Stihl FS 38, GOOD from far, but far from GOOD

[@uneducatedhillbilly7124]

USER BEWARE!! Throw the plastic string out and go get some metal cable from the hardware store. And if thats not dangerous enough, I have found that bicycle chain on a home built a adapter also works well. I still have 8 toes, one eye, and the scar on my inner thigh has almost healed but its still less painful than stringing one of these cocksuckers.

[@uneducatedhillbilly7124]

***** Well I didn't want the Moms and Dads of KZbin to yell at me so I will confess I haven't been entirely honest. Chainsaw chain seems to be an even more manly option but I learned through the process of near evolution that it turns your weed wacker into a misbehaving Tomahawk missile that tends to launch itself in unpredictable patterns. Now if your a thrill seeker and the neighborhood goat walks backwards when your around it might be just for you, but if your going to wear your flip-flops while weed wacking the yard like I normally do please put on a heavy pair of wool socks.

[@robfletcher8762]

uneducated hillbilly For catching the blood, no less

[@Len_M.]

You can get chain heads for gas trimmers.

[@nozmoking1]

uneducated hillbilly Ah yes - and the steel wire immediately fixes the issue of having to wait for the neighbor's cat to get out of the way.

[@nateshattuck1512]

uneducated hillbilly I'm laughing my tits off

[@FozziesRandomReviews]

I use some old guitar strings in mine. It's lethal but works.

[@Saugerknaut]

+FRR This is an underrated post. Now that sounds like some friggen chooch!

[@DavidLarson15]

+FRR Holy shit! really? I've got to give that a go.

[@theLuigiFan0007Productions]

That sounds like a really good idea. Bit more durable then plastic. In addition to trimming lawn, it machines rocks in the way flat. >:D

[@funshootin1]

that is genius . got plenty of those

[@DanielWilson33]

+theLuigiFan0007 I lol'd at this one, gotta try it :D

[@StreetbeatDesigns67]

+AvE As an ex-Stihl dealer i can tell you that any of the Stihl straight shaft trimmers are MUCH better than the fs-38 or fs-40. They have any entirely different style feed head on them that is much more user friendly. Same 27.2 CC motor, and still cable driven but with a gear box instead of direct drive, which actually seems to help a lot. Give one a chance if you get a shot. but the FS 90 is where things really start to get real

[@ndelliott138]

A little note on Stihls ( My favorite two stroke brand, although Husquiverna is quickly becoming the gold standard among two stroke tools) they have started to go the way of other quality tool companies and creating a "blue point" versions of their equipment. Right off the bat, straight shaft trimmers are going to be built for the professional market as opposed to the happy home owner curved shaft. Plus, if you buy them at a Stihl dealership as opposed to a big box store, you can be guided in the proper direction. But... The best thing about Stihl is that you can fix them! Every part on that trimmer is available to be replaced from the factory. You can rebuild the top end of the motor, order carburetor jets and a plethora of other components. Other than Husky's, Stihl is above and beyond any other trimmer on the market.

[@Paxmax]

having a Bosch electro-pixie device kind of wire-whoosher, I'm thrilled to say it's equipped with fancy-schmancy auto wire waster system. It never fails to feed 1 ft of whip where 1 inch would have been perfect.

[@derrickblackburn2062]

+Paxmax fuckin bosch, always making great shit.

[@nmsmitto]

Paxmax so true

[@Thelawncarenut]

It's "Echo" or "Eck-oe," made in and from the wonderful communist state of Illinois and they have a superb fast loader head. It's cleverly called "speed feed" and it's no joke, makes great convo at parties. I truly am sorry you dislike weed whacking - if you straighten your shaft, you may enjoy it more. Keep in mind, weed whacking isn't about you, it's about being so tight that you dominate the other men in the neighborhood.

[@T4.Bacteriophage]

He pronounced it wrong on purpose.

[@Thelawncarenut]

+Bridge Sec yes he did!

[@mugshotmarley]

GAHHHBEIGE

[@coreyfrasnelly7364]

I love my echo there speed feed head is Carrie Underwood’s bedside manner

[@stanburton6224]

It is important to establish dominance quickly

[@Anamnesia]

"This video is unavailable." - Battleshots drinking game video... :(

[@oldfrend]

awww what happened to the battleshots video? totally looking forward to that when you mentioned it.

[@ts46176]

+AvE Check out the Pivotrim, it is the greatest invention ever, this is the pro version here, its a bit more costly than the regular one, but worth it. www.ebay.com/itm/16959-Pivotrim-Pro-Trim-Head-/391159026224?hash=item5b12e51230

[@pyro8818ak47]

+AvE try silicone spray on the wire so it dosent weld itself in a bunch in the cartriges

[@wordreet]

+pyro8818ak47 Does that work with panties too? Some folk on YT seem to get 'em in a bunch all to easily.

[@cranki6316]

+pyro8818ak47 Does that really work?

[@Joe-pi9bx]

I also was looking forward to the first person choocher action.

[@geothr33]

Speed-Feed Head Problem solved. I use it multiple hours each week and it is the shit. Just make sure you get the correct model for your trimmer.

[@aaronbabb2651]

took me forever its speed feed rev it up and chooches or how ever frost backs say it

[@LazerLord10]

"My ask wife'd me."

[@TheGDOTPRODUCTIONS]

good weed will do that to ya brother, so will a few beers I suppose haha

[@shawnbottom4769]

Trimmer string being nylon absorbs water. I store mine in a container of imported Himalayan spring water (it's organic and gluten free). It does keep it more pliable so it doesn't break as easily and it might help keep it from tangling on the drum as well. I've heard some landscape pros also do this

[@MrRacerhacker]

***** There is no gluten in water and all water is organic

[@shawnbottom4769]

I know! Isn't water great?! Just ask AvE about the water he uses for tapping threads.

[@w0mblemania]

MrRacerhacker You missed it dude. Not by a little way either. You missed it like you were piloting a Mars lander.

[@MultiBrommer]

Shawn Bottom please don't! it compromises the cutting quality of these string dramatically. i'm selling and fixing these trimmers so i've gotten the experience. use otherwise strings from ''nylsaw'' or STIHL original.

[@shawnbottom4769]

Hmmm. I'll have to disagree with you on that one. The purpose of putting the string in water is to replenish moisture that is naturally lost from sitting on the shelf. Stiff, brittle line breaks off easier and doesn't like to feed smoothly. I've used different brands of line including Stihl and Echo. They are all prone to this if they sit around long enough.

[@TheWidgetWorks]

Did you try lube? No for real get yourself some of that spray on graphite crap and hose that whole thing down... every time you fuck with it! Makes them work like they should cause the grass don't stick and the plastic stops sticking to itself. And yes it's winter and it's a tuesday and i'm watching a whipper snipper video and giving you tips on getting your cord pulled a little better... don't judge me just because I'm judging you!

[@h7oslo]

Absolutely ! They can be avoided completely... Take the truck off to the farm and buy 10 or 12 goats. Nothing will grow again. Obviously it's your choice. rc

[@avocares]

When I purchased my FS90 I had the dealer take the automatic head off and put on a manual head. Basically it's just 2 holes with one way feeders. Cut your line about 50% longer than you want exposed and feed into the head, roll the extra in the hub. When the line gets short stop, pull it through and re-feed it using the extra that was coiled in the hub to get back to normal exposed length. When it gets short again cut new line. Is it more of a pain than an auto head? NO, because the head never breaks or fails to feed, so I don't have to fix it, even 8 years later.

[@fivespeed3026]

My Echo came with that. I hated it. Every 2 minutes I had to stop to put in new lines. Horrible! I learned that a quick squirt of lithium gease inside the center bracket of the auto feeder keeps it bumping nice and smooth for the entire 20 feet of line.

[@avocares]

+Fivespeed 302 I can typically do my entire yard twice over before needing to re feed line in the head. I use Stihl brand .105" line

[@fivespeed3026]

The Echo came with .085 line. That probably makes a big difference. Anyway, I have over 30 yards I maintain and the bump feeders by echo are great if you keep them lubed. I'm thinking that graphite lube would be superior but all I had was lithium grease and it's been fantastic.

[@01975Scorpio]

My family has a small lawn-care business. I too loathe trimming. So my Dad does the trimming with the plastic line. And hes constantly stopping to refill the damn thing. However when I do have to trim I use my Stihl FS-250. No flex-shaft crapola. Solid straight shaft drive. And I have never put an inch of line on it. Sure I have tried those plastic blades and those ones with the three serrated edge cutters, saw-blades, and even bought a direct-fit blade from Stihl. But none are as good as what I made, and use myself. NOTE TO FELLOW KZbinRS: Do this at your own risk! Bed rails. Yes, those steel, 2-inch, 90 deg. angle rails from bed frames. That steel is very hard and strong. Take about 9 inches of that, cut it down the corner so you have two flat pieces and grind it smooth. now you have two potential blades. Take one, find dead-center, poke a hole to fit the business end of the trimmer. Note the rotation and sharpen the blade accordingly. Now, here's the the trick to avoid beating the snot out of yourself and your trimmer when you plow the thing into a brick foundation or flower-bed: Each end of the blade needs to be ground so that the ends are not "square". They should be rounded off a bit. and the side toward the sharp edge should be about 1/8 of an inch shorter than the blunt side. This way when you do inevitably bump into that concrete gnome, the rounded, and recessed edge will only give a glancing blow, and not be a full-on direct hit with the corner of the blade. Always be sure that the blade is balanced. And FFS, KEEP THAT DAMN SHIELD ON THE TRIMMER! It does take a little more finesse to use, so to avoid turning downspouts into aluminum confetti, cutting down that newly planted tree, or chopping down that one old lady's peonies. But I have been using my home-made blade for 3 years now, and it still works great for me. When I do have to get into clearing out neglected or overgrown places, that blade just kills it. I keep telling my dad: "You don't cut grass with fishing-line. You use steel blades."

[@godfreypoon5148]

It works! But the neighbors dog turned into a dachshund...?

[@01975Scorpio]

Godfrey Poon Oh my... I do hope you are kidding... But if one of those "Killer dogs" Like pit-bulls, boxers, or any other ill tempered mutt is coming at you with the intentions of making you it's lunch, That blade spinning at 5500 rpm will make it think twice. About 10 years ago, I had one of those pitbull abominations come running at me from out of nowhere, (it was owned by one of the people a few houses down from our customer) so I put the trimmer between me and its snarling jaws. Fortunately for the mongrel, I was using the smooth, round plastic string back then. The bloodthirsty beast latched on to the shield and began shaking it. A hard rev on the throttle stopped that within a few seconds. It let go, and tried to lunge again. Another full rev, of the .090 line to the chest and some flying fur and skin, and it began to back away. I kept the throttle pinned, and kept the head of the trimmer right in between me and the dog. It made one last lunge, and got a full-on whack across the face. That made the thing run off yelping. A call to the police followed. Owners got fined. (the dog had been a nuisance for a long time) From then on, that dog was on a leash when outside. I don't like to hurt animals, regardless of the type. But when it comes to me or a bloodthirsty abomination of a bred-to-kill beast, Well, to hell with the damn thing. Just be careful around normal, properly tamed dogs or any docile animals for that matter.

[@nickedwards7992]

01975Scorpio I engineered a blade lol....took a 3 Pronged Blade...then took about 3 in of 22-LPX Oregon Saw Chain and made a flail on each prong....it worked great but that Chain Scares me a lil bit

[@CSSIandAssociate]

I use the vinyl coated steal braided clothes line. Cut to length one at a time. Works great. Never buying the plastic again.

[@conatuslife]

stihl makes a head that uses 3 plastic cutters, i've used it before and is great for cutting overgrowth up to the size of your thumb but the blades don't last long when you edge along your house.

[@StefanGotteswinter]

We run a automatic head in our Stihl, which feeds the string all the time out against a fixed knive on the guard - Works very good, we have two of those automatic heads for about 12 years now and they are still ok. I only changed the string-guides which are made from some kind of pott metal against some machined from prehardened toolsteel ;)

[@GrassDaddy]

not to be put in a vice but curved shaft are more for homeowners whereas the straight shaft are the pro models.

[@minzip]

The old B&D (Black and Decker) 8209 had an interesting wind on process. It had like 19 poles in a radiating star, and you would weave the new line on to it, skipping 7 splines and going over and under. This stopped the lined from unravelling, but did make the process of winding it on take a fraction longer. The other tip to make the nylon more flexible and less brittle, is to soak it in water over night. This also stops it from rubbing and welding itself to itself in the bobbin.

[@1interesting2]

Failure to chooch on the battleshots vidjeyo :-(

[@Milsparro]

:(

[@ilpoheinola6440]

No chooch in sweden on Battleshots

[@wraywraith]

yup same here

[@imitt12]

Chooch factor 0, Mr. AvE.

[@Stigstigster]

Yeah, she no choocharoo.

[@johnnybuchner5081]

As a golf course mechanic.. looking after two courses.. I use the "speed feed" by echo. Awesome bump head. And you don't need to take it apart to reload the string! Works great!

[@marshaul]

I've never tried more than about 10 pulls on a small engine. Either it starts, or it's time for a teardown. Or it was trash to begin with.

[@themadmailler]

there are trimmer heads that you can shove in short, pre-cut lengths of string in and use until they are gone, then pull them out and replace. there are also heads that take replaceable plastic blades that swing around and slice everything up really well. have fun!

[@devjock]

Each video your jargon gets worse, and I can still make out what you're saying. This is how languages evolve. Soon we'll all be speaking arduinian. Soon.

[@VictorGarciaR]

3 years later...

[@jk9554]

... we're choochin' away with our dicks in our vises...

[@ToastbrotRaver]

J K all properly cuntfuckulated our gibbergabber

[@aussiebloke4601]

I've been using a Honda 4 stroke snipper for 20 years now only parts used 1 primer bulb, oil changes (90ml each) and 2 trimmer heads which work great, haven't even done a spark plug yet and starts first pull every time.

[@monicaweber928]

Howard Bayley I have the same one, my husband pulled the cord right off it the first time he tried to start it and said “weed wacker is broken” 🤦‍♀️

[@tybo09]

You want "EXTREME"? Tear into a nest of yellowjackets with one. They weren't happy. Usain Bolt might have a couple seconds on me in the 100, but he's never done it running up my driveway while throwing off clothes to get the buggers off of me.

[@tybo09]

Fraggr92 They chased me up the driveway (about 50 yards) and to the back of the back yard another 75 or so... Not fun at all. Wound up taking a good 15 stings from them before I got inside and got them all removed from me. One got inside with me and stung one of the dogs. Justice was swift, dangerous, (probably) illegal, and very VERY pyrotechnic.

[@AndyHullMcPenguin]

.. I hope you had the good sense to video the pyrotechnics and post them online. After all, you've got to have a good conversation starter when explaining the 3rd degree burns with the big red stings all over them and those caring professionals down at A&E enjoy a good laugh just as much as the next man.

[@diltzm]

Try shooting the nest with a paintball gun if it's not in the ground. They swarm around confused about what's destroying their nest 😅

[@ArmyCore_EOD]

I worked for a stihl dealer last summer. I fixed those do hickeys that people destroyed. they make multiple heads for those machines and the next one up the food chain is much easier to handle. I would actually recommend getting a straight shaft trimmer from STIHL. the stock heads on those are much better and you can usually run one of the blades if you're sick of the line.

[@akapaun28]

they make heads that you only put 2, 10inch pieces of cable in and you just put new ones in each time much easier than having to put on 12 feet of cable everytime

[@robert-bg9pf]

Used to do residential and commercial property lawn management and when we got new heads for the Red Max weed wackers we would take the head apart and use coarse sand paper and a belt sander to make the center pieces that have to spin out when you tap it down fit a TINY LITTLE BIT looser than they do from the factory. Soon as we did that, they would let out string EVERY SINGLE TIME garunteed and with less force used tapping it against the ground therfore lowering the chance of cracking part of the plastic. We would also coat everything inside the head, including the line, as well as the guards with silicone spray to keep everything working smoothly and help keep so much shit from sticking to the guards when you are doing large sections.

[@MrROTD]

The nylon string thing is the best way you just need a decent trimmer, I have a Husqvarna and it chooches nice and skookum, well as skookum as is possible

[@RichardHeadGaming]

+Rex Holes the best thing is the metal blade attachment, it takes no maintenance whatsoever, just keep away from all dangly parts when operating.

[@spitfire83]

+Richard Schmidtendorff well you do have to sharpen the bloody thing once in a while, and it is pretty dangerous

[@picobyte]

+Spitfire83 We live for danger.The sawblade thing is best! Be carefull it also does a great job cutting fence posts.

[@El_Chompo]

Yep I have used heavy and light weight string and everyone goes for the heavy but I like the light now because it reaches farther and doesn't stay so perminantly bent it flexes much easier and really gets into all the nooks and crannys and I noticed it feeds a lot easier than the heavier line too I think because it's more flexible. I still use the heavy sometimes for field clearing and stuff and I mostly don't have a problem with it feeding but it is more of a pain in the ass to wind right since it is so stiff. There really is an art to winding it on not too tightly so it feeds well. The light string though works 100% better and more effortlessly on stuff that it is big enough to cut and the motor runs faster. It's really nice.

[@johnebbing6205]

I bought an out-of-production Stihl trimmer about 15 years ago. The only maintenance it ever got was fresh fuel mix and in 10 years it never failed me. At that point, I traded it for a Troy-bilt push behind trimmer which turned out to be an expensive pain-in-the-arse. Last year I bought a new FS38. Second season, it refused to start. I tried all the standard fixes - new spark plug, fresh fuel mix, carb clean with C-foam, adjusting the H/L adjustments, all to no avail. Finally I stumbled onto something that said the spark arrestors on those things get corroded and plugged easily. Removed mine, tossed it, and it fired right off. I'm guessing (not a guess, really), the metal used now is a cheaper grade of recycled alloy, and some of the products are built in low-wage countries (which usually produces a lower grade product). My only advice is get some ear protection (they get louder with that gaping hole in the muffler). Try it. You'll be amazed!I bought an out-of-production Stihl trimmer about 15 years ago. The only maintenance it ever got was fresh fuel mix and in 10 years it never failed me. At that point, I traded it for a Troy-bilt push behind trimmer which turned out to be an expensive pain-in-the-arse. Last year I bought a new FS38. Second season, it refused to start. I tried all the standard fixes - new spark plug, fresh fuel mix, carb clean with C-foam, adjusting the H/L adjustments, all to no avail. Finally I stumbled onto something that said the spark arrestors on those things get corroded and plugged easily. Removed mine, tossed it, and it fired right off. I'm guessing (not a guess, really), the metal used now is a cheaper grade of recycled alloy, and some of the products are built in low-wage countries (which usually produces a lower grade product). My only advice is get some ear protection (they get louder with that gaping hole in the muffler). Try it. You'll be amazed!

[@TheDisorderly1]

You forgot to insert the whippersnipper footage.

[@ZaphodsPlanet]

I'm a total believer in that brand. I've got that weed wacker, an edger and a chain saw (first purchase). That thing sat for 7 years without me so much as looking at it. Started it on the 3rd pull and ran perfect. At that point I was hooked. Never had an issues with mine feeding line until you get to the end, one piece comes flying out the other doesn't the it get's the shakes.

[@zachbrenner9959]

Stihl is from Germany, not Sweden.

[@dogg755]

Ja.

[@JeffreyAustinThePhyrefyter]

Zach Brenner These are made in Virginia Beach VA.

[@SteveRobReviews]

Your communicative format is fascinating. The manly 90 thou line is too big for your britches and the line install can only be configured with the left side of the cranium so it's definitely a wifely experience . The use of a bent shaft indicates that size does matter. Excellent vid as usual , I do find myself referring to my medical journals for rare functional disorders to understand the jist of the inferred message. Thanks for contributing to my monthly medical journal newsletter. Look forward to experiencing another clinical episode . Thanks again :)

[@NordboDK]

my father-in-law made an adapter for his to take circular saw blades.

[@nobodyspecial313]

+NordboDK. Stihl sells official saw blade accessories for their trimmer to take down scrub. The best part are the use instructions: rev up at WOT then slash!

[@langleyquentin]

I think all the straight shaft stihls will accept a saw blade. Just need to come up with a washer assortment that will hold the blade on center. I've did it with mine but I didn't have the right washers setup so it had a speed woblle that was super scary at WOT

[@axtmann]

If you're ever cruising through southern Ontario, stop by 851 North Shore Drive in the tiny town of Dunnville and I'll show you how to wind your trimmer head. As a Stihl dealer I'm biased, but I've seen every brand and era come into the shop for troubleshooting and repair and you've got about the second-easiest tap feed head ever made there. You hit on one key component in the vid that most people overlook; the string. Quality trimmer line has a higher melting temp than cheap stuff. When it's spinning at a few thousand rpm, it can weld together. The cheaper the line, the more often you have to remember to advance it in order to keep it from welding.

[@evilutionltd]

Recycle the innards of a brake cable/gear cable from a mountain bike. tie a knot in it, poke it through the hole in the spinny thing, cut to size and shrewd the b'jezus out of everything.

[@TheSuraj03]

Tip #1. Never ever leave fuel in the tank when you finish work for the day. Days turn into weeks and u know how that goes. Drain all the fuel and start it so that fuel in the lines will be burnt off. Tip# 2 for the love of God, only use a cutting blade with a machine designed to accept it. Bicycle handles and straight shafts are what I'm referring to. Tip #3 use fresh fuel and oil mixture.. Old fuel sucks and causes all kinds of trouble. Alternatively use an oil with a fuel stabilizer in it. Like shindaiwa one I would personally recommend shindaiwa b series or echo straight shift machines as I own two machines and worked in a repair shop for a couple years. What kills them are forgetting to add oil to the fuel and leaving fuel in the tank after the jobs done.. Other than that, there bulletproof

[@mechanicojoe]

You would make a great temporary relief assistant trailer park supervisor!

[@esobofh]

I have the exact same FS 38.. been using it since 2007, with only one issue - the primer bulb cracked, paid the .38 cents at Fraser Valley Equipment and she was back up and running. And your right, the problem with this unit is the head.. as soon as any clippins gookins get into the head, she jams up good. Newer units have the head where you stick the line in either side, and then twist the knob to suck it into the head.. so you are not removing a spool every time, and there is less entry opportunity for junk to get stuck in there - it works a lot better.

[@esobofh]

Kyle Geddes actually there was two issues, and i'm taking the time to leave a second comment entirely because this ones a gooder; my unit stopped revving up or was slow to rev up and just generally performing like a pig. There is a threaded exhaust tip dealy there with a spark arrestor screen on the back of the muffler. The screen was so gummed up I couldn't blow through it! - i ripped the screen off and threaded the tip back in bare... she screams like a hot damn now.

[@fall22123]

I would guess your age at late 20s, early 30s. You're old enough that a good bender will put you down for the count, but too young to know that a few hours of fun isn't worth a few days of misery. Really, after you've had too much, it isn't fun anymore.

[@marshaul]

Personally, I've mostly stopped drinking for this reason. But some of my friends, by all indications, will be daily drinkers well into old age. To each their own, I guess.

[@miniwarrior7]

+AvE slow learner here too!

[@gherrin]

he sounds 40+, howd you get late 20s?

[@fall22123]

My explanation immediately follows that guess

[@aaronrichardson6755]

Nothin good happens after midnight. Think about it

[@ChildOfWinter810]

Landscape mechanic here. I rebuild those all the time. First suggestion, replace your head with an industrial grade ( 95 series or abouts) , second, make sure you're using good 2 banger oil, Third, if you're having ANY issue with it running check the spark arrestor on the exhaust output, usually clogged all to hell.

[@COBiLP]

did he say to keep that stick in your eyes at the end?

[@stevec6934]

He's likes ice hockey

[@anycombo]

Couple of things. Walk into a Stihl or Echo shop & buy a decent line head. You don’t have to take the Dann thing apart you just line up the marks & push the line through then wind it in. Can’t remember what they call them. Keep your trimmer line in a bucket of water. IT WORKS !! If you wanna get fancy use the Stihl hedge trimmer spray, that’ll make it slide nicely. It’s formulated to dissolve plans goo & lubricate. Job done. You’ll have something easy to load that won’t jam ( in a perfect world ) :)

[@KowboyUSA]

Battleshots link don't work.

[@KowboyUSA]

***** So much for seeing the ladies.

[@wick5449]

I have the fs40. Little different choke, but runs great. SAME problems with the head. Finally bought a Stihl head where you cut 105 size string into short lengths and shove one in one side and one in the other. When one breaks you just shove another in there. Not ideal, but with light duty trimming the string holds up well, and one or two replacements will do my small lawn. The string I got was braided and you need wire cutters to cut it, my kitchen scissors were not up to task. Just don't make it too long thinking the built in cutter will save you, it won't, at least mine didn't. Thanks for the video.

[@wick5449]

PS: tried one of those Pivot trim units that fit 99% of all trimmers EXCEPT mine. The one I was speaking of from Stihl is the Dura Cut 5-2.

[@NickMoore]

lithium spray lube, it fixes everything

[@jetjazz05]

***** Speaking of cats, why don't you do a (not so technical) video on how to make the neighbors 15 cats stop pissing on my front door. I'm at a total loss, nothing I try actually works.

[@Nevir202]

Jesse Crandle Rock salt shotgun? :-p

[@kistuszek]

Jesse Crandle Try an eclectic fence stuff on the door. If it does not help, put it on the floor before it, so when the little furrys try to get in range they will reconsider their actions. Also you can have a blast watching. :D

[@tedwells1941]

My Stihl would not run at mid rpm's so I put it in to the shop to let the experts service it, (was about 4 years old). After taking it back 3 times and spending a third of the cost of a new one it still wouldn't run probably. So of to eBay spent $14 including postage for new carbie from China, 7 days later it arrived with a new gasket put it on, pull the starter, it ran perfectly no adjustments. All this 2 years ago and still going strong. I'm with u on the cord problems.

[@Pest789]

Man, you're a hoot to watch! I wish I could be your friend. If you ever find yourself in Arizona, let's go shoot machine guns.

[@Pest789]

***** DEAL! My brother and my mother live up there, so don't be surprised if I try to follow up.

[@Pest789]

***** Plus, I've never tried it before.

[@Pest789]

***** \o/

[@DaddyBeanDaddyBean]

The trouble comes from twisting the string as you wind it, because the dangle end is still attached to the spool. Wind up one section, cut it off, unwind and measure it - feet, meters, armlengths, rods, furlongs, cubits, whatever. Now measure out that length again & cut it off. Write this length on the spool for future forgetfulness. With the dangle end swinging free like one of those other things, it doesn't get all twistificated as you wind it up.

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

Holy shirt batman, you got the wrong string trimmer still. You need a toro. The only thing that stops a toro is a matador and I bet you aint got none in canuk land. And the string feeds out just right. Go back to Home Despot and look at the huge pile of after market trimmer heads. It will make your eyes pop out. Or at least your credit card. In tha pile is the one you want, ask the pimply kid about it. Oh and I aint got no ice to stick my stick onto. It is August in Texas and the folks who can afford it are vacationing in hell. Keep fighting evil, you are bound to win in the end.

[@shawndubay3736]

Grab a stihl FS 55 with the straight shaft. They are an entry level pro series trimmer.they are light weight, powerful and come with a pro grade bump feed cutting head that is simple and doesn't fail. I have one and love it. What the string doesn't cut my brush knife blade will. Use that little stihl as a backup trimmer and get a FS- 55 or FS-56 straight shaft trimmer and y'all will be unstoppable when it comes to lawn and or brushcutting day. As far as string goes.95 is good stuff. For the rough stuff go with a stihl brush knife.

[@Hellghast1109]

"Turkblanistan" I lost is hahaha

[@JasperRoth]

90% of the time if a weed eater isn't running, it's the carb. All 2-stroke carbs are shit! Instead of a needle and float you have a diaphragm aka a piece of rubberized gasket paper to control your fuel flow. After a few years it hardens and won't be as sensitive as it use to be until the point it wont work at all (maybe a few seconds at most) and that's because of the primer bulb. You can get a rebuild kit on amazon for $16 USD or you can just buy a whole new carb for $8 USD. I know it doesn't make sense to me either. But it works.

[@bentlikeitsmaker]

Buy a shindaiwa

[@MrSleepIncorporated]

Agreed, I bought a Shindaiwa head for my Echo and it's probably the best investment I've made!! More than $20 though.

[@n8guy]

bentlikeitsmaker I heard from a pro landscaper the same thing - the heads on them are far and away the best he has used.

[@spannerkrabb]

bentlikeitsmaker Shindaiwa heads work first time, every time - genius piece of engineering

[@bentlikeitsmaker]

You can get there heads on other brands if im correct

[@nickedwards7992]

I loooove my S270 it's a beast

[@vincehoward1665]

I work at a shop that sells Stihl "whipper snippers". I believe you can get a replacement head that's designed a little better. I'll have to ask to be sure, I'm not exactly in the small engine department. But as far as running troubles, if you act real proper towards ANY small engine guy worth their weight in salt, you could probably talk them into adjusting the "carbonator" for ya for free. If worst comes to worst you could probably trade 'em some beers to do it. But for the real challenge you could talk to 'em about it and get a rough idea from 'em and if you've got the patience, finger out the particular sounds of it running properly at the given ripems and get it dialed in yourself for the cost of free-ninety-nine. (assuming you have a small flathead like the one that should've come with the whipper snippers you got). Also the straight shafts generally do better. Also, check the tubing from and inside the gas tank and the fuel filter. Some long/curved needlenose pliers will come in handy for that.

[@mylesfranco3545]

Your ask wifed you, yah dont say. 1:24

[@charles8060]

the wife does yard work? Sounds like a keeper

[@adysmith4378]

Im over in Manchester England and have been using Stihl strimmers as we call them for over 30 years on a daily basis as a contract gardener .Stihl is German for a start ,there the best in the world at garden 2 stroke machines .You cannot buy them in a walmart type outlet only stihl main agents ,the reson for that is they have the knowledge and service depots for them .Every nut and bolt of stihl machine no matter its age can be bought due to stihls parts dept computer systems .And unlike cheaper machines the pistons are made out of high grade alloys which last longer .The fs 38 and fs45 strimmers were mainly designed for the private householder doing their own garden ,the fs50 and 55 are aimed at continual use by gardeners etc ,the best strimmer was actually the fs75 bent shaft machine which is no longer available ,it was better because it was longer than the now fs50,s ,much better for the taller gardener ! As for what we call the spool head assembly ,do not not spray the insides of it with anything as the spool gets hot which warms the plastic line and expands it which if you havnt wound it on correctly causes the the line to become jammed up inside when you try and bump feed it out ,thats the cause and nothing else .I must of relined these machines thousands of times by now and could do it in my sleep .When your really good ,try and reline a fs400 series spool head ! Now heres a tip if your strimmer dosnt start for no obvious reason after doing all the normal checks ,get a warm blow air fan heater and place it next to the strimmer for ten minutes or so ,then try it again .Bet you it fires up ,all down to the ambient temperature of the inside of the piston bores ,same goes for any lawnmowers etc .Now when it comes to using the machine ,dont use any line containing metal as it can break off in use and do a lot of damage to your eyes and face or anybody near you .

[@markhamze154]

Put talcom powder on the whipper snipper wire while your winding it on. it stops the eletrostatic electricity from welding your wire together

[@markhamze154]

i"ve never had problems. Possibility is there! I ran lawn busters for eleven years. Talcom powder always worked!

[@METALfanUSMC]

I own Stihl for everything as it pertains outdoor power. For the string head reasons talked about in this video, I have an Echo with Speedfeed head. When you run out it only takes a minute to re spool with no tools or taking anything apart.

[@bnsaibum]

Using a fixed metal head with heavier (thicker) line works very well. You'll need a power unit with a little more oomph, of course, but there are no moving parts to go wrong and requires *no winding* to install the line. The thicker line lasts quite a bit longer during the trimming, as well, but being a consumable it will need to be periodically replaced which means stopping the unit to install new line which can be usually done in well under a minute.

[@Smidge204]

You can get trimmer heads with rigid plastic blades, rather than the plastic cord. How often you have to replace the blades depends on how much concrete you're cutting through.

[@douglasthompson2740]

I use a size or two larger than recommended on the string. Tried some Oregon triangle string with no marked difference. Stihl recommends soaking the string overnight in water to keep it from welding together on the reel. I have to reload two or three times in a couple hours of cutting. I bought a spare spool so I could change out without having to rewind during the job. Quite frustrating. I had an old Homelite with a triangle blade on it that was better but they no longer support their stuff with parts. So I would also invest an hard earned $20 in anybody with a better way. And don't try the plastic flexible blades. There does seem to be a large difference in performance with the larger (jet pack handles) models of Stihl. Mine (FS 45) has been dissappointing. Another possible is the three short sections of chainsaw chain on a string head but I can't find any for the Stihl. I have heard good about them for other brands. You are right on the mark again.

[@GTechno13]

Have not tried it myself but you can apparently just drill two holes in that flange on the head and throw a heavy duty zip tie in each and cut to length. It won't replace itself but works in a pinch.

[@JtBlum]

I don't know if anyone has already commented on this but, what your looking for exists. It's call the autospool or autospooler. It's made by stihl. AS LONG AS YOU USE THE RIGHT DIAMETER STRING, she works great! PM me I'll send you one.

[@spokehedz]

I think I have your problem figured out. What you got there is a dual dingle arm apparatus, and you are only using it in single dingle mode. Put the dual dingle on there, and not only will it not be so vibratious, it will be quieter and it will also not suck so hard. Ah there we go. Figured it out in the end. Oh well.

[@spokehedz]

Internet.

[@nielsbaars9017]

There are also strimmer heads with easily replaceable wire. It consists of a spinning head with two replaceable thick wires held with one bolt on the tippy top of the head

[@gnif]

Winding these is very simple once you realize how... You need to cut off about 1-2M of cord, find the middle, and fold it. Around the middle divider on the spindle, there will be a split, put the folded part over the split and wind both sides at the same time. Once you start her up for the first time, bump feed it until the excess is cut off and the cord tightens, which balances the load on the lines. If you try to wind them as separate cords there is nothing to stop them coming undone and jamming up as you consume and feed more line. When done properly, the spindle will throw out the last little bit (10-15cm) when you are out of line. Edit: A quick search shows the Stihl uses some little holes to hold the end of the line... what a joke, no wonder it is a problem for so many. Cut a slot into the divider to anchor the center of the cord over as described above.

[@brucehiatt563]

As far as this line feed issue goes, I suggest some high tech tom foolery. 1) Don't rely on centrifugal force to get the line out. 2) Add complexity and *cost* to the whole thing by having a bluetooth operated line feed motor in the head that you control with a switch on the neck (nearest the fingers) that send out a wireless command to "push the line out!" 3) The centrifugal force is what make the line tighten around the spool and get so damn stuck. You will also need a line brake that gets engaged when you release the trigger. This keeps the line all nice and slack on the spool. Of course you'll need rechargeable batteries in the spool housing (some balancing needed don't ya know) Many dollars more but would fix the problem. :-)

[@1pcfred]

Neatness counts when loading bump feed heads. The heads I've loaded all had angled retention holes in them. I wind the line so it holds the line in the retention hole. So put the end of the line in the retaining hole, then whichever angle it comes out, pick the larger angle to bend the line back, and wind in that direction. I find a little spring clamp helps hold the one line, while I wind the other one. Putting the line in one of the little holders doesn't work reliably for me. Spring clamp just more bueno. Cursing at your string trimmer in Spanish likely helps too. That is the default language they are all programmed to understand after all.

[@artgoat]

My Husqvarna 4-stroke (Honda motor) is tooless for putting cord back in it. It snaps together like LEGOs. I use heavy-assed square-edged 0.105 cord, because I'm mostly whipping Johnson grass stumps, but I gotta wear gloves to wrap it or it slices the fingers up (grasses revenge). It bumps the .105 cord real nice, even though it's only supposed to use .095. Sometimes if I get a little too hot and heavy it welds together, but that's not very often. It's pretty good as trimmers go. I agree with the folks who don't like having a bent shaft. Who does?

[@roberthoffman4681]

I repaired this stuff for 20 plus years. The light weight trimmers will feed thinner line better. Stay away from the shaped trimmer lines like cross cut and tri cut lines, they tend to jam up because you can not wrap them as tight. your better off with a straight shaft with a heavy string. keep the dirt out as much as possible. I don't have any issues with the 3 I own or the few hundred of others people stuff I worked on. One model Stihl string trimmer head was an issue but I am not sure about the part number for the bad auto feed head. You can buy the much better heavier duty one for around $29 to $34 and they work much better and are well worth the money.

[@ericallen1045]

Sears craftsman has a head that comes with a bunch of bolts nuts and crap to mount to any brand and it doesn't use rolled string. It uses a precut length that you push in one hole until it comes out the other evenly. It's a real heavy cord and lasts through a whole session. when it's worn short push it in and pull out. Replacement cords seem expensive because you only get 20 or so cords but 2 years later I'm still on the same pack of cords and no headaches. Check it out

[@chadderaps]

I know that this is old, but I use the head that allows you to just put short cutter strings into it. I usually change them once when doing my house and trees, so I go through 4 total 12" cutter strings per time.

[@zfixation9817]

Look for an after market trimmer head, like a grass gator for instance, I had one, it works really well, but I recommend getting a spool of line and just remembering what length to cut your strings to instead of buying the pre cut stuff. Itll save you some money to cut your own. Hopefully one of their models with fit your trimmer.

[@Cnctrldotcom]

Seriously, replace the nylon cord with a short length of steel wire. The wire you use around the garden for plants it perfect and it's much more robust than the nylon. For double bonus points, unlike plastic, the steel will rust away in the garden. I'd wear a face mask and steel boots with it though.

[@archangel20031]

Your description of the 2 stroke issue sounds like an vacuum leak where the crank case halves split. I got a sears in the basement just like that. It was replaced a couple years ago so is helping hold the house foundation down in case of tornadoes.

[@ryanbellaver8678]

+Ave Get yourself a set of plastic and steel blades for the bottom of that. You can pick em up wherever you buy your lawn tools. The blades are all on pivots and are way better than the filament.

[@Tradwoodworker42]

Hey AvE, I do mowing semi professionally and I have exactly the same problem with the reel, I use a spray on Chainsaw bar wax on any moving parts inside and haven't had any problems since, 2 years after and only spray in on when I service it once every year.

[@tuffiek]

Hey mate the best whipper snippers are the ones with the straight shafts, they're designed for a lot more abuse than these bent pole ones. Also on your gripe about the line head what you need to get is a speedfeeder mate, they are the shit, line them up so you can see day light through them, poke a bit of line through the middle, pull the line even and twist the head up until all of the line is inside of it.. Then when you want it to come back out you just smack the head into the grass or on something hard while your working.

[@TheTigero]

That's exactly what my echo straight shaft has, and its awesome. Super easy to fill...

[@Festoolification]

One alternative - bought it in France but should be available in the US - replacement for the bump head, an aluminium head with screw down cap - the cap traps an extra thick piece of filament that slips through the head, simple, no jams and the (much) thicker filament last far longer and does not need changing all the time.

[@Festoolification]

Look up - ALUMINIUM FIXED LINE HEAD by OREGON, very similar.

[@Festoolification]

***** Check compatibility - for some reason the oregon one seems to be specified for straight shaft, there are others in the market. You'll see a lot of debate between fixed and bump feed on forums.

[@secondcreekworkshop3908]

I have been rocking a Honda string trimmer for about 20 years and the thing won't die it always starts , I just bought a new Honda versatach trimmer so I ca trim the lawn and the trees .

[@jesseblanchard9609]

for brush clearing Stihl makes the greatest head and blades. You might have to go to a Stihl supplier but the blades are plastic and so they wear out but if you are just clearing high grass and such it is amazing. They are easy to replace bc they just unbolt off the head. they come in packs of a dozen or so, if I remember right.

[@Mattdotnfo]

I have never had one of these auto spoolers that worked. I finally just gave up and got one of those plastic blade sets that attach to the end. works great.

[@Jestokost]

Why’d the Battleshots video (along with apparently ~100 other back-cataloguers?) get taken down?

[@clydeperrine2959]

I remember watching this back in 14 and not a week went by when I didn't curse my own whipper snapper and the way to load line. Well, they (Ryobi) finally came up with a better way of loading the new line. They give you a wrench that you use to wind it up. None of that having to use just your hands and it would catch up wouldn't turn. Id have to get my crescent wrench to turn the inside till if would the line-up. But no more of that. All I do now is line up the arrows push the new line in one side and out the other. Even up the two sides lengthwise, then take the wrench and wind it up in less than 30 seconds. winner winner chicken dinner.

[@adamgalowitz1129]

Back in my youth, thought it was a capital idea to replace the plastic cord with a circular saw blade. Was even able to purchase a retrofit kit designed for a line trimmer. Guessing the lawyers put an end to that poor idea. In any event, when the rug rats got to a certain age, decided the only worthwhile use for a line trimmer was to salvage the engine to drive the hovercraft I built for them. I recommend you do the same for your daughter. Word of advice- put a cage around the giant RC propeller attached to the trimmer engine. The wind tends to pull in pippi long stocking braids. Ask me how I know. 😇

[@cameroncrane3770]

personally I'm a fan of husqvarna(due to a few years of commercial mowing and then starting businesses doing it) but I used to buy stihls I had like fs94s and fs90s I think they were all called but my new(er) husqvarna 525lk is AMAZING and I don't have a single issue ever with the bump feed or overheating like I did with the stihls but when stihl took their warranty and made it shittier and then added more Chinese parts but raised prices I had to move to husqvarna,glad I did though

[@kainhall]

i have the exact same trimmer.... or possibly a size bigger, but same wire spoll thing.... i usually dont have problems with it however...its WAY WAY better than other trimmer line spools. i also thank that .095 is WAY too thick for that spool. ya feed it the right size and it works a treat.

[@fuwad84]

Sir, I love your mastery of the spoken word!

[@fourtysix4646]

This video is old and I don't know if ave will read it but I have the solution. Echo makes an amazing trimmer head called the speed feed head will cost you around $40 cad. It comes with adapters that makes it able to fit any trimmer and is far better than any head stihl has. I put them on all my trimmers and highly recommend it. Look it up and buy one you will be happy you did.

[@cornfusedatbest6693]

Yup, throw that POS to the side and go for the straight shaft,.. little heavier, little more coin, but more BANG for the buck. You know as well as I, every year the product goes down hill just enough to make you think; Uh, maybe this wuddint such a good idear??!!" I've always went with STIHL, but even the lower quality shit is actually getting better. Love your vids man, keep`em comin.

[@franknewling1139]

The blue stuff is better because it's thicker. As long as the opening is big enough to feed it, you're good to go

[@joshuaharrison9331]

My ideas with the whipper snipper is to get the thickest line you can fit in your machine - lasts longer. & for god sake the throttle is not an on/off switch, vary the speed depending on what your cutting, this saves the line so at least you don't have to change it so often.

[@robthesamplist]

The key to using the stihl autospool is to wind it VERY NEATLY so its like a new cable on a drum. if you dont do that it jams... they dont tell you this in the instructions and its the most important thing to know. And dont use too much, 2 rows at the most around 1 - 1.3 meter of line at the most to be honest the blue line you were using looked to thick for that model.. and take your time doing it dont let it all unfurl.. very tight neat windings then lock it off and do the other one. oil or grease won't help it will make it worse. Also only tap when its at full revs just a small tap.

[@derekthetoolguy9533]

there's grass blades that look like saw blades and another one that looks like a serrated propeller looks like. My favorite is awesome and uses string it has 4 swivels with 2 holes and you just cut the string to length and thread each end through the holes it's that simple. It doubles to quadruples the string and swivels when you hit a rock or fence so save the string I use all 4 swivels it doesn't get the speed it does with 2 but it plows like an ox. FYI i gave the STIHL FS46C which looks wise is identical to your trimmer just has a little bit bigger balls to the engine and the head is aftermarket that used to be advertised on tv over a decade ago I salvaged mine from a DOA craftsman it fit fine just had to add a washer to the center nut. It is still made today the head is and I think it's called EZ Trimmer or something Dude you have to try it as its life changing my wife use to tear the string up every use and I had the same issue with the head. Also I drilled the holes out on the swivels to accept the larger string the push weed wackers use but it still takes small it's turned my wacker into a beast I've cut weeds 3 foot high or an inch or so thick some more. GL

[@nedt]

I just bought me a 38, and I have been gingerly using the line that it came with it for fear of the bloody head! Down under stihl sell different heads for it including "mowing head polycut" and another couple stupid line birds nest makers. At work we have one that you feed in lengths about 50cm long of super tough line that seems to last well and there is no stupid spool.

[@richiepfeiffer9302]

to spool a stihl auto cut trimmer head the easiest way is to grab bout three arm lengths of trimmer line roughly 15 to 20 foot and then take both ends and stick them in either hole in the spool and then wind all of it onto the spool keeping tension on it the whole time so it doesn't loosen up on you and tangle together until you have only loop left at the end and stick apart from either side into the little notches on the spool then cut the loop in the center and re-insert in to the head and there you go also when you are out trimmer bump frequently so the line stays long because if you let it get too short it is going to suck right back inside the line head