What brands for a decent weedwacker?

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jtvang125

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2004
5,399
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Fed up with this POS craftsman that never seems to want to start and if it did it'll choke and die in a few seconds. Reviews seem to all say the same thing.

So what's a brand that makes decent ones? Don't really need a heavy duty one that can be used day in and day out. Just one that will start when I need it to. Saw the Husqvarna 129c going for $160. My dad has a chainsaw by them and it's been rock solid. How are they for weedwackers?
 
M

mdram

Golden Member
Jan 2, 2014
1,512
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stihl FS56RC-E @ $200

got one this year to replace my old craftsman

also, dont use ethanol gas. pay the extra for canned premix fuel. if you buy it with the weedeater it will also double the stihl warranty
 
T

thedarkwolf

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 1999
9,012
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Or you could go with something like the EGO lithium electric weedeater and not have to deal with the a gas one.
 
G

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
21,244
5,776
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Stihl if you're serious. Echo if you're a once a week user. Ethanol gas wipes out the seals and fuel lines, don't use it.
 
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mindless1

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
8,437
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Stihl, Echo, Husky Pro, Redmax/etc Shindaiwa

Basically anything that has a contractor grade engine, largely due to the superior carb. It will still need gas emptied out for long periods without use, stabilizer put in the fuel or fresh fuel every couple months for best results, and an occasional carb cleaning, rebuild, or replacement, but not as often as on consumer grade engines (carbs).

On that note if the Craftsman used to start better, odds are all it needs is a carb cleaning, rebuild or replacement, unless it has some wear item going out like a leak in the primer bulb or gas line, clogged fuel filter, or simpler still, loose carb bolts creating a vac leak.

Starting and cold running is almost always one of these things. If it were instead rattling itself to death at throttle, that is more likely a wear-out issue.
 
highland145

highland145

Lifer
Oct 12, 2009
43,973
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Have a husky weed eater and backpack blower since 2012. Both still going strong. Nearly weekly user, especially on the blower. But...I heard that they're using cheaper parts now. No idea how to confirm. +1 on non ethanol gas.

Landscaper buddy, stihl only.
 
13Gigatons

13Gigatons

Diamond Member
Apr 19, 2005
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500
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So your the annoying guy with the gas powered weed wacker!!!!!

They say one lawnmower pollutes the same as 11 new cars....those gas powered weedwackers must be at least 5 or 6 cars.
 
highland145

highland145

Lifer
Oct 12, 2009
43,973
6,333
136
13Gigatons said:
So your the annoying guy with the gas powered weed wacker!!!!!

They say one lawnmower pollutes the same as 11 new cars....those gas powered weedwackers must be at least 5 or 6 cars.
Click to expand...
Yep, that's me. @lxskllr And I have an echo edger that works quite well. Honda push mower kicks it too.

Wanna know how I waste the most gas? Effing effed up non working useless China made crap EPA regulated gas cans. If I wasn't hurting the environment and my wallet, I'd almost smile every time I fill the tanks.
 
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mindless1

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
8,437
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2 cycle weed wackers/etc pollute a lot more than (4 cycle) lawn mowers. Except for fewer running hours. I'm still going to buy 2 cycle weed wackers as long as they sell them, or rather keep repairing mine then buy a used one when the day comes that new only come with 4 cycle engines.

If you want to keep pollution down, do that, repair and reuse what you have instead of a new product shipping from China on a container ship.

https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/cargo-container-shipping-carbon-pollution/

As far as those f'ed up EPA gas cans, there are workarounds. Take the following style for example, you can pull the neck apart, pull the valve out, wash the plastic pieces to clean them, then coat the joint with silicone caulking before putting it back together, resulting in a valveless tube that doesn't need held in to pour gas through it, and it does come with a cap.

https://trusolvproducts.com/product/2-gallon-gas-can/

85023-7.jpg
 
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lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
58,200
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highland145 said:
Wanna know how I waste the most gas? Effing effed up non working useless China made crap EPA regulated gas cans. If I wasn't hurting the environment and my wallet, I'd almost smile every time I fill the tanks.
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LoL! I was just researching shitty gas cans today. I already know about them, but wanted to see if there's anything else on the market. Not much that isn't $$$. I was thinking about them cause I have some vents coming my way this week. $7/10. That's enough to fix all my cans with some spares. I unfortunately only have one good spout, but as long as it holds up, that's all I need. EPA cans are beyond retarded...
 
highland145

highland145

Lifer
Oct 12, 2009
43,973
6,333
136
lxskllr said:
LoL! I was just researching shitty gas cans today. I already know about them, but wanted to see if there's anything else on the market. Not much that isn't $$$. I was thinking about them cause I have some vents coming my way this week. $7/10. That's enough to fix all my cans with some spares. I unfortunately only have one good spout, but as long as it holds up, that's all I need. EPA cans are beyond retarded...
Click to expand...
I was bitching about it to my nephew ( he does lawn care), he swiped my Dad's. I ought to cut that twat.
 
NutBucket

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,076
581
126
Meh, ethanol is a myth. My blower is nearly 20 years old....and my only choice for gas is e10. Just use stabilizer and it's fine. You guys crack me up.

Oh, you can buy old style spouts on Amazon for $10 or so. Includes a vent. But they're meant to fix old tanks....not retrofit new ones;)
 
lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
58,200
8,459
126
NutBucket said:
Meh, ethanol is a myth. My blower is nearly 20 years old....and my only choice for gas is e10. Just use stabilizer and it's fine. You guys crack me up.
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Don't know about that. I've been reading *A Lot* of forum posts on chainsaw repair lately, with a lot of the guys having decades of experience rebuilding small engines, and all I hear is how ethanol rots lines, and stiffens diaphragms. I'm fortunate to have a place to get socialism free fuel about 30 minutes away, and is actually the reason I wanted another gas can, but there's no way in hell I'd put alcohol in my new $800 saw. I'd buy premix off the shelf before I did that.

My fuel cap also went bad in my Poulan. I suspect the alcohol screwed up the vent in it, causing it to leak. Maybe it did, maybe it didn't, but it won't get socialist gas anymore either since I have to have it for other reasons.
 
N

NetWareHead

THAT guy
Aug 10, 2002
5,847
154
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NutBucket said:
Meh, ethanol is a myth. My blower is nearly 20 years old....and my only choice for gas is e10. Just use stabilizer and it's fine. You guys crack me up.
Click to expand...

Not a myth. But fuel stabilizer does help out quite a bit. I've had plenty of fuel related problems in my small engines related to methanol content. Have had to replace carbs, rubber/plastic fuel lines and even a fuel tank once due to corrosion. Had a fuel line give out on an air blower while I was using it which led to it catching fire during use.

You used to be able to leave normal gasoline in the tank all winter long without the extensive winterizing steps today's fuels now need. Nowadays when I put away equipment for a season, I winterize it with non-ethanol gas in the tank.
 
mindless1

mindless1

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2001
8,437
1,602
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NutBucket said:
Meh, ethanol is a myth. My blower is nearly 20 years old....and my only choice for gas is e10. Just use stabilizer and it's fine. You guys crack me up.

Oh, you can buy old style spouts on Amazon for $10 or so. Includes a vent. But they're meant to fix old tanks....not retrofit new ones;)
Click to expand...
To clarify, the old spouts do not fit the newer cans, they changed the threading to make sure of that, though I don't discount the possibility of contraband from China solving this problem.
 
13Gigatons

13Gigatons

Diamond Member
Apr 19, 2005
7,461
500
126
I've used the e10 in lawnmowers for years and didn't even bother to winterize them and yet they start up every spring. One mower was left for two years and it still started up after 20 pulls.
 
FeuerFrei

FeuerFrei

Diamond Member
Mar 30, 2005
9,144
929
126
Pardon my ignorance - I've never had a yard to maintain.

Surely ethanol-resistance is universal in today's gasoline-powered equipment, given the prevalence of ethanol taint.
Has the market not adapted to accommodate ethanol??

Or maybe you guys are using old equipment ...
 
M

mdram

Golden Member
Jan 2, 2014
1,512
208
106
the problem is most small engines dont use enough fuel. it ends up sitting in them or the can. the ethanal attracts water, this causes the big issues
 
FeuerFrei

FeuerFrei

Diamond Member
Mar 30, 2005
9,144
929
126
mdram said:
the problem is most small engines dont use enough fuel. it ends up sitting in them or the can. the ethanal attracts water, this causes the big issues
Click to expand...
OK, so the fuel system isn't air-tight and the fuel's hydrophilic.
Thanks.
 
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