A weed trimmer goes by several names: string trimmer, garden string trimmer, tree trimmer, weed trimmer, weed eater, etc. As other articles have rightly pointed out, these versatile garden tools come with various dc power levels, electric versus gasoline, and 2-stroke versus 4-stroke capabilities. But what has not been addressed is the use of a “BLADE” in such a tool for all the versatile work that a blade can do in the garden environment.
ADDED VERSATILITY AND USES WITH BLADE:
A specifically manufactured circular saw blade attached to a Weed Whacker offers the following uses for versatility in the garden environment:
1. Tree pruning (also known as Pruning), which in many cases works better than using an awkward heavy chainsaw for pruning, as the circular blade can be gripped at the end of a lighter, longer 6-foot shaft Weed Whacker to reach the trees. Usually such a blade can cut a tree branch / limb up to the diameter of the blade, as long as it cuts from both sides of the branch.
2. A blade can be used to clean large patches or even acres of thick, heavy wood brush and sticky brambles (aka Blackberry sticky bushes) where a common spool of thread would be too weak to cut properly.
3. Hedge trimming is a dream with a blade attached to a Weed Whacker; hedging action is faster and less patchy compared to a standard hedging tool. So in conclusion, a blade attached to a Weed Whacker increases your common standard string trimmer into a full chainsaw, hedge trimmer, and a large cleaner surface of wood weeds, saplings, and tall, heavy-growing brambles (ergo, shrubs). by Black Berry).
BLADE HARDWARE, MATCHING CARRIER HOLE:
Every Weed Whacker on the market is different and therefore each owner of their particular Weed Whacker will have to contact their respective Weed Whacker manufacturer to inquire about BLADE fastening hardware. Most electric versions are LOW power to handle a blade, so blade holding accessories are probably NOT available. On the other hand, most gasoline powered Weed Whackers will have Blade attachment accessories available. The blade attachment hardware typically consists of a standard blade guard along with a few small metal pieces that fit (slide over) the small threaded shaft that the spool of thread is screwed into. These small pieces of hardware will consist of the bottom that will have an embossed circle the size of a common quarter (quarter) or as small as a nickel. This raised circle is how the hole fits into the center of the blade, then the top piece of hardware variously called “the cap piece” is applied to the top of the blade, then a nut that screws into the top of the cap, followed by a cotter pin.
The hole in the blade is known as the ARBOR Hole. Therefore, it is important to know the diameter of your “Arbor Hole” hardware so that you can match the blade’s Arbor Hole to your hardware when purchasing blades for your Weed Whacker. The most standard shaft hole diameters in the industry are 1 “which is the same as 25.4mm, but also 20mm. From my experience I would say about 90% of all blades fit these two common shaft hole diameters. (Note: there are some tree holes in these much less used diameters: 0.75 in. and 0.50 in.) SPECIAL NOTE: A table saw blade should never be used in a garden string trimmer as these blades are more fragile and are only made for up to 3,450 rpm These blades can break when hitting a rock or something very hard, which could be a safety concern that is not protected by the attached blade guard. The garden string trimmer blades are specifically designed for over 10,000 rpm and are made from a more malleable flexible metal.
TYPES OF BLADE TEETH:
Blades normally come with either steel teeth or CARBIDE teeth. Carbide is worth considering, as a carbide-tipped (tooth) blade can last up to 10 times longer than a standard steel blade, but it doesn’t cost anywhere near ten times as much money. In fact, a blade with carbide teeth typically doesn’t even cost twice 5 to 10 times as long as plain steel (keeping the edge for continuous cutting power is the key to the value of the blades relative to cost. ). It should be noted that carbide does not sharpen easily, but steel can be. However, it should also be noted that the price of these steel blades makes them a more disposable item once they run out, as the cost of re-sharpening (in time or money) is often greater than the cost of a new leaf.
BLADE DESIGN:
Standard Weed Whacker Blades come in several styles:
1. THREE POINTS or 5 prongs for easy cutting of soft green brush. Each large tooth has an edge instead of actual teeth. The deepest innermost part of each tooth does not usually have the same cutting time as the outer edge of each tooth, so dulling occurs in an unbalanced manner. This type of blade is not suitable for trimming trees or hedges, or for cutting tough wood-type weeds, brush, or brambles. This type of blade is the cheapest and dulls the fastest, as it extends its cutting surface by just three to five edges and only comes in basic steel, not carbide.
2. Thirty (30) to forty (40) TEETH blade: This is the next step in the Weed Whacker blade options. Obviously, 40 teeth offer substantially more added cutting surface than the aforementioned type of blade (3 prongs). This type of blade is well suited for cutting heavy weeds (eg weeds), thick and thick bushes, and blackberry sticky brambles, but is not suitable for pruning or mulching. It should be added that these types of blades must be sharp, otherwise the teeth tend to grab and pull weeds from the wood when they are dull. The reason pruning and mulching are not suitable for these types of blades is that too few teeth make this blade tend to have sixteen within the wet green branches of trees when pruned and makes it prone to ripping. and create ragged cuts in a hedge rather than smooth and attractive cuts. This type of blade typically comes in plain steel that dulls quickly, but some are now also available with carbide-tipped teeth.
3. Eighty (80) to one hundred (100) TEETH Blade: This is the highest level in the Weed Whacker Blade options. Now it should be clear that the more teeth you have cutting, the more added cutting surface area you will be applying to the job at hand. Also, an 80 tooth blade costs more money compared to a blade with half the cutting teeth as mentioned in (2) above (40 teeth). But the cost is usually not much higher for having 80 teeth over 40 teeth. The 80+ tooth blade offers the most versatility, stays sharper longer and is the best value for money. The 100 tooth blade is the absolute best value as it offers 25% more cutting surface (teeth) than an 80 tooth blade.
The only main consideration is that the typical 80 tooth blade is 8 inches in diameter that fits your Weed Whacker’s blade safety guard, and the 100 tooth blade is typically 9 to 10 inches in diameter and, therefore, it does not allow a blade guard. to fit. We recommend that the maximum blade diameter be limited to 9 inches unless you have a very powerful Weed Whacker, otherwise the large girth of the larger blades can jam the motor. So in conclusion: 8 “and 9” diameter blades are the best, they offer the most added cutting surface, therefore they stay sharper longer and offer the most versatility of gardening. NOTE: We think carbide teeth are so worth the small additional purchase cost that we would say a 40 tooth carbide blade would be recommended over an 80 tooth flat steel blade any day of the week. But the 80 or 100 tooth blade with carbide teeth is the best there is.
Bill brower
B&G International, LLC, Tacoma, Wa