String Trimmer (weedwacker) Line choices

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I have recently purchased an Echo SRM-225 trimmer and was wondering what string you fellas are running.

Getting into my lawn equipment more seriously, I noticed that my new trimmer came with "shaped" string as opposed to the round string I run on my old stihl (7 years). Though my stihl is a curved shaft, my repair guy always put some .095 line on it (albeit round). So I have plenty of that diameter to use up.

My current configuration with the speedload head allows me to run up to a .105 diameter. I would like to bump up to this dia and purchase a 1lb donut for a long test run. I can run up to .130 with this 21cc motor, but the head won't take that thick of a string, so unless I replace the head I can't go that thick. I don't really think I need to anyway.

The property I am doing with this setup has about 300 feet of chainlink fence, and I also do the edges around concrete. I also have to do a wooden stockade fence for about 200 feet as well as a wooden deck, which has about 50 feet of flat pressure treated 1 3/4" thick board that I have to trim the grass against. I DON'T WANT to eat into this board.

Should I stay away from the shaped strings? Like the + shape or diamond or square etc?

What about the "braided" type lines?

Currently filled with ECHO Crossfire .095 and the board hasn't been damaged really. I have been carfeul.

JC
 
I do my grandparent's property of about 20,000 Sq ft including ditches and all that. I tried a lot of trimmer lines and came to the conclusion that the best for what I do is the Husqvarna Whisper X Trimmer Line.

Comparing to the next best thing, the Sthil line, the husqy is more resistant to abrasion when you have to trim next to fences, steps and other concrete objects. The cerated structure of the line makes it easy to trim even weeds that are 1 inch in diameter.

Another thing that makes the Husqy a winner in my book is that it it reduces all the cut vegetation to a finer mass than the Sthil, and I don't have to rack afterwords, but instead I just leave it as mulching.

Give it a try and see how you like it
smile.gif
 
Go to hone depot and buy the big roll of orange .095 line. It is more than thick enough for that trimmer. While it is capable of bigger line, that's what it's made to use. It'll last a while on it
 
Oregon Platinum Gatorline was recommended to me a few years ago and I've been pretty happy with it.

take care.
 
I've found plain round line to be the least damaging to wood fences and posts. But it doesn't work as well for trimming, especially on thicker/stronger weeds.
 
Originally Posted By: Propflux01
Go to hone depot and buy the big roll of orange .095 line. It is more than thick enough for that trimmer. While it is capable of bigger line, that's what it's made to use. It'll last a while on it


+1
 
I also have the Echo SRM-225. And I have an older Shindaiwa T-260. Up until last year, I was working down a large spool of RedMax cable twist in 0.095. After reading many great reviews, I tried out a 1 lb donut of the Oregon Platinum Gatorline mentioned by jg1 above. Also 0.095". I trim my 400' concrete driveway plus ~150ft chainlink fence around the pool. The Gatorline has proved to take much more beating from the concrete and chainlink than any line I ever used before.
Just my opinion, but I do not think the SRM225 has enough power for a thicker line. This model is more of a prosumer rather than a commercial model and is low on power compared to my full-commercial (yet still on the small end with nearly identical displacement engine to the Echo) Shindaiwa.
Enough blabber....being a current user with the same model trimmer as you, I recommend you try a small donut of the 0.095 oregon Plat. Gatorline.
 
FYI....Lawnsite.com is a great place to search for answers/opinions about all things associated with lawn equipment. They discuss topics such as "what is the best trimmer spring?" as passionately as 'What is the best oil?" is discussed on BITOG.
 
I worked Grounds/Facilities for 5 years and in that time I talked with a lot of lawn service contractors and also put in a lot of hours doing landscaping and grounds service.

This is my knowledge based on MY EXPERIENCE and use with string trimmers.

-Large engines 25cc+ on a string trimmer is just stupid consumerism.

-Your trimmer shouldn't be more than 12lbs.

-0.080 line gives the cleanest cut, cuts most effortlessly and keeps your grass green. You will also consume less line because less RPM is required to keep cutting. At least from my experience. Honestly, for grass, I would be using 0.065 but you consume too much line for a commercial setting.

-0.095 and larger, as far as I and the local lawn outfits are concerned, are thicket and brush cutting lines. You wouldn't mow a lawn with a mower blade that dull. If you're cutting brush you should be using a brush cutter with blades.

-Your trimmer head should have a zerk fitting. If it doesn't go buy one.
 
Use what is recommended for your machine. Thicker line might last longer, but, since it's not "bumped out" more often it may weld together in some heads and force you to take things apart. I have people come in all the time who have put after market heads on their whacker and made their engines suffer, flexible shafts break and generally shortened the life of their whackers significantly. If you're using something VERY high end you can better get away with the "As Seen On TV" heads.
 
Echo line is plenty good and readily available. All of the Echo SRMs use .095 line. Don't buy more than you will use up in one season. In the second season, when it starts to get old, you will start having problems with ANYBODY's line. Echo line sells so well that, wherever it is sold, you can be fairly confident that it is fresh. Some people swear that keeping it stored in a pail of water preserves it (keeps it from drying out).
 
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