able to get back there with the flail to lessen the trimmer time.

 

[chim]

Why is it that when I decide to "travel light" and stuff a coil of string in my hip pocket instead of toting the whole roll, Wifey always finds it when she does the laundry? Then when I don't take extra string the head only has enough on it to run for 5 minutes?

 

[WinterDeere]

Why is it that when I decide to "travel light" and stuff a coil of string in my hip pocket instead of toting the whole roll, Wifey always finds it when she does the laundry? Then when I don't take extra string the head only has enough on it to run for 5 minutes?

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.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Good thread! I am not sure what kind of string I bought last time but I will be trying some of the recommended string next time I buy. I have very little issue with my handheld Stihl trimmer breaking string. My issue is with my walk behind. I am ALWAYS breaking string on that thing. I think it is a combination of how it is attached and the aggressive nature of the machine itself. Anyone have tips on keeping your string alive on a walk behind string trimmer. Yes, I have soaked the string and it might be a little better but not much.

 

[chim]

.................
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.............

That has a familiar sound. Wifey has an obsession with laundry. I could get by with two changes of clothes.

 

[WinterDeere]

That has a familiar sound. Wifey has an obsession with laundry. I could get by with two changes of clothes.

When we travel, we take two ridiculously huge suitcases. Two for her, and a side pouch on one of them for me.

That's an exaggeration, but not by so much as you'd think. My clothes must be twice the size of hers, so the difference number of items packed might be 6:1, or greater.

 

[ArlyA]

Good thread! I am not sure what kind of string I bought last time but I will be trying some of the recommended string next time I buy. I have very little issue with my handheld Stihl trimmer breaking string. My issue is with my walk behind. I am ALWAYS breaking string on that thing. I think it is a combination of how it is attached and the aggressive nature of the machine itself. Anyone have tips on keeping your string alive on a walk behind string trimmer. Yes, I have soaked the string and it might be a little better but not much.

What string size is that machine using? Can you post pictures of its cutting head?

 

[HawkinsHollow]

What string size is that machine using? Can you post pictures of its cutting head?

I think 0.155. I don't have a picture and Google is not giving it to me either. It is basically a metal disc that has two metal loops on it. . I have been looping the string in there and making a larks head type knot to secure it.

 

[ArlyA]

You should take a picture of where the string comes out. If it's course or has a sharp bend there, it's not a plus. You could also try larger diameter string.

 

[ning]

You should take a picture of where the string comes out. If it's course or has a sharp bend there, it's not a plus. You could also try larger diameter string.

Arly, how long do you get out the the 3-string head itself -- not the string but the head?
My wife is always complaining that the cams don't hold the string (echo crossfire .155) and she loses the entire string.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Learning a lot here. I only weedwhack every couple weeks, takes about 45 minutes. 3X a year, I do a hill with periwinkle, cutting weeds/grasses/saplings etc. That takes an additional hour or more. Up until I moved here, I never broke a line. Use a ton of it from hitting rocks and such. Up here, last week as a matter of fact, I had two issues come up. Not being able to bump out, and string cutting off inside. The not bumping out issue was dirt/grass liquid as glue built up. Easy fix. I think the breaking was from crossed lines that were fused together. Never saw or heard of that. And I know my lines are usually crossed, as I didn't know not to. I will check the grommet as well as soaking line for a few days and not cross the line if I can avoid it.
Thanks all...

 

[RayIN]

I buy generic trimmer string. I read about soaking it in water. It got so soft where it doubles around a 1/16" bar it appears to have melted into 2 pieces.
Stopped soaking it in water, now the string will wear down until its perhaps an inch long on each side.

 

[big bubba]

another gripe in addition to line breakage is in early Spring the woody Fescue stems wrap around between rotating head & frame requiring unraveling & cutting, etc. i have found removing the guard shield helps, but certainly do not recommend given safety hazard of flying objects, just works for me.

i always wear glasses & hearing protectors. I trim 3 pond dams + other. most prefer the loop handles, i only consider harness & the heaviest duty Stihl trimmer. I ask a lot of the trimmers, & blaspheme when a string break & weeds bind up the heads. regards

 

[ArlyA]

Arly, how long do you get out the the 3-string head itself -- not the string but the head?
My wife is always complaining that the cams don't hold the string (echo crossfire .155) and she loses the entire string.

The cams do get gunked up with weed juice and stop holding well. So I run some paint thinner or brake cleaner through them and blow them out. If that doesn't help, the metal tooth parts might be worn enough that a new head is warranted.

 

[ning]

The cams do get gunked up with weed juice and stop holding well. So I run some paint thinner or brake cleaner through them and blow them out. If that doesn't help, the metal tooth parts might be worn enough that a new head is warranted.

I did take an old one apart and found pretty worn teeth; it's a shame that they're not built of tougher metal... it could be an instance of planned obsolescence, but it's possible that the vibration coming back up the line to the teeth may cause friction wearing.

 

[ArlyA]

I did take an old one apart and found pretty worn teeth; it's a shame that they're not built of tougher metal... it could be an instance of planned obsolescence, but it's possible that the vibration coming back up the line to the teeth may cause friction wearing.

I'll not take one apart. We get many rolls of string through them before they are retired.

 

[not2old]

Arly, how long do you get out the the 3-string head itself -- not the string but the head?
My wife is always complaining that the cams don't hold the string (echo crossfire .155) and she loses the entire string.

This thread must have jinxed me. I trimmed about 45 minutes today and had to open the spool five times to re thread the line. I haven't done that, that many times in over fifteen years of owning it. I did the last five minutes with only one string.

 

[ArlyA]

This thread must have jinxed me. I trimmed about 45 minutes today and had to open the spool five times to re thread the line. I haven't done that, that many times in over fifteen years of owning it. I did the last five minutes with only one string.

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

 

[John0829]

I run a cam lock head on my Stihl FS110 and when it gets to where the line does not want to stay I take it apart and touch up the cams with a triangle file. Not to make them sharp, just to clean em' up. Still running the cam lock head I bought the day I bought the trimmer which was quite a few years ago although I do keep a spare on hand.

 

[ning]

I'm curious about this timmer head:

"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.