petrol grass strimmer

I used to use petrol tools like the strimmer and chain saw but found that in recent years They became so difficult to start. I have now switched to the electric versions; the strimmer is not nearly as good but I only have to touch a switch and it starts (less weight and vibration also).

Hi to both of you,
Now i can help both with the holding of your strimmer and the hard to start petrol machines,

Holding strimmer and getting tired quick first,

Ive said it many times and not to be a pain in the neck but to pass on good tried & tested ways to help.

Strimmers are flooding the garden market place just like battery hand drills and sat/nav's for cars etc,

You get what you pay for, i have a strimmer that was'nt the cheapest and its by stihl now it came with a harness and what looks like a set of handle bars to steer the simmer, the harness takes all the weight off your arms and the handle bars help make even less hard work,
why not see if you cant take your strimmer to a stihl dealership and see if they can help with a harness?

REF the bad starting of machines,
Again its understanding the machine fuel, ie if its a 2 stroke engine 'oil and petrol mix' the mix used today isnt the same as used years ago and if left in the fuel tank for anything over a month it becomes weak and has to be changed for fresh fuel,
all 2 stokes need tobe emptied both fuel tank & engine carb's if your not going to use them during the winter my other hobby is classic bikes and i have a magazine delivered every month and everyones saying about the fule tanks on the classic bikes rusting from the inside, this is again because the fuel we use isn't what we once usedn its a different make up of chemicles and breaks down if not used, it wont store the same.
I hope this helps you understand both problems are only a case of changing a few things.

My strimmer has a harness but I still can't use it on steep banks because quite simply it was designed for people taller than me. There must be other short arsed gardeners around - why not adjustable handles. They could do it with scythes, why not brush cutters? Garden vacuum cleaners are the same- the bag catches on the floor and comes adrift. Maybe I should learn to walk on stilts.

I agree with you steragran I also have a strap for the strimmer but it hurts my neck and its also the only thing thats adjustable, they should make them all so everyone can use them, as for you pay for what you get let me tell you it was not a cheap one £100 , so me and you should go and invent one that can be used by young, old , able bodied or a little less able lol

Regarding the two stroke petrol/oil mix Dungy.I have successfully for quite a few years now stored machines with fuel in the tank over the winter by using a few drops of fuel stabiliser.It stops the petrol gumming up the carburettor and still starts ok in spring!

Hi to all who've replied and thank you all for taking part,

Now a while ago i did a blog ref gardening tv programs and how i felt they we're well out of date for todays gardening needs and i thought we need such a program that did a bit on tools, ie whats on the market and what is a worth while and whats rubbish,

But i was shot down by a few members who didnt want to know about engines, or whats the latest in the likes of fuel for tools ie the advantages of battery powered or petrol etc

And here we are today trying to show one or two gardeners who've bought tools that do not do the job &
we're they've gone wrong.

So lets have a look at the replies and see if we can't take this topic a little further and learn by these mistakes & not make any other mistakes.

Now firstly Irene 24's reply,
In that she thinks £100 is not a cheap strimmer,
Infact for a quality strimmer made by a good company it is very cheap and its infact cost you £100 and your not happy with what you've bought,

You wouldnt buy a good quality machine for that price,

The one i have i bought nearly 16 years ago and it was nearly £250 then, The same machine today is costed at £320,
i use it very offten and all ive ever bought for it is line and fuel plus the yearly service stuff such as a new sparking plug grease,
It's never let me down and as its a huge company im sure if i needen repair or parts i'd get them.

ref the harness it is adjustable and it fits via both shoulders and a belt around the waist, so no back or neck strain.
Now dont forget "what your paying for is not what it cost to make, so for a £100 what do you think the actual cost was when it left the factory? Then add on the sellers cost? And now ask your self how can quality be expected for £100's worth of engine etc!

Ref steragram and his cutting of banks!
your trying to cut from the bottom of the bank hence your going to catch this machine on the bank,

try cutting down the bank and you'll find the machine's opposit end to the cutting action wont catch the ground,

My engine is just proud of my arm pits and no matter if your tall or small the engine will not by anywere near the ground,
Go to the "STILH" show rooms and ask to try one on in the show room and you'll understand what im talking about.

If you'd seen the verious tried & tested makes of strimmers on such a program i was saying we need, this very problem and the verious makes of strimmer would have been covered.

And last but by no means least my mate Paul,

I agree ref fuel stabiliser, but when you put anything on blogs such as this you have to really cover your tracks and by saying to anyone that to leave fuel in a machine all the year round can cause the problem of fire and insurance claimes,
If your shed/garage catches fire and the insurance find you've had fuel in "stored" cans or machines you may find you dont have a claime,
And if people dont want to take advice ref playing safe and using the fuel up and storing empty tanks etc then what can you do?

What ive said ref the fuel and using fresh fuel is the simple and safe way to get your engines to start and last,
I wanted to point out also why todays fuel isn't what yeasterdays fuel was.

So i hope this has given one or two members a few thoughts ref what to buy and why quality always pays,

I wouldnt be driving a 24 year old car if i thought when i bought it it wouldnt see next week never mind coming up to 25 years.

I still feel we need a complete change in format for gardening television and the gardener of today's gardening needs.
Regards Dungy.

I'm sorry you have arthritis. I also have it, and it limits what I can do. We have to find ways of coping with it.

Yes I do try to cut from the bottom of the bank and if you saw the bank you would understand why! The top is blackthorn, not good to stand by, the bank is very steep and dangerous to stand on and also I try to avoid cutting the primroses, which is not easy as there are so many. I think it will have to be hand shears and patience. (And I'm a she not a he!) My harness is adjustable but doesn't cater for anyone as small as me. The problem isn't the other end of the machine catching on the ground. It isn't always simple to correct ignorance without all the facts. Anybody would think we were stupid.
Sorry, shouldn't have said that really.I know you were only trying to be helpful.

I used a strimmer with a harness recently for the first time. It had a hook at the hip type of thing and had the two handles, very stable. However it was a blade strimmer which was a bit blunt and even though easy to use n start was still quite heavy going after a while.
Good exercise from side to side but after a couple of hours of battle with the nettles needed a rest. From that I cant help thinking a cord/line strimmer is better as it would clear long grass n weeds better and get where a blade cant go
NB I couldn't go near the polytunnel but a cord/line one would be ok
As for gummed up carbs, from my Royal Enfield I get the carb off, use a spray cleaner then reset it and it'll start first time with a steady thump.
Best to use what you can cope with and prefer I guess