best weed eater for me?

chainsaw69

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i need a machine that will be easy on the 65 plus year old bad back. i have had a few dr push trimmers but the back and forth puts me on ice packs for awhile. the hand held ones were bad too when i used em years ago as are heavy and require a lot of hip movement. i have 12 trees and maybe 200 ft of flower bed/fences/posts etc on 3 acres. i think the solution is to use a lighter handheld machine in short bursts rather than the whole thing at one time. duh. so if anyone knows of a light(er) whacker please let me know. thanks
 

bertsmobile1

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Might be time to change things a bit.
Consider using round up along the edge of the flower bed and around the trees.
You can get long spray wands with spray guides on the end so they spray a very tidy strip.
Put some sort of light coloured edging around your trees with mulch on the tree side and spray around the outside.
You grew the lawn & garden for your pleasure not to put you in hospital.
The other trick is to put timber mowing strips along the edged and then use a hover mower to cut over the strips.
 

Darryl G

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Bent shaft trimmes are generally easier to use for right handed people. Or get a bike handlebar straight shaft with a harness. A bit awkward for detail work though and about impossible to turn on side to edge with. look for a large nearby dealer to have a demo day to try out options but most of those tend to be in the spring. Or a regional expo.
 

primerbulb120

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Husqvarna 525L. Lightweight, very comfortable to use, and will probably out last you.
 

primerbulb120

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The hover mower idea is interesting, although hover mowers are extremely uncommon in the US. I know that's different in Australia.
 

Johnkim

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I do recommend you Black+Decker LST136W 40V MAX model, It is perfect for a small yard and even for the medium size. It has a max power function that will come handy to finish the job fast. Here is a good post if you need more info on handheld weed eaters.
 

jekjr

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I am seriously considering purchasing a battery powered Echo PAS unit. I saw one at my dealer last week and i was completely impressed. I am 61 and still run commercially. I let my crew do most of the weed eating but there are times that I still have to do some.
 

tom3

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MIght think about a modified battery unit, have the battery in a pocket or on a shoulder strap separate from the machine. Take some wiring changes if you are somewhat handy like that. Sure take some overhanging weight off that back. I'm getting close to that situation myself.
 

bertsmobile1

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MIght think about a modified battery unit, have the battery in a pocket or on a shoulder strap separate from the machine. Take some wiring changes if you are somewhat handy like that. Sure take some overhanging weight off that back. I'm getting close to that situation myself.

doesn't work like that Tom.
The head and the engine need to be balanced so your arms are just directing it to where you want to cut rather than holding it up.
What most people fail to do is adjust the harness properly.
With the harness over your shoulder the head of the trimmer should be about 2" off the ground.
Next you need a proper harness, one with both a shoulder and a waist strap.
I did a little presentation at one of our Mens Sheds a few years back.
Aussie blokes tended to think harnesses were a "sissy" thing but once I fitted a few of them and the old farts found they could trim for a full hour without feeling tired or fatigued there was a long que at the Husqvarna shop buying the big harnesses . Down here the Husky one is a lot better than any other as it has big clips that old fingers can manipulate easily.
The other trick is to start it in a heavy vice and leave it there of a few minutes till it is fully warmed up
 

Lalett

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I don't have a large lawn, so I don't need a powerful lawnmower. I had an old lawnmower, now it's broken and I use a neighbor's lawn mower. I also want to buy new one. I read a lot of information on the Internet. I chose Oregon 22-895, here in this https://bestyardproducts.com/best-trimmer-line/ article are described the pros and cons of this mower. Do you think I should buy it or should I choose another trimmer line? What characteristics do you pay attention to when you choose a weed eater?
 
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