Hi, can anyone recomend an electric strimmer that will deal with rough grass
/nettles etc. It needs to be light and easy to manage. Thanks.

On Wed, 09 May 2007 17:03:24 GMT, "Jabber"
wrote:

Hi, can anyone recomend an electric strimmer that will deal with rough grass
/nettles etc. It needs to be light and easy to manage. Thanks.

Lightweight electric strimmers struggle with really long rough stuff.
They are better for keeping a plot tidy. Why not consider hiring a
heavy duty petrol model to get it cut short then use a light electric
one to keep it that way? Obviously the petrol ones are heavier but
they are well-balanced and have 2 handles making them easier to hold
and manoeuvre.

..

Jabber wrote:

Hi, can anyone recomend an electric strimmer that will deal with rough grass
/nettles etc. It needs to be light and easy to manage. Thanks.

As has been said in the previous post, electric consumer level strimmers
are not really up to the job for thick long grass or nettles.
They are sold by the power of the engine, and the line width. You'd need
1.5mm line for thick grass, 2mm or more for grown nettles, though 1.5mm
does just cope (mine is 1.5mm).
The petrol ones are now quite good value (easily available for less than
£100), and are far more powerful than basic electric strimmers. To ease
the weight, there are some 'universal' carry harnesses available.
Alan.
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On Wed, 09 May 2007 17:03:24 GMT, Jabber wrote:

Hi, can anyone recomend an electric strimmer that will deal with rough
grass/nettles etc. It needs to be light and easy to manage. Thanks.

I doubt you'll find an electric strimmer with enough grunt to cope with
nettles or tussock type grass. My experience of an electric strimmer was
that it stuggled with more than half a dozen blades, not stems, of
grass...

Nettles are tough, the fibres can be extracted and made into cloth or
rope. I really think you need to look at a petrol jobbie of some sort I
have one similar to:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=27583

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

A.Lee wrote:
Jabber wrote:

Hi, can anyone recomend an electric strimmer that will deal with rough grass
/nettles etc. It needs to be light and easy to manage. Thanks.

As has been said in the previous post, electric consumer level strimmers
are not really up to the job for thick long grass or nettles.
They are sold by the power of the engine, and the line width. You'd need
1.5mm line for thick grass, 2mm or more for grown nettles, though 1.5mm
does just cope (mine is 1.5mm).
The petrol ones are now quite good value (easily available for less than
£100), and are far more powerful than basic electric strimmers. To ease
the weight, there are some 'universal' carry harnesses available.

Depending on the application (accessibility, flatness, etc.) a sickle
bar mower may be far more suitable. We used to have a big petrol
strimmer (McCulloch I think) but I found it generally awkward and hard
work to use. We now have a couple of small, cheap, 'consumer'
electric strimmers and a petrol engined, goes along on wheels, sickle
bar mower. The sickle bar mower will tackle stuff that a strimmer
won't even look at (brambles and stuff) and the small electric
strimmers are much better than the big petrol one for patio edges,
close to wire netting, etc.

--
Chris Green

Nettles are tough, the fibres can be extracted and made into cloth or
rope. I really think you need to look at a petrol jobbie of some sort I
have one similar to:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=27583

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail




I've got a petrol Ryobi too, with interchangeable head so I can switch from
using a strimmer line to a blade (not those useless triangular things but a
blade like those in a mower). I highly recommend it. You have to be
EXTREMELY careful when using the blade attachment - it isn't a pretty sight
if you catch chain link fencing with it! Small stones and pebbles are also a
problem if the blade hits one as they go flying a great distance (and once
into my leg - ouch!). Critical to wear a full face visor when using one. It
sails through nettles, brambles and tussock grass like a knife through
butter. Can be a bit frightening if you hit a post etc!

--
David
.... Email address on website http://www.avisoft.co.uk

David (Normandy) wrote:
Nettles are tough, the fibres can be extracted and made into cloth or
rope. I really think you need to look at a petrol jobbie of some sort I
have one similar to:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=27583

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail




I've got a petrol Ryobi too, with interchangeable head so I can switch from
using a strimmer line to a blade (not those useless triangular things but a
blade like those in a mower). I highly recommend it. You have to be
EXTREMELY careful when using the blade attachment - it isn't a pretty sight
if you catch chain link fencing with it! Small stones and pebbles are also a
problem if the blade hits one as they go flying a great distance (and once
into my leg - ouch!). Critical to wear a full face visor when using one. It
sails through nettles, brambles and tussock grass like a knife through
butter. Can be a bit frightening if you hit a post etc!


Roundup.... spot weed nettles. Don't strim them!! I have a big Echo
brushcutter and only use it on brambles and small trees with its blade.
A good line with decimate nettles and thistles but they are perennial so
will regrow anyway.

I use a circular saw blade on my brush cutter to coppice hazel and
willow and to harvest Christmas Trees.

On Thu, 10 May 2007 19:56:08 GMT, Simon Harding wrote:

A good line with decimate nettles and thistles ...

Most people want to eradicate nettles rather than just take out 1 in 10.
B-) Yeah OK the usage has changed...

... but they are perennial so will regrow anyway.

Nettles don't come back the next year anything like the previous one. Hack
'em, back again and they'll give up. Thistles, I loosen and pull,
hopefully getting most of the tap root or they'll be back.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

My husband bought me a Viking TE 410 which I expect is a bit weak and girly
for the really tough stuff, My OH has the big brush cutter but I cannot
handle that so by using the Viking in the less overgrown areas I feel that I
am doing something to help.
My only complaint is that because it is electric it does not reach very far
without using extension which leads me to my query, how many extension can
one safely use.

kate




Hi, can anyone recomend an electric strimmer that will deal with rough
grass
/nettles etc. It needs to be light and easy to manage. Thanks.
snip

"Kate Morgan" wrote in message
...
My husband bought me a Viking TE 410 which I expect is a bit weak and
girly for the really tough stuff, My OH has the big brush cutter but I
cannot handle that so by using the Viking in the less overgrown areas I
feel that I am doing something to help.
My only complaint is that because it is electric it does not reach very
far without using extension which leads me to my query, how many extension
can one safely use.

kate



To operate my hedge trimmer at the bottom of the garden at my last house, I
made an extension lead out of a 100 metre reel of cable. I used extensions
on that as well.

No limit 'within reason' i.e., 2 x 100 metre reels is getting silly for
safety reasons.

Make sure any long lead is unreeled and not left in a coil for near use.
Make sure trip breakers are used.
Mind the lead with children about.
Don't run vehicles over them.
Don't 'yank' at the lead if it gets snagged on something, go and see what it
is.

ELECTRICITY BITES. Respect it, it will not respect you whatever your name is
and however long you have been gardening.

Mike


--
.................................................. ..............
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
www.rneba.org.uk

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...


"Kate Morgan" wrote in message
...
My husband bought me a Viking TE 410 which I expect is a bit weak and
girly for the really tough stuff, My OH has the big brush cutter but I
cannot handle that so by using the Viking in the less overgrown areas I
feel that I am doing something to help.
My only complaint is that because it is electric it does not reach very
far without using extension which leads me to my query, how many
extension can one safely use.

kate



To operate my hedge trimmer at the bottom of the garden at my last house,
I made an extension lead out of a 100 metre reel of cable. I used
extensions on that as well.

No limit 'within reason' i.e., 2 x 100 metre reels is getting silly for
safety reasons.

Make sure any long lead is unreeled and not left in a coil for near use.
Make sure trip breakers are used.
Mind the lead with children about.
Don't run vehicles over them.
Don't 'yank' at the lead if it gets snagged on something, go and see what
it is.

ELECTRICITY BITES. Respect it, it will not respect you whatever your name
is and however long you have been gardening.

Mike


Should have added, that the size of the cable of any extension lead must NOT
be of a lower power rating than the cable on the appliance it is feeding.

Mike

--
.................................................. ..............
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
www.rneba.org.uk

My only complaint is that because it is electric it does not reach very
far without using extension which leads me to my query, how many extension
can one safely use.

kate

In principle you can use as many extension leads as it takes. There was a
rather heated discussion of this very topic on here a few weeks ago.
Provided the cable is fully unwound from the drums and is of suitable rating
and not been "bent to death" over the years, then there is no problem using
extensions as long as it takes. Always use an RCD in case you cut the cable
though (at the primary mains socket in the house / garage etc where you plug
the first extension lead into).

--
David
.... Email address on website http://www.avisoft.co.uk

Thank you all very much for the words of advice, as soon as the ground
dries up I will have a go, I will take great care.

kate



My only complaint is that because it is electric it does not reach very
far without using extension which leads me to my query, how many extension
can one safely use.

kate

On Sat, 12 May 2007 09:14:01 +0100, Kate Morgan wrote:

My only complaint is that because it is electric it does not reach very
far without using extension which leads me to my query, how many
extension can one safely use.

Short answer: Until there isn't enough power at the far end for the
trimmer to work.

Long Answer: Use an extension cable made with at least 2.5mm^2 cores. Have
as few joints as possible (ie have 1 x 100m lead rather than 10 x 10m
ones). Always fully uncoil it or figure of eight (either flat or in a coil
if you know how to do that). Always have the extension protected by a 30mA
RCD, modern wiring regs require that any socket that *may* be used
"outside" must be so protected, check. If in doubt fit one of the plug
type RCDs to the cable so it can't be used without, it may be wise to do
that anyway. Consider having shorter extensions available for use nearer
the power source. Consider making any connectors to be water/weather proof
type rather than your basic 13A plug/socket.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

"David (Normandy)" wrote in message
...

I've got a petrol Ryobi too, with interchangeable head so I can switch
from using a strimmer line to a blade (not those useless triangular things
but a blade like those in a mower). I highly recommend it.

--
David
... Email address on website http://www.avisoft.co.uk


All the brush cutters I've found listed have one of those "useless
triangular things", so how do you find and fit a blade like you recommend?
Thanks

--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK



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