Month: April 2016

Specs

Engine – This model is a two-stroke engine.  Two stroke engines always require a fuel mix of oil and gas. And as usual you have to make sure that the gasoline is pure gasoline does not contain any ethanol.  And in storing the fuel, add some fuel stabilizer to the gas tank.  You can always buy premix if you prefer, but it’s generally more expensive.  And given these modern times, adjusting the carburetor may be necessary for it to start, and not run lean or rich.

Shaft – The shaft on this model is not the straight solid steels shaft that we prefer but rather a curved shaft. What a curved shaft does allow more precision work.  The curve  allows the user  to see the cutting head.  All curved shaft trimmers use multi-linkage transmission in order to get the power from the engine to the cutting head.  Adding pieces between the motor and the head increases complexity, increases points of failure, and decreases power. (In most cases)  For brush cutting, we have found that a straight solid steel shaft is the standard when dealing with brush, brambles, saplings, and very woody grasses.

Handle – The handle is a “D” Loop handle.  Again, this is appropriate for weed eating but not for brush cutting.

Attachments –  The Poulan Pro takes its all attachments from other models as well as Ryobi attachments.

Assembly – Our research did not uncover many people complaining of difficult assembly.

Operation

Starting  and Restarting – With most gas powered two cycle engine power tools,  there’s always a question of how easy is it start. The Poulan Pro is not very easy to start when compared with other modern models.  Even after getting it going, some users found that the restart (which is typically easy) to not be so easy.

Sometimes the hard start issues are about adding enough gas to the choke in order to get the fuel to the engine. Sometimes that can be resolved by reading the manual carefully.  There is usually a factory prime/choke procedure.
What also might be happening is that the carburetor might need adjusting. If carburetor is not adjusted correctly engine will not enough fuel or error in order to work properly. Not many users are familiar with small engines. Adjusting the carburetor by not be easy, some of these new brush cutters and weed whacker’s require a special tool specifically to adjust the carburetor.

Ergonomics, Weight and Vibration – When you get the Poulan Pro going, intensive vibrates a lot. This on top of it being particularly heavy. Although I’ve read some reviews were women had no problems using it mulls reviews say that the Poulan Pro is a bit unwieldy to use.

Break in – Now if this is your first usage of the of the Poulan Pro, it’s important to break in the engine.  In an automobile, the engines are typically broken in at the factory.  And even in that case, most manuals and careful drivers do not put the car under heavy load for the first 500 to 1,000 miles.  With 2 stroke engines, break in usually starts in the first 30 minutes to an hour.  Some even say that the machine is not totally broken in until 10 hours.

Power – Many users felt that the Poulan Pro’s were under powered. In addition to not being up to snuff, some said the unit would get hot and then stop. Once an engine overheats, you have to wait certain amount of time in order for it to cool down and then restart.  Weedwhacking is rarely a  pasttime, so prolonging a chore is never good.

Hours, Fuel and Consumption – Again when it comes to fuel the two stroke so requires mix in the fuel and motor oil. And it’s always a good idea to use pure gasoline or something like Tru gas.  Users found that the machine had good fuel economy and could go hours before it needed more gasoline.

Line Feed and Use – Most said that the string was fine for cutting, though sometimes hard to find.  The real source of contention was how hard it was to reload.

Conclusion

Our overall impression of the Poulan Pro is that there are too many real world reports that say it does not keep running.  With overheating issues a concern, this would not be on the short list.

We do not review too many electric string trimmers on Brushcutter Central, but battery-powered car garden tools have vastly improved over the years. That brings us to the Dewalt DCST990H1 40 volt Max.

Advantage of Electric over Gas

Now the advantages of having a electric powered garden tool are many. First you do not have to buy gasoline or any other fuel, you just need to plug-in the battery so that you can recharge. By not buying fuel you no longer have to buy ethanol free gasoline nor do you have to buy motor oil. Both of which are required for two-stroke and four stroke engines. On top of that you do not need to worry about changing oil, changing air filters, changing spark plugs, or noise and fumes associated with the gasoline engine. Another advantage is that you do not need to pull the motor to start, just pull the trigger and go.

Specs and overall Power

The unit itself also comes with a low setting  so that you can attack different types of foliage easily. In terms of power some have even found that the trimmer could get through 1 inch thick saplings.  Saplings?  Could we use this as a brush cutter?

Operations

Heavy Battery – What you do have to worry about an electric powered garden tool is that the size of the battery is as heavy or heavier than the motor that it replaced. And whenever you have a heavy garden tool, it requires the use of a harness. This particular unit does not come with a harness the box so you will have to use one that you already have or purchase new one.

Ergonomics – In the case of this Dewalt string trimmer, it has straight shaft. We like straight shaft. But the heavy battery does not allow for good balance. If you have a shoulder strap you should definitely use it. Overall when using the string trimmer the vibration is low and because it is not an engine strapped to your back.

No Fumes – With a power string trimmer there aren’t any fumes from the gasoline, and more importantly the headaches associated with those fumes.

General Ease of use –  Many female users were not bothered by the weight, and one older woman said that she used it very easily.  Tall users thought that this machine was great. Long straight shafts make it easier for tall people to use garden tools because they do not need to bend over as much.

Power – Power is the usual the concern of people who switch from gas to electric. In the past electric power tools did not have the will nor power to do the job. If they did not run out of charge, there was not enough charge in order to cut the necessary weeds.

In the case of this Dewalt string trimmer you can use it for 60 to 90 minutes before you need to recharge. Many were surprised by the nice torque.  A lot of users realize that would’ve been a better idea to get larger battery volts rather than two small batteries at 20 V.

Line Feed – Now it comes to cutting the actual lawn many found that the feet of line from the head needed to be changed. The design requires the user to follow the head line, which is not optimal. And when it comes to adding more line to the spool it was very difficult.

Debris – Now when the line is actually trying many found that the debris would come back at them. Especially if they were right handed. And one user in particular found that it was hard to cut wet grass with this Dewalt string trimmer.

DeWalt vs Black & Decker

One user made a comparison to Black & Decker the walls found that the B&D was better for small lawns, and the Dewalt better for larger lawns. I don’t personally agree with that.

The Black and Decker Unit is lighter, so that makes it easier for small lawns – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that a small lawn doesn’t have big lawn problems. The DeWalt is a heavier machine because of the big battery. Larger battery means both more power and more endurance. If the B&D can get the job done by all means, choose that one over the DeWalt, but if you’re not sure – go with a DeWalt or higher powered option.

Conclusion

All in all this has been the best electric string trimmer that we have reviewed. We wholeheartedly recommend the string trimmer for people to small lawns big lawns and the occasional farm.

Have we entered the future?  When we started this website a few years back, the idea that you could drive around town in a battery powered vehicle that was not some hopped up golf cart was ludicrous.   But technology has improved and the costs have been brought down to the point that a lot of us could be picking up groceries in something like this.

Can you pack enough battery power into a brush cutter to make it useful?

This review is for the GreenWorks 21362. This is only the second electric weed whacker that we covered. In an earlier review we look at the Dewalt electric string trimmer, and we really like that one and recommend it.

 

Why electric gas trimmer over a gas trimmer?

Engines are heavy, and is required gasoline, two-stroke engines require gasoline and oil, there are air filters, there are fuel lines that get corroded or broken, there are fumes, there is a lot of noise, and there’s a lot of vibration.  This does not even get into any environmental concerns.  Most of us have had to buy special carburetor tools to tune our Carb Compliant 2 Strokes, or settle for inferior 4 stroke power tools.

For decades the primary advantage of a gasoline powered device has been twofold,

• first it has the power necessary to do the job and
• second energy density of gasoline or another fossil fuel allows one to do a job for a long time.

With electric string trimmers you no longer have all of those issues.

So now, the main concerns are is there enough power?  And what about obsolescence?

Will this Greenworks weed eater review as well as a standard? string trimmer?

Battery versus Corded

Now why a battery over a corded electric model? That is a good question. The main problem with the corded electric string trimmers are that the courts are not long enough for a typical size lawn. And even when it cord is long enough for you use an extension, cord gets tangled up. So for backyard duty, a corded trimmer is an option, but it’s not the best option.

The GreatWorks string trimmer eliminates all of those things. It has no cord. It is not a gas engine, so there is excessive noise, nor are there any fumes.  There vibration comes from the cutting action, not the working of the motor.

The user no longer needs to mix the motor oil and fuel. (Although you could get a 4 stroke to eliminate that, we’ve talked about 4 strokes before) With an electric,  you just press the trigger go.

You also don’t have to worry about the idle nor do you have to worry about carburetor issues. You do not have a story about fuel line issues either.

Downsides to this Electric String Trimmer

What we found was that  string trimmer was surprisingly  heavy.  It makes that sense that in order to get the power necessary to do the job you need a big battery.  But that batterycan be as heavy as a two stroke or four stroke engine.

Operation

Attachments – Some users have reported that they can still use some of their attachments from other devices on this particular unit. Anytime that you can use different wellhead or a grass blade or a brush cutter so that saves money. Saving money is a good thing.

Ergonomics – With a heavy battery,  this model ships with a harness. Even with a harness many users found this unit to be awkward and hard to use.

It does have a nice long straight shaft which is useful for brush cutting, but the typical user for this is only tending to a small lawn and may prefer to having curved shaft so that they can do the necessary detail work for that lawn.

Run Time –  Many users said the battery could last quite long. Some said they were good up to one hour of usage.  That’s more than a typical brush cutter.  But if you have more to do, you need additional batteries.  Many advised to get four ampere battery and 72 and. This was necessary so that they have more time to use the device.

Also when recharging the battery, it makes sense to do so  in a climate controlled environment, as opposed to a garage which might be warmer than the interior.  There was discussion over whether there might be a temperature sensor within the charging unit that does not allow the charge when it is too hot.  At press time, we do not have an unit in the office for an official tear down.

Usage – When it comes time to actually doing the work, many found that the multi speed is very useful. They also found that it had very good torque. So much torque that some users were able to use the string trimmer as a tiller.  Will it brush?  We’re not sure yet.  Stay tune for a more indepth review.

Overheating – On the downside this matter unit can over heat just like a gas engine. On top of that some of found it was hard to use the string trimmer as an edger.

Feedback from the Unit – The way that trimmer works requires you to hear a signal weighing it is losing power.  Apparently its easy to miss

If there were any complaints or a need to get repairs made some found that customer service is good in others found customer service.

Long Term

Customer Service – The customer service reports are hit and miss, but reports that is to be expected

Conclusion

Have we gotten to the promised land of electric brush cutters?  Sadly, not yet.  This is however very high on our list of string trimmers.

This is more of a string trimmer than brush cutter.  But it does come with both a 17″ line and a 8″ weed blade.  The unit will also fit a edge, blower, cultivator, and pole pruner.  On top of that, you can probably use your other attachments from other manufacturers.

Let’s do the numbers first.

Specs and what’s in the Box

The unit weighs in at 12 lbs. The two stroke motor clocks in at a nice 25 cubic centimeters. A straight two piece shaft connects the motor to the cutting head.  All of that is controlled by simple handles.

The engine requires 100% pure gas.  10% ethanol fuel mixtures will undoubtedly befoul the carburetor and rot the fuel lines.  And for the serious, adding fuel stabilizer to the gas tank for refueling will also extend the life of the any 2 stroke unit.

As usual, when ordering things online, please make sure that all of the necessary pieces are in the box, including the manual.  And do this BEFORE you put gas in the tank.  The Post Office and a lot of retailers will not take back a unit that has had gasoline in it. (You might get away with it, but do not be surprised if a unit with gasoline is refused)

Operation

Starting – After assembly, most users found that this unit was easy to start.  No mentions of broken pulleys or cords that would not retract.

Ergonomics – As string trimmers go, this is not a light unit. So keep that in mind when if you’re considering it.  We believe that a heavy string trimmer should come with a harness and use a bicycle bar style handles to make the work of keeping your property maintained easy.  This unit comes with a shoulder strap.

Weed Whacking and Brush Cutting – This is not a unit that does quick changes.  It requires an Allen wrench to swap out the blade from the string head. Keep that in mind.  The blade that it comes with may need sharpening at first.

Long Term Impressions, Service and Warranty

Build Quality – Some of the reviewers were mixed on this.  There were instances of the shafts not fitting together, and air filters falling off

Conclusion

This does not make our short list, not at this price point and availability.

Introduction

The 128DJX is one of the most popular string trimmer/brush cutters on the market today. It’s very similar to its brother the 128DJ.   Husqvarna, a Swedish power tools company, certainly did their homework on this model.

128DJX vs 128DJ – The Mutant Gas Trimmer

Just to set the record straight, the DJX takes Husqvarna parts only, and the 128DJ takes parts from other manufacturers.  So if you do not like the bump head unit that comes with you can replace it with a Tanaka bump head.  The benefit to the DJX is that the Husky parts are often better quality than other manufacturers.  To our knowledge this is the only “X” variant in the Husky line.  Let us know in the comments if you know another one.

Specs and Assembly

This engine is a two-stroke and 28 cm³ that puts out a solid 1 horsepower.  That power is transmitted by a  straight shaft. Like we said in our guide, we generally prefer straight shafts.  Curving the shaft means losing power and increasing the chances that something will break.  Not saying to use a brush cutter or string trimmer is to abuse it – but sometimes those weeds do not want to be whacked.

Guiding the unit is done via a loop handle.  And the handle has vibration dampening features.

 

The downside to this straight shaft is that it’s a two piece. The bottom half is detachable which allows for adding on your attachments.   It comes with a  “D” loop handle.  This is a brush cutter site, so we prefer bike bars for their  maneuverability during long jobs.  But if you are not going to be taming the Amazon, a J handle or “D” Loop will do the job.

Some were unlucky in the unit ships with a bad packaging. Sometimes they’re missing pieces or even missing handles. With that in mind one user found that they drop the unit is still work after they dropped.

In the box, you get a bump head for string trimming and a grass blade.  A grass blade is not the same as a brush cutter blade, but this unit is designed for lighter duty than a full-on brush cutter.

Once everything was checked, many found that the unit was easy to assemble.  The manual…well let’s just say that people were mixed on how good the manual is. Mechanically inclined folks should be able to put this together and use best practices to get it running and keep it running.

Operations

In general, the 128DJx is easy to start and cuts well.

The unit has a vibration dampening handle, but the reviewers were pretty happy with it.

Many found the 128DJx to be heavy.  Heavy is always relative, but 10.8 pounds of metal, fuel, and fumes is something that’s always at the back of our minds.  Tall users did not have to hunch over to use this.

Engine wise, all 2 strokes require a break in period. This does not happen with your car, because they break in the engine at the factory typically. If you’re familiar with them, you don’t run the trimmer/cutter too hard for your first ten hours.  Sometimes even with that, the overall performance might not be to your liking.  Most users found that the break in was fine in this unit, though you can find reviews where it did not seem to work.

This unit is carb compliant in a requires spline tool to adjust the carburetor.  The carburetor needed adjustment in some reviews. You will need a special tool if you find the engine running lean or rich. The same fuel rules apply to this 128DJx.  Always use 100% pure gasoline. Absolutely no ethanol.  Add a fuel stabilizer to your mix that you keep in the garage. Ethanol will clog the carburetor

When it comes to whacking weeds distributor works very well.  It did not bog down and did not hesitate.

In terms of power,  the unit was able to cut through wild parsnip and could handle the brush in an orchard. Some users liked it enough for regular farm work.  If you really want to get the most out of this unit is a heavy duty line.

Long Term, Repairs, Maintenance, Service, and Warranty

For the people dealing with overheating problems they found it would not start. Manual is online and so are the service center locations.

When it comes to the warranty, the main problem most people have with string trimmers are related to fuel line/carburetor issues. This is a 2 year limited warranty, and they limit what they cover.

Conclusion

This is a great string trimmer for your typical needs.  If you do not own one, put the 128DJx on your short list. If you do have a string trimmer and other accessories, consider the 128DJ so that you can get further value from the equipment you already have.