Weed Whackers

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I'm a pretty hard core Stihl guy. I recently acquired a milwaukee weed trimmer with an edger attacment and a saw pruner. My stihl trimmers just got retired.

Roger that man, love my Stihl saws, but I was never impressed with my buddy's Stihl gas trimmer he let me borrow. I'll never go back to a gas trimmer.

 

[Sunshine40]

Roger that man, love my Stihl saws, but I was never impressed with my buddy's Stihl gas trimmer he let me borrow. I'll never go back to a gas trimmer.

In all fairness most brands make a dozen or so different trimmers at different price points for everyone from the casual suburbanite all the way to professional landscapers and ground maintnece crews and the price typically represents the performance your getting. The same applies to battery products. All battery products aren't created equal and are targeted towards different customers.

 

[deer310sg]

I mow 3 yards including my own. Been using an Echo for several years, and it's been a goodun. Well it won't stay running, throttles up then dyes. New plug, fuel filter. Well my elderly neighbors gave me their 2 year stihl.
Hasn't been started in 2 years, choked it, 3 pulls....bingo!!
Can't remember size but it is straight shaft. Also removed that silly guard.
Long story short, saved me $300

 

[eric1115]

All of my other cordless tools are DeWalt due to sharing batteries. However, I've not been impressed at all with my Dewalt skill saw. SOB binds up on even thin material with a brand new blade. Run time has been mediorce with 5ah batteries too. I don't use it that often thankfully, but that's one tool I may shop a different brand for at some point.

I'm a Milwaukee guy all the way, but the DeWalt 60v flex rear handle skilsaw one of our guys has is easily the best cordless saw I've ever used. Better than the HVL skil, the rear handle Milwaukee, or the dual battery Makita. Plus you can use the big 60v battery in any of your 18 v tools. Their direct drive saw is mediocre at best.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I mow 3 yards including my own. Been using an Echo has several years, and it's been a goodyun. Well it won't stay running, throttles up then dyes. New plug, fuel filter. Well my elderly neighbors gave me their 2 year stihl.
Hasn't been started in 2 years, choked it, 3 pulls....bingo!!
Can't remember size but it is straight shaft. Also removed that silly guard.
Long story short, saved me $300

Now that you have a replacement, it'd be worth taking apart the carb on the Echo and cleaning out any crud in the bowl, jets, etc... There's probably a youtube video out there somewhere.

 

[deer310sg]

Now that you have a replacement, it'd be worth taking apart the carb on the Echo and cleaning out any crud in the bowl, jets, etc... There's probably a youtube video out there somewhere.

Yep need a backup for sure

 

[eric1115]

Echo or Stihl for gas powered, but I sold my gas echo after getting my Milwaukee. I only have about half an acre, but even a 6.0AH battery easily gets all the trimming done that I need. 5.0 works fine in a pinch. I haven't used the battery stihls, or ego, or others, but for my use (and pre-existing battery supply) the Milwaukee was a no-brainer. No regrets.

I'm looking to add a Milwaukee chainsaw and blower at some point, but then I fear my Stihl saws will enter a self-reinforcing cycle of less use, more hassle to keep good fresh gas in them and on hand, leading to more headaches and less use.