My cheap and nasty electric strimmer gave up in a puff of smoke yesterday
after attempting some really long grass etc etc

Anyway I fancy upgrading to one of those cordless petrol strimmers getting
excited now

Are they actually much more convenient than an electric version with cable
sigh. Has anyone got any recommendations on a particular manufacturer,
reliability etc? Also, what should I be looking for in terms of features?

I have a small / medium sized rear garden (30 x 30 ft) and smaller front
(say 20 x 15) with fencing, shed, greenhouse, path and beds which I can't
mow around closely (hence the strimmer!). I can't imagine I need anything
heavy duty so a 'budget' model will suffice - the cheapest one I have seen
is 79.99 at B&Q (a McCulloch Trim Mac - never heard of them!)

http://tinyurl.com/c97g

Any good retailers to recommend?

Budget - I don't think I could justify more than £100 to Central Control
(even if I wash up, walk the dog and everything else).

Jolltax


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"Jolltax" wrote in message
...
My cheap and nasty electric strimmer gave up in a puff of smoke yesterday
after attempting some really long grass etc etc

Anyway I fancy upgrading to one of those cordless petrol strimmers
getting
excited now

Are they actually much more convenient than an electric version with cable
sigh. Has anyone got any recommendations on a particular manufacturer,
reliability etc? Also, what should I be looking for in terms of features?

I have a small / medium sized rear garden (30 x 30 ft) and smaller front
(say 20 x 15) with fencing, shed, greenhouse, path and beds which I can't
mow around closely (hence the strimmer!). I can't imagine I need anything
heavy duty so a 'budget' model will suffice - the cheapest one I have seen
is 79.99 at B&Q (a McCulloch Trim Mac - never heard of them!)

http://tinyurl.com/c97g

Any good retailers to recommend?

Budget - I don't think I could justify more than £100 to Central Control
(even if I wash up, walk the dog and everything else).

Jolltax

I have been using a McCulloch (cost around £80) and find it great, easy to
start and use and no cable to get in the way.

Steve

"Jolltax" wrote:

Hello Jolltax

J Anyway I fancy upgrading to one of those cordless petrol
J strimmers getting excited now

Good start. Even the direst petrol strimmer, assuming it'll start, is
far better than any electric one ime.

J Are they actually much more convenient than an electric
J version with cable sigh. Has anyone got any
J recommendations on a particular manufacturer, reliability
J etc? Also, what should I be looking for in terms of
J features?
J I have a small / medium sized rear garden (30 x 30 ft) and
J smaller front (say 20 x 15) with fencing, shed, greenhouse,
J path and beds which I can't mow around closely (hence the
J strimmer!). I can't imagine I need anything heavy duty so a
J 'budget' model will suffice - the cheapest one I have
J seen is 79.99 at B&Q (a McCulloch Trim Mac - never heard of
J them!)
J Budget - I don't think I could justify more than £100 to
J Central Control (even if I wash up, walk the dog and
J everything else).

As for features, your overwhelming one appears to be price. Anything
150 or so is going to be budget range - which is fine, just don't
expect to be able to shop around for a wide range of features and add-
ons.

McCulloch is a very well known brand and most decidedly "cheap and
cheerful". I don't know this particular model (I made a decision some
years ago not to use anything less than 40cc) but I expect it'll do
what you want very well, and as you're coming from the electric market
you'll be very chuffed at how quick it is.

At this price range, suppliers are much of a muchness. None will offer
you a super servicing deal included with the price and all will have
the minimum guarantees required by law and nothing else. B&Q have a
fair reputation for replacement of faulty goods so they seem as good a
source as any.

Try to avoid "tap and go" strimmer heads if you have any choice. They
invariably break very quickly and replacements are difficult to find.

Buy an extra roll of string. With standards heads the string is all
interchangeable, though stick with the recommended thickness (1.5mm to
2.0mm for this one, I imagine. 3mm lasts much longer but needs a
bigger engine) Square or round, up to you. I like round but others
like square or twisted - none seems to have any huge advantage
regardless of hype.

Buy a 1 gallon fuel can, some 2-stroke oil (mix at 25-1 if in doubt,
that's guaranteed to work).

Buy eye protection and wear it!

Ear protection 'probably' isn't required with the smaller ones, but I
wear it for comfort levels.

Buy cheap boilersuit to wear over your clothes. (Wish someone had told
me that before I had to strim both sides of a mile-long public
footpath much favoured by dog owners)

Don't strim cow parsley or hogweed unless you're very well covered.
(The sap will cause burns and scarring to exposed skin)

Avoid strimming wild garlic unless you want to lose your friends.

Keep string level correct. Don't over-rev the engine, nor let it
struggle. Correct usage is to bring revs to peak JUST as you begin a
sweeping cut and let them fall before the end of the cut.

Always turn off engine when adjusting string.

Maintenance wise;

Wipe down shaft and gearing after use. Keep guards clear (some tend to
get clogged easily). Store in such a way that the shaft is not going
to bend. (lain flat, hung up, whatever - just not leant against the
side).

Clean air filter regularly. After 5-8 hours use is typical.

If angle head has a greasing point, grease every 20-30 hours use.

Come winter:

Drain all fuel and run engine until it stops. (2-stroke evapourates
leaving an oily gummy residue)

Remove and clean spark plug. Add a tiny amount of 2/stroke or engine
oil into the pot. Pull starter cord slightly to move pot and replace
plug. This prevents the piston from rusting into place

Remove cutter head and pack gearing with grease. Replace head.

Finally, a general clean of all surfaces with a damp rag, or petrol
soaked rag if you're brave, lazy and don't smoke.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

On Thu, 22 May 2003 16:16:02 GMT, Simon Avery wrote:

Ear protection 'probably' isn't required with the smaller ones, but
I wear it for comfort levels.

My Roybi is fing noisy, I wouldn't like to use it for long without
decent ear muffs. Note muffs not plugs.

Buy cheap boilersuit to wear over your clothes.

I find a padded shirt quite good at stopping painful impacts from
flying stuff. Decent length wellies are also useful, your feet and
lower foot or so of leg will get plastered with minced vegitation and
get hit by even more hard things.

--
Cheers
Dave. Remove "spam" for valid email.

"Dave Liquorice" wrote:

Hello Dave

Ear protection 'probably' isn't required with the smaller
ones, but I wear it for comfort levels.
DL My Roybi is fing noisy, I wouldn't like to use it for long
DL without decent ear muffs. Note muffs not plugs.

Yep, agree. After working amongst long-time strimmer and chainsaw
operators you really notice the long term affects.

"What? Stop mumbling boy!"

Buy cheap boilersuit to wear over your clothes.
DL I find a padded shirt quite good at stopping painful impacts
DL from flying stuff. Decent length wellies are also useful,
DL your feet and lower foot or so of leg will get plastered
DL with minced vegitation and get hit by even more hard things.

Yeah, well, it's not the impact that bothers me. Jeans are pretty good
at stopping most of it, and you learn to angle the head away when
going near gravel. It's the "OH MY GOD!" looks from the wife when she
discovers my clothes at the bottom of the laundry basket. The "I had
to clean the filter on the washing machine THREE TIMES" moments at the
weekend.

I've seen her standing in the kitchen, my shirt in hand with a puzzled
look as she tries to figure out what the bits are.

"Nettle, dear."
"Dog shit."
"Wild garlic, can't you smell it?"
"A slug."
"That looks like a bit of dock."
"A very surprised frog."

"These are a few of my favourite strims..."

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

Hi chaps

On Thu, 22 May 2003 16:16:02 GMT, (Simon
Avery) wrote:

~"Jolltax" wrote:
~
~Hello Jolltax
~
~ J Anyway I fancy upgrading to one of those cordless petrol
~ J strimmers getting excited now
~
~Good start. Even the direst petrol strimmer, assuming it'll start, is
~far better than any electric one ime.
~
~ J Are they actually much more convenient than an electric
~ J version with cable sigh. Has anyone got any
~ J recommendations on a particular manufacturer, reliability
~ J etc? Also, what should I be looking for in terms of
~ J features?
~ J I have a small / medium sized rear garden (30 x 30 ft) and
~ J smaller front (say 20 x 15) with fencing, shed, greenhouse,
~ J path and beds which I can't mow around closely (hence the
~ J strimmer!). I can't imagine I need anything heavy duty so a
~ J 'budget' model will suffice - the cheapest one I have
~ J seen is 79.99 at B&Q (a McCulloch Trim Mac - never heard of
~ J them!)
~ J Budget - I don't think I could justify more than £100 to
~ J Central Control (even if I wash up, walk the dog and
~ J everything else).
~
~As for features, your overwhelming one appears to be price. Anything
~150 or so is going to be budget range - which is fine, just don't
~expect to be able to shop around for a wide range of features and add-
~ons.
~
~McCulloch is a very well known brand and most decidedly "cheap and
~cheerful". I don't know this particular model (I made a decision some
~years ago not to use anything less than 40cc) but I expect it'll do
~what you want very well, and as you're coming from the electric market
~you'll be very chuffed at how quick it is.

I very much appreciate this thread, chaps, having been losing my
cordless battery strimmer for weeks to dying battery life and an
inability to cut through nettles (and anything else by the end). After
reading this I had no problem in going out and getting the cheap and
cheerful McCulloch (which had better not break now as I recycled the
rather large box this morning!).

~At this price range, suppliers are much of a muchness. None will offer
~you a super servicing deal included with the price and all will have
~the minimum guarantees required by law and nothing else. B&Q have a
~fair reputation for replacement of faulty goods so they seem as good a
~source as any.
~
~Try to avoid "tap and go" strimmer heads if you have any choice. They
~invariably break very quickly and replacements are difficult to find.
~
~Buy an extra roll of string. With standards heads the string is all
~interchangeable, though stick with the recommended thickness (1.5mm to
~2.0mm for this one, I imagine. 3mm lasts much longer but needs a
~bigger engine) Square or round, up to you. I like round but others
~like square or twisted - none seems to have any huge advantage
~regardless of hype.
~
~Buy a 1 gallon fuel can, some 2-stroke oil (mix at 25-1 if in doubt,
~that's guaranteed to work).

Beware of the B&Q mixer bottle. It isn't sealed and if you put it in
sunlight when full you can hear the vapour hissing out...

Also it's grading of what is 1:40 is nowhere near correct - you're
supposed to put 125ml into 5litres and I think I put 60ml into one
liter in said bottle and it still wasn't up to the 1:40 mark on a
level surface. But thanks for the "25:1 works" advice as I didn't
worry too much about it being underdiluted...

~Buy eye protection and wear it!
Did. Thanks. Didn't take specs for granted as sufficient as I've been
wont to do in the past. Will help in decorating too.
~
~Ear protection 'probably' isn't required with the smaller ones, but I
~wear it for comfort levels.
I always do anyway, even when lawnmowing. You only get one pair of
ears.
~
~Buy cheap boilersuit to wear over your clothes. (Wish someone had told
~me that before I had to strim both sides of a mile-long public
~footpath much favoured by dog owners)
~
~Don't strim cow parsley or hogweed unless you're very well covered.
~(The sap will cause burns and scarring to exposed skin)
~
~Avoid strimming wild garlic unless you want to lose your friends.
~
~Keep string level correct. Don't over-rev the engine, nor let it
~struggle. Correct usage is to bring revs to peak JUST as you begin a
~sweeping cut and let them fall before the end of the cut.
This is definitely an art which I think it will take practice to
acquire! I took it up to the allotment to get my paths less than
calf-deep and you'd have laughed.

jane tries to start engine
Primes fuel feed. Pulls cord.
rev. nada. rev. nada. rev. "Work you b*gger". nada. rev. "come on, you
only get six tries".nada. REV!!!! nada. jane gets agitated rev...
nada.
turns down choke anyway and tries again
rev. "Come on, dammit!" rev. "ARGH" rev. Splutter. rev. fires and
dies. rev. fires at last. jane breathes sigh of relief and cheers

You have to take a firm grip or it swings of its own accord and tries
to take your feet off! I have leather gardening shoes which were ok.

But anyway, I now have a nicely cleared path, no nettles and a new
toy. Got extra practice in by doing half another plot's path (knee
high grass) so I have a grateful neighbour who has enough grass for
her strawberries and I think I've just about got the hang of the
throttle.

It does sound a bit jumpy, though, and after a while the vibrations
did start to be annoying, so I stopped at that point. I guess you
can't expect too much from two-stroke engines!

The one nice thing about this one is that it's light enough for us
girlies to use.

Extra costs if you haven't already got them:
Unleaded petrol can £4 (useful to have anyway)
Mixing bottle £5 (as long as you don't believe the markings)
Petrol (spare went in car...) min 2l £1.50
Two-stroke oil (125ml £1.50)
Goggles £4
Earplugs or muffs (£1plugs - £7.50 for defenders) (McCulloch is 70dB)

so bargain on £100.

~
~Always turn off engine when adjusting string.
:-)

~Maintenance wise;

Thanks a lot for this advice - have saved this post for reference...

~Wipe down shaft and gearing after use. Keep guards clear (some tend to
~get clogged easily). Store in such a way that the shaft is not going
~to bend. (lain flat, hung up, whatever - just not leant against the
~side).
~
~Clean air filter regularly. After 5-8 hours use is typical.
~
~If angle head has a greasing point, grease every 20-30 hours use.
~
~Come winter:
~
~Drain all fuel and run engine until it stops. (2-stroke evapourates
~leaving an oily gummy residue)
~
~Remove and clean spark plug. Add a tiny amount of 2/stroke or engine
~oil into the pot. Pull starter cord slightly to move pot and replace
~plug. This prevents the piston from rusting into place
~
~Remove cutter head and pack gearing with grease. Replace head.
~
~Finally, a general clean of all surfaces with a damp rag, or petrol
~soaked rag if you're brave, lazy and don't smoke.
~
~--
~Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/
~

--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

(jane) wrote:

Hello jane

j I very much appreciate this thread, chaps, having been
j losing my cordless battery strimmer for weeks to dying
j battery life and an inability to cut through nettles (and
j anything else by the end). After reading this I had no
j problem in going out and getting the cheap and cheerful
j McCulloch (which had better not break now as I recycled the
j rather large box this morning!).

Welcome to the green coated smelly bunch of strimmer owners.

j ~Buy eye protection and wear it!
j Did. Thanks. Didn't take specs for granted as sufficient as
j I've been wont to do in the past. Will help in decorating
j too.

I wear specs too, and enough ricochets off your forehead, nose etc to
get in your eye. Mesh guards stop the faster and heavier stuff, but
you still need to clean your glasses after a while.

Perspec visors/goggles. Buggers in sunlight, can't see a thing after
five minutes cutting

j jane tries to start engine
j Primes fuel feed. Pulls cord.
j rev. nada. rev. nada. rev. "Work you b*gger". nada. rev.
j "come on, you only get six tries".nada. REV!!!! nada. jane
j gets agitated rev... nada. turns down choke anyway and
j tries again rev. "Come on, dammit!" rev. "ARGH" rev.
j Splutter. rev. fires and dies. rev. fires at last. jane
j breathes sigh of relief and cheers

Ahhh! Flooded it.

Prime (if needed).
Close choke. Set half-throttle if available.
Pull until you get a rev, or fire.
Open choke, leave throttle at half.
Pull until it runs.

If you think you've flooded it, give it half a dozen pulls with the
throttle full on and choke open. If that doesn't work, leave it for
half an hour, or whip the plug out and dry. (Note "open choke" means
it's in its normal running position.)

Them's the "rules" - but 2-strokes are temperamental things, even
nowadays, although they are much better than they used to be. So play
around, find something that works for "your" machine and if it needs
an extra pull with choke closed after it catches, so be it. People
form definate relationships with their 2-stroke engines.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

On Tue, 27 May 2003 10:01:06 +0000 (UTC), jane wrote:

jane tries to start engine
Primes fuel feed. Pulls cord.
rev. nada. rev. nada. rev. "Work you b*gger". nada. rev. "come on,
you only get six tries".nada. REV!!!! nada. jane gets agitated
rev... nada. turns down choke anyway and tries again
rev. "Come on, dammit!" rev. "ARGH" rev. Splutter. rev. fires and
dies. rev. fires at last. jane breathes sigh of relief and cheers

Two strokes are tempremental beasts but from cold, full choke, prime,
open throttle fully, pull (6 at the most) until you get the tiniest
hint that it might fire, half open the choke, pull it should fire and
run in 3 pulls, keep up the revs for a 10 seconds or so, take off the
choke it should now run but might need a little bit of throttle until
properly warm in about a minute.

Search back in this group on google for other ways but that is the
basic distillation of the common methods of starting two strokes.

I think I've just about got the hang of the throttle.

I use the throttle on mine as an on/off switch, when cutting it's
fully open. I maintain revs not labour the engine by looking at what
I'm cutting and slowing the swing and/or taking a smaller cut. Nettles
are tough old things and take a while, creeping buttercup may as well
not be there.

It does sound a bit jumpy, though, and after a while the vibrations
did start to be annoying, so I stopped at that point. I guess you
can't expect too much from two-stroke engines!

The engine on mine isn't too bad vibration wise. It does have two
cutting lines and if one snaps and the head goes out of balance
vibration really is bad.

Unleaded petrol can =A34 (useful to have anyway)

20l jerry can, useful standby quanity for the cars.

Mixing bottle =A35 (as long as you don't believe the markings)

Self calibrated plastic milk bottle.

--
Cheers
Dave. Remove "spam" for valid email.

On Tue, 27 May 2003 16:06:59 GMT, (Simon
Avery) wrote:

(jane) wrote:
~
~Hello jane
~
~ j I very much appreciate this thread, chaps, having been
~ j losing my cordless battery strimmer for weeks to dying
~ j battery life and an inability to cut through nettles (and
~ j anything else by the end). After reading this I had no
~ j problem in going out and getting the cheap and cheerful
~ j McCulloch (which had better not break now as I recycled the
~ j rather large box this morning!).
~
~Welcome to the green coated smelly bunch of strimmer owners.

why thankyou I grassplated my black jogging bottoms quite
successfully the other day!

~ j ~Buy eye protection and wear it!
~ j Did. Thanks. Didn't take specs for granted as sufficient as
~ j I've been wont to do in the past. Will help in decorating
~ j too.
~
~I wear specs too, and enough ricochets off your forehead, nose etc to
~get in your eye. Mesh guards stop the faster and heavier stuff, but
~you still need to clean your glasses after a while.
~
~Perspec visors/goggles. Buggers in sunlight, can't see a thing after
~five minutes cutting
With luck my paths won't get too long and the spray won't get too bad!
It was when the line flirted a 2" flint sideways I realised it really
wasn't a good idea to have folk nearby or short clothing, even though
strimming in a fleece was hot work.

~ j jane tries to start engine
~ j Primes fuel feed. Pulls cord.
~ j rev. nada. rev. nada. rev. "Work you b*gger". nada. rev.
~ j "come on, you only get six tries".nada. REV!!!! nada. jane
~ j gets agitated rev... nada. turns down choke anyway and
~ j tries again rev. "Come on, dammit!" rev. "ARGH" rev.
~ j Splutter. rev. fires and dies. rev. fires at last. jane
~ j breathes sigh of relief and cheers
~
~Ahhh! Flooded it.
I did wonder. I was following the destructions to the letter. It says
to turn down choke when it sounds like it's trying to turn... humph.
Not a helpful description. All I got was a sort-of harrumph and had no
idea if that qualified, so I kept going at full choke.

I guess experience is useful in such situations!

~Prime (if needed).
~Close choke. Set half-throttle if available.
~Pull until you get a rev, or fire.
~Open choke, leave throttle at half.
~Pull until it runs.
~
~If you think you've flooded it, give it half a dozen pulls with the
~throttle full on and choke open. If that doesn't work, leave it for
~half an hour, or whip the plug out and dry. (Note "open choke" means
~it's in its normal running position.)
~
~Them's the "rules" - but 2-strokes are temperamental things, even
~nowadays, although they are much better than they used to be. So play
~around, find something that works for "your" machine and if it needs
~an extra pull with choke closed after it catches, so be it. People
~form definate relationships with their 2-stroke engines.

Thanks. Glad I got it - should have done so 2 years ago when I bought
the silly £40 battery one from Argos, which was a retrospective waste
of cash. And useless to boot. Having compared notes with another
allotmenteer who bought a different (more expensive, well-known
manufacturer) battery model, they all lose charge capacity very
quickly and after some months are a much use as the proverbial
chocolate teapot. And mine could never cut through nettles in any
case. It can't even trim the lawn edges now

So don't ever think of getting battery strimmers, folks! Save the cash
for one that really does work...

(For other ladies: battery ones are MUCH heavier than the petrol one I
just got, too!)


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

In article . network,
Dave Liquorice writes
On Tue, 27 May 2003 10:01:06 +0000 (UTC), jane wrote:

jane tries to start engine
Primes fuel feed. Pulls cord.
rev. nada. rev. nada. rev. "Work you b*gger". nada. rev. "come on,
you only get six tries".nada. REV!!!! nada. jane gets agitated
rev... nada. turns down choke anyway and tries again
rev. "Come on, dammit!" rev. "ARGH" rev. Splutter. rev. fires and
dies. rev. fires at last. jane breathes sigh of relief and cheers

Two strokes are tempremental beasts but from cold, full choke, prime,
open throttle fully, pull (6 at the most) until you get the tiniest
hint that it might fire, half open the choke, pull it should fire and
run in 3 pulls, keep up the revs for a 10 seconds or so, take off the
choke it should now run but might need a little bit of throttle until
properly warm in about a minute.

Search back in this group on google for other ways but that is the
basic distillation of the common methods of starting two strokes.

I think I've just about got the hang of the throttle.

I use the throttle on mine as an on/off switch, when cutting it's
fully open. I maintain revs not labour the engine by looking at what
I'm cutting and slowing the swing and/or taking a smaller cut. Nettles
are tough old things and take a while, creeping buttercup may as well
not be there.

It does sound a bit jumpy, though, and after a while the vibrations
did start to be annoying, so I stopped at that point. I guess you
can't expect too much from two-stroke engines!

The engine on mine isn't too bad vibration wise. It does have two
cutting lines and if one snaps and the head goes out of balance
vibration really is bad.

Unleaded petrol can £4 (useful to have anyway)

20l jerry can, useful standby quanity for the cars.

Mixing bottle £5 (as long as you don't believe the markings)

Self calibrated plastic milk bottle.

--
Cheers
Dave. Remove "spam" for valid email.



If anyone else is still reading this thread, and is interested,
I can thoroughly recommend 'Robin' brand petrol strimmers. Very easy to
start, and very reliable. If you're in the West Devon/Dartmoor area get
in touch with Mark Woodhouse of Abbey Garden Machinery, Bleak House,
Tavistock.
No advertising intended, just a satisfied customer.
--
David Worth