Publication date: January 25, 2016.
Category: Articles.
A beautiful lawn is the face of a summer cottage, so most gardeners prefer to plant special silky grass on their land, which not only pleases the eye, but also replaces annoying weeds. In addition to top dressing and watering, lawn grass needs care, so it needs to be mowed periodically. For these purposes, you can choose an electric trimmer or lawn mower. Many prefer a trimmer. The reel with fishing line is the main tool of this device, it allows you to quickly cut off overgrown grass with an even layer. In addition, with the help of a trimmer, you can level the lawn in the most inaccessible places: on sections along paths and fences, around bushes, trees or a well.
Regardless of whether you use an ordinary tool equipped with only a fishing line, or an electric trimmer with a knife and fishing line, sooner or later you will have to change some elements of such a device. Unfortunately, at this point the instruction from the portable lawnmower, where all the necessary requirements are indicated, is already lost and many are faced with the question of buying the “right” fishing line.
Trimmer line specifications
To understand which fishing line for the trimmer is needed for your mower model, it is enough to determine its main parameters: thread thickness, section shape, composition. Consider all the components in more detail.
The thickness of the thread (cord)
You can find out the required thickness by looking at the characteristics of the trimmer or by reading the inscriptions on the universal bobbin. Most often used cords with a diameter of 1.2 to 4 mm. over, for each individual model there is a diameter of fishing line for the trimmer. The fact is that if the thread is thinner than necessary, then you will increase engine wear due to the increased number of shaft revolutions. If, on the contrary, it is too thick, then the rotation resistance will increase, and the engine will begin to overheat and ultimately fail. To determine the exact diameter of the thread, it is best to focus on the type of trimmer motor. Thus, the following is obtained:
- For an electric trimmer with a lower position of the “engine” with a power of less than 500 W, a thread with a thickness of 1.3 mm is required. If you did not find one, then you can use a thicker fishing line 1.6 mm, but no more.
- For an electric trimmer with an engine top position of about 1 kW, select a thread with a diameter of 2 mm.
It doesn’t matter what type of electric trimmer the shaft type is, bent or straight (allows you to install knives).
Advice! If initially a 1.6 mm diameter fishing line is installed in the tool, then you can put the thread at 2 mm, this will not affect the operation of the engine.
If we are talking about a gasoline model, then in this situation it is necessary to determine which shaft the mower has. For bent, the most commonly used threads are 2 mm thick. But on a tool with a direct shaft, a fishing line for a trimmer of 3 mm or 2.4-2.5 is installed. The thickest fishing line is usually placed on more powerful tools (from 1.3 kW).
If we talk about which fishing line copes better with young grass or perennial dead wood, then we can conditionally divide the cords into the following categories:
- Fishing line from 1.2 to 1.6 mm. This is the thinnest thread used to trim the lawn.
- 2. 2.4 will allow you to cut both young grass and harder. Suitable for periodic use.
- A thread from 3 to 3.2 mm will allow you to mow grass and thick stems of weeds or dead wood if you rarely travel out of town.
Less commonly found is a fishing line for a 4 mm trimmer. This is due to the fact that rarely anyone has to deal with such serious thickets. However, if you are the owner of a powerful gasoline “mower” and have not appeared in the country for several years, then a 4 mm fishing line will be the best option.
Sectional shape
There is a large selection of cords with different cross sections, depending on which the trimmer will be able to mow this or that grass:
- Cords with a round cross section are the most popular, while such fishing lines are cheaper than the rest, from 68 rubles (12 m). They mow fresh grass well, but do worse with deadwood and shrubs. The disadvantage of this fishing line is a fairly strong noise, which resembles a rumble from a running machine engine.
- Spiral (twisted) cord makes less noise, but does not differ in high strength. Therefore, such a fishing line is suitable only for thin young grass, which you constantly care for. Such a fishing line costs from 100 rubles.
- Square, rectangular or star fishing line allows you to more smoothly mow the lawn with low noise. True, such products also can not boast of durability. Such a thread will cost about 147 rubles per 12 meters.
- Jagged cord with sharp edges is used for large weeds in neglected areas. At the same time, the fishing line will not make much noise, and due to the increased aerodynamic properties of the mower, additional power will be given. Such a thread, costing from 200 rubles, is suitable for a powerful trimmer. Serrated cord is considered durable and reliable.
- A two-component, round-cut inner core fishing line is considered the strongest of all. Thanks to the core made of another material, even small shrubs can cut the cord. True, such a fishing line is suitable only for gas trimmers. Due to the high cost (from 250 rubles) of such a cord, it is impractical to use it daily.
Video: Which Fishing Line Is Better To Put On A Trimmer
The composition of the fishing line
The composition of the fishing line directly depends on how long it will last. Most often, the threads are made of nylon. This material wears out more slowly and is characterized by high performance in conditions of high temperature and heavy loads. The duration of work also does not affect the properties of nylon.
Coaxial fishing lines are considered the strongest. They can be distinguished by a dense core, due to which such cords wear out longer than nylon. It is difficult to cut such a fishing line with a knife, and during mowing it produces a minimum of noise.
The most expensive fishing line is the one that contains aluminum, or rather, its inclusion. Such a cord appeared on the market relatively recently, but it can already be said with confidence that it is the most durable.
In custody
After you have chosen the correct cord, you just have to remove the worn part, clean the trimmer from dirt and grass, refill the fishing line and you can begin to improve the summer cottage.
If you are going to tidy up the lawn or remove excess vegetation on the site that appeared during the season, then you are unlikely to be able to do without a trimmer. Before you consider how the choice of fishing line for the trimmer affects its functioning and effectiveness, you need to understand what this device is.
What is a grass trimmer?
What is the difference between trimmers?
The main difference between trimmers is the mowing width, which depends on the diameter of the circle that the line passes through. The number of lines that the device uses and their thickness may also differ. The body of the device itself can be made of steel or plastic, which affects not only its effectiveness, but also on price, ease of use and durability.
Trimmers differ from each other in the type of engines, which can have different power and country of manufacture. If we talk about the type of engine, devices that run on gasoline are more preferable than electric ones. They have more functionality and are easy to use. Unlike electric models, gas trimmers can be used immediately after rain. Rods are usually presented in two forms, each of which has its own characteristics. In straight-shaped trimmers, the cutting head is driven by a metal rod, and in curved. thanks to a steel cable.
Modern trimmers have various nozzles, thanks to which the device can be used for cleaning snow, cultivating the soil, cutting trees, forming a hedge, etc. Such functionality and ease of use have led to the fact that trimmers have become more in demand than lawn mowers, which have a lot application restrictions.
What kind of fishing line for the trimmer in composition, thickness and shape?
When working with a trimmer, the right choice of fishing line plays a paramount role and determines not only the effectiveness of the technique itself, but also the overall result of the work done. Despite the fact that there is a fairly large selection of various technical features, the main emphasis should be placed on exactly which line to choose for the trimmer. To do this, you need to understand what is the difference between different options for lines and which one is more preferable for a particular type of work.
If you highlight the main parameters of the fishing line, then usually classify them according to the following characteristics:
- Structure
- Thickness
- Sectional shape
The composition of the fishing line for trimmer
The composition directly affects the life of the fishing line. In most cases, it is made of nylon, since this material has high wear resistance with maximum preservation of working functionality. Also a clear advantage of nylon is that the material is independent of low temperature.
Trimmer line thickness
Also, the thickness of the fishing line must be selected based on the type of motor and power. For example, for electrical devices with a power of 1 kW, the best option would be to choose a cord of 2 mm, and for motors with a power of 500 W, the thickness of the fishing line should not exceed 1.6 mm.
Video on how to choose a fishing line for a trimmer
Cross-sectional shape of a fishing line for a trimmer
The main criteria for selecting the correct section shape is the level of noise emitted and the type of work. There are a fairly large number of forms, including square, star, rectangular, notched forms, etc. There are two-component twisted fishing lines that are ideal for mowing dry grass. Such fishing lines are much stronger and more resistant to gusts, therefore they have a long service life. Twisted fishing lines are suitable even for mowing shrubs. Their only minus is the price, which is much higher than for ordinary types of cord.
Tips for choosing a fishing line for the trimmer for proper operation
It is the choice of fishing line that is the most common question that bothers the owners of this device. If the choice of technical characteristics, features and shape is relevant only when buying a trimmer, then the choice of cord is always important. It is its quality that determines the effectiveness and ability to perform various types of work.
To find out how to choose a fishing line for a trimmer, you need to correctly determine the type of work and the purpose of operation of the device. Adhering to simple rules, you will not only extend the fishing line itself, but also increase the operability of the device:
- Choose a cord diameter that is suitable for your particular engine type. Its parameters should fully match the capabilities of the device.
- Also, when choosing a fishing line, it is necessary to take into account the type of vegetation. The thickness of the cord should depend on the complexity of the work. For example, any thin line is suitable for seasonal lawn mowing, and thicker options are best for shrubs and perennial weeds.
- When working, try to avoid cord contact with hard surfaces such as stones, foundations, and trees.
- With proper operation, the fishing line and reel will last a fairly long period, which will allow you not only to perform the required amount of work, but also significantly save finances.
- Do not try to buy the most expensive fishing line options. Sometimes this is completely useless. It is much more important to pay attention to the manufacturer and quality, and not to the special conditions of the cord.
It is also important to understand how to tackle the line in the trimmer. An incorrect winding procedure can cause it to fail, and you will have to purchase another skein. If you do not possess such skills and do not know all the features of the operation of the device, then it is better to ask all the details from a consultant when buying a fishing line.
Some trimmer models require only a certain type of wood, so when buying equipment, make sure that it is suitable for the intended tasks. All information can be found in the instructions. Also always pay attention to the thickness of the fishing line, which is indicated in the basic characteristics of the trimmer. Using a thicker or thinner cord can cause rapid wear and even breakage of the mechanism itself.
Video about choosing a fishing line for a trimmer
What do you pay attention to when choosing a fishing line for a trimmer? Share your experience in the comments.