Sometimes, just sometimes, I go arghh

[Crossy]

The new hired-help just had my brushcutter in bits on the lawn, it 'kept cutting out'.

I think we found and re-fitted all the bits. It works fine now.

The problem? Almost no fuel in the tank!

There is a reason I don't lend tools ...

[steven100]

ahhh ............ he didn't check the fuel first

[Crossy]

There was about 5mm of fuel in the tank, when he tipped the engine during operation, it stopped, of course it started just fine when flat on the ground.

I usually top off the tanks of the mower and brushcutter (and ensure they actually run) before they start work, this time I failed to do so for various reasons.

Of course Wifey gave him the tools without consulting me.

Such is life, no damage done except to my weekend stress level

[kamalabob2]

Earlier this year I took a tour of the Honda assembly plant in Thailand where Honda manufactures several product lines including 4 stroke brush cutters. I was surprised to see that Honda also on a contract basis assemblies an orange color brand of brush cutter which sells for more money than the Honda UMK 435 four stroke brush cutter. Mr. Pairach Saetang a sales supervisor of Honda Power products was clear with me in English that using 95 Benson was a wise thing with a Honda 4 stroke brush cutter or Honda lawn mower. I've received tremendous local repair support on the Honda Brush cutter I bought in 2006 from a small shop in downtown Buriram. Honda water pumps for village irrigation is what I compare to a solar water pump on my wife's farming land in Buriram Province. They make Honda brush cutters at the same factory as Honda motor bikes and if you get the chance for that factory tour to me it was worth the time and effort.

Thai Honda Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Activities Manufacture motorcycles and power products Established 1965/4 Address Bangkok

Start of production Production Capacity Major production models Motorcycles: 1967/5 1,7 million units/year Wave110i/125i, Wave110i AT, Click, Air Blade, Scoopy, CBR150R, PCX, CBR250R, CB500, CB650ｼﾘｰｽﾞ Power Products: 1987/2 Products: 160,000 units/year
ENG 3 million units/year GX small/mid/large, Pumps, Trimmers

At some point I'll give the Honda UMK435 brush cutter to a relative in a different village and I'll buy the Honda UMR435T four stroke backpack model. I have seen repairs and preventive maintenance accomplished with a one day turnaround at a shop located across from the Buriram PEA Electric office for a fair price. Now finding a proper red plastic gasoline can that was made in the USA entailed a trip to the Buriram HomePro. Thai family could not understand why I would spend baht on a plastic can to store 95 petrol. My wife locks up the Honda Brush cutter and power tools in her new village two car garage one bedroom home so that family can not borrow and abuse the tools.

[bankruatsteve]

Very strange in perspective: if you borrow something from a Thai that requires fuel, you know damn well that it will be empty or on fumes. Maybe they assume farangs keep everything topped up?

[billd766]

Earlier this year I took a tour of the Honda assembly plant in Thailand where Honda manufactures several product lines including 4 stroke brush cutters. I was surprised to see that Honda also on a contract basis assemblies an orange colour brand of brush cutter which sells for more money than the Honda UMK 435 four stroke brush cutter. Mr. Pairach Saetang a sales supervisor of Honda Power products was clear with me in English that using 95 Benson was a wise thing with a Honda 4 stroke brush cutter or Honda lawn mower. I've received tremendous local repair support on the Honda Brush cutter I bought in 2006 from a small shop in downtown Buriram. Honda water pumps for village irrigation is what I compare to a solar water pump on my wife's farming land in Buriram Province. They make Honda brush cutters at the same factory as Honda motor bikes and if you get the chance for that factory tour to me it was worth the time and effort.

Thai Honda Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Activities Manufacture motorcycles and power products Established 1965/4 Address Bangkok

Start of production Production Capacity Major production models Motorcycles: 1967/5 1,7 million units/year Wave110i/125i, Wave110i AT, Click, Air Blade, Scoopy, CBR150R, PCX, CBR250R, CB500, CB650ｼﾘｰｽﾞ Power Products: 1987/2 Products: 160,000 units/year

ENG 3 million units/year GX small/mid/large, Pumps, Trimmers

At some point I'll give the Honda UMK435 brush cutter to a relative in a different village and I'll buy the Honda UMR435T four stroke backpack model. I have seen repairs and preventive maintenance accomplished with a one day turnaround at a shop located across from the Buriram PEA Electric office for a fair price. Now finding a proper red plastic gasoline can that was made in the USA entailed a trip to the Buriram HomePro. Thai family could not understand why I would spend baht on a plastic can to store 95 petrol. My wife locks up the Honda Brush cutter and power tools in her new village two car garage one bedroom home so that family can not borrow and abuse the tools.

I have had a couple of 2 stroke cheapo backpack strimmers and while they are working they are fine. The weak point I found with them is the flexible shaft was weak and tended to fray where it joins the solid shaft at each end. There was no grease point on the flexi shaft or on the strimmer at all. The only way to grease the flexi drive was to pop it out of the motor (just a pin holding it in), pull the flexi shaft out, check it for fraying and grease or oil it somehow and refit it.

You will know if it is fraying as it will fray at the end of the flexi drive and it will get hot.

If you don't keep an eye on it it will shear and you will need a complete new (inner and outer) flexi drive shaft.

It took me 2 strimmers to learn that.

I now use my neighbours UMK 435 for free any time on the condition that I keep the grass and scrub down at her place too. I also maintain the strimmer, keep it in good repair, refuel it and clean it at the end of daily use. The Thai who used to do it had no idea of the meaning of the last sentence. Fortunately he is no longer around.

[dotpoom]

There was about 5mm of fuel in the tank, when he tipped the engine during operation, it stopped, of course it started just fine when flat on the ground.

I usually top off the tanks of the mower and brushcutter (and ensure they actually run) before they start work, this time I failed to do so for various reasons.

Of course Wifey gave him the tools without consulting me.

Such is life, no damage done except to my weekend stress level

The way you finished off your OP I thought the point you were making was that you lent it out to a neighbour and they used all the gas up before returning it.....thus your reluctance to lend things out again?

[MaeJoMTB]

I went to use my strimmer last week ...... cheapest Chinese I could find, now 3 years old.

Pressed the pump bubble, and the plastic fell apart, petrol pipe fell apart too.

(gasohol rotted the plastic)

Took it to the garage down the road, they wanted to check if they could start it ........ not with the fuel pipe disconnected they won't!

Oh well, they replaced all the plastic bits for 120bht.

Starts second pull, every time.

Was thinking I would have to spend 2,300bht on a new one.

I do no maintenance of any kind, buy cheap, and replace is my policy, saves me $$$$$$s

[Mudcrab]

I went to use my strimmer last week ...... cheapest Chinese I could find, now 3 years old.

Pressed the pump bubble, and the plastic fell apart, petrol pipe fell apart too.

(gasohol rotted the plastic)

Took it to the garage down the road, they wanted to check if they could start it ........ not with the fuel pipe disconnected they won't!

Oh well, they replaced all the plastic bits for 120bht.

Starts second pull, every time.

Was thinking I would have to spend 2,300bht on a new one.

I do no maintenance of any kind, buy cheap, and replace is my policy, saves me $$$$$$s

Including women??

[Harveyg]

There was about 5mm of fuel in the tank, when he tipped the engine during operation, it stopped, of course it started just fine when flat on the ground.

I usually top off the tanks of the mower and brushcutter (and ensure they actually run) before they start work, this time I failed to do so for various reasons.

Of course Wifey gave him the tools without consulting me.

Such is life, no damage done except to my weekend stress level

What we say up here (Nong khai) is -- you were due for a refresher in Mai Pen Rai 101.....

[bazza40]

Buy an electric one with a long lead.........

[Ulic]

I went to use my strimmer last week ...... cheapest Chinese I could find, now 3 years old.

Pressed the pump bubble, and the plastic fell apart, petrol pipe fell apart too.

(gasohol rotted the plastic)

Took it to the garage down the road, they wanted to check if they could start it ........ not with the fuel pipe disconnected they won't!

Oh well, they replaced all the plastic bits for 120bht.

Starts second pull, every time.

Was thinking I would have to spend 2,300bht on a new one.

I do no maintenance of any kind, buy cheap, and replace is my policy, saves me $$$$$$s

Including women??

I try to buy quality once and have the proper maintenance done as per the manual.

Never married, that I prefer to test drive and return so I can have an up to date model.

[jacko45k]

That is how my gardener spends his first hour, taking his equipment to bits, using my tools.

Won't let him near my mower, and I don't lend things as they seem absent minded about returning them.

This is a good guy, the prior one cut through my water pipes and spent most of the day repairing them, then killed all my fish by addidng fertilizer for the lotus.

Edited September 15, 2015 by jacko45k

[Crossy]

Buy an electric one with a long lead.........

We have an electric hedge trimmer, it has numerous joins in the cable for some reason (at least one caused by my inattention)

The lad has a good heart and works hard, but sometimes doesn't think what he's doing. Almost certainly a product of the Thai education system which has a great deal to answer for

My "mai pen rai" gene is again fully refreshed (even the new, weaker, Beer Chang helps). Ready for next weekend when, god forbid, the help will be using my air-nailer to put up some Shera planks. Now where's that flak-jacket?

[monkey4u]

ahhh ............ he didn't check the fuel first

The fuel gauge showed E

E for enough

[thaibeachlovers]

Buy an electric one with a long lead.........

We have an electric hedge trimmer, it has numerous joins in the cable for some reason (at least one caused by my inattention)

The lad has a good heart and works hard, but sometimes doesn't think what he's doing. Almost certainly a product of the Thai education system which has a great deal to answer for

My "mai pen rai" gene is again fully refreshed (even the new, weaker, Beer Chang helps). Ready for next weekend when, god forbid, the help will be using my air-nailer to put up some Shera planks. Now where's that flak-jacket?

The rat bag ( nephew ) took my angle grinder to do something on his m'bike and ground a hole in the cable, exposing the wire core. I didn't notice that the next time I went to use it, till I nearly electrocuted myself ( thanks to the RCD in the circuit ). My wife got an earful about that!!!!!!!!

Now I have to lock all my tools away when he visits.