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Power Tools

Sepp Blatter

Geek
Patron
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
22,174
Location
Sparta, Greece
It's long past the time where we delve into the collective knowledge of this forum and share some tips about power tools. What to buy and what to avoid, and how to use them safely.

A few years ago, when my brother-in-law was staying with us, he bought a strimmer. It was Chinese, absolutely atrocious, and the piston seized after about a month. I couldn't get into it to repair it and, even if I could, it was impossible to buy parts. It is absolute shite.

om_sparta250t_sx.jpg


I looked for a replacement. Stihl are excellent and the professionals here use them, but they are very expensive and they are not user-serviceable, meaning that it costs a fortune to take them in for repairs. Plus, I boycott German products anyway!

After seeking some advice, I settled on this Kawasaki TJ53E:

kawasaki_109.312.jpg

It is manufactured in Japan and assembled in Italy - durable, powerful, and works all day without complaint. If I do manage to break it, it is very modular and I can buy parts easily, even a new engine. Highly recommended if you are looking for a petrol strimmer.

As far as chainsaws go, I initially bought a Husqvarna, as they are what I trained with many years ago, and they were excellent. Sadly, the build quality is now not as good (since they were bought out by Electrolux, I suspect), and there always seemed to be something wrong with it.

I ended up buying this little Echo chainsaw, the CS-2511TES
xlarge_20200218165028_echo_cs_2511_tes_25cm.jpeg


Small and nimble enough for working within the tight confines of an olive tree, but a very powerful motor that belies its small size. Great for chopping logs, even very hard olive, for firewood and I am very happy with it. Japanese technology at its finest and it is a serious piece of kit.

So, has anyone else got some tips to share? Angle grinders? Cement mixers? Air compressors?
 
What happens to those little cords on the strimmers, do they burn out?
I was strimming something a little too long one Summer and the cord seemed to disappear into a small plume of smoke and then disappear down my respiratory tract. I had a bit of a bad chest for a day or two.
 
What happens to those little cords on the strimmers, do they burn out?
I was strimming something a little too long one Summer and the cord seemed to disappear into a small plume of smoke and then disappear down my respiratory tract. I had a bit of a bad chest for a day or two.
They snap into small pieces and the friction can also cause them to vapourise.

They can cause problems if you inhale the vapour but, if you haven't developed pleurisy yet, you probably got away with it. :)

The best strimmer cords are made in the US - generally an excellent quality of product from our cousins across the water.
 
It's long past the time where we delve into the collective knowledge of this forum and share some tips about power tools. What to buy and what to avoid, and how to use them safely.

A few years ago, when my brother-in-law was staying with us, he bought a strimmer. It was Chinese, absolutely atrocious, and the piston seized after about a month. I couldn't get into it to repair it and, even if I could, it was impossible to buy parts. It is absolute shite.

om_sparta250t_sx.jpg


I looked for a replacement. Stihl are excellent and the professionals here use them, but they are very expensive and they are not user-serviceable, meaning that it costs a fortune to take them in for repairs. Plus, I boycott German products anyway!

After seeking some advice, I settled on this Kawasaki TJ53E:

kawasaki_109.312.jpg

It is manufactured in Japan and assembled in Italy - durable, powerful, and works all day without complaint. If I do manage to break it, it is very modular and I can buy parts easily, even a new engine. Highly recommended if you are looking for a petrol strimmer.

As far as chainsaws go, I initially bought a Husqvarna, as they are what I trained with many years ago, and they were excellent. Sadly, the build quality is now not as good (since they were bought out by Electrolux, I suspect), and there always seemed to be something wrong with it.

I ended up buying this little Echo chainsaw, the CS-2511TES
xlarge_20200218165028_echo_cs_2511_tes_25cm.jpeg


Small and nimble enough for working within the tight confines of an olive tree, but a very powerful motor that belies its small size. Great for chopping logs, even very hard olive, for firewood and I am very happy with it. Japanese technology at its finest and it is a serious piece of kit.

So, has anyone else got some tips to share? Angle grinders? Cement mixers? Air compressors?
:ROFLMAO:
 
Not being an experienced user of a chainsaw what are the dangers of kickbacks when using them.

I mentioned aboutthe trees in my lawn thread and i did, for quite a while, consider getting a chainsaw to them but worry Im just not experienced enough.
 
Not being an experienced user of a chainsaw what are the dangers of kickbacks when using them.

I mentioned aboutthe trees in my lawn thread and i did, for quite a while, consider getting a chainsaw to them but worry Im just not experienced enough.
Although many people are buying electric chainsaws nowadays, I would avoid them because they don't have a clutch, so they often lack a chain brake if you get kickback.

With a petrol chainsaw, don't be tempted to go for a cheap option because the inferior parts mean that they can fail. Kickbacks are inevitable, so you want to make sure it cuts out before it causes any damage.

Don't skimp on the protective gear - helmet, face guard, gloves, kevlar suit, and sturdy boots. You'll generally be alright even if the worst does happen.

Finally, maintenance is crucial - a sharp chain, plenty of chain oil, and good quality two stroke oil mixed in with the petrol.

If you get a bit of training or someone to show you the ropes, that would be great. While you can find articles about 'How to use a chainsaw' online, if you need to look at those for advice, you probably shouldn't be using one. They should really be called 'How to amputate your own leg.' :)
 
Aye thats why I decided to ask advice about grass seed instead, somehow spreading seed seems somewhat safer.
 
Ive got a decent multi purpose one, can be tetchy at times and sometimes loses its charge when you least expect it. But a good nights sleep usually solves the problem.
 
Although many people are buying electric chainsaws nowadays, I would avoid them because they don't have a clutch, so they often lack a chain brake if you get kickback.

With a petrol chainsaw, don't be tempted to go for a cheap option because the inferior parts mean that they can fail. Kickbacks are inevitable, so you want to make sure it cuts out before it causes any damage.

Don't skimp on the protective gear - helmet, face guard, gloves, kevlar suit, and sturdy boots. You'll generally be alright even if the worst does happen.

Finally, maintenance is crucial - a sharp chain, plenty of chain oil, and good quality two stroke oil mixed in with the petrol.

If you get a bit of training or someone to show you the ropes, that would be great. While you can find articles about 'How to use a chainsaw' online, if you need to look at those for advice, you probably shouldn't be using one. They should really be called 'How to amputate your own leg.' :)

Fabulous post, Sepp 👍.

I'm studying with @222Mark at the moment and he advised I buy my own. I have my eye on a battery driven Black & Decker; I would value your feedback. Eventually I hope to use it for some work in our garden.

Thank you in advance.

BTW - cement mixers I rely on @billymac and belt sanders it's always @northend nevets 👍
 
Not being an experienced user of a chainsaw what are the dangers of kickbacks when using them.

I mentioned aboutthe trees in my lawn thread and i did, for quite a while, consider getting a chainsaw to them but worry Im just not experienced enough.

Couldn't you just get a more powerful lawnmower, and just run straight over the trees?
 
Fabulous post, Sepp 👍.

I'm studying with @222Mark at the moment and he advised I buy my own. I have my eye on a battery driven Black & Decker; I would value your feedback. Eventually I hope to use it for some work in our garden.

Thank you in advance.

BTW - cement mixers I rely on @billymac and belt sanders it's always @northend nevets 👍
Was never a fan of Black and Decker - there always seems to be something wrong with their tools. 'It's a good drill, but...'

We have a battery strimmer - the problem is that it runs out of charge very quickly. It's great for touching up edges and finishing off around trees and the grape vines, but doesn't have enough juice for large areas.

Mind you, it's heavy going in our garden with lots of tough grass and weeds, so that probably plays a role in how long it can work on a charge.

Am actually after a new sander, so look forward to any advice!
 
It's long past the time where we delve into the collective knowledge of this forum and share some tips about power tools. What to buy and what to avoid, and how to use them safely.

A few years ago, when my brother-in-law was staying with us, he bought a strimmer. It was Chinese, absolutely atrocious, and the piston seized after about a month. I couldn't get into it to repair it and, even if I could, it was impossible to buy parts. It is absolute shite.

om_sparta250t_sx.jpg


I looked for a replacement. Stihl are excellent and the professionals here use them, but they are very expensive and they are not user-serviceable, meaning that it costs a fortune to take them in for repairs. Plus, I boycott German products anyway!

After seeking some advice, I settled on this Kawasaki TJ53E:

kawasaki_109.312.jpg

It is manufactured in Japan and assembled in Italy - durable, powerful, and works all day without complaint. If I do manage to break it, it is very modular and I can buy parts easily, even a new engine. Highly recommended if you are looking for a petrol strimmer.

As far as chainsaws go, I initially bought a Husqvarna, as they are what I trained with many years ago, and they were excellent. Sadly, the build quality is now not as good (since they were bought out by Electrolux, I suspect), and there always seemed to be something wrong with it.

I ended up buying this little Echo chainsaw, the CS-2511TES
xlarge_20200218165028_echo_cs_2511_tes_25cm.jpeg


Small and nimble enough for working within the tight confines of an olive tree, but a very powerful motor that belies its small size. Great for chopping logs, even very hard olive, for firewood and I am very happy with it. Japanese technology at its finest and it is a serious piece of kit.

So, has anyone else got some tips to share? Angle grinders? Cement mixers? Air compressors?
You're feckin bonkers.
 
Here you go, Sid.

This is the cordless strimmer we bought, the Stihl FSA45, despite my protests at buying German. It was my missus' money and she wanted something light and easy to use:

fsa_45_studio_001_r1.jpg

To be fair, it is light, easy-to-use, and well made. However, it has one major flaw - the battery unit is sealed inside, so you have to stop and wait for an hour while it charges.

I wanted one of these, the Makita UR100DZ

UR100DZ.jpg

Tried one out in the shop and they look to be very sturdy with excellent build quality, as you would expect from Makita. A bit more expensive than similar models (especially because you have to buy the battery and charger separately), but I liked it.

The beauty is that you can buy an extra battery and charge it up while you are working, so there is no wasted time waiting for it to charge.
 
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