[cyndi]

I've had it with flimsy 'suburban backyard' string weed trimmers. Please give me your picks for tough, durable, gas-powered and/or electric trimmers. Preferably ones that don't use the string system. I have blackberry vines and other tough stuff. Lightweight is a plus - I am 5' tall. I probably need one electric for places I have power and one gas - which I don't like because they are heavier, but have lots of fenceline to do too.

[KPF]

We have a Stihl, I think it's this one:

http://www.stihlusa.com/trimmers/FS110.html

It's been great for the three or four years we've had it so far.

I also recommend a small welsh pony to trim your fencelines-- I only have to trim mine once or twice a year to get the nasty briars and stuff the pony won't eat!

[Nancy!]

I have a Stihl that has a steel brush knife. It works AMAZING!! Cuts just about anything. It cost me about $700 - well worth the money for clearing major fence lines.

Nancy!

http://www.stihlusa.com/graphics/trimmers/BRUSH.jpg
Steel Brush Knife
This attachment is used for clearing heavily weeded areas or heavy brush. Can be sharpened with a flat file.

[BasqueMom]

We have something to this one:

http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Ou...atalogId=10053

Ours came from Home Depot about 6 years ago and was about $250 at that
time. It is a string but they are doubled strings--much heftier than the
string on the reels.

[msj]

I had a Toro and when that finally died bought a Stihl. Both were good.

See if you can find out what the commercial landscapers use as they are using them day in and day out.

[Tom King]

The weapon of choice here is also a Stihl FS 110. The bicycle handle bars are way more comfortable to use than twisting around with the loop handled ones. Link already posted above.

It is a string trimmer, but anything smaller is not even in the same league. It's amazing how smooth running the 4-stroke is compared to whing-ding two strokes and it cuts grass and weeks way faster and easier than smaller units.

It wouldn't be my first choice for blackberries though. I cut those with a bushog. No string trimmer will go right through them when the stalk gets big enough to get woody, and even if it could some of the thorny branches will fall back your way-no fun.

For cutting stuff that a string trimmer won't go right through we also use an FS450K. We even thin new stands of pines with it, but it's not something the average farm needs bad enough to invest in it. It'll zip right through small trees.

[Equibrit]

I attack blackberries with roundup in the spring - it works !

[cssutton]

I attack blackberries with roundup in the spring - it works !

I have a Sthil R90 or 90R.

It is also 4 cycle but it has no crank case. You mix oil with the gas just like a 2 cycle.

I have had trimmers since the very first year of the WeedEater and this is probably my fifth or sixth.

It is the fastest cutting of any I have ever had and starts on the first pull 9 times out of 10.

Put the metal blade on it for briar's.

I don't have one, but the 90R can also be fitted with the chain saw on the long arm so one can reach hanging tree limbs that overhand the fence lines.

The 90R might be a little heavy for a small woman, but I have a lot of arthritis in my hands, to the point that it is very difficult for me to handle dog food bags in those slick plastic bags. Yet I get along well with mine so you should be OK.

By the way, the engine is so clean burning that you don't get that strong odor that almost makes you sick in hot weather.

CSSJR

[molliwog]

We have a Shindawa that works great. Easy to start, and super tough.

The caveat is that my hands are not strong enough to remove the pieces that are necessary to replace the line (and I'm pretty strong for a girl...)

Mr. Molliwog has to replace the line, which cann be a pain if he's not around.

[Guilherme]

I've got three of the Ryobi 4-cycle models with interchangeable heads (string trimmer, blade, edger, etc.). They work pretty well and take the gaff of work around the farm. Presently my son has one, we keep one at the house, and one in the barn.

There's a story behind why we have three, but it's too long for here.

G.