How To Assemble A Trimmer

How to choose a grass trimmer; comparison of all modern types among themselves Everything about how to choose a grass trimmer. Varieties of trimmers, their comparison with each other, useful advice from master tool sellers. Understanding

How to choose a grass trimmer comparison of all modern types among themselves

Since time immemorial, the lawn has been considered an elite element of the site, a privilege of the highest class. However, it will look like a king only with proper care: regular watering, fertilizing and, of course, a weekly haircut. If you do not comply with the last condition on this list, then a beautiful meadow will quickly turn into dense wild-growing thickets. Fortunately, mowing grass has long ceased to be a dull task forcing the lawn owner to get a scythe from the back room. It was replaced by another trimmer tool, working on the principle of the same scythe, but mechanized and equipped with a motor. This compact and maneuverable machine will easily cut a small lawn, remove weeds near the wall of the house, trim the grass between trees in the garden.

A grass trimmer will give your lawn a neat look

How to choose a cutting tool?

The main function of the trimmer is to mow the grass, so special attention should be paid to the structural detail that performs this function. In most electric trimmers, this responsibility is assigned to a spool of sharp line. During operation, the plastic line rotates at high speed and easily cuts the grass and plant stems. As the line becomes thinner, it needs to be replaced.

In most modern models, this happens in a semi-automatic or automatic mode. In the first case, it is enough to press the trimmer head to the ground and the reel will unwind the required amount of line. In automatic mode, everything is even easier, a new portion of the line is added each time the engine is turned on.

Line reel in the electric trimmer design the optimal cutting tool for grass

In powerful gasoline tools, the cutting part in the form of circular knives is often installed, which can work for a long time without replacement. At the same time, plastic knives can only cut grass and dry stems, and metal knives can even cope with branches of trees and shrubs without problems.

Petrol trimmer with metal knife will cut any branches

Gas or electric trimmer: which is better?

The design of any trimmer provides for the presence of a gasoline or electric engine. The gasoline-fueled internal combustion engine gives the trimmer complete freedom of movement. It does not plug into an electrical outlet, so you can mow the grass anywhere on the site. Most of the brushcutters have significant power, therefore they are able to cut the stems of tough weeds, overgrowth of vines and bushes. The best pet hay trimmer is also a petrol powered scythe.

The disadvantages of a gasoline trimmer include high cost, the need for regular refueling with gasoline and oil, significant noise during operation, and emission of exhaust gases.

Petrol trimmer standalone tool for large jobs

An electric trimmer is devoid of all the disadvantages of a brushcutter. It is a small, compact tool that is virtually quiet and does not require refueling. However, in some respects it is still inferior to the gasoline trimmer. First of all, it is low power, which does not allow cutting thick tree branches.

This parameter of electric trimmers is in the range of 200-1400 watts. Naturally, the 200 watt tool is only suitable for cutting the delicate lawn grass. For weeds, you need to choose something more powerful. If you are not faced with the task of cutting thick stems, then the best choice would be a trimmer with a power of 1000 W, which will cope with both grass and dense thickets of weeds.

The scope of application of electric braids limits the cable

Do not forget that the electric trimmer has a cable that connects to the mains. If it happens that the place where the grass is cut will be at a great distance from the outlet, then the cable will have to be extended with various electric carriers, which is not very convenient. So it is rational to use a conventional electric trimmer with a cable only in the yard of the house.

Thinking about the question of how to choose a trimmer with an electric motor, you should know that there is a tool with a lower and upper motor location. Although the lower position of the engine makes trimmer cheaper and more maneuverable, this design poses the risk of water entering the engine, for example, when working on a wet lawn. It is more optimal to choose a tool with an overhead motor, which is not afraid to work under any conditions.

Lightweight electric top engine trimmer

Mowing grass in areas without access to power outlets is also possible with an electric trimmer. However, for this, a battery must be provided in the design of the tool, which will allow a low-power engine to work for 20-30 minutes. These trimmers are not used as a regular tool for cutting lawns or lawns. They may be needed in extreme cases, for example, to trim the edges of the lawn after using the mower.

Contents Ergonomics Focus on convenience

Working with any tool should not turn into hard work, all details should be carefully thought out for your convenience. To begin with, you should pay attention to the trimmer handle, it can be made in the form of the letters D or T. Holding on to the D-shaped handle, it is convenient to cut grass in small areas where good maneuverability is required.

Electric D-Handle Trimmer A maneuverable tool for small lawns

For larger jobs, the T-handle is more suitable, giving the trimmer movements similar to those of a conventional scythe.

Trimmer with T-handle for easy mowing of large areas

Vibration damping is another design feature that is designed to minimize vibration in the parts of the trimmer that come into contact with the user.

To improve ergonomics, many manufacturers are equipping the grass trimmer with a telescopic boom that can be adjusted in length to suit the operator’s height.

Helpful advice from a knowledgeable person

Now that you know the basic rules for choosing a trimmer, it’s time to see it in action! Below is a video in which a consulting operator will give some more important tips for choosing this useful garden tool.

The cord lengthens spontaneously

There are times when the trimmer user notices a very fast line flow. At the same time, he never hit the ground with a button to lengthen the line. The reason for the fact that the line spontaneously lengthens, being cut on a special knife on the casing of the device, may be the absence of a spring in the mowing head. Often, novice users of mowers, trying to load the line into the reel, forget to install the pressure spring in the head, or completely lose it when opening the lid, and in the future, do not even know about its existence.

Line does not lengthen automatically

If the line does not lengthen when you lightly hit the trimmer button on the ground, then the reasons for this may be the following.

Option 1 a bite occurred, i.E. Clamping the cord between turns. This problem usually appears if the user has been winding the line on the reel unevenly, with intersecting turns, or winding it with insufficient tension. In the latter case, when the mowing head rotates at high speeds under the influence of centrifugal force, the cord begins to tighten, as a result of which inter-turn clamping of the fishing line is possible. To fix the problem, you will have to disassemble the coil on the trimmer and rewind the cord correctly, that is, in even turns with good tension.

Option 2 too short ends protrude from the head. The line may not come out when hitting the ground if the ends sticking out of the head are not long enough (short). In this case, the centrifugal force is not enough to stretch the line. Therefore, it is required to stop the unit (turn off the engine or disconnect the electric trimmer from the mains) and pull the line manually, after pressing the button.

Option 3 the line is brazed inside the mowing head. This causes the coil to lock and not spin when the button is pressed. Basically, this happens for several reasons: poor quality of the cord, overheating of the coil during prolonged operation of the unit, hitting the line against solid objects.

In the first case, third-party cord can be made of low-quality and low-melting materials that cannot withstand mechanical and temperature stress. Therefore, you should give preference to “branded” lines.
But, if you nevertheless purchased a fishing line of unknown quality, and it is often soldered during operation, then you can follow the example of some users who, after filling the cord into the reel, wet it with either silicone grease (from a can) or mineral oil. This procedure greatly reduces the likelihood of the coils of the line being soldered together.
Also, the line can be soldered if it hits a hard object (stone, fence, dry branch, etc.) during mowing. As a result, it stretches a little and is pulled back into the head at high speed. From friction, the cord heats up, and its turns stick together. The only thing that can be done to eliminate this malfunction is to open the trimmer spool and rewind the line.

DIY trimmer coil repair

A petrol or electric trimmer is the only solution for mowing grass in hard-to-reach places that a wheeled lawnmower cannot handle. As a cutting tool in trimmers, metal knives or a special line are used, which is tucked into the trimmer coil. But, unfortunately, the trimmer heads become unusable over time during operation. Some malfunctions can be eliminated by hand, and some require a complete replacement of the mowing head.

Trimmer coil device

Trimmer mowing heads come in a variety of designs, both simple and complex. The illustration below shows an exploded view of the semi-automatic trimmer head from a Husqvarna (Husqvarna) brushcutter.

This type of head is present on most mowers and electric trimmers, such as Stihl (Stihl), Patriot (Patriot), Champion (Champion), Bosch (Bosch), Huter (Huter) and others. The device of the mowing head is quite simple. It includes the following details:

Mowing head base;
Button for semi-automatic cord feed;
Bobbin (spool) into which the line is tucked;
Spring;
The eyes through them the line comes out;
Trimmer head cover;
Fishing line (cord).

There are also simpler trim heads as shown in the following.

All these attachments do not allow you to change the length of the line in a semi-automatic mode (after pressing a button). If the cord breaks, you have to stop the mower and change it manually.

How to remove the spool and replace the line

Trimmer owners, mostly beginners, find themselves in confusion, bordering on panic, when they need to change the cutting tool or line in the reel. Very often, when trying to unscrew the mowing head, users simply render it unusable, not suspecting that it is unscrewing in the opposite direction. To prevent this from happening, if you need to replace the tool, we recommend that you read the step-by-step instructions below.

Stop the brushcutter engine or power off the electric trimmer before threading the line into the reel to avoid injury from accidental starting rotation of the cutting tool.
Unscrew the nozzle attached to the gearbox shaft. To do this, the shaft must be fixed by aligning the holes on the washer and on the axle, and inserting a metal rod or screwdriver into them.
Unscrew the nozzle. You should be aware that the thread on the shaft is left-hand. Therefore, turn the trimmer coil to the right, that is, clockwise.
Disassemble the mowing head. Most often, the head cover is attached with clips. To remove it, you will need to sink these latches into the case, pressing the edges of the cover. If your trimmer has a semi-automatic mowing head with a button on the bottom, then the disassembly of the attachment should be done carefully, since you can lose the spring, which sometimes flies out when the cover is removed.
Cut off the required amount of line. Usually its length is 5 meters. Use a cord of the same diameter as indicated in the instructions for the tool. It is not recommended to exceed the maximum line diameter as this will result in increased engine stress and higher gas mileage.
Find the midpoint of the line by folding it in half. You will have a loop.
Special grooves are cut inside the coil (there may be holes). Insert a loop of line into this slot.
Wind the line around the spool by turning it counterclockwise. It is necessary to fill in the cord as evenly as possible, the turns should lie down without overlapping and with good tension. When the winding is complete, leave the free ends of the line about 20 cm long and fix them in the grooves on the sides of the reel.
Assemble the mowing head. Remember to insert the spring and washer (if equipped) before final assembly of the accessory. Place the spool in the body and thread the ends of the cord through the holes or eyelets.
Put on the cover and secure it with the latches.
Screw the adapter back onto the gearbox shaft, also securing it with a screwdriver. You will need to twist the trimmer coil to the left (counter-clockwise).

Major coil faults

Users of electric trimmers and petrol cutters often face a problem with a semi-automatic mowing head. Coil malfunctions can be as follows:

The line does not lengthen automatically;
The cord spontaneously comes out of the spool.

Worst failure scenario

There are times when the starter is still operational, but a worn out cord can break, for example. The ratchet has not yet had time to work when the engine is started, and the remnants of the cord are immediately wound on the coil, the return spring loses its hooks, the grooves in the starter housing break. The result is the replacement of both the springs and the housing.

How do I replace or replace the starter spring?

If everything is in order with the rope on the starter, suspicion falls on the reel itself. It is activated by a ribbon spring, coiled into a roll. Certain steps must be taken to change the spring.

Remove the starter from the brushcutter.
Remove the starter coil.
Unscrew the main bolt holding the pulley to the housing.
Pull out the gripping tendrils and spring, the ribbon spring is almost fully extended or coiled into larger rings.
Hold it in advance.
Check if the spring is intact (there may be rusty streaks, cracks, etc.). If the hooks at its ends are broken, bending new ones will fail. High carbon steel breaks when you try to bend it. Loose hooks are suitable for slight bending.
Make sure the auxiliary (regular) spring and washers are in place. These parts protect the coil body from being punctured by the ends of the main spring. If the washers and the spring are broken, and new ones are not available, do not tighten the coil bolt tightly, but watch it, it can unscrew and get lost.
If the main (flat) spring is damaged, insert the same new one. Place the hook on the end of the spring in place and bend it, inserting coil by coil into the space it should be.

The rewinding of the spring takes a minute. Dexterity in this action is acquired quickly.

How to replace or replace the starter spring, see the following.

How to assemble a new mower starter?

For starter assembly do the following manipulations.

Pass one end of the cord through the opening at the beginning of the spool and tie it in a knot. The knot must not pass through the hole. Otherwise, you will disassemble the starter again.
Wind the cord around the spool itself.
Install the spring into the starter housing, hook one end of it in the groove and wind it. For convenient winding, twist the body counterclockwise.
Place the ratchet on the spring.
Hook the return spring to the ratchet itself, secure it to the spool.
Install the main spring and housing with the assembled ratchet, connect the starter parts together and tighten with the main bolt.

After assembling the starter, pass the free end of the cord through the hole in the housing for the reel. Pass this end again through the hole in the handle that the cord is pulling on. Tie a strong knot on the handle. Check the operation of the starter handbrake.

Starters for petrol cutters: device and installation features

How does the starter for petrol cutters or trimmers work?
Worst failure scenario
How do I replace or replace the starter spring?
How tight is the spring cocking?
Assembling a brushcutter starter
How to assemble a new mower starter?
How do I change the starter cord?

The recoil starter for a petrol cutter or petrol trimmer is a mechanical unit that includes a pulley fitted to a ratchet. A rope is wound on the pulley in the initial position. At the start, it is pulled outward. The pulley is spring loaded as soon as you let go of the end of the rope, as it reels back. A flat strip rolled into a ring is used as a spring. It resembles a spring in a large mechanical watch that is wound once a day. The starter itself is located more often at the rear than closer to the front end of the mower or trimmer. In order to correctly perform all the manipulations with the petrol cutter starter, you need to know the features of the device and installation.

Assembling a brushcutter starter

When servicing and repairing the starter, it is important to properly assemble it as if the assembly was carried out by the manufacturer. Any part that is incorrectly installed will prevent you from fully using the trimmer or brushcutter.

After winding the spring, turn the coil over and position it so that the second spring hook falls back into place. To control the correct installation of the spring, there are technological windows on the coil itself.
Install the starter pulley and make sure one of the spring hooks fits into the groove located on the starter cover.
Insert the spring and washers on the sides to prevent the spring from rubbing off the plastic compartment in which it is located. If the spring is broken, and the other is not the same, an additional washer is placed in its place.
Insert the antennae cup into the grooves on the spool.
Install the coil in its place, tighten the bolt as far as it will go, but without fanaticism.

If you do not protect the compartment from the main spring with washers, where it moves when winding and unwinding the starter cord, the coil often sticks when you try to start the petrol trimmer or brushcutter. Loosening the coil bolt will result in its loss.

For information on how to assemble a brushcutter trimmer starter, see.

How does the starter for petrol cutters or trimmers work?

The starter mechanism is generally a single and universal mechanism for petrol cutters, trimmers, gasoline and diesel generator sets. It is not a problem to equip them even with a car, motorcycle or scooter, if your vehicle has free space for its installation. It was not for nothing that many Soviet cars and trucks were equipped with a starter tool that remotely resembles a crowbar bent twice.

The starter assembly has the following parts:

Hook ignition spring;
Cord wound on a reel;
Return spring;
Ratchet drive and main spring;
Mechanism housing protecting the ratchet;
Locking bolt.