LC/DBM provides landscape contractors with Educational, Imaginative and Practical information about their business, their employees, their machines and their projects.
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By Bruce Fordyce, LC/DBM editor here are several factors to address when buying a commercial trimmer: Engine type (2-stroke vs. 4-stroke), straight or curved shaft, comfort level and string trimmer style. The Engine The main choice here is between 2- and 4-stroke gas engines (electric ones have yet to rise to the serious demands of commercial landscape maintenance professional). The 2-stroke engine runs on a gas/oil mixture, requiring the contractor to mix the appropriate gas/ oil ratio and keep it on hand in a separate fuel container. The 4-stroke engine requires only gasoline, and tends to be more powerful at lower speeds and runs cleaner, producing fewer emissions than 2-stroke engines without a catalytic converter. But 4-stroke engines are heavier, adding to the overall weight of the trimmer. It���s a balance between the need to premix gas and oil against the worker fatigue of using a heavier piece of equipment. Left: When it comes to the trimmer's shaft, the choices are curved or straight. Almost all commercial trimmers and many consumer models have a straight shaft, or are offered with both types of shafts. Bottom: There are up and downsides when considering a 2- or 4-stroke engine trimmer. The 2-stroke engine requires premixing gas and oil beforehand as well as having to tote around a gas container to refuel it. However, 2-stroke engines are lighter. While the 4-stroke does not need premix fuel, it can weight twice as much as the 2-stroke engine. It is a balance between efficiency and worker fatigue issues. 18 LC DBM Straight Or Curved Shaft String trimmers come in either a straight or curved shaft design. The curved shaft trimmers are generally economical to purchase and work well for average-size yards. The curved shaft string trimmers are among the lightest in weight, and are easy to level for a clean cut without scalping the lawn. Straight shaft trimmers are the choice of most landscape professionals. They provide additional reach beneath bushes and into other hard-to-reach areas. Straight-shaft models produce less vibration, which can add to their comfort level when undertaking trimming jobs that will take more than a few minutes. They often have optional attachments you can purchase for edging, hedge trimming and other trimming jobs. Somewhat heavier than curved-shaft models, straight shaft string trimmers also are more expensive. Comfort Level A gas-powered string trimmer generally weighs between 10 and 15 pounds, and curved shaft trimmers weigh less than straightshaft ones. String Trimmer Style There are two string trimmer styles: bump-feed and fixed-line. For the bump-feed style, the operator bumps the trimmer head to activate the spring-loaded mechanism that pushes a fresh length of line out from the spiral coiled in the head. However, operators have reported problems with bump-feed line heads. The dirt, heat and constant banging can cause the line to jam. This requires the contractor to stop, disassemble the head and re-feed the line. Manufacturers have made changes to correct this by partitioning the cavity of the head to ensure better line flow (Stihl). The Echo and Craftsman trimmers use a head with one or two pieces of short line clamped into place. The fixed-head trimmer uses a precut length line, eliminating jams and tangles; it only takes only a few seconds to insert a new line. LC DBM T The primary factor when choosing a trimmer is how much use it will get during a set time. The more use it gets, the more a contractor should spend (to a degree). A higher price doesn���t always mean a better product, but it���s a good benchmark nonetheless.