Weed whacker heads

[woodworkingboy]

I've started looking after a property that is part of a hotel's woods and garden grounds. More and more dead Pines from Beetles and the trees need to be thinned out. I also take care of a large garden area as well, and need to clip the grass around a pond, etc. A friend gave me a string trimmer head to put on my brush cutter, the kind that when the strings get short you bump the spring part that sticks out, and the strings get extended. Never much used the string type head before, a blade is what I've always had on my brush cutter. On the one I received the strings get caught inside and it doesn't work very well to extend them, I have to take it apart from time to time. I see some other types of heads on the market, I guess a newer design has a knob that you twist to wind and then extend the string.

I'm wondering what type of head works well and is convenient to use? I like the two strings sticking out type. Any recommendations on string trimmer heads?

Thanks!

 

[SkwerI]

One of the biggest factors with the bump style heads is that you have to be very attentive when winding up the line on them. You need to keep the line tight and wrap it carefully with minimum overlapping so it will feed out properly. If you wind it loose then when you run the weedeater it pulls the line tight in spots and the friction creates enough heat to weld the lines together. Then it won't feed out because the line is stuck to itself.

 

[Levi]

Yep, although even when loaded near perfect I've never used one that didn't need some help along, from time to time. The Stihl string trimmer works well.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Thanks, Brian. I think improper winding as you suggest, has been a cause for problems. I'm not sure that the head I received is a good example, it's a bit old and worn. I want to get a new one, so was wondering what choice to make.

Stihl, is that the bump type, Levi?

 

[Levi]

I'm pretty sure that there's a string trimmer attachment for the Stihl kombi line. We have the pole saw and hedge trimmer, they work well.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I have a Makita four cycle brush cutter. I like it, but I've had some problems with the tank not venting properly, but I think I've worked that out with a tank grommet that has another hole for a breather inserted, not relying on the cap as the cutter comes new. I tried some other caps, I don't know what the deal is.

 

[sotc]

I like the stihl one where you keep Pocket full of 9ish inch strings and just quickly stick a pair in

 

[Levi]

That's sounds ideal.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I've seen those in the home center, Willie. I don't know, it just seems a little lavish. I'm getting better, but working around big boulders and against hard walls, I'm pretty hard on strings. It takes some finesse.

 

[SkwerI]

The trick is to cut with the tip of the string. Visualize cutting the grass without touching the rock or the fence.

 

[Levi]

Use the force!

 

[woodworkingboy]

I'm learning, thanks guys. Pretty much before I just wanted to wail on stuff. I end up getting covered in all the crap flying around.

 

[Levi]

Oh yeah, messy job. Last time I used one i threw a rock into a garden level window and shattered the whole pane.

 

[Fiddler]

I'm with Brian. Winding well is the main skill required on the bumpers.

Bumping at full throttle is also advised.

Two string ends coming out is way better than one.

for real tall stuff make several cuts to avoid long pieces winding around the head and stopping the machine.

 

[squisher]

I have a stihl bump to feed. It's worked flawlessly for seven + years. Never jams. It's a big one, I've run a blade on it a bunch too.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Stihl 25-2 head is what we used to use. Best head FWIW. The others just dont hold up as well IMO. Echo has one that works pretty good but had a weak spring. They eat more line. Husky I break tooooooo easy. Those are better for like what WIllie said. Pocket full of line segments. Kills production though. Bump head lets you keep on keepin on. You can often get adaptor stuff for the heads.

 

[BlackSmith]

My husky hasn't failed me yet but I don't use it in a commercial setting either. I did adapt a 10" carbide tooth metal cutting blade for it so I can go all John Wayne on these wild raspberry vines and sumac.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

The ones you slide the string into are bomb proof. But I break the husky bump heads.

 

[treebilly]

Not trying to offend anyone but I picture "The Duke " just chewing through wild raspberry with his teeth and spitting out the rest at awake rattlesnakes.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[SkwerI]

For heavy brush work I like the plain 6-8 tooth blades. You can sharpen them on a bench grinder a hundred times.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

We used to use the kind of blade that was a saw, but sharpen with a chain saw file. All depends on what brush you got.
For berries, I just use a 41" hedge trimmer. Chop Chop. Finish look happens with string.

 

[woodworkingboy]

The guy that gave me the string head said that the string with the twist in it works best. It makes sense because there are kind of edges. The home center didn't have it but I found some in the ag supply, a place for more serious whackers. I get the impression that some brands of string hold up better than others.

Do all heads fit any brand brush cutter, or do you I have to get one that fits a Makita?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Adaptor kit

 

[SeanKroll]

I use a bump to feed Stihl on the Kombi system.
Listen to the string. Become one with the string. As it breaks off, it will cut with a different sound, and the width of the cut will shrink (smaller radius). Bump it more than you think. The rpm maxes out. A long string tip moves faster than a shorter string. More cutting power.

There are a lot of different trimmer lines with various shapes and aggressiveness. Different thicknesses, too.


They work really well to get that pesky bit of long grass on the trunk of the tree that the mower can't get, no matter how hard you try.