On Thu, 20 May 2004 00:51:47 GMT, Frank P wrote:

[Note crossposted to uk.d-i-y,uk.rec.gardening]

I have an old 28cc McCulloch Strimmer (without brushcutter attachment)
and I'm getting really tired of having to replace the line, and the
'bump feed' has never worked since day one so I'm forever having to
stop to feed out more line from the spool.

So, what's to stop me (other than for safety reasons) from replacing
the plastic line with say, stout steel wire?

Pros & Cons?

It may pay to experoment with different line thicknesses. When I
bought my Stihl strimmer it was fitted with the thickest available
line (brown) and the line broke very quickly. As I already had a bulk
reel of the next thickness down (yellow) I started to use that and
found it lasted much longer. It may of course have been that the brown
line was old and had become brittle though.

So far as the bump start is concerned, it pays not to put too much
line on the reel, otherwise it's difficult to wind it smoothly. I
reckon on about six feet.

--
Andy Minter