the grass round my allotment is really overgrown, I have a little
battery strimmer which wont hardly touch it, would a big macho
petrol one do the job, recommendations?
--
Mike Reid
Shetland, Yell and Unst
"http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/skyepics.htm#shetland"

"The Reid" <dontuse [at] fell-walker.co.uk> wrote in message
news:gjvs821b2hlq2baf28a94iq9tdb73q8u7d [at] 4ax.com...
> the grass round my allotment is really overgrown, I have a little
> battery strimmer which wont hardly touch it, would a big macho
> petrol one do the job, recommendations?
> --

Oh yes, it gives them what for.

I've got a Robin one which I got off freecycle, but I've seen JCB ones
advertised in Aldi occasionally for £59.99 (IIRC)

Don't forget your gloves and goggles, they chuck bits of nettles in all
directions.

Steve

> "The Reid" <dontuse [at] fell-walker.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:gjvs821b2hlq2baf28a94iq9tdb73q8u7d [at] 4ax.com...
> > the grass round my allotment is really overgrown, I have a little
> > battery strimmer which wont hardly touch it, would a big macho
> > petrol one do the job, recommendations?
> > --
>
> Oh yes, it gives them what for.
>
> I've got a Robin one which I got off freecycle, but I've seen JCB ones
> advertised in Aldi occasionally for £59.99 (IIRC)
>
> Don't forget your gloves and goggles, they chuck bits of nettles in all
> directions.
>
> Steve

The little battery ones are useless. The big petrol ones are the best, I
cannot use my husbands as I find it too heavy so he bought me a Stihl
FS45, around £120 ish. I can handle that fairly easy, Steve is right
they do chuck bits of nettle everywhere :-)

kate

"shazzbat" <shazzbat [at] spamlessness.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:e6lvmk$5sk$1 [at] news8.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "The Reid" <dontuse [at] fell-walker.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:gjvs821b2hlq2baf28a94iq9tdb73q8u7d [at] 4ax.com...
>> the grass round my allotment is really overgrown, I have a little
>> battery strimmer which wont hardly touch it, would a big macho
>> petrol one do the job, recommendations?
>> --
>
> Oh yes, it gives them what for.
>
> I've got a Robin one which I got off freecycle, but I've seen JCB ones
> advertised in Aldi occasionally for £59.99 (IIRC)
>
> Don't forget your gloves and goggles, they chuck bits of nettles in all
> directions.

don't bother with a strimmer. get yourself a brushcutter. they are the
same price but much better.

"The Reid" <dontuse [at] fell-walker.co.uk> wrote in message
news:gjvs821b2hlq2baf28a94iq9tdb73q8u7d [at] 4ax.com...
> the grass round my allotment is really overgrown, I have a little
> battery strimmer which wont hardly touch it, would a big macho
> petrol one do the job, recommendations?

Any of the Honda engines range.
You'll appreciate the lack of vibration and smell of 2 stroke won't be there
either.

Some packs have a brushcutter attachment too. Watch the feet ;-)

Full face mask is essential, as would be earplugs for longer periods of use.

Oh,
By the way,

You'll have fun picking the bits of thistle, nettle and weed from your
clothing and socks. especially when it all starts to itch like F**k ;-)

Mike Reid stopped walking for a moment and asked
> the grass round my allotment is really overgrown, I have a little
> battery strimmer which wont hardly touch it, would a big macho
> petrol one do the job, recommendations?

Any of the petrol ones will outperform the battery electriic ones, and by a
large degree.

Lots of makes, mostly 2 stroke engines so you have to mix special oil with
the petrol.

Stihl are acknowledged to be the most robust, best, which is why
professionals use them, sky's the limit price wise.
http://www.stihl.co.uk/html/default_fr.php?category=product
I use a Husqvarna and am very pleased with it's performance and durability
and would buy another.( they also make an excellent 2 stroke oil)
http://www.husqvarna.co.uk/
Then there are the Honda 4 stroke engined ones, no mixing of oil, less
vibration and a lot less noise but again not cheap.
http://www.honda.co.uk/garden/GardenStoreLookupServlet?hidAc tionDetail=GetBrushcutterList&hidTitle=Brushcutters& MowerType=

About £120 gets you a decent 2 stroke strimmer capable of the job you want
it for, but don't forget the full face visor, gloves, and ear protectors,
and always cover up, they can and do chuck stones at you together with bits
of nettle etc. If you can get one with a harness it makes life easier.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

Following up to The Reid

thanks for all the advice!
--
Mike Reid
Shetland, Yell and Unst
"http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/skyepics.htm#shetland"

Following up to The Reid

>thanks for all the advice!

I was surprised to find my local garden centres don't stock
mowers etc any more! Restros are more profitable + the effect of
the web?
Anyway, having read this thread and the other recent one and
spoken to the blokes at the allotment I've ordered a Honda 4
stroke UMK425UE with "motorcycle" grip, harness, googles and
blade kit from west skelton services. £255.00
The bloke on the next plot had a tripe bypass and the one beyond
that the lady is 85 so I reckon with a nice machine I can do all
three.

that grass is gonna kiss a*** !
--
Mike Reid
Shetland, Yell and Unst
"http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/skyepics.htm#shetland"

The message <aan292ptb8bs8qra5c6a9c6trkdch51sli [at] 4ax.com>
from The Reid <dontuse [at] fell-walker.co.uk> contains these words:


> The bloke on the next plot had a tripe bypass and the one beyond
> that the lady is 85 so I reckon with a nice machine I can do all
> three.

> that grass is gonna kiss a*** !

Yes, that too has been known to happen with strimmers..make sure your
neighbours are well out of range when using it.
:-)

Janet

--
Isle of Arran Open Gardens weekend 21,22,23 July 2006
5 UKP three-day adult ticket (funds go to island charities) buys entry
to 26 private gardens

"The Reid" <dontuse [at] fell-walker.co.uk> wrote in message
news:aan292ptb8bs8qra5c6a9c6trkdch51sli [at] 4ax.com...
> Following up to The Reid
>
>>thanks for all the advice!
>
> I was surprised to find my local garden centres don't stock
> mowers etc any more! Restros are more profitable + the effect of
> the web?
> Anyway, having read this thread and the other recent one and
> spoken to the blokes at the allotment I've ordered a Honda 4
> stroke UMK425UE with "motorcycle" grip, harness, googles and
> blade kit from west skelton services. £255.00
> The bloke on the next plot had a tripe bypass and the one beyond
> that the lady is 85 so I reckon with a nice machine I can do all
> three.
>
> that grass is gonna kiss a*** !

I was forced to eat tripe as a kid, and it was the most disgusting thing I
ever put in my mouth.

Bypassing it is always a good idea.

Steve

The message <e6s851$hq1$1 [at] news7.svr.pol.co.uk>
from "shazzbat" <shazzbat [at] spamlessness.fsnet.co.uk> contains these words:


> I was forced to eat tripe as a kid, and it was the most disgusting thing I
> ever put in my mouth.

Me too, but wait till you strim a big slug.

Janet

--
Isle of Arran Open Gardens weekend 21,22,23 July 2006
5 UKP three-day adult ticket (funds go to island charities) buys entry
to 26 private gardens

Janet Baraclough wrote:
> The message from "shazzbat" contains these words:
>> I was forced to eat tripe as a kid, and it was the most disgusting thing I
>> ever put in my mouth.
>
> Me too, but wait till you strim a big slug.

There are worse things to strim...


....a "keeping cats out thread" ?


Perhaps not!

Following up to shazzbat

>I was forced to eat tripe as a kid, and it was the most disgusting thing I
>ever put in my mouth.
>
>Bypassing it is always a good idea.

those spellcheckers! Thats my favouite typo for weeks!
--
Mike Reid
Shetland, Yell and Unst
"http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/skyepics.htm#shetland"

Following up to Janet Baraclough

>> I was forced to eat tripe as a kid, and it was the most disgusting thing I
>> ever put in my mouth.
>
> Me too, but wait till you strim a big slug.

ummm. sushi.
--
Mike Reid
Shetland, Yell and Unst
"http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/skyepics.htm#shetland"

Following up to Chris Bacon

>> Me too, but wait till you strim a big slug.
>
>There are worse things to strim...

hence the expression, "when the *** hits the strimmer"?
--
Mike Reid
Shetland, Yell and Unst
"http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/skyepics.htm#shetland"

Following up to The Reid

>> Me too, but wait till you strim a big slug.
>
>ummm. sushi.

I must say the brushcutter blade is very effective, although I
would recommend a full face shield and not working near other
people. Having strimmed my "paths" into something less like the
Serengeti, I attacked a neighbours and then his neighbours,
within two hours all nettle filled corners of the alotments have
been cleared in an orgy of destruction, along with one or two
bean canes and the odd shed. I have been into parts of the
compound never before visited by man. Nettles and brambles fall
before me. Nature is vanquished. I am STRIMMERMAN, oh, sorry, got
carried away for a moment.
Expensive but excellent and a cuckoo has joined our parakeets,
egret, woodpeckers and sparrowhawk. Things are looking up.
--
Mike Reid
Shetland, Yell and Unst
"http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/skyepics.htm#shetland"

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

Following up to Janet Baraclough

> You've reminded me why, after his first rampage, I never used to let
>John loose with our brushcutter and always did it myself. Ditto, the
>Sheen flame gun, just as much fun but even more potential for a chap to
>play at being Arnold Schwarzenegger:-)

Flame gun? That sounds even better. Why did nobody tell me about
them?

I can see the local press "Scorched earth policy at local
allotments"

> If you use the brushcutter a lot I recommend you look up something
>called "white finger" and follow the appropriate steps to protect
>yourself against it.

thats one reason I got a 4 stroke, whixch I understand helps.
Its got an overhead cam, you know. I wonder if it can be hotted
up? Maybe a spoiler on the guard?
--
Mike Reid
Shetland, Yell and Unst
"http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/skyepics.htm#shetland"