Newbie idiot question...

[Ron Weasley]

Hello folks,

Hope you don't mind me asking a really basic newbie question here. But I've just bought my first petrol hedge trimmer (always had electric ones previously). It's a new Makita EH6000W.

I've fueled up with some decent fuel, mixed 50:1 with Stihl HP Ultra, oiled the blades and fired her up. It runs perfectly.

However, my question is this: when working with the tool, should I run it at full throttle, i.e. the throttle lever fully depressed? Or should I simply rev it high enough to get the blades going at a good speed? The manual says,

"Run the engine for approximately one minute at a moderate speed before accelerating to full throttle."

and

"Before commencing cutting, the cutting blades must have reached full working speed."

but then goes on to say,

"Do not operate the hedge trimmer with high idle speed. You cannot adjust the cutting speed with the throttle control if the idle speed is too high."

The first two sentences imply I should run it at full throttle, the last sentence implies otherwise.

I'm puzzled!

Thank for your advice.

 

[scallywag]

Two strokes are designed to run at 'wide open throttle'.


"Do not operate the hedge trimmer with high idle speed. You cannot adjust the cutting speed with the throttle control if the idle speed is too high


This would imply that you lose control of your cutter speed if the idle is set too high.

 

[backhoelover]

yes they run cooler at wide open throttle

 

[Ron Weasley]

Thanks guys - appreciate it.

 

[scallywag]

yes they run cooler at wide open throttle

.........And get their full complement of lube.

 

[backhoelover]

yes dont forget the ky

 

[scallywag]

Ron, do give a minute to warm up (idle) when starting from cold before running it at WOT.

 

[scallywag]

yes dont forget the ky

Goose!..........Goose fat that is, that's the go!

 

[scallywag]

An Englishman, a Carolinian and a Australian walk into a bar.........

 

[Ron Weasley]

Ron, do give a minute to warm up (idle) when starting from cold before running it at WOT.

Yes, thanks, of course.

To be honest, the whole idea of running a new engine at anything like WOT is completely abhorrent to me. I am an old git who's used to running engines in for a tankful or two. But that doesn't seem to be an option for this piece of kit.

 

[scallywag]

Don't be afraid to put a little extra oil in the mix either!.......And try not to run it at WOT without any load.....Would be interesting to know how the tune is if it's straight out of the box?

 

[Ron Weasley]

Would be interesting to know how the tune is if it's straight out of the box?

Sorry I don't understand? Do you mean how smoothly does it run?

Very smoothly indeed, if that's the question. If you meant something else, I'd be happy to respond.

Incidentally, the one thing that disappoints (and annoys slightly) is that Makita say all over the tech spec sheets that it is rated at 103.2 dB(A), whereas the sticker on the machine says 106 dB(A). It may seem like a small point, but I considered long and hard between this unit at the alternative which was a Stihl HS 56 CE. The Stihl is a little more expensive (not much) but it's 0.5Kg lighter, slightly less powerful and rated at 107 dB(A). One of the things that swung it in favour of the Makita was that it was supposed to be 4 dB quieter, and now I find that it is not. If I wanted to be picky, I could send it back as it is not "as described" in compliance with UK law.

 

[scallywag]

Ron, if I were to purchase any new Stihl tool from a dealer here they would do a test run and tune, is that the case with your Makita dealer/shop?.....Or are you the only person to have run this machine?.. If so, whats the owners manual have to say about the carb tune?....Factory set?

 

[Ron Weasley]

Ron, if I were to purchase any new Stihl tool from a dealer here they would do a test run and tune, is that the case with your Makita dealer/shop?.....Or are you the only person to have run this machine?.. If so, whats the owners manual have to say about the carb tune?....Factory set?

Yeah, Stihl insist on the dealer commissioning the machine here in the UK too. Makita not so, you just buy the thing (I bought it online) and away you go. I bought it bone dry (never had any fuel anywhere near it, so the first time I fired it up was the first time the metal had moved. At least they put grease in the gearbox Well I hope they do ;-)

The carb needs no adjustment, it's ready to go. (And in any event, the only thing you can adjust is idle speed). I've had a Makita line trimmer for years and that was just the same.

 

[scallywag]

I see, it's got a fixed high (H) jet setting..... Sound like your good to go.

 

[Ron Weasley]

I see, it's got a fixed high (H) jet setting..... Sound like your good to go.

Ah, I see where you're coming from now. The Stihl units have an adjustable H jet setting I think, so perhaps they have the maximum RPM turned down a bit for the first few hours? No such (user) adjustment is possible with the Makita. I am sure the carb will have that adjustment but doubtless the adjustment screw will have tamper-proof paint and you'd likely invalidate the warranty if you messed with it, I would imagine.