How to choose a spool for a grass trimmer. Types of trimmer reels

How to choose a grass trimmer reel?

Along with blades and discs, trimmer lines are effective cutting accessories for trimmers, allowing them to cut the grass quickly and accurately. It is placed in the spool that holds and feeds it during operation. Reels may differ in material, design, method of filing and threading. Knowing the features of each type makes it easier to choose the best option for specific conditions.

There is a wide range of trimmers on the market with different performance and purpose, so the coils for them differ in characteristics and principle of operation. The right option allows you to solve certain grass mowing tasks, makes the work fast, safe and comfortable.

trimmer reels can be plastic or metal. In the first case, an impact-resistant material is used, so such consumables are not inferior in quality to their metal counterparts. When choosing reels, it is also important to understand their design features and types.

Classification by filament feeding method

Cutting line for the trimmer is quickly consumed, so the way it is fed affects the speed and convenience during mowing.

Manual reels for trimmers

Cord is fed in manually, to lengthen it, you must stop the grass trimmer and pull out the ends. This type of spool has a simple and reliable design, the most popular among gardeners.

Automatic reels

The line is extended automatically at reduced engine speed. The trimmer line is fed until the speed increases again. This type is the most convenient to use, most often used to care for large areas. Disadvantages include high cost and frequent breakage compared to other types of coils.

Semi-automatic spools

The cutting line for the trimmer is fed when the reel makes contact with a hard surface and at the same time the button that activates the anchor mechanism is pressed. The cord begins to lengthen under the action of centrifugal forces, when the length is sufficient, you just need to raise the grass trimmer above the surface. No need to turn off the engine to lengthen the cord.

Semi-automatic spools differ in design, can be: one-section or two-section. In the first case, the line for the trimmer is wound evenly on both sides, in the second. it must be placed in the grooves on the appropriate side. Dual-section spool is considered more reliable and practical to use, the line for trimmer in it does not get tangled and does not break.

There are also universal models on the market that can be installed on grass trimmers from different manufacturers.

Types of spools by type of line threading

Also on the efficiency and speed of work with the trimmer affects the method of changing the line. Coils can be:

• Quick-charging. No need to remove the spool from the grass trimmer to refill the cord. The tip of the fishing line should be slipped into a special hole, wrap it around the surface several times, after reaching the required length, cut the opposite end of the cord.
• Collapsible type. It is necessary to remove the spool from the grass trimmer and disassemble it, remove the remains of the old cord and manually wind the new.

How to choose a trimmer head for grass?

In order for the mowing head to show high efficiency, the owner of a brushcutter will need to have the right approach to its selection. There are a number of factors to consider:

• Experience. if a novice gardener is buying, it is best to buy an automatic spool. Semi-automatic and manual reels are best suited for use by more experienced gardeners;
• the material. the reliability of the spool depends on it. Metal models are considered the most durable, but they weigh much more than standard plastic devices. When working with a metal bobbin, the engine of the brushcutter succumbs to an increased load, so you should buy them only to work with a powerful gasoline reel;
• the diameter of the line used. medium power trimmers use spools that can be charged with a line of no more than 1.6 mm in thickness. The power of brushcutters with more than 2.5 l of power. с. You can fit attachments that can be threaded with cord that is more than 2 mm thick.

The simplicity of the spool also plays an important role when choosing a reel. For beginners, bobbins that have a minimum number of parts are best. experienced gardeners can use heads whose design includes a greater number of elements.

Top 3 most reliable reels for domestic use

The market has its own ranking of the most durable mowing heads. They stand out for their simplicity, reliability and resistance to damage. They include:

• 3rd place. Bosch K-103. This is a versatile reel weighing approximately 300g. It is most often used with Makita and Hyundai brushcutters. The model is characterized by low cutting filament consumption, resistance to shocks and durability. Its core and other parts are made of forged steel and its body is made of plastic;

• 2nd place. Flymo 15. This semi-automatic model for trimmers is equipped with a thin cup, which leads to increased consumption of cutting line. However, it is still a good choice for stony grass mowing. You only need to use a thin trimmer line to work with it;

• No. 1. EFCO 8100. This model is among the most reliable mowing heads. It operates in fully automatic mode, making it easy to fill it with chopper cord. To work with the bobbin uses only a thin line for the trimmer. The body of the model is made of durable multi-layer plastic.

Despite their stability and durability, all of the above coils are much cheaper than other, less high-quality analogues, which makes them leaders in the post-Soviet market.

There are many models on the market, but there are a few manufacturers that have long been popular with gardeners.

Patriot DL-1200

This is a semi-automatic reel, which is used to work with Patriot trimmers. But also suitable for all straight-boom gasoline trimmers. Adjustment of the cutting line length is done by a gentle tap on the ground. Universal, for example, is considered a Bosh K103. This spool weighs only 300 grams and is perfect for “Makita” and “Hyundai” trimmers. Features a sturdy fishing line and moderate flow rate. The base of the spool is metal and rarely breaks, and the head itself is automatic.

Denzel 96308

Perfect for petrol and electric grass trimmers. Equipped with automatic line feed. Made of impact-resistant plastic. The method of securing the line is winding.

STIHL AutoCut C 5-2

This is a convenient model of semi-automatic mowing head. Perfect for difficult terrain, walls, curbs and other small obstacles. With this model, there is no need to disassemble the mowing head to change the trimmer line. All adjustments are made when the reel touches the ground.

The trimmer spool is one of the main components of a brushcutter. So when choosing this part, it’s important to pay attention to everything: manufacturing material, the type of line feed, as well as whether the coil is suitable for a particular model of grass trimmer. It is optimal to use universal spools, which fit several models of brushcutter at once. It’s not always possible to find a head that’s exclusive to your brushcutter. Most experts and users still recommend choosing a semi-automatic coil, as it is the ideal price-performance ratio.

Automatic line spool for grass trimmer

How to tuck the line for trimmer into the grass trimmer reel? Video instruction

Warranty issue factory filling grass trimmer inevitably requires replacing the line. Having a very tentative idea of how to tuck the line for the trimmer into the grass trimmer reel without the help of others, newcomers take on the job without any hunting. But with some ability to master this simple science is not any difficulty, and presented below a similar annotation is very easy myth process.

Preconditioning

First of all, the winding of the fishing line requires removing the spool (bobbin, bobbin) from the grass trimmer. certain actions will depend on the difficulty of configuration and type of the product itself:

• small electronic grass trimmers with the working position of the motor and spool at the bottom, usually have side buttons on both sides of the reel. At the same time pressing there the higher part of the spool along with the internal contents for winding the line is disconnected, although the lower part remains on the trimmer. Disassemble the bobbin is better to create a flat smooth place, that included a spring in the design is not popped up is not lost;
• Electronic and gasoline grass trimmers with a curved rod without the ability to install a knife, you have a special spool wing: a similar design, one hand should hold the bobbin in a stationary position, and the other counterclockwise to twist fixing spool on the rod nut, wing nut. After undoing the nut removes the entire bobbin.
• Electronic and gasoline grass trimmers with the ability to install a knife on a straight boom (nettle, STIHL grass trimmers) have a hole under the reel. to immobilize the bobbin, a screwdriver or other suitable object is inserted into this hole and a reciprocal placement is achieved by slowly turning it so that the screwdriver enters into the hole and the bobbin is fixed. Then the bobbin case is rotated clockwise (left-hand thread) and removed from the grass trimmer.

For the second and third versions of the reels, depending on the design, they are disassembled by different methods. For reels with a wing nut, the wing nut is unscrewed; for reels with latches, the latches are pressed and one part of the reel is released from the other part. If the bobbin halves are connected by thread, it is enough to turn them by hand in opposite directions until they are completely unscrewed.

Selection Criteria

Before buying a bobbin, it is worth referring to the documentation on the grass trimmer, which specifies the recommended parameters of mowing heads, line thickness, diameter of the landing hole for the spool, attachment type, threads (left or right) and fixation axis (rigid or rotating 90/180/360 degrees). The same information is indicated on the packages of consumables along with the models of equipment, on which a particular head can be installed.

• Of the three types of spools on the method of filament feeding is better to choose semi-automatic. They are more convenient than hand-held mowers. Among such spools there are fast-charging models, as well as universal samples, designed for different trimmers and with holes under the line for trimmer of different thickness. You can mow two or three kinds of grass with this head: soft grass, wild growth, and tall, stubborn stems. For each type of thicket, you only need to buy a cord with the right cross section, not a separate spool.
• If you want to mow only certain kinds of vegetation, you can choose a single-diameter line reel for your trimmer. Other tasks can be handled by knives or discs.
• Cutter heads made of flimsy plastic that are too cheap break quickly, so saving too much can cost you more.
• It is not a good idea to install the reels of little-known brands on grass trimmers from reputable manufacturers. Popular companies produce accessories that fit the equipment of the same brand the best.

It is not uncommon for market leaders to produce coils for trimmers from other companies. In this case, the replacement will work no worse than the original. For example, the Denzel 96304 working head is suitable for gasoline and electric trimmers of the same brand, but is also recommended for use on Greenline and MTD mowers.

As a side note! Some coils are designed to work only with trimmers of one manufacturer, although the model range can be quite wide. Thus, the T25 head for the gasoline Husqvarna 128R will fit about thirty grass trimmer models of the same company.

Among the best manufacturers are German Al-ko, Bosch, STIHL, Gardena, Swedish Husqvarna, American Black Decker, Patriot, Japanese Ryobi, Makita, Russian Champion, Denzel, Huter, Khoper, Ukrainian Foresta.

Selection criteria

Before buying a spool it is worth referring to the documentation on the grass trimmer, which specifies the recommended parameters of mowing heads, line thickness, diameter of the landing hole under the spool, the type of mounting, thread (left or right) and fixation axis (rigid or rotating 90/180/360 degrees). The same information is indicated on the packages of consumables along with the models of equipment on which a particular head can be installed.

• Of the three types of spools according to the method of filing the fishing line, it is better to choose semi-automatic. They are more convenient than manual ones. Among such spools there are fast-loading models, as well as universal models designed for different trimmers and with holes for the line for trimmer of different thickness. With this head you can mow two or three types of grass: soft lawn, wild and tall, with tough stems. For each type of backsplash, you’ll only need to buy a cord with a suitable cross section, not a separate spool.
• If you will mow only a certain type of vegetation, you can opt for a spool of line for a trimmer of the same diameter. Knives or discs will cope with other tasks.
• Too cheap cutting heads made of brittle plastic break down quickly, so excessive savings can turn into new expenses.
• You should not install a spool of little-known brands on grass trimmers from reputable manufacturers. Popular companies produce components that are best suited for the same brand of equipment.

Often the market leaders produce reels for trimmers of other companies. In this case, the replacement will work as well as the original. For example, the Denzel 96304 working head is suitable for gasoline and electric trimmers of the same brand, but is also recommended for use on Greenline and MTD mowers.

Just a side note! Some reels are designed to work only with trimmers from one manufacturer, although the model range can be quite wide. For example, the head T25 for gasoline Husqvarna 128R will fit three dozen models of grass trimmers of the same company.

Among the best manufacturers are German Al-ko, Bosch, STIHL, Gardena, Swedish Husqvarna, American Black Decker, Patriot, Japanese Ryobi, Makita, Russian Champion, Denzel, Huter, Hooper, Ukrainian Foresta.

How to Fill a Trimmer Filament in the Reel Semi-Automatic Grass Trimmer

Warranty run out of the factory weed trimmer reel will inevitably require a line change. Having a very rough idea of how to reel in trimmer line for grass trimmer without assistance of others, beginners take up this activity without any haste. But with some ability to learn this simple science is not any difficulty, and presented below a similar annotation is very easy process.

First, to wind the fishing line requires removing the spool (bobbin, bobbin) from the grass trimmer. certain actions will depend on the difficulty of configuration and type of product itself:

• Small electronic grass trimmers with the motor and spool working at the bottom usually have side buttons on either side of the reel. When pressed at the same time the highest part of the spool, together with the internal content for winding the line is detached, although the lower remains on the trimmer. Disassembling the bobbin is better to create on a flat smooth place, so that the spring included in the design is not popped out or even lost;
• Electronic and gasoline grass trimmers with a curved rod without the ability to install a knife, you have a reel with a special wingnut: in similar designs, one hand should hold the bobbin in a stationary position, and the other counterclockwise to twist fixing spool on the rod nut, wing nut. Once the nut is disconnected, the entire reel is removed.
• Electronic and gasoline trimmers for grass with the ability to install a knife on a straight shaft (for example, trimmers for grass STIHL) under the bobbin has a hole. For the immobility of the rod in this hole is inserted a screwdriver or other suitable object and a slow rotation is achieved in such a reciprocal placement, when the screwdriver goes inside the hole, and the bobbin is fixed. The spool body is then twisted clockwise (with the left-hand thread) and removed from the grass trimmer.

How to wind the line for the trimmer in the trimmer spool (bobbin).

For the second and third version of the spool, depending on the design, disassembled by different methods. In reels with a wingnut, the wingnut is unscrewed; in reels with latches, the latch latches are pressed and one part of the reel is released from the other. If the halves of the bobbin are connected by thread, it’s enough to turn them by hand in opposite directions until they are completely unscrewed.

Top 3 most reliable reels for domestic use

The market has its own ranking of the most durable mowing heads. They stand out for their simplicity, reliability and resistance to damage. These include:

3-rd place. Bosch K-103. This is a multi-purpose reel weighing about 300 g. It is most often used for Makita and Hyundai brushcutter attachments. The model stands out for its low cutting filament consumption, resistance to shocks and durability. The core and its other parts are made of forged steel, and the body is made of plastic;

Despite its stability and durability, all of the above reels cost an order of magnitude cheaper than other, lower-quality counterparts, which makes them leaders in the post-Soviet market.

How to install a spool on a grass trimmer?

Not only the quality of the cut, but also the safety of the operator during the operation of the brushcutter depends on the correct installation of the cutting headset.

When installing the spool, the following procedure should be followed:

• The first step is to fix the gearbox shaft of the brushcutter firmly in place. To do this, you need to align the hole in its body and the drive disk;
• Next, it will be necessary to install a metal pressure plate on the gearbox shaft;
• Then you need to screw the head with the line on the shaft, rotating it, at the same time, against the arrow of the clock;
• To remove the spool from the grass trimmer you need to perform all the steps in reverse order.

When mounting and dismounting the cutting head in the field you need to be as careful as possible so as not to lose small parts of the gearbox in the grass.

How to install the spool on the grass trimmer?

The quality of cut depends not only on the correct mounting of the cutting head but also on the safety of the operator when operating the brushcutter.

During the installation of the spool, you need to adhere to the following order of action:

• First you need to fix the original gearbox shaft of the brushcutter firmly. To do this, you need to align the hole in its body and the drive disk;
• Next, you will need to install a metal pressure plate on the gear shaft;
• Then it is necessary to screw the mowing head with the line on the shaft, rotating it in this case, against the clock hand;
• To remove the reel from the grass trimmer, you will need to perform all actions in reverse order.

During installation and removal of the mowing head in the field, you must be as careful as possible not to lose small parts of the reducer in the grass.

Characteristic malfunctions and troubleshooting

It goes without saying that trimmer owners encounter mowing head malfunctions of one sort or another during operation. Most often they are associated with certain difficulties in pulling (lengthening) the cutting filament from the spool. The most common causes of no line feed are line “jamming” between coils or sticking.

No wire feed

In this case, the cause of the defect is the wrong winding of the cutting cord. the line for the trimmer may be wound with insufficient tension, which contributes to the crossing of the coils with each other and tangles the string. As the spool rotates, the cutting filament is compressed by the resulting centrifugal force, which in turn causes the free end of the line to be caught between the coils. To correct this problem, you must remove the spool, disassemble it and rewind the string so that the coils lie in even rows, tightly pressed against each other.

If the string is sticking

The coils of line sticking together directly in the mowing head can be caused by:

Tip! To prevent the cords from sticking together inside the mowing head, experts recommend applying a thin layer of silicone grease to the surface of the spool after inserting the string. over, it is better not to use fishing line for trimmers from unknown manufacturers.

If the user still could not avoid the adhesion of the fishing line, then to repair the grass trimmer reel should be removed and replace the existing cord with a better quality.

If there is too much stringing

If semi-automatic mowing heads are used, the user may observe an increased flow of the filament due to unintentional lengthening. This is usually due to a spring inside the spool becoming loose. This can be eliminated by placing several shims under the spring.

If the bobbin does not spin

Failure of the semi-automatic grass trimmer reel can also be caused by frequent collision of its head with hard objects (dry branches, soil, stones, etc.).). In this situation the line is slightly stretched and then rapidly retracted inside the reel. The hard friction causes the cords to become hot and can cause the cords to stick to each other. The string will need to be rewound to correct the defect.

If the line feeds on itself

Spontaneous lengthening of the fishing line with subsequent cutting of its ends can be caused by a violation of the order of assembly of the head after replacing the cutting cord. Often inexperienced users forget to install the pressure spring inside the head, which causes premature triggering of the line feed mechanism.

Dismantling the mowing head

Proceeding to the repair head trimmer for grass, the owner must protect themselves from injury during the accidental startup of the engine, which requires a complete disconnect the electric garden tool or shut down the engine brushcuts. often than not the owner of a grass trimmer is faced with the need to replace the cutting filament. This is done after the head has been removed from the shaft. This has to be done carefully to avoid damaging it.

Important! The gearbox shaft, which the grass trimmer is equipped with, has a left-hand thread at the end, so the mowing head is unscrewed clockwise when removing it.

Dismantle the spool in the following order:

• aligning the holes on the axle and the washer, rigidly fix the mower shaft by means of a screwdriver or a metal bar;
• Unscrew the actuator by turning its body clockwise.

After removing the mowing head, proceed to its disassembly, for which you need to carefully open the cover, which is most often fastened by specially provided plastic clips. To do this, press the edge of the cover and at the same time push the latch into the housing.

Attention! If the grass trimmer is equipped with a semi-automatic head with a button at the bottom, it must be opened with extreme caution. when removing the cover, the clamping spring can fly out and be lost.

Loading the string in the bobbin

To charge the line for the trimmer correctly, you need to act according to the instruction manual supplied with the trimmer. As a rule, carry out this operation as follows:

cut the required amount of cord and fold it in half;

At this point, charging the mowing head with cord can be considered complete. The coil is screwed on the shaft of the grass trimmer, preliminarily fixing it rigidly. How to do it is described above. To check the performance of the head, you can mow a small area of the lawn.

Advice! In those cases when the owner of a grass trimmer prefers to replace the failed head with a new one, experts recommend avoiding the purchase of cheap non-original spools, brought from China.

Materials and tools required

An indestructible nozzle on the grass trimmer can be purchased on Aliexpress. But you can not overpay and make the same, or maybe even better detail, with your own hands. This homemade reel on the lawnmower is suitable not only for the fishing line, but also for the cable. It is very convenient and profitable, as the line for the trimmer is hard to cope with thick stems of plants and is consumed faster.

The device is based on the mechanism of a tape drive of a reel-to-reel tape recorder. Many people have old tape recorders at home, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a spare part. You’ll also need a car stereo cover plate, a metal washer and a hex nut with a left-hand thread.

You will need the following tools and materials for the work:

You will also need a ruler, wire cutters, a wrench and some other additional tools.

How to make with your own hands

Once all the materials and tools have been prepared, you can begin the process of creating an unbreakable coil:

• Drill a hole in the middle of the tape recorder mechanism at 11.5.
• Eliminate unnecessary castings that interfere with the normal connection of parts. You can do it with a chisel or a drill. The metal elements will be removed faster with a borromachine, but you must be careful not to injure yourself.

That’s all, it remains only to test the obtained self-made thing on the grass. This design is very effective and reliable. It is much more durable and long-lasting than a factory-made plastic spool. Therefore, if you often use a lawn mower and want it to last as long as possible, take only 15-20 minutes to find the necessary elements and make such an unbreakable spool.