Got Some Good Product Tips Here

[hotajax]

I just got a lot of good info from you guys on how to fix something. So, as sort of a "repayment", I'm posting a couple of products you should look into. I don't claim to be an expert, but it is stuff I've been using for a while and find worth the money.

1. VP Fuels Pre-Mix. Ethanol-Free. You can buy it in 50:1 and 40:1 at Tractor Supply ( and other places that I don't know ). You won't have to winterize your stuff, just start it up for a few seconds every couple of weeks in the winter, and they all run fine come spring. Although VP does not say so on the can, I believe my machines have been running much better, like the fuel system is all cleaned out. 94 Octane, too. Significantly cheaper than the brands manufactured by the likes of Huskie and Echo.

2. Trimmer Line: Get Maxpower Twisted line. I had been using Echo Trimmer line with the diamond shape. I couldn't believe how much better the Maxpower works. Very durable, simple to load in a Speed Feed, and cuts furiously. You won't be making as many passes to get the brush cut. It does save you some time. Also much quieter, you won't hear that whipping sound as loud.

Good luck

I don't have any financial interest in either one of these companies.

 

[Junk Meister]

I just got a lot of good info from you guys on how to fix something. So, as sort of a "repayment", I'm posting a couple of products you should look into. I don't claim to be an expert, but it is stuff I've been using for a while and find worth the money.

1. VP Fuels Pre-Mix. Ethanol-Free. You can buy it in 50:1 and 40:1 at Tractor Supply ( and other places that I don't know ). You won't have to winterize your stuff, just start it up for a few seconds every couple of weeks in the winter, and they all run fine come spring. Although VP does not say so on the can, I believe my machines have been running much better, like the fuel system is all cleaned out. 94 Octane, too. Significantly cheaper than the brands manufactured by the likes of Huskie and Echo.

2. Trimmer Line: Get Maxpower Twisted line. I had been using Echo Trimmer line with the diamond shape. I couldn't believe how much better the Maxpower works. Very durable, simple to load in a Speed Feed, and cuts furiously. You won't be making as many passes to get the brush cut. It does save you some time. Also much quieter, you won't hear that whipping sound as loud.

Good luck

I don't have any financial interest in either one of these companies.

Which speed feed do you prefer? I have Stihls but they are for my own use and my place really needs Goats in a tall fence. I have always had string binding frustrations.

 

[Colonel 428]

Good info on the trimmer line. I'm about 1/2 way through a roll of the Echo Black Diamond line and am not very impressed with it. I'll look for the maxpower stuff when I use this up...

 

[hotajax]

Which speed feed do you prefer? I have Stihls but they are for my own use and my place really needs Goats in a tall fence. I have always had string binding frustrations.

Which size speed feed? I can't recall the model number but it is the larger one of the two units that will fit my trimmer. It is a" Shindaiwa Speed Feed, High Capacity." Part number 28820-08000 or 28820-08001. It holds 20 feet of line. I like it alot. The larger head spreads out the damage from beating it on the ground to get the line to come out. If you've never used one before, you will be thrilled at how much time it saves loading new line. If you already have a piecce of your new line cut, takes about a minute to put the new line in.

UPDATE -- Speed Feed 400

 

[hotajax]

Good info on the trimmer line. I'm about 1/2 way through a roll of the Echo Black Diamond line and am not very impressed with it. I'll look for the maxpower stuff when I use this up...

I used to use Echo Black Diamond, and it's not so great. Do yourself a favor - just TRY a small amt of Maxpower and you'll soon be throwing the Echo product away.

 

[karrl]

Which speed feed do you prefer? I have Stihls but they are for my own use and my place really needs Goats in a tall fence. I have always had string binding frustrations.

I don’t know if you have tried this but I was having binding and welding issues with my Stihl trimmer head. I asked my Stihl dealer about it and he told me to wrap the line looser when I refilling the head. I guess I was making it too tight and causing more friction than necessary.

I also run a SpeedFeed head and like it fine but I want to try the Husky trimmer head since it’s supposed to hold more line.

 

[karrl]

Which size speed feed? I can't recall the model number but it is the larger one of the two units that will fit my trimmer. It is a" Shindaiwa Speed Feed, High Capacity." Part number 28820-08000 or 28820-08001. It holds 20 feet of line. I like it alot. The larger head spreads out the damage from beating it on the ground to get the line to come out. If you've never used one before, you will be thrilled at how much time it saves loading new line. If you already have a piecce of your new line cut, takes about a minute to put the new line in.

UPDATE -- Speed Feed 400

My one quibble with the SpeedFeed head is the trimmer line gets twisted while I’m filling it so I’m constantly untwisting it as I go. Have you figured out a way to avoid that? Other than that it’s a been a good head that puts up with abuse well.

 

[hotajax]

I don’t know if you have tried this but I was having binding and welding issues with my Stihl trimmer head. I asked my Stihl dealer about it and he told me to wrap the line looser when I refilling the head. I guess I was making it too tight and causing more friction than necessary.

I also run a SpeedFeed head and like it fine but I want to try the Husky trimmer head since it’s supposed to hold more line.

Sometimes old line does that. It gets dried out and brittle and won't eject. No matter what the manuacturers say, I think that stuff is good for 2 years max. Winding it loosely means nothing -- centrifugal force will tighten it anyway.

 

[hotajax]

My one quibble with the SpeedFeed head is the trimmer line gets twisted while I’m filling it so I’m constantly untwisting it as I go. Have you figured out a way to avoid that? Other than that it’s a been a good head that puts up with abuse well.

I know it gets twisted. So I don't use the full 20 feet, I use maybe 12 or 15 feet, and straighten it out every 5 or 6 turns of the bump head when I'm loading line. If the line isn't too long, it untwists very quickly.

 

[karrl]

Sometimes old line does that. It gets dried out and brittle and won't eject. No matter what the manuacturers say, I think that stuff is good for 2 years max. Winding it loosely means nothing -- centrifugal force will tighten it anyway.

Without changing trimmer line I found it helped my situation. I was probably cranking it pretty tight before hand, but I changed my technique and noticed a difference.

Dry old trimmer line is definitely more prone to welding, no disagreement there. I’ll soak my roll of line in a bucket of water to rehydrate it every couple months. Rehydration helps it regain flexibility and just generally cut better.

I did go and order some maxpower line on your suggestion, so I’ll let you know how I like it. I just got some.105 gatorline from Oregon and I’m not crazy about it.

 

[hotajax]

Without changing trimmer line I found it helped my situation. I was probably cranking it pretty tight before hand, but I changed my technique and noticed a difference.

Dry old trimmer line is definitely more prone to welding, no disagreement there. I’ll soak my roll of line in a bucket of water to rehydrate it every couple months. Rehydration helps it regain flexibility and just generally cut better.

I did go and order some maxpower line on your suggestion, so I’ll let you know how I like it. I just got some.105 gatorline from Oregon and I’m not crazy about it.

I was thinking that instead of soaking the line in water, which lasts about 2 days, soak it in water with some Dawn in it. The soap might make it slippery-er and the line might eject better. I dunno, just thinking out loud, it could cause the world to come to an abrupt ending.

 

[karrl]

Worth a shot, I’m always down for figuring out how to do things better. It should act like a coat of wax if it does stick to the line. Just need to find some ancient trimmer line.

 

[Woodpecker]

Don’t know if this has been mentioned but a lot of fellers will store trimmer line in water to keep it from drying out.