Weed wackers are also known by all kinds of names, including as string trimmers and weed eaters. A weed wacker is a versatile tool that is available in gas, electric corded and electric cordless versions. It uses a nylon line to cut through vegetation rather than a blade.
While push mowers and riding mowers are perfect for cutting large areas of grass, weed wackers are an excellent alternative for trimming smaller patches. Here are a few tips on how to use a weed wacker to trim your lawn
Dress for Safety
A snapped line or flying pebble can result in a major eye injury or injury to some other body part. You should wear safety glasses while operating your weed wacker, or visors that protect your whole face. Definitely avoid operating your weed wacker while wearing shorts or flip-flops. Instead, wear jeans and a pair of steel-toed safety shoes.
When operating the tool, keep it at an angle so that cut debris is thrown away from you. This can help to reduce the risk of injury.
Choose the Right Weed Wacker
If you are not experienced with weed wackers, go with a lighter- or medium-duty electric weed wacker rather than a heavy-duty gas-fueled one. Gas powered weed wackers may be more overpowered and difficult to control.
Try to trim your lawn on a sunny afternoon when all the moisture has evaporated from the grass. Cutting wet grass can cause a weed wacker to get clogged up. This may keep the mechanism from moving freely.
Knowing the direction in which the line is spinning is very important when learning how to use a weed wacker. Not paying attention to this can result in a messy job. If your string trimmer is spinning clockwise, it will eject the cut debris from the right side. It will also be most effective at cutting on the left side. Also, keep in mind that the power is concentrated at the ends of the line.
Use the Right Cutting Techniques
Even though it seems like the most logical method, you don’t want to hold the weed wacker directly above grass to cut it. Similarly, you want to avoid shoving it into the grass so that all of the line is exposed to the grass. Doing this will slow it down and reduce its cutting ability.
Because the tips of the line have most of the power, you should gradually move the cutting side of the weed wacker into the grass so that only the line tips touch the grass.
Also, listen to your string trimmer. The sound that it makes can tell you when it is getting bogged down. When the sound changes, back it out to keep it cutting properly.
Avoid Hard Surfaces
Keep your line from slapping against the surfaces when cutting around pavements, posts and curbs. Before you start trimming, you should walk through the lawn and remove any rocks that you find. These steps are important since contact with hard surfaces can damage the line. Note that a thinner gauge line will break down in less time and with less contact than a thicker, heavier gauge line.
Be careful when trimming grass around plants. The problem here is that you can kill trees and shrubs if you strip off enough of their bark. This can happen if you get too close to them with a weed wacker.
Also, look out for vines as these may wrap around the head of the weed wacker. In some cases, having the head wrapped up can stall the engines on gas-fueled weed wackers.
