We need to buy a strimmer for a very overgrown garden and will need the
stronger type I believe called a 'brush cutter' for some heavier work.

Grateful for any recommendations for a reasonably priced one.

Preferably any information about both electric and petrol version, so we can
try and decide if it's worth paying the extra for the petrol version.
Thanks.

On Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:29:30 +0100, "john thompson"
wrote:

We need to buy a strimmer for a very overgrown garden and will need the
stronger type I believe called a 'brush cutter' for some heavier work.

Grateful for any recommendations for a reasonably priced one.

Preferably any information about both electric and petrol version, so we can
try and decide if it's worth paying the extra for the petrol version.
Thanks.

Simple fact - electric means a lead that you can cut. Petrol gives you
freedom. Don't bother with anything rechargeable.

If you're talking an average garden, rather than an acreage, you might
look at the petrol multi tools on the market. For a couple of hundred
quid you get a brush cutter, strimmer, pruner (sort of chain saw on a
pole thing) and hedge trimmer attachments with a single motor unit.

Check out the Ideal World shopping channel on Freeview/Sky or their
web site - they regularly have deals on this sort of kit but even if
you don't buy from them the product videos on offer will give you an
idea of what you can achieve.

Cheers
Jake
==============================================
Gardening at the dry end (east) of Swansea Bay
in between reading anything by JRR Tolkien.

www.rivendell.org.uk

On Jul 24, 5:29*pm, Janet wrote:
In article , says...



We need to buy a strimmer for a very overgrown garden and will need the
stronger type I believe called a 'brush cutter' for some heavier work.

* *Much depends on the size of garden, and whether this is a one-off
clearance of overgrowth in a smallish one which will then be entirely
civilised, or a longterm maintenance project in a large one where you'll
use the brush cutter year after year. Also, how fit you are and if you
have a good back, because you'll need one for prolongued use of a HD
petrol machine.

* * Janet.

With the shoulder harness that most petrol strimmers come with, weight
isn't really an issue. There is a big price difference though.
Kawasaki and Ryobi produce decent machines. They produce a lot of
noise, and throw up stones occasionally - a full visor and hearing
protection should be worn.

On 24/07/2011 16:29, john thompson wrote:
We need to buy a strimmer for a very overgrown garden and will need the
stronger type I believe called a 'brush cutter' for some heavier work.

Grateful for any recommendations for a reasonably priced one.

What size of garden, and how easy is it to get power into the far
reaches of it?

Do you need to eun any other attachments on the machine? Some of them
will take pruning chainsaws (very good if you have trees), hedge cutters
(all the ergonomic charm of bagpipes, but handy for tall hedges).

Preferably any information about both electric and petrol version, so we can
try and decide if it's worth paying the extra for the petrol version.
Thanks.

I have uses a few electric strimmers and never been that impressed with
any of them. Personally I find petrol much better for the freedom from
wires and power.


--
Cheers,

John.

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|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
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\================================================= ================/

On 07/24/2011 08:00 PM, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:52:09 +0100, Jake Nospam@invalid wrote:

On Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:29:30 +0100, "john thompson"
wrote:

We need to buy a strimmer for a very overgrown garden and will need the
stronger type I believe called a 'brush cutter' for some heavier work.

Grateful for any recommendations for a reasonably priced one.

Preferably any information about both electric and petrol version, so we can
try and decide if it's worth paying the extra for the petrol version.
Thanks.

Simple fact - electric means a lead that you can cut. Petrol gives you
freedom. Don't bother with anything rechargeable.

If you're talking an average garden, rather than an acreage, you might
look at the petrol multi tools on the market. For a couple of hundred
quid you get a brush cutter, strimmer, pruner (sort of chain saw on a
pole thing) and hedge trimmer attachments with a single motor unit.

Check out the Ideal World shopping channel on Freeview/Sky or their
web site - they regularly have deals on this sort of kit but even if
you don't buy from them the product videos on offer will give you an
idea of what you can achieve.

Didn't see the OP's post, but I'd go for petrol (2-stroke) every time,
having struggled for years with both cheap and flimsy and also more
substantial electric ones that can seemingly only use thin line which
disappears at a geat rate of knots, distributing itself in little
brightly-coloured bits around the garden. The heavier line used by
petrol strimmers lasts and lasts, and my strimmer can also be fitted
with a metal disc with cutters around the edge for brush-cutting. I
can't see an electric strimmer coping with one of those, but I may be
wrong. Mine's an Echo, BTW.


I also have an Echo, have had it for around 6 years, it is a really good
machine and starts every time one the first or second pull. I
understand Stihl also makes good strimmers but I spoke to some
professionals who liked Echo better (for strimmers not for chainsaws).

I have an electric B&D but its really very light weight and not very useful.

I did have a Ryobi but it was really cheap kit. Similarly I had a Ryobi
grinder recently and the motor just died in the damp, couldn't be fixed
or cleaned at all. A real waste of money.

-E

On 07/24/2011 11:52 PM, Janet wrote:
With the shoulder harness that most petrol strimmers come with, weight
isn't really an issue.
But the twist or swing as you move the blade side to side, can be a
problem to sore back persons

That's very true. A truss is highly recommended for this sort of work,
I wouldn't consider doing without. And although the harness takes a lot
of the weight it's still hard work if you have a big machine, make no
mistake.

-E

"Emery Davis" wrote in message
...
On 07/24/2011 11:52 PM, Janet wrote:
With the shoulder harness that most petrol strimmers come with, weight
isn't really an issue.
But the twist or swing as you move the blade side to side, can be a
problem to sore back persons

That's very true. A truss is highly recommended for this sort of work,
I wouldn't consider doing without. And although the harness takes a lot
of the weight it's still hard work if you have a big machine, make no
mistake.


Re electric strimmers. I have a Flymo 600 contour. Its a heavy duty
strimmer. It is reasonably light and I use it for most garden tasks.
Sometimes the twin feed jams but otherwise it works well. I have a very
large garden. It does have difficulty going through very long grass when
grass is damp but you have to nibble away at it until its down enough to cut
through.

My OH has a stihl. Motor driven. Its a good machine like those being
described here but no good unless you are strong ( preferably male). It is
heavy and tiring despite what they tell you.

"Bill" wrote in message
...

..... they can throw up stones,.... I heard the bang of my patio door
glass shattering over the noise of the petrol engine at a distance of
about 10m.

LOL.
Nothing like laughing at someone else's misfortune.

Tim W

On Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:29:30 +0100, john thompson wrote:

We need to buy a strimmer for a very overgrown garden and will need the
stronger type I believe called a 'brush cutter' for some heavier work.

How big a garden? What is the garden overgrown with, just tussocky
grass, nettles or brambles?

Nettles will make a small petrol one struggle an ordinary electric
just won't cut it. Brambles being "woody" need a disc/blade based
cutting head.

If you don't envisage needing a brush cutter machine in the future
I'd hire to do the clearance and buy a petrol one for keeping things
in check afterwards.

I used an B&D electric one once, feed it more than half a dozen
blades of grass (blades not stems...) and it would struggle. Maybe
you can get electric ones with decent sized motors (1kW) that would
do better. Petrol is noisey and you have to faff about with fuel/oil
mixtures but you have complete freedom and no cable to get tangled in
the way etc.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Jul 24, 4:29 pm, "john thompson" wrote:
We need to buy a strimmer for a very overgrown garden and will need the
stronger type I believe called a 'brush cutter' for some heavier work.

Grateful for any recommendations for a reasonably priced one.

Preferably any information about both electric and petrol version, so we can
try and decide if it's worth paying the extra for the petrol version.
Thanks.

NB Screwfix have an Hitachi brushcutter on special for £99.99 with
offer code "EAS" entyered on trolly page (apparently down from £160)
be quick as I expect they won't be many at that price.

(I have no connection with screwfix or hitachi, nor do I own a Hitachi
but for 100 that looks reasonable to me)

Jim K

On Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:29:30 +0100, "john thompson"
wrote:

We need to buy a strimmer for a very overgrown garden and will need the
stronger type I believe called a 'brush cutter' for some heavier work.

Grateful for any recommendations for a reasonably priced one.

Preferably any information about both electric and petrol version, so we can
try and decide if it's worth paying the extra for the petrol version.
Thanks.



Check out the hire places.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk