What's a good trimmer for a hard use homeowner on a budget?

[LittleLebowski]

$250 is probably all I can spend. I was looking at the Husqvarna 128LDX. I'm curious about the GrassGator blades as I haven't used a trimmer since the 90's, are they good to go?

I've got five acres of fast growing Virginia trees and brush. I am not clearing all of it by any means but would like to keep trails and near the creek clear.

 

[Sagetown]

I've got the old STIHL FS250 , and use a FORESTER 7" with 14 chainsaw teeth. Goes through saplings and woody brush like butter.

 

[tpence2177]

We have always bought stihl professional grade. We have a fs 74 and a fs 80 that are at or over 20 years old the fs 85 was used professionally for about 10+ years and still runs great. It mowed a cemetery for 8+ hours a day every other week as well as probably 8-10 other yards. My fs 80 is probably around 20 years old and hasn't seen that much use but it still runs like brand new. Things like that I would save a little more and buy the best you can. It will last if you do. The only thing we have replaces on either on of those is a carb on the fs80 (my fault left gas in too long) and pulled the stuff out of the muffler. Dad always ran 32:1 on both and I think they may be on their fourth spark plug. Oh and grease the drive at least yearly for your use and you will be fine.

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[tpence2177]

I will admit I love my husqvarna 51. Don't know a lot about their other equipment. I see all echo or stihl weedeaters on lawn trucks around here

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[Sagetown]

$250 is probably all I can spend. I was looking at the Husqvarna 128LDX. I'm curious about the GrassGator blades as I haven't used a trimmer since the 90's, are they good to go?

I've got five acres of fast growing Virginia trees and brush. I am not clearing all of it by any means but would like to keep trails and near the creek clear.

The saw blade I referenced to recommends 30cc power head to pull it. The 128 is 28cc. Shouldn't have any problems.

 

[LittleLebowski]

The saw blade I referenced to recommends 30cc power head to pull it. The 128 is 28cc. Shouldn't have any problems.

Would that be ok for lesser plants as well?

 

[Sagetown]

Would that be ok for lesser plants as well?

LYup; it loves anything in its swath.

 

[Sagetown]

Here's a thought. When your out there slinging weeds and grass, your pant legs get covered with debris, plus an occasional pebble may thump your shin. I found a good remedy. A $19 pair of light weight nylon full leg zip-up chaps by 'Nite-Lite 'coon hunters supply. When yer done weed whacking , just turn the yard water hose on and spray yourself down, and your chaps are good to go the next time.

 

[ANewSawyer]

You can look at the Jonsered cc2128. It is the same as the Husqy but with bike handles.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/jonsered-cc2128-brushcutter-carb-compliant?cm_vc=-10005

 

[tpence2177]

Any echo dealerships around? 5 year consumer warranty and from what I've seen looking at them when I got my cs590 not bad looking weedeaters

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[milkman]

I have the Husky 128LD and IIRC, it was the same price as the 128LDX, I bought the LD because it has the square shaft coupling and I can use it with my other attachments, the LDX has a splined shaft coupling. I'm really happy with the trimmer since I did a carb adjustment, uses the splined adjustment tool. I have used two different $199 Echos and neither had much power, maybe they're better after a carb adjustment too.

 

[ANewSawyer]

Run square or twisted line if you can. I have used this just recently and can't believe how good it cuts: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Weed-Warr...r-Line-.65-40-ft.-Loop-Donut/47118131#reviews

It is made up to 0.095 in size and I run the 0.095 on my 525LS. Totally changed my view of trimmers. I am looking forward to using it again!

There is a difference between the 128LD and 128 LDX. One uses Husqvarna pro level attachments and the other uses homeowner grade, like what lowe's sells. Don't ask me which is which, though. I were this while weedeating: http://www.lowes.com/pd_631596-968-14323/6___?productId=50281809&pl=1&Ntt=paint+suit
It is hot though but I haven't gotten poison on the parts of my body it covers. Got some on my neck, this past time maybe. It didn't break out real bad.

 

[ANewSawyer]

A tip from a local pharmacist, wipe yourself down with alcohol when you have been in contact with poison vines. The poison is transmitted in an oil and really can't be removed by regular soap. Try washing your greasy dishes with regular hand soap. You will get the idea. Or try to wipe of mineral oil that you spilled on a counter. It will just smear, even with a dry paper towel. Oh, you will get some of it but not all. Then repeat the test but put regular rubbing alcohol on the counter and towel. I believe you will see a difference.

 

[Sagetown]

A tip from a local pharmacist, wipe yourself down with alcohol when you have been in contact with poison vines. The poison is transmitted in an oil and really can't be removed by regular soap. Try washing your greasy dishes with regular hand soap. You will get the idea. Or try to wipe of mineral oil that you spilled on a counter. It will just smear, even with a dry paper towel. Oh, you will get some of it but not all. Then repeat the test but put regular rubbing alcohol on the counter and towel. I believe you will see a difference.

Thanks ANewSawyer: Man; I just got over a rash of poison Sumac. I never have had any trouble getting blistered from that stuff, but the other day I was clearing out a large area of it taller than my head. It was falling fast as the saw slashed through it, and some fell against me. I was well dressed, with face screen and all, but between my gloves and shirt sleeves it hit me , and a few days later I had moved some poison to my eyes, top of my head, arms, and chest. Next time I'll hit it with rubbing alcohol.

 

[LittleLebowski]

I've gotten a lot of good suggestions and excellent advice, I appreciate it. I am definitely looking for a trimmer with enough power to run a blade or blades. I had figured I would wear my chainsaw chaps if needed and insofar as poison ivy/sumac, I am pretty sure that 99% of it on my property is gone as I went on a jihad against it when I first moved in. Can't stand that stuff. I cut it off at the root and used lots of Roundup on both ends. However, my jihad against greenbriar/smilax thorns continues since the Roundup doesn't seem to affect it. I've resorted to chopping it off at the base and digging up the main root or "brain" as I call it

I'll swing out to my local Stihl dealer today and the Husqvarna dealer maybe Thursday just to feel the trimmers in my price range.

 

[tpence2177]

Do you have a riding mower? What I've done so far this year is get it all laid over with my brush blade take out the big brushes and then make sure there are no rocks or anything and then just chop it all up. It will take a year or so to look like normal grass cause the grass is actually spread out when it's really tall like that keeping it cut short reseeds over and over and thickens the grass and let's it choke out the briars and stuff. After a while though it will start to look good again. We have 6 acres that we moved into last year that I'm taking back over. About an acre of it was mowed regularly, but I opened up about another acre last year and it's starting to look like a normal yard again, actually started last year, but the grass was still just a little thin. If you get grass growing in there towards the end of the year it will send shoots up, let it do that and let the seeds mature. Then chop them up. If you have a bagger bag them and spread the seeds where they need to go. Not the fastest or the most effective way, but the seeds are free and they will match what type of grass your yard is. Also I would definitely get the pro style mount on a weedeater. The one that isn't will handle the brush blade motor wise but the mount and the shaft may not hold up to and strip out, then once you fix that even once your in pro level weedeaters anyway.

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[LittleLebowski]

I do have a riding mower but it is most assuredly homeowner grade and it even broke a part last night. I will hopefully get another mower in a year or so.

 

[tpence2177]

I do have a riding mower but it is most assuredly homeowner grade and it even broke a part last night. I will hopefully get another mower in a year or so.

Hey mine is too lol was going to get a better than Lowe's John Deere but not a pro model when I found a guy that bought returned mowers from Lowe's. Got a Troy built mower that goes for $1400 for $600. Couldn't really turn that down. It's held up well as long as I make sure what I'm running over doesn't have rocks and stuff. Fix that one and "bush hog" with caution and it will be fine for a while. I've used mine for 2 years now with no issues. Keep fresh oil (change every 25 hours here) and air filters and ethanol free gas and it will hold up good enough until you can afford a nicer one. Next time if you can buy a riding lawn mower try and get one with the best deck you can get and a Kawasaki motor. We just had a lawn tractor when we mowed a lot and that Kawasaki motor (dad changed the oil every week when we were really busy) still runs today it's 20 years old as well, and a little down on power now, but I don't trust any other small motor, except maybe Honda, like I do those Kawasaki engines.

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[Sagetown]

I do have a riding mower but it is most assuredly homeowner grade and it even broke a part last night. I will hopefully get another mower in a year or so.

Yup; even riding lawnmowers take on a different aspect in the country . We can find many a use for them, if they'll hold up to the task.

 

[RBudd]

Are you definitely looking to buy a new trimmer? Maybe you get more bang for your buck in the states but the ones I've used in that price range from Husqvarna and Stihl in the uk are bent shaft and don't have much power or approval for brush knives etc, more just for trimming grass along fences/ lawns. I've seen pretty decent professional models sell a lot cheaper than their retail second hand even if they haven't seen much use, but then you have to be prepared to do some tuning I suppose! I personally have four Stihl trimmers, and mostly find myself using an old FS81 loop handle with an autocut head for grass or verges, or more often an FS400 with a shredding blade on for heavy brush and brambles. I have a few blades for it but I would definitely recommend the shredding blade, if you want to do a large area of heavy scrub they will do the business, mulches everything nicely so there isn't much to clear up afterwards either! If you're planning on using it for long periods of time I'd definitely look for a bike handle model. Loop handles are great when you need to move the angle of the head a lot for steep areas and verges etc, but if you're going to be using a blade for a large area, a harness and bike handle is the way to go for me! I suppose it depends what you're planning to cut, but there's nothing more annoying than attempting to do a job with an underpowered tool!