i'm debating between picking up a basic $30 electric and using it only for stuff right next to the house (which is all i NEED it for) or ponying up about $200 for 4-stroke gas that i would use out in the woods, too

if cheap electric, i was thinking about this 12" 4-amp craftsman (on sale for $30): http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07174503000P

if gas, i was thinking about one of these (i don't know what the difference is, besides $10)
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07179184000P (on sale for $170)
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07179170000P (on sale for $180)

if i go gas, i'd like for it be able to handle small underbrush (nothing hardcore, though)...i like that the ones above allow for other attachments like a hedge trimmer and blower

it doesn't HAVE to be craftsman or from sears, but i was leaning that way because i've got a gift card, a 5% coupon, and i get 10% cashback from discover

3/29/2011 2:03:13 PM

One thing I like is the complete portability of gas trimmers...and their power. I use mine frequently with a brushcutting blade.

I'd stay away from the 4-cycle models, as they are heavier, more complex, and don't have as much usable power. Sure, they're somewhat better for the environment, but how much are you really going to run this thing?

If you go two stroke, get a full crank model like this one:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07179586000P?mv=rr

They're much more durable, run a lot more smoothly, and are generally more powerful

And while you're blowing money, get a straight shaft.

I think all of Sears' trimmers are probably made by MTD (the same folks that own Troy Bilt, Cub Cadet, etc), and you can likely find somewhat better prices elsewhere.

Or break bad and buy you a Stihl from an outdoor power company.

[Edited on March 29, 2011 at 2:25 PM. Reason : full cranks]

3/29/2011 2:24:44 PM

^ thats the one i have and i have a drill bit so i can start it with my craftsman drill too...

(bonus manpoints)

3/29/2011 2:36:00 PM

what's a "full crank" 2-stroke?

i've never owned a 2-stroke machine before...is it as simple as mixing gas and oil together to burn?

why is a straight shaft better than curved (and why would they produce a curve if straight is so much better)?

i do like that the one dan linked has the blade, too...

3/29/2011 3:04:22 PM

The straight shaft can handle more torque and more shock. It's NOT recommended to use a curved shaft model with a brushcutting blade. They all use a flex shaft (think speedometer cable on steroids; is springy and helps absorb shocks), but the straight one is beefier and doesn't see any flex load or friction against the housing. The curved shaft models are just a means of producing the damned things cheaper because there's no gearbox at the end like there is with a straight shaft model.

A full crank engine has a crankshaft that is supported by bearings on either end of the crank, whereas a cheaper model has a half crank that is only supported by bearings on the driving end. The connecting rod just slips over the crankpin at the back end. It's MUCH cheaper to manufacture, but does NOT run as smoothly and doesn't have nearly the lifespan of a fully supported crankshaft. It's one reason I see these things last only a couple of seasons.

I have a 22cc Ryobi full-crank professional model that I've had for over 10 years. It still starts easily and painlessly.

3/29/2011 3:12:08 PM

hmmm...in that case, perhaps i'll just say screw the environment and get a 2-stroke

anyone every use the attachments they sell? i could see myself using the hedge trimmer once or twice...do they work well?

3/29/2011 3:22:18 PM

I've never used the hedge trimmer attachment, but it's one that I could see using on a regular basis if I had hedges to trim. I think it's a pretty good design.

That's probably one of the only attachments I would consider using...the downside is it's pretty pricy.

The tiller thing can't be all that. The pole saw attachment is damn cool though, and a good pole saw is a nice tool to have if you need to trim or prune thicker branches that a manual pole shear won't handle.

True versatility of a tool is always one of my purchasing criteria.

3/29/2011 3:33:23 PM

yeah i love a good weed eater after working at a golfcourse for 4 years.

we had 2 hp husquavarna's and after going from a bent shaft homelite to those suckers.... COULD NOT EVER GO BACK!.... EVER!!!

3/29/2011 3:40:30 PM

3/29/2011 4:12:00 PM

^ BEEN THERE, DONE THAT

which is why i'm looking for a motorized version that will kill the environment

3/29/2011 4:12:52 PM

i found my straight shaft Stihl on craigslist for cheap

the electrics suck. zxappeal pretty much covered everything.

i wouldn't screw with the gimmicky attachments. an electric hedge trimmer is cheap. you'll use it a few times a year whereas you'll use the trimmer weekly.

[Edited on March 29, 2011 at 4:32 PM. Reason : adfs]

3/29/2011 4:30:47 PM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/grd/2290565630.html

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/tls/2263924971.html easy fix if you're not a nancy

etc etc

[Edited on March 29, 2011 at 4:38 PM. Reason : first thing i do to them is remove the guard on the cutting head. more maneuverable that way]

3/29/2011 4:37:06 PM

My Ryobis are a hundred bucks are so and last me 2-3 years usually before breaking. The one I run now is a little cold natured but mean as hell for 30cc. Also I should add one day using it in the rain the foam air cleaner element dissapeared into the carb (probably not all at once) and it still runs.
I use the hedge trimmer attachment (also last about two years before the vibration kills them) and the pole saw attachment (buy spare chains) more than the string trimmer head, because I use the fuck out of some weed killer instead of string trimming. I also have the edger that I used a lot at my old house but never need it now. Also have the brush cutter, which for reasons Dan pointed out, sucks balls on a curved shaft trimmer, especially if you dont sharpen the blade. I dont want a nice model since I beat the hell out of them and if they havent come out with a new model by the time the one I have breaks, then I buy a new one, take the busted one back and exchange it for another new one and sell the extra one on craigslist. Hard to beat a tool that works for you, replaces itself before you have to maintain it, AND pays you back for buying it.

3/29/2011 10:14:33 PM

I would go with a 2 stroke with a str8 shaft. They will hold up to a bunch of stuff. We use to have one with the edger on it and it worked pretty good but make sure you got some safty glasses on!!!

3/29/2011 10:14:55 PM

-two stroke, straight shaft! (that's what she said )
-if you can afford to go to an actual lawnmower/landscape supply dealer to buy, I would do that. I have an echo i bought (SRM265 with shaft drive) back in 2002, thing runs flawlessly, used it for 4 summers mowing 5-10 yards a week, then been using it at home only since. I intend to keep it for at least 10yrs more!

3/30/2011 8:50:06 AM

^ we had a few lesco weed eaters (made by echo) that were 8 years old and used nearly daily... .
they hold up like you wouldn't believe.

3/30/2011 9:50:11 AM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/grd/2295478215.html

3/30/2011 2:39:08 PM

If i was a blade of grass by the mailbox and you swung that 4 amp pos in my face I'd laugh at you and begin worrying about getting pissed on by another dog.

3/30/2011 3:04:25 PM

I got a TroyBuilt 4-cycle from Lowe's about 5 years ago. I don't care about the brand, just wanted functionality and a good price. Came with a straight shaft and has interchangeable shaft accessories. I got a blower attachment that works great. Tiller also works well (like a Mantis) for small garden projects and whatnot. It may not be the best, but it has been performing quite well for me for the past 5 years. It consistently starts very easily, btw.

If you already have a leaf blower and other small outdoor power equipment and are just looking for a trimmer, it'll be hard to go wrong with any straight shaft string trimmer. But if you want to maximize your versatility on a budget, minimize storage space required, and not have to worry about having a can of mixed gas, go with a decent 4-stroke.

3/30/2011 3:20:43 PM

Quote :

"But if you want to maximize your versatility on a budget, minimize storage space required, and not have to worry about having a can of mixed gas, go with a decent 4-stroke."

A decent two stroke does two-thirds of that already...and it's lighter and cheaper to boot. If you're like me and own more than one two stroke powered piece of equipment, then the mix is no biggie.

Any Troy Bilt or Cub Cadet straight shaft model can use the attachments...not just the 4-stroke model.

3/30/2011 3:30:06 PM

well, i don't actually own anything 2-stroke, so i'd have to keep a small gas can of mixed fuel just for this

it really comes down to value for me...i CAN get by with a POS 4A electric trimmer and it WILL be just fine...but if i'm going to buy a gas one, i might as well get the best bang for my buck and get something that can do some underbrush (which i have)

i was thinking 4-stroke because it's better for the environment (yes, yes, i'm a hippie) and it was my understanding that they last longer...i'm not especially worried about the extra weight, but i DO care about reliability

i might do some more research...looking to get something by saturday, so i still have some time to look around

i appreciate the input thus far

3/30/2011 4:03:54 PM

Do 4 strokes shit the bed when you go to edge with them and turn the crank case upside down?

Or are they dry sump or something??

3/30/2011 4:10:02 PM

Quote :

"i'd have to keep a small gas can of mixed fuel just for this"

lots of folks have to do this. it's not a reason not to go 2 stroke imo.

they sell little bottles that give the right ratio when you mix one bottle to one gallon of gas. it couldn't be simpler. a little 1 gallon jug is dirt cheap.

3/30/2011 4:46:00 PM

^^ mine doesn't.

my next one will be a 2 stroke though.

motherfucker is heavy.

3/30/2011 4:51:41 PM

Quote :

"they sell little bottles that give the right ratio when you mix one bottle to one gallon of gas. it couldn't be simpler. a little 1 gallon jug is dirt cheap."

you can buy 50:1 premix by the quart now. a lot of landscape companies have started using trufuel because it's ethanol-free, mixture is correct, and contains stabilizers. this solves a lot of 2-stroke issues because the company owner had to depend on the crews to add the proper amount of oil and stabilizer which just wasn't getting done correctly. it's expensive, though. $18.60/gal. i'll continue mixing my own fuel with my motul oil

http://www.trufuel50.com/ProductInfo.aspx

[Edited on March 30, 2011 at 10:15 PM. Reason : -]

3/30/2011 10:10:05 PM

assuming i bought new AND mixed my own fuel AND wanted to start out with the best mixture for keeping it running longer...what would that mixture be?

does it have to be dino oil and if not, will synthetic provide any advantages? that trufuel stuff mentions synthetic lubricant...i assume that synthetic doesn't break down as quickly or easily?

can you put in regular shitgas and just add sta-bil to the mix or something?

3/31/2011 9:51:53 AM

I use synthetic in all my 2-stroke stuff. My Craftsman chainsaw actually requires it according to the owner's manual although I did use one tank of dino oil for the break in period.

Amsoil makes good stuff formulated specifically for your type of engine. I use the HP Injector oil in my jet skis. For the chainsaw and weed wacker I just buy off the shelf Craftsman, Briggs & Stratton, etc; but Amsoil does make "saber" 2-stroke oil for them.

Use the mix that your item recommends. Usually it's 50:1. Sometimes it'll be 60:1, 100:1, etc. If you have to err, do so on the side of too much oil. One of my skis calls for 60:1, but I run 50:1 to be safe. It doesn't smoke excessively and the plugs always look good when I pull them. If they were fouling I'd go to the 60:1 mix.

Definitely go buy a 1 gallon gas can just for these and write the mix on it (4oz oil or whatever) with a magic marker. Makes it so much easier three months down the road when you have to fill it up again.

Put 93 octane in there unless you're burning through it pretty quick. Your trimmer probably won't need it, but when the gas is 3 months old and degrading it'll still be in spec. Sta-bil is good; especially for winter storage.

[Edited on March 31, 2011 at 11:03 AM. Reason : l]

3/31/2011 10:57:06 AM

Quote :

"If you have to err, do so on the side of too much oil."

Don't make an error when mixing. It's pretty simple. You can buy the pre-measured oil for 1gal. of gas. If you add too much oil to the mix it'll make the engine run lean which will cause more damage than not enough oil.

3/31/2011 11:37:10 AM

^ I hadn't thought about it running lean, but you make a good point. I'll have to read more about it sometime. I would think the difference between minor variations would be negligible though.

[Edited on March 31, 2011 at 11:52 AM. Reason : l]

3/31/2011 11:42:12 AM

I've wondered about syth in a 2 stroke... is it a good idea?? or is the oil supposed to burn if its in the combustion chamber??

3/31/2011 11:59:35 AM

i'm a mechanical idiot, so i could be off-base here, but i don't think it's so much that the oil is SUPPOSED to burn as it DOES burn

what i mean is that it's there to provide lubrication, right? 2-strokes are so bad for the environment because it just burns up that oil, but the engine doesn't NEED to burn the oil as long as there's fuel and lubrication (it just happens to do so due to the design)

3/31/2011 12:54:20 PM

lol Yeah i guess i was just wondering if you'd actually have oil pooling or something if you used a really good synth that just.... doesn't burn at all....

3/31/2011 12:56:11 PM

oh...good point

does synthetic oil not burn at all at those temperatures, or does it just not burn as quickly?

3/31/2011 1:02:04 PM

i'm sure if you get a synthetic that's made for 2 strokes it'll be fine

3/31/2011 1:03:48 PM

Quote :

"does synthetic oil not burn at all at those temperatures, or does it just not burn as quickly?"

Oh, that shit burns, probably at about the same speed. Flash point isn't THAT much higher than dino juice. Combustion temps get on up there.

Amsoil makes what is supposed to be a fine 2-stroke oil and they used to claim you could mix it 100:1 for everything regardless of what the manufacturer says.

3/31/2011 4:09:15 PM

^and i know A LOT of people who have used the 100:1 Amsoil garbage and have had to rebuild their engines. the guys use a variety of equipment such as stihl, echo, shindy, and husky so the only thing they can relate their problems to is the oil. i wouldn't use it.

3/31/2011 6:39:35 PM

any idea what makes this one "professional"?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07179204000P

and aside from the brushcutter attachment of the one dan linked to first, why is this one $30 less (because i imagine i brush blade doesn't cost $30): http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07179119000P

also, this one (poulan) is only $120 with good reviews: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_07179141000P

3/31/2011 10:41:12 PM

at the prices you are now looking at just buy a stihl and be done with it forever. yes, i said forever. keep stabilizer in the fuel and you'll never buy another replacement trimmer for the rest of your life.

3/31/2011 10:45:53 PM

^ i can't find a straight shaft for under $200, unfortunately

3/31/2011 10:55:42 PM

Did you ignore post above?

3/31/2011 11:15:06 PM

the stihl on CL? the guy never got back with me...i sent an email and called the number and no response

[Edited on April 1, 2011 at 6:50 AM. Reason : .]

4/1/2011 6:49:48 AM

you can get a Stihl straight shaft homeowner model for $200-250. it'll do all you want to do and last a hell of a lot longer than the $170 and $180 junk in the OP. you can get a professional model for $280-350 that will last you a lifetime with minor maintenance if you look after it.

what is $100 over 10-20 years? you'll have more than that in fuel/oil/string for the damn thing over the course of a few years. hell, you'll spend half that in gas just driving to the store to replace the POS trimmers every 2-3 years (remember, you can't haul this on your liquor cycle).

man up, buy a quality tool and DO WORK SON.

[Edited on April 1, 2011 at 6:52 AM. Reason : if i'm gonna be out there sweating my ass off, i'm gonna at least have quality tools to work with]

4/1/2011 6:50:40 AM

yeah, but y'all likely do more work than i do...there's a strong possibility i'll be moving before next summer and to a place where i won't have a yard...so it'll be used a lot this summer to get the house in shape, but after that, i'm done with it (and will probably sell it)

if it doesn't last the summer, i can get it replaced for free...i don't NEED it to last forever

i guess you could say that i could sell the stihl for close to what i paid for it, but if it's only one season, i could do the same with a cheaper model, too

also, do those $200-250 stihls come with a brushcutter attachment like the craftsman? because if i'm going to spend that much (remember, i only NEED to cut grass), i want it to cut brush, too

4/1/2011 6:56:04 AM

i'm done with you

your mind is already made up

[Edited on April 1, 2011 at 6:58 AM. Reason : get one that runs off a cordless drill battery]

[Edited on April 1, 2011 at 7:00 AM. Reason : really, if you want a 1 season trimmer buy the cheapest running trimmer on CL]

4/1/2011 6:57:06 AM

Quote :

"get one that runs off a cordless drill battery"

actually, if they had one that ran off my 20v li-ion craftsman batteries, i would have

also,

4/1/2011 7:05:36 AM

just remember when you're saving the environment and waiting on your battery to recharge, i'm spending the time i saved by using a decent trimmer on my boat pumping my 2 stroke outboard's exhaust directly into the river

[Edited on April 1, 2011 at 7:23 AM. Reason : asdf]

4/1/2011 7:23:26 AM

^ i have TWO batteries, so i don't have to worry about it!

seriously, though, i haven't "made up my mind"...it's just that there have been a number of testimonials for non-stihl trimmers in this thread, and most of those recommendations come in at almost $100 cheaper for new...so, given my use for it, why waste the $100?

if i could get the aforementioned stihl (the one with the busted string and missing screws) for $80 or so, then spend another $15-20 replacing the parts, i'd probably do that...but the whole point is start using this sooner rather than later and not have to dick around with it...also, i need it to last the summer, so buying a new one that i can take back to exchange the same day is breaks has its own value

you know?

4/1/2011 7:51:48 AM

... which is why I suggested the ryobi at home depot

4/1/2011 9:05:19 AM

if you're in charlotte there is a ryobi outlet you can get a refurb straight shaft for 86 bucks.... then again its a refurb so that model broke one someone else...

4/1/2011 9:10:50 AM

just let him buy the junk. 3 years later when his shit won't work and the repair bill comes back at $150 he'll think back to this thread and think, "damn, i should've listened and bought a fucking stihl.".

4/1/2011 4:04:11 PM