Anyone else fed up with breaking trimmer line?

[IndyIan]

When I was working on the grounds crew at the local zoo, we always stored the trimmer line in water. We had a benchmark for length and cut a half dozen and tossed them in the bucket everytime we took some out. The slip in line lasted quite a while if you wanted it to but all we trimmed was 1 or 2 week old grass.
Now I use a Stihl poly cut for under my electric fences, as its tough enough to handle any 2 month old weed and I hit the odd t-post but doesn't cut fine grass well. And its hard on wood too.

 

[Slacker]

I use a small Echo trimmer with a pivot head to do the light weight trimming around the house but switch to a larger Husqvarna brush cutter with a metal blade for my heavy clearing chores. I like the Husqvarna line but have some of the square line to test next.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Quote:
Anyone else fed up with breaking trimmer line?


No. I use the 155 mil square shaped cord on my DR, and one set of lines lasts all season. And I don't have to worry about fussy two stroke engines or doing the "bump and thump" trying to get more line out. When I do need to change out lines it takes about a minute.

The square edged cord cuts anything I come across and wears like iron.

 

[SOHCman]

Originally Posted By: wag123
Originally Posted By: SOHCman
This is on a FS70, I even got some of the heaviest stihl brand trimmer string available, and it still breaks/grinds off about as easily as the thin stuff. And then when it breaks off even with the spool head, you have to shut down the trimmer and pull the head apart to feed the line out again.

Anyway, I want to get the best solution available. Does anyone use one of those heads that you clip the plastic blades onto? What about the ones you just poke new lengths of line into? I just want something that is tough and doesnt have to be taken apart to fix the line.


I use this on heavy weeds clearing, edging the driveway, trimming the fence, and against broken faced landscaping bricks.

The trimmer line is not breaking, it is melting! Do you notice that when you take the head apart to pull the line back out that it is kind of stuck together? It is MELTED together.
The solution to your problem is to BACK OFF from your work. Let the very tip of the trimmer line do the work. If you force it in too close, the line drags across your work and generates so much heat from friction that it melts. This is particularly true when the trimmer is used up against hard surfaces like cement, rock, brick, trees, and even dirt.
Also, as was previously mentioned, you don't need to run the engine at full throttle for all of your trimming. The faster the trimmer turns, the quicker the line will melt. However, there is one problem with doing this, you need to run the trimmer at a minimum of 1/2 throttle speed to fully engage the centrifugal clutch. If the clutch is not fully engaged it will slip, overheat, and wear out. ONLY use the size (diameter) of trimmer line that the manufacturer of your trimmer recommends, thicker line is NOT better!
Lastly, purchase a quality name brand trimmer line and no more of it than you will use up in one season. Trimmer line gets old and your problems will get much worse when it does. The best grade of plastic is MN7. If you can find a manufacturer that specifies this grade of plastic, use it. If you can find it, round trimmer line is the most resistant to melting because there is more material in it's cross section for any given size (diameter). Draw a circle, then make a square or star inside the circle, see how much more material there is? Remember, it is the very tip of the line that does all of the work. The various square and star shaped lines are just gimmicks, good for advertising but useless for any improvement in trimming performance.


Yes, I forgot to mention it but when I opened up the head with destain, I noticed that parts of the line appeared melted. I must be pretty aggressive with my trimmer, Its not commercial work, but I had used about a tank and a half on the perimeter of my fence and some heavier areas I had neglected to trim for about a month. Things grow like a rainforest around here now that its actually raining again...

The line is .105 Stihl brand and is red in color. I'll try the water trick as well as taking it easier and see if line life improves. A dedicated edger would be a godsend as well.. I run the FS70 pretty high, probably 80% throttle mostly and it just screams, lots of power for a trimmer. 2 Strokes are supposed to be ran high anyway, right?

 

[SOHCman]

Originally Posted By: genynnc
SOHCman-

I've been using my FS250R Stihl with the PolyCut (the 3 white Nylon blades head) and a saw blade as well as the bump-head w/ .095 line.

The PolyCut head is only good for clearing heavy grass, weeds, 1" diameter or less blackberry vines, etc... in a unobstructed setting... or a setting where you don't have obstacles such as fencing, sidewalk, etc. I once hit a hidden role of chicken wire and it promptly broker the nylon blades right off.
So I assume hitting a sidewalk, fence post, etc... with the nylon blades would result in breaks.

I have noticed (if it helps) that when I break .095 line with the bump-feed head, it is usually due to line being too long or too high of rpm for the situation/ use. Around side walks fencing/ etc... I tend to leave the line pretty short and use only part throttle and this tends to keep the line from breaking off.

I also like the Echo .095 line the best so far. Line is a very subjective subject though.

Good luck.


Good to know about the poly cut blades, that would not help my situation since I have plenty of obstacles to trim against and around.

 

[jdawg89]

I use maxi edge comercial. You can find it at tractor supply company. Great stuff...I usuallly murder string. I cut through anything in my way. Grass weeds twigs saplings and trees about as big around as my pinky finger. I hardly ever break the string. In the course of an hour I might have to bump feed it 2 maybe 3 times

 

[dwcopple]

I am fed up

 

[Rick in PA]

I'll have to try some of the lines mentioned, and go easier on the throttle (good point). I've never had what I consider good luck with line life on my Ryobi 4-cycle trimmer. I've currently got some "Do It Best" hardware store brand line (I bought to give the sale to our local hardware store), worst line I've ever used. The soak it in water trick should work (really) the lines are Nylon and that stuff's hydroscopic. We've soaked Nylon parts at work (overnight) to cure breakage problems. The absorbed water toughens the plastic. I've wanted to try this, I just never seem to plan ahead.

 

[doitmyself]

Going easier on the OPE throttle goes against the advice to run 2 cycle engines WOT (under load) most of the time for best combustion (less emissions/carbon build up, etc.), power, efficiency, and yada, yada, yada.

 

[jdawg89]

Every 2 stroke I own is WOT all of the time...but so are my 4 strokes...

 

[The motor guy]

Originally Posted By: Slick17601
Try some Echo CrossFire line...you won't be disappointed.


This is what I use. Generally if it's melting and breaking off it's because you're letting the string hit the concrete. Try to keep it in the dirt and it won't do that.

 

[crw]

I know this isn't going to help anyone immediately, but I have a huge, well manicured lawn and outdoor space, and I almost never use a string trimmer. I had the advantage of buying the home new and putting the yard in all by myself, with my own design.

I once read a book, "Let your house do the housework". The same principle applies to the yard. The key is to design things that look nice but don't take extra tools and time to manage them. For example, it's much easier in the long run to design lawn edging that can be mowed just over it so that the mower is all you need. For trees, maintain a space around the tree such that again, all you need is to mow. No need to go buy a string trimmer, buy gas, oil, string trimming line, clean it, store it, use it, get dirty and remember your stinkin eye protection, and dispose of it when it dies. So, my whole yard is this way. No string trimmers allowed. I actually own a string trimmer, but have not used it in the last four years or so. If it died today I would not replace it.

 

[smithph]

I have tried everything and found the Stihl to be best that is readily available line in my area. That being said I did recently order some of the new Hasqvarna XP Force line and Oregon Platinum Gatorline just to try something new. I will let you know what I think once I try these lines out.

http://www.oregonchain.com/pro/products/oep/platinum_gatorline.htm

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/landscape-an...e-trimmer-line/

 

[Hootbro]

Originally Posted By: crw
I know this isn't going to help anyone immediately, but I have a huge, well manicured lawn and outdoor space, and I almost never use a string trimmer. I had the advantage of buying the home new and putting the yard in all by myself, with my own design.

I once read a book, "Let your house do the housework". The same principle applies to the yard. The key is to design things that look nice but don't take extra tools and time to manage them. For example, it's much easier in the long run to design lawn edging that can be mowed just over it so that the mower is all you need. For trees, maintain a space around the tree such that again, all you need is to mow. No need to go buy a string trimmer, buy gas, oil, string trimming line, clean it, store it, use it, get dirty and remember your stinkin eye protection, and dispose of it when it dies. So, my whole yard is this way. No string trimmers allowed. I actually own a string trimmer, but have not used it in the last four years or so. If it died today I would not replace it.


You are right, it is not going to help anyone immediately.

All I got out of that was you were lucky to pre-plan your landscaping on a new purchase. The other 99.99% of us do not fall in that category.

 

[Cujet]

You might need to feed it more often.

Seems like a terrible waste, but that is what the pros do. There is a reason they sell you 45 kilometers of line in a package!

I use the echo heads and line with great results. It will fuse together if I don't feed it every 20-30 seconds.

There is no question that older trimmer heads will do this too. I change mine seasonally.

 

[SOHCman]

Had the chance to trim again the other day, not one break!!! Since I wasn't going to use less throttle (2stroke) I found if I just was less aggressive with the line and moved slower through the weeds, I could increase the life of the line. Still bumped it a few times as it got down to shorter lengths.
I know, I know, common sense but it's so tempting to rip through stuff. You know, with a face that's all "Say hello to my little friend!"

 

[smithph]

Originally Posted By: smithph
I have tried everything and found the Stihl to be best that is readily available line in my area. That being said I did recently order some of the new just to try something new. I will let you know what I think once I try these lines out.

http://www.oregonchain.com/pro/products/oep/platinum_gatorline.htm

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/landscape-an...e-trimmer-line/


My 1st subject impression of both the Hasqvarna XP Force line and Oregon Platinum Gatorline (.095 each) is positive. I have a two line head that uses 12inch long pre-cut line segments. I put one piece of each brand in the trimmer head and trimmed up the yard after mowing. Both segments have about the same amount of material left with no line breaks.

I will check back at the end of the season and give an update. I may replace one segment with some Stihl orange round line, as a control, and see how the new stuff performs compared my usual trimmer line.

The Hasqvarna XP Force line looks like a green version of their silver titanium line with a clear coating added to the outside. The Oregon Platinum Gatorline has a spiral twist to it with a blue coating added to the outside.

 

[smithph]

Originally Posted By: smithph
Originally Posted By: smithph
I have tried everything and found the Stihl to be best that is readily available line in my area. That being said I did recently order some of the new just to try something new. I will let you know what I think once I try these lines out.

http://www.oregonchain.com/pro/products/oep/platinum_gatorline.htm

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/landscape-an...e-trimmer-line/


My 1st subject impression of both the Hasqvarna XP Force line and Oregon Platinum Gatorline (.095 each) is positive. I have a two line head that uses 12inch long pre-cut line segments. I put one piece of each brand in the trimmer head and trimmed up the yard after mowing. Both segments have about the same amount of material left with no line breaks.

I will check back at the end of the season and give an update. I may replace one segment with some Stihl orange round line, as a control, and see how the new stuff performs compared my usual trimmer line.

The Hasqvarna XP Force line looks like a green version of their silver titanium line with a clear coating added to the outside. The Oregon Platinum Gatorline has a spiral twist to it with a blue coating added to the outside.


Well my subjective side by comparison of .095 line is complete.

I loaded equal lengths of pre-cut Stihl orange and XP Force into my trimmer head (one of each) and the end result was the XP Force had about 1/2 inch more length left on average compared to the Stihl line. I did two different yards starting with new pieces of line for each yard.

I did the same test with Stihl orange and Platinum Gatorline and ended up with the Gatorline averaging about 7/8 more line length left than the Stihl.

I repeated this test again with XP Force and Platinum Gatorline going head to head on these two yards and the Gatorline beat out the XP Force by about 1/4 inch.

These yards are mostly light weeds with some concrete driveway edging but no metal fencing.

I did do some small sections with XP Force only and Platinum Gatorline only to have a quick look at the cut quality of each. Not much difference, perhaps an edge to the Gatorline with is more square-ish twisted shape.

Given the cost of these new lines I cannot recommend a homeowner like myself that only goes through 3/4 to 1 pound of line a year spend the extra money on them. Perhaps next season when they are more readily available the price will come down to the Stihl range of $13 for a 1 pound roll. They may make since if you have a lot of masonry or fencing to trim around since they are both coated lines.

 

[clarklawnscape]

trying to find the perfect trimmer line is just like trying to find the perfect woman, it isnt going to happen. some of my lawn guys like this or they like that. husqvarna titanium force and shindaiwa silent twist is my prefference both in .095, as mentioned before keeping the line wet and out of sunlight helps.