Trimmers/brush cutters

[Page]

Buying a trimmer/brush cutter soon for at my house. I'm gonna work it petty hard when in use, but I won't be using it every day by any means. I just don't want some piece of shit homowner crap. I also don't want to spent a fortune. any suggestions?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Depends on what you call a fortune. Stihl FS250s fill my stable. Tried others and never been impressed with anything else except in the beginning. They just work. Tad expensive to run, but you can really tear it up with them.

 

[arborworks1]

Stihl fs90 is a good mix. Heavy brushcutting will slow it down a bit, but it's minimal.

 

[Page]

Depends on what you call a fortune. Stihl FS250s fill my stable. Tried others and never been impressed with anything else except in the beginning. They just work. Tad expensive to run, but you can really tear it up with them.

whats that run, about $300 ?

 

[emr]

We have a Jonsered one that works great. I have used a Stihl (not sure of the model) and I was not impressed. Our Jonsered will handle 1 1/2" brush pretty easily. I think it was about $350.

 

[emr]

http://www.jonsered.com/us/east/trimmers-brushcutters/cc-2235/

This is ours.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

FS250 runs about $650 last I checked.

 

[squisher]

250 is what I have for around my place. It's a beast, it almost makes weed-whacking fun.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Sure takes the stress out of it.. Pretty much cuts anything. Small trees with a brush blade. I can cut up to pencil size PO with .095 string.
Head does not wrap as often in the thick grass as others I have tried.

 

[flushcut]

I am running a Husky 345rx it will do everything from a bump feed string trimmer to a 9" carbide saw blade. I think it was around a grand but worth it for me. It has made me some nice money and cut hundreds of acres tall grass(like 3' tall grass), honey suckle, buckthorn, swamp willow and thousands of yards of fence row and fairway.
I would guess most straight shafted trimmers will do a variety of tasks it just depends on how much you want to spend and what features you want.

 

[Koala]

I've never used an Husky trimmer. I'd like to try one.
Stihl FS 480 is the best I've ever tried. Quite expensive but worth the price.
Old Kawasaki were really good too. New ones suck.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I am running a Husky 345rx it will do everything from a bump feed string trimmer to a 9" carbide saw blade. I think it was around a grand but worth it for me. It has made me some nice money and cut hundreds of acres tall grass(like 3' tall grass), honey suckle, buckthorn, swamp willow and thousands of yards of fence row and fairway.
I would guess most straight shafted trimmers will do a variety of tasks it just depends on how much you want to spend and what features you want.

One of the guys I sub had an earlier version of your Husky and we were cutting circles around him. I tried it, seemed to have plenty of power, but head speed seemed slower. Heavy bugger too. Funny thing was, he tried our Stihls, showed up the next week with one. Maybe the newer ones are better. I also did not care for the Husky filtration he had. Clogged up pretty quick.

 

[Reddog]

FS250 Stihl here.
I wanted some thing I could use for Light thinning and around the house. It has been a good one.
Way over kill if just need a string trimmer. Most of the lawn services are using FS90's.

 

[stig]

We have 3 of the Stihl FS480es.
Expensive, yes, but really get the job done and last a long time.

 

[SkwerI]

I sold my lawn business about 21 years ago and all my equipment went with it. When I moved into this house in 1998 I found myself in need of buying a new string trimmer. I didn't need a heavy commercial unit so I went to Home Depot and bought the only Echo model they had with a straight shaft. I'm still using that trimmer today and haven't so much as rebuilt the carb (I think I had to replace the primer bulb when ethanol was introduced into gas and ate it up). So my total repair cost over 15 years has been less than $2 and it still fires up on the second pull.

I know nothing about the newer units. The last Echo hand held blower I looked at was garbage. I opened up the muffler and it was like unplugging a tampon, completely worthless.

 

[flushcut]

One of the guys I sub had an earlier version of your Husky and we were cutting circles around him. I tried it, seemed to have plenty of power, but head speed seemed slower. Heavy bugger too. Funny thing was, he tried our Stihls, showed up the next week with one. Maybe the newer ones are better. I also did not care for the Husky filtration he had. Clogged up pretty quick.

I have had only one issue with it sense I bought it in 03 and that was a fuel line this winter. The filtration has been outstanding and have not had any issues with it loading up but I am mostly cutting green wood in winter and early spring. The throttle response from a dead start is a little slow but I got use to it. I would like to try one of the dedicated clearing saw models either Husky Stihl or Shindawa. I have heard really good things about the Shinny. Then again I go with the business model "use what you got and use it until it's used up" so it might be awhile.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Yeah Rajan, we are hard on gear here in our really dry and dusty environment. We killed 3 Echos one summer. All dirt ingestion, filtration issues. The new 280Us have the new filter we got to try before they went to market after EPA approval. Fixed the ingestion problem, but better carry like 4 of them to work a full day. Cost Echo 3 motors that year At least they honor their commercial warranty. The 280U we only use here at the house. It will last for years that way. Take it in the field, I will probably only get one season on it.

 

[Al Smith]

I've got an Echo also .Can't say what model it is or what size .Been out here 14 years so it's about that old .No problem except I tapped the string thing once and it took off north for Lake Erie never to be seen again .Since it's been nylon blades about 3 sets per season .

 

[CurSedVoyce]

HAHAHA I did that my first day with the 400U Al. Hit a pine cone and the head went kablooie.... Never did find it