Weed Whacker

[track61]

Okay, that's it. Yesterday my father-in-law stepped on a snake about the size of my leg. He was about 5 steps ahead of me and if it had been me they would probably be burning me soon. I have been contemplating buying a weed eater to keep the <deleted> cut down around the fields and the back of my house anyway and now it is time. The thing is there is a lot of area and some really tough growth, so it needs to be heavy duty.

The only ones I see in town are Honda. I bought a Crocodile sprayer awhile back and there was a brochure with it flogging them, even 33cc and 40.5cc models, which seems pretty powerful. My wife is going to make a pricing run tomorrow so if anyone out there has a first hand recommendation I would surely appreciate it. I'd like to buy this by the week-end. Thanks in adavnce for any help.

[jamescollister]

I have a few scrub cutters one of whish is a honda. Bought it about 4 years ago and it has never missed a beat. JIM

[grrr]

I bought a Makita RBC-411 about a year ago for around 7,000B and serves me well. However, I wish I bought the Honda 4 stroke model instead...more power and no mixing gas and oil. The Honda is heavier though...

[Gary A]

A friend of mine has been through three or four of the two stroke models. The people using them FORGET to put oil in the gas, don't put enough or put too much. He has had several different brands. When I bough mine, I insisted on a four stroke Honda. My wife and the salesman tried to talk me out of the four stroke because it doesn't have enough power.

As it turns out, it has plenty of power and my wife cuts weeds at a fast idle. She is afraid to use full throttle so the two stroke would have been a waste of extra power. The best thing is that it starts very easy and never misses a beat. When it runs out of gas, just pour more in. No mixing makes it pretty simple.

[ozzydom]

Our Honda 4 stroke has had daily use for the last 3 years and never missed a beat..

If buying one get the circular saw blade for general use ,it cuts cleaner and puts much less strain on the mechanics .

[lannarebirth]

If grass is all you're cutting I'd get a Honda 4 Stroke, If sometimes it's denser brush I suggest an Echo. I've had two working for 2 years using every kind of fuel mix you can imagine. They're almost bulletproof.

[discusfarm]

Honda 4 stroke.

11 years and still runing!

[Beardog]

Honda or a Robyn would be my top choices. The Honda may be a bit heavier but it will whack down anything & run & run & run.

A four stroke no mess & premix= no room for mistakes. Parts are available everywhere. Avoid Black & decker Like the Plague.

And say no to the Chinese varieties . They come 3000 baht cheaper & no guaranty. They will make you hate life later & you will wish you paid the man the $2.00 instead of the agony of defeat. Honda rocks. If you got a lot of tall weeds Get a simple back brace. They are heavy! Whatever you get make sure it has a metal blade No mono filament- unless you feel like paying three times your machine for the line & hours of spooling. I have had both & would only buy a metal blade type!

Edited July 30, 2008 by Beardog

[slapout]

Just read an article on small engine damage when using ethanol (E10) mix/gasoline. Seems the gaskets and rubber used in the small engines are breaking down from its use, carbs and needle valves plug up from gunk which is formed, and the internal componets wear out much faster vs pure gasoline. Draining the tank after use does not help as wear occurs during use. The E10 breaks down the lub charcterics and thus moveing parts wear out quickly. The solution offered was not to use the stuff in small engines. Wife told me pure gasoline was not being sold in stations near the farm in Fang last month and she started using E10 mix. Will try to convience her to find another supply as the small engine repair shops are seeing the effects with a rush of business.They did note that newer autos and truck engines could handle the fuel without similiar effects.

[ilyushin]

Red gas and a box of matches.

[chang35baht]

Our Honda 4 stroke has had daily use for the last 3 years and never missed a beat..

If buying one get the circular saw blade for general use ,it cuts cleaner and puts much less strain on the mechanics .

Maybe, but they`re not the easiest blade to sharpen for someone with little or no experience. Also they`re bloody expensive. The long rectangular blades ( the ones that taper slightly at either end. Not the fully rectangular ones) are probably easiest to use and sharpen And they really don`t put much strain on the machine. It`s generally what you cut that will do that Ozzy as I`m sure you know also. IMHO.

Cheers, C35B.

[ozzydom]

Our Honda 4 stroke has had daily use for the last 3 years and never missed a beat..

If buying one get the circular saw blade for general use ,it cuts cleaner and puts much less strain on the mechanics .

Maybe, but they`re not the easiest blade to sharpen for someone with little or no experience. Also they`re bloody expensive. The long rectangular blades ( the ones that taper slightly at either end. Not the fully rectangular ones) are probably easiest to use and sharpen And they really don`t put much strain on the machine. It`s generally what you cut that will do that Ozzy as I`m sure you know also. IMHO.

Cheers, C35B.

The 12 inch saw blades are tungsten tipped so dont need sharpening , and dont have "set" like a normal saw blade. they are about 600 baht and will outlast most brush cutters.

The locals all use them because of their versatility, I have seen them fall 18 inch diameter eucalyptus with them , they also do not throw the cuttings all over the place, when you cut grass etc ,it lays it in neat rows at the end of your sweep ,ready for picking up for feeding your stock or adding to your compost heap.

ozzydom

[chang35baht]

They are even more expensive than the ones I have seen that are not tungsten tipped. Sound like the bizzo tho. I will look for that type myself, thanks. Do you have the brand name?

By the way, the way I cut I get the same neat rows.

Cheers C35B.

[Lancashirelad]

Geese/ducks?