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From: <bp@www.zefox.net>
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: [Brushcutter] Need trimmer head for big cords
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2024 15:39:12 -0000 (UTC)
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Michael Uplawski <michael.uplawski@uplawski.eu> wrote:
> Good morning
> 
> <news:bp@www.zefox.net> wrote in rec.gardens:
>>What are you cutting, and what are the obstacles?
> 
> The obstacles are the first thing, you hear, feel, then see. Stones
> and remains of old stone walls, invisible under and in the high
> grass. That is for this time. 

Ok, I think I got it. A photo would still be enlightening...

> Otherwise there are (will-be) trees that I want to keep, and the
> fields, here, are borderd by hedges on low ramparts. Most of this
> must stay as it is, I have to live with it and want to, most of the
> time. No blades.
> 
> I am cutting bramble, burning nettle (higher than myself) and
> everything in between. But remember: No blades. 
>

That sounds like a job for goats! But, they'd have to be very hungry.
8-) 

> I use blades where I can, though.
> 
>>Three millimeters is very close to one-eighth of an inch,
>>or .125". The heaviest cord I've seen in the US is .093"
> 
> I saw trimmer-heads for cords of 4mm but never used one.
> 
Those would kick back rather hard on obstacles. .093" is
rough enough for a hand-held trimmer. 

>>I've a  spool of .093" Echo cord with four longitudinal ribs
>>having sharp corners that cuts quite well on any but woody
>>material. I suspect most folks use a saw blade if .093" cord
>>won't cut acceptably.
> 
> In the end, I might choose to keep my current head and try round or
> smaller cords. There are cords with metal-cores which should last
> longer, too. But I have no experience with those.
>
 
Metal-cored string sounds interesting, but also somewhat scary.
If it could be designed to break off only in small pieces that
would be slightly less scary. A link would be enlightening. 

There's a YouTube video claiming that trimmer cord durability
can be enhanced by soaking the cord in water overnight before use.
It applies mostly to years-old cord that has lost plasticizer in
storage. I've not tested the idea, since my decades-old Echo
cord is still performing acceptably. Maybe I should try it.

>>Speaking of which, a portable circular saw blade of about
>>7 inches works wonderfully.
> 
> I would destroy it in minutes, and my machine would suffer, too.
> 

Ok, understood.
> 
>>One option is a flail head. I've tried them and didn't like it,
>>but your conditions and preferences might be different.
> 
> I find these only on big machines or mounted on tractors. 

Those would probably be solid steel flails. Grass Gator and most
others use hard nylon flails. I've got one set that use thin,
stamped steel blade cores with plastic molded over it to give
extra flexural stiffness. Didn't like it, but my environment 
is much less difficult than yours (suburban lawn).
 

>>Gator is a brand found in the USA, Europe must have its own
>>flavors. Flails cut cleaner than cord but react more violently to 
>>obstacles. They're also much more destructive if they get away. 
> 
> This is worth some research and I will ask around in our
> agricultural environment. 

It sounds to me like a two-stage approach might be necessary.
One pass with loppers or a saw to remove hard perennial growth
larger than a few millimeters, then a second pass with heavy string
to cut the soft stuff. The first pass will be hard work, but needed
only once if you follow up (often!).
 
Hope this helps, a photo or two would be very instructive. 

Thanks for reading,

bob prohaska