recent weed eater buyers-- i need one

As line thickness increase your use rate on a given circuit goes down, at the same time the amount of line you can carry on a spool before a reload is also reduced.

One benny the electrics have is that you can reduce the RPM when working a fence line or wall - without the task of having to actually modulate it. "Cruise control" so to speak. Of course you get pretty good at partial throttle work after a while.
 
I’m joining this one late. After several disappointing trimmers I used a husqavarna 4 stroke straigh shaft for a few years and loved the reliability, cleanliness, ease of use, and usable power. The shaft was a bit short however and requires hunching over and was a little fatiguing.

i gave it to a guy in need once I discovered the trimmer head which came with the 40V ryobi power head, which I bought to run a long-pole hedge clipper. Once I’d cycled the battery a couple of times, the 40V ryobi became my go-to.

and yes I also upped it to 095 and it handles it fine, and if I’m not imagining things, cuts better with it.
 
As line thickness increase your use rate on a given circuit goes down, at the same time the amount of line you can carry on a spool before a reload is also reduced.

I use 0.155" not for it lasting longer, but to have more "punch" to take out the larger/tougher stuff easier. I'm not using it on grass. I can take out very small trees with the big stuff.
 
I use 0.155" not for it lasting longer, but to have more "punch" to take out the larger/tougher stuff easier. I'm not using it on grass. I can take out very small trees with the big stuff.

Sure, everything in life is a tradeoff. This is why I keep a couple of spools of everything around.

It only has the punch if your machine can swing it, and you likely need a new head (minimal expense)

Your machine still has to come up to speed, and reaction time starts to come into play from the throttle and the machines ability to ramp 155 can get pretty laggy and even fail to cut if you are running a guard.

For edging 155 is king, you can use one tool to trim and the same one to edge. An edge-it is the bomb here.

In a mixed boundary with gravel and weeds 155 is throwing rocks everywhere and can be downright dangerous.
 
The Ryobi 40V ones are pretty **** nice and well balanced. Not much reason to go for a gas one anymore unless you spend all day every day using it.
 
It only has the punch if your machine can swing it, and you likely need a new head (minimal expense)

My 555RXT has no issues. It comes with both the T55X M12 string trimmer head as well as the Multi 350-3 grass blade. I bought a different bevel gear so I could run a forestry saw blade on it as well.
 
My 555RXT has no issues. It comes with both the T55X M12 string trimmer head as well as the Multi 350-3 grass blade. I bought a different bevel gear so I could run a forestry saw blade on it as well.

I wouldn't expect that to have any trouble, very nice but large machine.

Like Stihl, i love Husky products.

I have a Stihl store in walking distance of my house, if it were a Husky shop - thats what I'd have.
 
I have a Stihl store in walking distance of my house, if it were a Husky shop - thats what I'd have.

They don't offer it in the states. I had to order it from the UK. They have the 555FX here in the states, but it has the shorter shaft with the saw blade bevel gear. I wanted the longer shaft of the 555RXT (I'm 6'5" tall), which came with the string trimmer head + grass blade. I then found and bought a new 555FX bevel gear and blade to use with the one I bought, so I have three options with it. Problem is, seeing they don't offer the 555RXT here, I can't buy the same size replacement grass blade for it. The 350-3 grass blade is larger than I can find anywhere in the states. All I can find is the smaller 300-3 blade.
 
They don't offer it in the states. I had to order it from the UK. They have the 555FX here in the states, but it has the shorter shaft with the saw blade bevel gear. I wanted the longer shaft of the 555RXT (I'm 6'5" tall), which came with the string trimmer head + grass blade. I then found and bought a new 555FX bevel gear and blade to use with the one I bought, so I have three options with it. Problem is, seeing they don't offer the 555RXT here, I can't buy the same size replacement grass blade for it. The 350-3 grass blade is larger than I can find anywhere in the states. All I can find is the smaller 300-3 blade.
Interesting on the gearing change.
Never done that before, just put a blade on and ran it.
 
Interesting on the gearing change.
Never done that before, just put a blade on and ran it.

The bevel heads are geared differently between what comes with the string head/grass blade vs the saw blade. I was worried about destroying the bevel head by simply throwing a saw blade on it, as I ran across a guy who did just that. I then happened to find a brand new 555FX bevel head for sale on eBay, so I grabbed it. Came with the guard and everything needed. The guards are also obviously different.

bevel gear.jpg
 
The bevel heads are geared differently between what comes with the string head/grass blade vs the saw blade. I was worried about destroying the bevel head by simply throwing a saw blade on it, as I ran across a guy who did just that. I then happened to find a brand new 555FX bevel head for sale on eBay, so I grabbed it. Came with the guard and everything needed. The guards are also obviously different.

View attachment 108060

Whats the reason behind the change?

Bothering to name it a bevel head insinuates the existing head is likely a straight cut gearbox.

The bevel will be quieter and likely less vibration, but a bit less efficient.
 
Whats the reason behind the change?

Bothering to name it a bevel head insinuates the existing head is likely a straight cut gearbox.

The bevel will be quieter and likely less vibration, but a bit less efficient.

I believe the gearset is just called that...see parts below. It may be called that solely because of the angle of the cutting plane vs shaft...that is what I was assuming anyway.

The 555FX comes with a specific bevel gear with the saw blade. Here is the part number of the bevel gear for the 555FX:

1657832370895.png


The guard for it is extra:
1657832032037.png


Below is both the bevel gear and the guard, which is what I found new on eBay. That photo below is the actual part I bought.

bevel gear.jpg



The 555RXT comes with a longer shaft and the bevel gear for the string trimmer head and 350mm grass blade.

1657831762196.png


Here's an image of the part number of the bevel gear for the 555RXT (string trimmer head & grass blade) I found online....with a rusty shaft. LOL

1657831685746.png



They are noticeably different.

As far as the reason why I swap to the different bevel gear when I run the saw blade is because I was told they have different gear ratios. I'm assuming the one made to be ran with the saw blade is geared lower than the one made to be ran with the string trimmer/grass blade. I also remember reading where someone destroyed the string trimmer/grass blade bevel head by running a saw blade on it, so I wanted to find the correct bevel head before attempting to run a saw blade on it.

Essentially, I now have both a 555 RXT and a 555 FX.......but seeing I am tall, the longer shaft of the RXT fits me MUCH better. It could actually be a bit longer. This is why I ended up ordering it from the UK. I also got it for ~$850 shipped, MUCH cheaper than I could find the 555 FX here in the states. So I used some of the $$$ I saved by buying the 555 RXT in the UK and bought the 555 FX bevel head and saw blade.
 

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hmm...never bothered with anything like that and have been running blades on straight shaft trimmers for decades.
 
I read up on a lot of this "SwampDonkey" guy here on the Forestry forum before I bought mine. He does it for a living. These are two of the posts I could find. Nothing related to what we were discussing though. He talks about the blades and what to buy as well as the Husky harness vs Stihl.


 
I read up on a lot of this "SwampDonkey" guy here on the Forestry forum before I bought mine. He does it for a living. These are two of the posts I could find. Nothing related to what we were discussing though. He talks about the blades and what to buy as well as the Husky harness vs Stihl.



Thanks.

There a bunch more blades one the market today than there were in 2015, but Swamp seems to do a whole lot of work with that particular blade - also interesting to see that one posters rig not be able to idle with that blade after a bit of work, which happens when air cooled engines heat up after some work.

Project Farm actually does a pretty good job of testing brush blades against a variety of objects.
 
The one guy mentions max blade RPM is usually 10K and the 555 is a 10.5K rig the head may bring it down a bit toward the max output speed of 9K and buy you some more torque on those 6 inchers you lean into.
 
Interesting that 555 makes 3.4Nm of torque and my 36V Makita makes 5.4
 
What blades do you use? I guess I just wanted to stay away from those "scarlet" blades. Not that I use it a lot with the blade on, but still. I try to learn from those with more experience.

I just got back from using mine with the string trimmer head. I have a tach permanently mounted on it. I have the high side tuned to right about 9,900 no load with the thick 0.155" string trimmer head with the line at max diameter. Stock settings (2 3/4 turns out from full close on high side and 1 3/4 turns out on low side according to service manual) was very rich on the top end, at least with the string trimmer head. I turned the high side in about half a turn maybe and left the low side alone. Seems to run great.

I do know I get higher rpm's when I have the blade or the grass blade on. Guesing it's from the momentum of not having those thick whips flying through the air.

Interesting that 555 makes 3.4Nm of torque and my 36V Makita makes 5.4

Just like electric cars.....they have instant torque. Electric motors are torquey.
 
Stihl and Forester mostly now, but Ive had all kinds of blades on. I really like the forrester chain saw blade.

I love big gas stuff, and Id definitely have a bigger trimmers (FS70R and Makita 36V) if I needed them,
... as it is Im looking for excuses to need a bigger one!
 
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