Black and Decker Strimmer - Advice on Open Heart Surgery!

ChefBungle

Hey All,

I have a B&D GL656 strimmer and I used it today for the first time - managed to burn through the plastic reel in about 20 mins, so not too impressed.

So I've come up with a cunning plan.....

What would happen if I replaced the plastic line with metal cord instead? I figure I could get 2 x bicycle brake cables and snip them approx 10cm from the metal 'stopper', which would then be a perfect fit for the strimmer.

Pros - wouldn't need replacing nearly as often (frustrating to have to stop and take the head off the strimmer to advance it every few mins).
Cons - highly dangerous and would probably be extremely painful if it came into contact with my foot (steel toe caps it is then!).

Any other thoughts?

Thanks,
Chef

ormus

sounds just like the sort of thing i would do.
therefore not to be recommended.

ChefBungle

Any other thoughts?

withabix

You should not have to touch the head of the strimmer to advance the cord - it does that itself except when you strim things it isn't strong enough for (which chops it off right back to the hub usually)

What were you strimming? Were you pushing too hard and making the motor slow down?

You have to let the strimmer determine your strimming speed - if you keep slowing it down, you will use the cord up quickly and just 'chew' the grass etc.

Was it a 'starter reel' or a full one?

Wear eye protection - a strand of brake cable will take your eye out.

I use both B&D and Wickes/B&Q generic strimmer cord and a roll lasts me more than a year!!!

vaio

ormus wrote: »

sounds just like the sort of thing i would do.
therefore not to be recommended.

Gets my vote too, anything steel rotating at high speed can be seriously dangerous both to you and any passers-by, I did once use a bicycle spoke in a drill chuck as a makeshift strimmer (it didn’t work)

Ukuser

Pmsl !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

op above: that was so funny couldnt stop laughing for ages