Need a weed eater

I'm blown through 2 Milwaukee weed eaters, and I'm tired of red ryobi. What's a good weed eater? Needs:

- Gas or electric don't care
- No Stihl. My local dealer sucks and I can't get parts
- (preferrably) standard cutting head threads
- Needs to be able to run 100% duty cycle. I have a lot to cut

 

Try Echo

 

I imagine even you might not be able to ruin this too fast.

Scythe with Grinding Stone - 57.1" Garden Tool with Steel Blade and Wooden Gr... | eBay

 

I have a stihl fs110 and it rarely sees the dealer for anything. It has been very reliable and works well with a multitude of attachments.

 

Dunno why I didn't think about this. Looking...

 

Yeah and my br800 magnum leaf blower has been flawless. still don't want to go down the stihl path on this one

 

Another factor I shoulda mentioned:

I'm running into scenarios where my battery dies, so I go and get a new one. Then the string runs out. Then the battery dies. And so it's this stupid dance of consumables. I'm sure a similar scenario might play out with a gas unit.

Are there any weed eaters designed for long runtimes?

 

Are you doing general trimming around trees, etc or continuous duty like on a big hillside you can't get a mower on?

One of my jobs in high school was trimming a cemetery. It took about 3 hard days to get from one side to the other, but it was light duty. I preferred a lightweight curved shaft trimmer for that job. We also had a big hillside that took about 6 hours we'd do every 3-4 weeks and I preferred a heavy duty straight shaft for that job.

I HATE trimming now.

 

Trimmers are the devil. Lol. I bought a small lightweight push mower to limit my trimming to a bare minimum.

 

Just a trimmer. I have a shindawia t235 , it has been flawless for years and I have done nothing but add fuel and clean air filter. Heck don’t even know it has a spark plug , never even looked at it.
I have also heard a lot like the echo like the big box stores sell.

 

I would second an Echo or, a commercial model with handlebars. My Echo 250 is at least 20 years old and have done nothing but put new plugs, a HIPA carb(because it was cheaper than a kit) and an upgraded string head feed. Mine is not commercial grade but just keeps on going and it’s seen lots of hours.

 

Can take a gas can with you and refill as needed. Can also stuff some extra trimmer line in your pocket. Then there's no excuse......

 

I have a Shindaiwa T270 that I've used for over 20 years. Still starts easy and I haven't really had to mess with it except for periodic plugs and fuel & air filters. I'll buy another one if this one ever dies. I believe it and echo are mfg by the same company.


My name is Mike, and I'm a hoarder.
Lopi Endeavor and Republic 1250

 

Echo purchased Shindiawa at some point. All are echo made now.

Looks like it was 2008.

 

We also have a Husky 223 trimmer, the smallest straight shaft they make. Light enough that I can run it with one arm. We did buy an upgraded head for it. My wife uses it and I use the big Stihl Kombi 130 unit.

 

Redmax trimmers and blowers............

 

I have and really like my Husqvarna 525L. I mow under all my pasture fence wires with it in addition to the more normal duties. I like the trimmer head that they come with, and a simple muffler mod makes them have all the power one could make use of with 0.105" line. As for use, I run about 5 gallons of mix through mine each summer on the farm.

 

HireGoats.com

 

Echo trimmers are pretty much bulletproof. My weed eating is in tall thick weeds and thistles with lots of rocks and sidehills. I use a Husky and an Echo bike handle with harness. I take a gas can and water bottle and put it where I think I will be in an hour. On the handlebar I have three pre-cut loops of trimmer line with the middle marked. Start in the morning and cut til lunch. Repeat after lunch until dinner.