Hack a String Trimmer - this rips stuff up
Вставка
- Опубліковано 31 тра 2018
- Hack your tools. This string trimmer hack turns a flawed lawn care tool into an awesome destroying machine (instant mulch!). Yes, my inexpensive Harbor Freight string trimmer quit working right so I hacked it. With this mod it now works better thank my Black & Decker string trimmer (check out the side by side comparison in the first demo / test). This machine modification is easy & doesn't cost much. In this video I even turned small tree branches into instant mulch; something this trimmer could never come close to doing before. I expected this to work well but it is awesome beyond my expectations.
Key materials:
1. 4 strand, 20 gauge, galvanized utility wire/cable (found in the hardware section of a local hardware store)
2. 1/2" (12.7 mm) Grommets. I used Gardner Bender part # GHG-1550 (found in the electrical section of a local hardware store)
While I've had allot of fun testing, modifying & testing this hack even more I would be remiss not to mention again the dangers of this sort of machine adjustment. You could damage the trimmer or possibly even get hurt if you are not very careful. Always wear the necessary protective gear. Know your surroundings and watch your angles. Don't try this around people, animals or delicate items (ex. decorations). There is a risk of dislodged, flying pieces of steel cable (so be cautious and prepared at all times).
Music by Purple Planet
www.purple-planet.com/ - Навчання та стиль
this is a great way of getting rid of unsightly cardboard boxes that grow in your garden
For the last 18 months I've not let the lawn crew edge or use a weed eater in my back yard. ua-cam.com/users/postUgkx_rBCFuDW1zD6blTGhLkvAkxU657uR_lG I didn't like the fact that they just kept cutting the edge of the lawn further and further from the rock lining the flower beds and leaving bare ground. And the grass was trimmed or scalped several feet around trees, etc. It was a constant battle with them so I told them to just mow and no trimming. I have Zoysia grass so it grows pretty slow. Obviously after a while it could use some trimming. I'm in my 80's so I can't do much of it myself.Finally I decided that if I could find a lightweight battery powered trimmer I might be able to do some light trimming. I decided to buy the LST201 20V trimmer. And it works great for my needs. I have back yard with about 150' of flower beds and several trees to be trimmed. I can lightly trim the whole yard with a single charge! The grass I trimmed was only a few inches high but the trimmer was more powerful than I expected.
Spamming channels about string trimmers? I see this copy and paste all over.
I tried this on my black+decker string trimmer and it worked great!!! Awesome idea, thanks!!
Very nice... so glad to hear the feedback. I appreciate you taking time to watch the video and post your comment... oh, and you are very welcome!
Ive been scratching my head trying to figure out how to utilize my old strimmer as the plastic line seems to run out quicker than I can replace it. Thanks for the hack - I’m going down the shed now to try this out.
This is really a great hack!! I’ve put liquid solder on the cable, and it’s helped quite a bit!! Great idea!!
What a brilliant fantastic idea your my hero I have all the stuff in the garage so I'll be converting my 2 strimmers THANK YOU VERY MUCH, Geoff over the pond in England
Thank you so much for the awesome feedback! Hope it works out well for you... I'd love to hear about your results.
Man you just saved me some money i was about to order and replace the head with the strongest line i could find you are a Genius and i really mean that . Thanks alot
I appreciate the feedback and the extremely kind words. One thing is for sure... I have allot of fun doing this kind of stuff. Thanks for taking the time to watch my video and post a comment.
😊
This video is great ! I bought the parts and can't wait to try it out.
Sorry for the delay in reply... I really do appreciate that you took the time to watch and post a comment! Turns out I got to reply to this and the post test feedback on the same day (oops). Thanks again!!
Thank, you, I love the simplicity and versatility of the method you used for your mod.
It will be great for me, to first test, if a soldered version of the cable/wire version., Will last long enough. To make it worthwhile, to make (or modify an online version) of an adapter that holds the wires.... Which is a faster way to change the wires, when they wear out....
Possible to throw pieces of the cable out if it gets frayed, then your dealing with little metal strands sticking into your legs/feet or worse your eyes and face. There's a reason these dont come with metal line.
Absolutely true. This sort of stuff can be very dangerous
Or maybe they want you to keep buying their string? Business 101.
I’d rather deal with the potential of these stands hitting your legs (I mean why aren’t you wearing long pants and boots when trimming anyway) than a wire wheel when buffing welds 😂
This is a great idea, I had some cable so tried this fix without the grommets and the cable lasted less than a minute before breaking free. I will try grommets at the weekend when I get to the shop
I'd love to hear how it turns out if you get a chance to come back with an update. Just as a thought too... I have found that higher torque trimmers are harder on the cable so it requires some beefier cable. Thank you for taking time to watch my video and post a comment. I really appreciate it!
YO! This is freaking awesome!! Thank you so much! I’m also going to follow the soldering tips from others as well.
If this saves me a lot of time and frustration, I’m going to be one happy chick!
I have the exact same trimmer w the exact same problem. You just changed my life.
Awesome, thanks for the feedback. I am experimenting to figure out a type of wire/cable that will last even longer before it snaps off. I tried a couple of viewer suggestions (including clothes hanger) which worked great but did not last long enough. If you try it out, I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Thanks again for the comment and for watching my video!!
@@DialedInDIY How about insulated electrical wire? Maybe the coating will keep it from fraying.
Thanks... I like the idea. I'm adding that to my list of viewer suggestions to try out.
@@DialedInDIY Or speaker or old telephone wire. Still braided and flexible, but insulated to stop the fraying.
@@DialedInDIY Kinda sucks, I just put a munch of old telephone wire out to the trash a couple weeks ago, after holding on to it for years. This is why I'm becoming a hoarder.
That's so nice you let your landscaping get overgrown for this hack, hehe. One thing is for sure, the cleanup after isn't fun at all. One caution! Some years back I got a solid metal disk as a replacement for the string & the results were similar. Things really do get thrown around & the use of safety glasses can't be stressed enough. Also, just in case you get clumsy or thrown off balance, wear some closed toe shoes or boots, I learned that from the regular string trimmer :)
Thank you very much, and yes... that is exactly what I did, let it grow out so I could make the video (LOL). So true about your safety recommendations!! I was originally going to do something similar to the disk replacement you mentioned but I was not sure how I could do that and make it safe enough for others to potentially replicate as a DIY solution. Was the disc replacement available to purchase like that? Was it metal? I appreciate you taking the time to comment and to watch my video! Thanks again.
I was running an un-modified electric weed trimmer and got a piece of grass shot into my eye (got it out,, no damage) Safety Glasses are a MUST, even sun glasses work better than nothin!
The twisted wire was already starting to untwist after the first use. The wire needs to be made untwist-able with solder or possibly hot-glue. If the wire untwists, it will probably fly out at some point.
It will indeed separate and fly off much the same way regular line flies off. That is why I have always been cautious to watch my angles, make sure the trimmer guard is between me and the line and make sure that nobody is close by. Thanks for watching a taking time to post your comment!
I've soldered the end bit on both sides of the cable, seems to be holding up well
Flux & solder,flux will make it easier.
To make wire that won’t in twist look at how to make yo yo string lmao
I have a Black n Decker weed eater that I'm going to modify to get the beast eater that you created. After modifying, I'll have the dual cutting action which I'm sure is better. This will be a fun project for getting some serious lawn work done around my home. Thanks for posting.
Thanks so much for the feedback... and taking time to watch my vid. I'd love to hear how your hacking efforts turn out with the weed eater.
Just Brilliant! I'll get on it right away! Thanx M8!
I'd love to hear how it turns out if you try it. I am working on finding something that will last a bit longer too (if it hits a thick branch, etc. it can snap off quicker). Thanks for watching and for the comment (I greatly appreciate it!).
I’ve read some of the comments and I think soldering or putting super glue on the wires will help the splitting when in use, this is a great hack!
I thought I replied to this before... so sorry either way; if I am really late or if you are getting a second response. I will add that to my list of experiments to try with this hack (I've got a great add on list now). Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment.
Good job. I saw another video where a similar setup was done only difference is the guy soldered the cable sections that do the cutting. Lasted well and did not fray easily.....👍👌
Thank you so much for sharing the tip... I am going to have to try that. Sorry for the delay in reply... I really do appreciate that you took the time to watch and post a comment!
I did this wrong the first time I tried this hack because it had been awhile since I watched your video and thiugh I remembered right. I put the wire directly on the shaft and put the grommet over it. In less than 5 minutes, the wire fell out. I rewatched your video and did it right this time. Works great, thanks! Instead of spending 6-8 dollars on the cable, I had a few feet cut at Homedepot at .36/ft. The grommets cost more than the wire.
Thank you very much. So glad to hear you tried it and liked the results. Thanks for taking the time to watch my video and post a comment.
Am I glad I kept watching videos. I had been trying to make the Echo 400 Universal work on a Black and Decker String Trimmer. Seems it has attachments / adapters for everything BUT a Black and Decker it is one axle you can not just put an adapter on. I don't know why still. They have the motor on there then they have a bushing and lock nut. But there is also a plastic gear wheel. So instead of ruining my brand new string trimmer I am just going to go get these parts you talk about and take out the refill spool that is the bump head. I had for the past year been using the handle feed and I literally had to open the cap head up every 30 SECONDS TO GET STRING. I DID THIS FOR A YEAR UNTIL IT BURNED UP AND I LOST MY MIND!!! I am old and can no longer hold the gas or battery pack ones. I sure hope this works! Thank you in advance for some reasonable work around. Antoinette
Thank you so much for the great feedback. Hope all goes well with your trimmer hacking! I was doing the EXACT same thing with my trimmer (every 30 seconds) which is what led me to the hack. Just a tip; some people have found that trimmers with more power snap the wire quick using the gauge I did in the video. If you have that happen with the B&D then try a bigger gauge wire.
Thank You! You are a God among men! This is perfect....I need the cutting power for an electric wacker, as I hate messing with gas-powered models
You are too kind my friend! Thank you so much for the great feedback and for watching my video. I agree re the gas-powered models too.
Wow! Here I am thinking that my quad string hack was destructive. Thanks👍🏾
Ooooh... I like the sound of Quad String Hack. How did you rig that and did you use regular string trimmer line? Thanks for watching and posting your comment.
That's ingenius! Brilliant hack thanks for that!
You are very welcome. Thanks for taking time to watch and post your comment. I really appreciate it!
I believe this is just the answer I've been searching for! Thanks so much for sharing this great hack! :-)
Awesome... thank you very much for the feedback. If you get a chance to try it out, then I'd love to hear how it worked for you! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment.
This is a fantastic idea which I've almost done before but was a bit nervous. My weedeater goes through so much string its crazy. I do have quite a bit of weeding but I have to restring it at least twice but lately three times which is a pain. I've thought about purchasing a few replacements so I can have them strung up and ready to go before use but still I've been thinking of using some wire which I have laying around already. I was thinking more along the lines of making knots then this but seeing how it seems to work well I'll try it. Thanks
It is a pain when it chews through the nylon line real fast. If you get a chance to try it out I'd love to hear how it worked for you!
@@DialedInDIY it definitely is a pain for sure. The last thing you want to do when you're weedesting is stop every 15min and replace it. I'll be sure to give an update.
Thanks. I was tired of fighting with my weed eater in extreme heat this is a life saver
So glad you liked the video. I appreciate you taking time to comment after watching!
I'm going to try and use wire in Drill at low speed with holding caple with pliers to tighten Wire cable. And wrap wire around cable like you said to strengthen it
Plus I think one of the comments about glue or Soder will help a little and then wrapping Duct Tape around Cable twist will help a little with cable unraveling
Thank you for tip 👍
I've often wondered about using some kind of metals. We have 3 weedwhackers here. Time to play!
I have had some serious fun experimenting with this one! My main caution to anyone trying this is to make sure to stay behind the trimmer head and definitely make sure nothing living is anywhere near when in use; flying shrapnel (but I'm guessing that warning is not needed for you given your user pic/image). Thanks for the comment!
i was setting up my trimmer to do the same with wire rope , however i will silver solder the ends or even the whole string!!! thank you for yours !!
Thanks so much for the feedback... I appreciate you taking the time to comment after watching the video!
I did the solder thing on the ends once. In theory its a good idea. In actuality youre making shrapnel. The bending flexong and centripetal force on the cable will dislodge the silver solder and youll end up in the emergency room getting metal removed from your shins. Or some kid will lise an eye 3 blocks away.
@@davidreynolds4684 haha.i nearly understood that.i use plastic coated cable and melt the ends.and into middle I take an inch or so of the coating. And fo what you did..
@@Billynicho ferrels work great if you find the sweet spot tightening them down. Little barrell ferrels with twin allen screws tightened down in the center cap will last a while if you screw around and crank them too much the cable will break pretty quickly. Not tight enough and youll lose a foot or your junk! I know for a fact the last time i was at our lake house in whitney texas i found the corded weed eater i kodified when i was 11 maybe. It still had the same leaders in it . I have replaced tge split weights out over the years. Thats what i secured the cable with and it has held.
We should get a club together. We could call it the league of extraordinary dumbasses. We could have gatherings at various parks around the us and cut the grass. Wed be able to recognize a fellow brother or sister as tgey will be missing varioius limbs hace eye patches and horrible garot cable scars over the body parts still there. That would make a funny ass video
Wow! Awesome! Forget breaking strings and time-consuming restringing!!! 😉👍
You could dig a hole with that!!! 😁
Lol.... it actually does chew into dirt fast so I think you are right (I might even try digging a hole that way just for fun). thanks so much for the great feedback/comment!
@@DialedInDIY Hey, just watch them toes!! I thought of that when I hit the tip of my shoe with my string trimmer! Wear steel toe boots! 👣
@@misskitty8510 very smart suggestion!!
Man ..I'm trying this..I'm a DIY man and you just made me laugh...in a great way...thanks
Awesome! Thanks so much for the comment (and for watching)
I'm a d i y er too! ! & going to try it out in a few minutes. ..
@@melissapeck3089 I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Thanks for taking time to comment, I appreciate it!
Thanks for this, it lasts so much longer and takes way less time to cut everything.
Awesome, I really love the feedback. So sorry for the delay in reply... I really do appreciate that you took the time to watch and post a comment!
You're having so much fun!!!
I've attempted braided aircraft cable and found very quickly it just comes unraveled and eventually deteriorates. My second test was with solid stainless steel thread. This stuff was amazing. Awesome for just plants and tall grasses. Both in the open and up against patio stones and rocks. I would be very careful around trees as this is equivalent to a saw blade.
Thanks so much! I really appreciate the feedback and you taking time to watch my video and post your comment! [Sorry for the delayed reply. I just found a large volume of comments that never showed up in my main notifications list]
John I had the same issue with the recommended method. Cable unraveled and then the first stone or brick it hit the cable broke off right at the outlet hole of the trimmer. Tried this technique 2x and same outcome. On to a different line trimmer hack approach for me. THX for the idea and video tho! Very well made.
@@DialedInDIY can you make a replacement for the ozito bladed trimmer and how you can make it into normal line please
The video I was looking for! Thanks bro 😎
that little this is a beast after modification......i can see the grass are crying already...r.i.p lol
LOL.... yes, and I have had fun seeing what I can destroy with it (for scientific testing purposes only, of course). Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!!
very useful video from the start. Subscribed!
Awesome! Thank you very much for the feedback and the sub! I really appreciate it.
Perfect solution for my Harbor Freight electric weed wacker. I plan on stepping it up even more because I cleared an acre in back of my house and after clearing it of brush I now have small tree stumps. I think I can modify the weed wacker and install a circular wood blade which should work very well. Good job. Your video is great.
Thank you very much for the feedback. The circular blade is what I really wanted to do but I did the cable for video purposes. I'd love to hear how the blade turns out and what worked for attaching it securely. If you make a vid let me know and I will watch it!! Thanks for watching and posting!
I ran out of string during a job,had some rebar wire,it worked well.
Rebar wire!.. great idea. Thanks for taking time to post the idea!
It took me a while to figure out why my line trimmers were not feeding. You tube videos never addressed what I found. After opening up mechanism and sanding all the plastic notches guides and surfaces and oiling , it worked. Of course follow all the UA-cam guides to wind in right direction and choose correct string diameter.
That sounds like a great fix... thanks for sharing that. My trimmer had some other issues that would have required replacing some of those parts and I was not too keen on that because it was kinda cheap to begin with. I will have to remember that for my remaining (good) trimmer. Did you sand the teeth to make sharper angles?
@@DialedInDIY just a random rub around with sandpaper. I tested the mechanism by hand, pushing and turning until it seemed to free up more smoothly. It will feel right once freed up.
@@Swenser That makes good sense. Thanks for the follow-up.
Genius! What a great solution, thank you!!
Greatly appreciate the kind words... thank you for taking the time to watch and post a comment.
pro tip : watch movies at Flixzone. Been using them for watching a lot of movies during the lockdown.
@Nickolas Gus yup, I've been using flixzone} for since november myself =)
Very innovative!. Well done
Thank you very much. I really appreciate the kind words and you taking the time to post a comment!
Man, that is just mean, evil and destructive.
I love it!
They had us in the first half, not gonna lie.
LOL... thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment!
Pretty interesting. Great results.
Thank you very much, I appreciate it!
I've often fantasized about this, but never knew how to do it safely.
Now I know the secret:
GROMMETS!
Its all about the grommets... which by the way is something very different in beach communities (lol).
I’m at Lowes right now looking for cable to do this on my Harbor Freight Trimmer. Might do as you suggested & get higher gauge wire
Could also try soldering about 10 mm of the tips of the cable to make cable stronger & prevent it shredding the fibres & unravelling,but do it with the grommet removed as there will be heat transfer along the entire length ☺
Great suggestion. I have had some similar responses... I'm going to have to give that a test sometime. Thanks for watching and for commenting!
Love your 'destructive' attitude!! Arrr-arrr - more power is what we need! Great hack! Thanks.
Thank you so much for the great comment... and for watching my vid. Hope all is well!
Great tip/ hack. I'm gonna try it. thanks :)
Awesome... I'd love to hear how it turns out for you! Thanks for taking the time to post!
Wow... Superb mod, thanks
Thank you so much for the feedback!
OMFGG I never thought of this..... oh boy I'm waiting to get home to try this...………………. lol... I love it … I love it... this rymes with "clucking bell !!!!!"
Awwweeessssoooooome! If you get a chance to try it I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment!
That is to fancy but I like it..... A simpler way is take 2 pieces of tie steel wire twist one end to stop it from pulling though the holes cut to length put the cap back on and you are ready to get some work done. Be careful not a toy it will take a finger or toe off with no problem. The skill saw mod is my favorite it will cut though a 2 inch branch no joke or your leg. Thank you for posting this video.... Take care and have a great day everyone......
Thank you very much for the comment and feedback! I love the saw mod... my original plan was a circular saw blade (if that is what you meant) but I had visions of someone trying to copy it and having the blade fly off after getting up to speed and then bouncing like a Tasmanian Devil destroying everything and everyone around. Don't get me wrong... I am still going to try that mod I just haven't decided if I will make a video of it or not. PS: love your simplified version (I will try something like that also)!
Dialed In DIY need a don't try this at home disclaimer.. Take care.......
I was thinking coat hanger wire looped around the center shaft!
Another awesome idea! Thanks for the feedback... I am actually going to try out both of these suggestions this weekend. Looped wire is quicker but hanger will last much longer (and possibly more devastating). Thanks for watching and for the comment/suggestion!!
Hanger was definitely more devastating but it didn't last nearly as long as I had hoped. BUT... it cut straight through PVC. I'm going to see if I can figure a way to get it to be more durable.
Sounds like a good idea. I'm gonna try it
Fantastic! Glad to hear you liked it. I'd love to hear how it turns out for you if you do try it... I've been hearing allot of good feedback from people who have tried it out and it is giving me some great ideas for alternate methods / similar hacks.
Id like to see if that can edge a serious overgrown path. going to give it a go. Thanks
I don't know why, but I really enjoyed this; maybe a bit too much. I was looking at that trimmer at the harbor freight site an hour or so ago and may pick one up next time I had up that way. Thanks for the honest review and hack idea. =)
Thank you very much for taking the time to watch my video and post a comment! I greatly appreciate it.
Great hack! I was about to return the same trimmer since the strings keeps getting tangled. I was looking for some steel attachment for this type of trimmer but nothing to be found! Thanks for the hack, I think it is a great idea!
Thank you very much for watching and taking the time to comment! I really appreciate it.
I think I've heard you as a Late night FM DJ...Thanks
LOL... I have been told that before. I tend to do my voice stuff later at night so while trying not to be too loud for those attempting to sleep I end up sliding into the more "DJ-like" tones and flow. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment!!
This a great DIY concept, but like others who have tried it, the wire lasts 30 - 90 seconds before needing to be replaced. In my case the whipping of the of the wire quickly creates a joint at entry the hole that causes the wire to weaken with each rotation. At the rate of 100s rotations per second, it does not take long for the braided wire to break off at the joint.
soldering the cable, will make it last much longer.... ,
and it only lasts 30 seconds, when it is used against abrasive surfaces like concrete, which a plastic line would only last 1 second before more line would be needed to take its place....
Yea that's cool , the Cats Meow however if your Wacker has a threaded shaft , is to take a saw blade one of the cheap like skill saw -- 7-1/4 " they come with various adapters, get a couple fender washers , you can get a Allen head bolt with a shoulder on it , now remember the Wacker turns counterclockwise so make sure you put the blade teeth going in the right direction, Ive found the plywood / finishing blades ( high tooth count ) work better .
Now that is an idea I'm going to have to try out (but not do a video on). Thanks so much for the tip!
Table saw blade retro fitted on those work amazing for saplings and up too 3ish inches thick. Be careful with the saw blade as it can get a bit wild. Lol. Watch out for the steel cable too throw needles at your shins and legs as it’s wearing down.
Saw blade is a very curiously fun sounding idea. For any of the hacks I use (or try) I make sure to keep the kick guard between me and the spinning materials... and then avoid using when anyone is around. Thanks for the great idea!.. and for watching.
Oh man! I've got to try this. Except for me, I'm going to make two wires to create a 4 way cutter.
Great idea; I'd love to hear how it turns out if you get a chance to try it. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it!
You, sir, have created a very lethal weapon...
Very lethal for plants that is for sure... but also, a modification that warrants caution too. Thanks for taking the time to watch and post a comment.
cant wait to try it out
Where was the braided utility wire found I'm not finding braided at Lowe's and ace doesn't seem to have it. Any part numbers to it?
Instead of galvanized wire as you suggest, I used plastic coated picture wire and got better results
That is a great idea. I am going to add that to my growing list of alternatives to try out. Thanks for watching and sharing your idea!!
Fantastic. Thank you!
Very welcome. Thanks for watching and posting. Hope you are staying safe and healthy.
I'm imagining the uncoordinated guy that keeps on hiting the siding on his house or garage with the wire setup. After three trimmings his house or garage will be an inch shorter. :O)
HAA
Love the mental image... too funny. Thanks for taking the time to post up!
That would be me 😂
That would make a good scene in a jim carey movie. Guys weedeating with a modified alcohol fully blown big block weedeater. Cuts the lower plate off the corner of his house or better yet. Gonna tidy up stonehenge. Grounds keeper remodels world treasure. Stonehenge now gravel pit. The vicarious liability would bite me in the arse.
Love that plot scenario. I'd watch that!!
I think the only caveat not mentioned are possible sparks thrown when hitting rocks and concrete. You should pay attention in case you have to stomp out a small fire. Or maybe have a bucket of water handy.
You have a good point and it is one I watched for very carefully. Turns out the risk was far less than the metal toothed edgers (can't remember what they are really called) and even more so when it comes to lawn mowers. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
I have tried 3 different kits for putting blades on my trimmer none of which installed correctly. So, this is the next step!
Awesome... hope it is exactly what you were looking for.
I've tested on more than one trimmer now and one thing I have noticed is that the torque of the specific trimmer type really effects how the wire holds up. I did find that heavier fence wire that is coated in a plastic held up better at the point it exits the spindle (but the coating disappears quick on the cutting ends).
Did this one time and it worked for a little while. the cable eventually broke. I used thin steel cable. I used an old trimmer that belonged to my grandfather and it was gnarly, it had a friggin chain as the cutting blade. I'm not sure if he made that or purchased it but I could cut a thick bush down like it's a tree. the trimmer cut right through it like a chainsaw.
Hmmmm... a chain. There are several issues solved with a chain... biggest is that it flexes better and is less likely to snap or snag on thick items. I might have to try it as a fun experiment. Thanks for watching & commenting.
@@DialedInDIY the chain had ends that resembled blades so maybe it was purchased back in the day.
You can still buy chainsaw attachments for weed eaters. Harbor freight sells the attachment for around 70$. It is significantly smaller then a normal chainsaw though
Man you nailed it!!!
Thank you very much! I appreciate you taking time to watch and post a comment!!
My type of video! EXCELLENT
That was pretty funny, and great hack.
Thank you very much. I actually laughed pretty hard the first time I got the right combo of wire and set-up... the impact was too fun not to share. I appreciate you taking the time to watch my video and post a comment!
Nice little idea
Thank you very much! :-) Thanks for watching and taking time to comment!!
I did mine with coat hanger five years ago, still going strong.
Just got added to my list to test! I love that idea... thanks so much for taking time to watch and post a comment.
Going to try that tomorrow
I'm sick of having to put new line on my trimmer every time it breaks
Did you get a chance to try it? I'd love to hear how it turned out.
@@DialedInDIY I did but it was with cable from a box trailer lol bit too thick.... The trimmer head was vibrating like crazy
I'll have to try the thinner cable
I sliced sheet metal into two small blades and replaced the plastic ones on my Ryobi attachment. Its like a Ninja now
Have you used it in the weeds yet? The kid in me is giggling with the prospects (I've wanted to do that too).
I have the exact same model, and when it starts to go, I'll be putting my metalworker skills to use. I wanna see what I can Frankenstein-up, and a whirling blade sounds perfect.
I just ordered 4 strand wire and grommets for this hack. I also ordered metal shoelace aglets (tips). I'm going to use them on the ends of the wire, maybe with some glue. I'll see if that stops the wire from unraveling so quickly.
Love the creativity...once you get a chance to try it out I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!
@@DialedInDIY I tried the shoelace tips. It still didn't last very long. I glued the tips before I put the wire on the trimmer. I'm going to try it again and save the tips on the end and put them on after I put the wire on the trimmer. Flexing the wire to go on the trimmer was difficult with the tips on the ends. I am also thinking about using heat-shrink tubing. The tips I used next to the grommet worked great.
Good thoughts. Someone previously recommended insulated fence cable which seems like a good idea but I am not sure how long it will hold up against hitting ground and stuff. There have been allot of other suggestions in these comments that I would like to eventually test out also.
I like that idea allot. I was thinking about ways to possibly enhance the durability of coating on the vinyl covered galvanized fence wire. Heat shrink may be a good option. Let me know how it turns out for you. Thanks again!!
what's that circular thing you took off at about 20 sec of the video. the one you took off the trimmer spool.
Very good question and very observant... it was a sleeve / cover that came with the spool. It is not shown on the product manual.
I have always used braided cable in my trimmers. Weak electric ones burn out because they can't take it. My Greenworks electric handles it easily!
That is great to know... thanks for sharing that feedback. Do you have the 40, 60 or 80 volt model?
@@DialedInDIY 60.
great idea thanks for show on video Ur fix change trimmer but what about trimmer on line??
Thanks so much for watching and posting your comment. Sorry, I am not sure I understand the question re "what about trimmer on line??"
I saw the cheap Harbor Freight weed wacker on sale and was looking to see if anyone modified one to use a saw blade and found this instead. This should do!
Awe... its like you read my mind. My original plan was a saw blade but I thought that would be a bit risky to put on UA-cam... I still might try it though.
Sorry for the delay in reply... I really do appreciate that you took the time to watch and post a comment!
I was thinking about trying steel fishing leaders. Tired of replacing plasic line. I have a metal fence and it always breaks the plastic line.
Nice video. thank you. Any updated hack video for this????
Thanks for the tip..😁
Wonder if you soldered the ends of the wire,if it would cut down on the quick stranding of the wire ends? Cool hack though...Thx for sharing.
Thanks for the comment / idea. I've heard feedback on a couple of different soldering approaches that might make them more durable. I'm going to have to try them out and see how they do. Thanks again!
YOURS is the only comment I found that covers electric trimmers, y appreciate it, thanks....something bugs me ...is the grommet supposed to be thigh around the axis or loose?
This was a good idea But the wire keeps getting chewed up so fast that I spend more time replacing the wire. But it does aggressively take care of The edge work like a charm
Have used it long enough for it to eventually break? Or has it not broke at all? That would be the only thing I would be worried about is a piece of that cable breaking off and flying off but awesome engineering of it
Great question and yes, I have had them break apart. That is one of the big reasons I gave extra precautions regarding use. That said, I have actually not had anything, person or animal harmed as a result. Interestingly though, I have been hit many times with the nylon line breaking into parts... I think most often when larger sections break off the cutter. Either way I always opt for extra safety. Thanks so much for taking time to watch my video and post a comment / question.
I have this same trimmer. Can the head be replaced with a blade? Tired of using string abd having to replace.
THIS IS GREAT !!! thanks .
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching and taking time to comment.
I’m guessing this grommet doodad has a groove or channel around the perimeter? From the electrical department of hardware store?
So, what type of things have you tried attaching so far? What works the best? After lots of research I'm currently trying to brainstorm some type of circular blade style setup, like 2 circle aluminum plates that bolt together at 4-5 places around the outer edge and maybe some thick/wide sharpened washers placed on the bolt shafts in between the aluminum plated? I feel like something circular at least will be less likely to break off and go flying and/or less able to bat rocks everywhere, and the washers (maybe) wouldnt be spinning high rpm constantly around the bolt shafts and wouldnt be so far out from the center of the entire head so if they did break off they wouldnt have so much g forces flying outward?
Ok I just realized my design theory might not work well against thin/light grass and is moreso just becoming a branch cutting saw blade LOL... hmm, must find a happy medium...
I have mostly experimented with different types of wire / cable so far. I did get a comment from someone who mentioned an attachment that is called an "Ugly Head." It actually is supposed to be a form of circular blade attachment meant for this purpose. TBH my initial video plan was to try out a fixed blade attachment but decided it might not be the best for general viewer release... I still think I am going to try it in a safe environment at some point. Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and post your comments!!
@@j4k3z so true on the happy medium. If you figure the best version of "happy medium" I'd love to hear how it turned out! So far braided cable has been my best success but I have much more to try out eventually.
I ended up buying a thing of trimmer string from home depot brand I think is Powercare .095in hex. I'm not certain if its the hex shape or what but this stuff is STRONG! Most of the grass in my backyard was big enough to whip someone with and I manage to mow down the entire thing without even having to pull more line out of the head. I've also carefully cut back some blackberry bushes with it but can't just throw it in there or those WILL eat the line up lol
Finally ! My yard is full of empty boxes
I know, right? It is amazing how fast those darn boxes get out of control. We call them "Amazon weeds." LOL. Thanks for taking time to watch and comment!
" Finally ! My yard is full of empty boxes "
Before you "trim" em' -Make sure there *no cats* in any of em'.........
Love it !!!
Thank you so much for the feedback!
Nice. Braided wire will fray, maybe use solid wire (maybe for instruments, like string for a bass guitar?).
Great tip... thank you. I actually had a comment from someone who tried guitar string and said it works great. Sorry for the delay in reply... I really do appreciate that you took the time to watch and post a comment!
How would u attach the string to the trimmer though there's no where to make i loop
Nice I am trying to add a grinder brush to my trimmer
Great idea... i recently saw an add for a trimmer attachment that is essentially the same thing and have been wanting to try ever since. If you find a good way to attach it I'd love to hear how it turned out. Thanks for taking the time to post a comment!
tried it precisely as shown. wire failed after about 30 seconds no matter what. high grass, sidewalk, weeds. wire kept snapping at brass hole entering hub. 4 tries....under 1 minute of combined endurance...perhaps wire is too stiff?
I have a old Toro that needs a roll but always breaks. Can this hack work?
I sure would think it would be possible. I have heard allot of great feedback from people who have tried it out. Great feedback has been to experiment with the material since some types of wire/cable break easier than others.
Question number two if this hack does work on a Black & Decker 20 volt weed eater does this have enough destructive power to chop up blackberries