Peter 1955

Not on my bench, but my machine. Should raise a smile. I have a year old small Cobra lawn mower, with a Briggs and Stratton on board. Out of the blue the other day, after it had been stood for a week, I started it up, and it was revving its nuts off, no matter what I did with the lever. So, I took it back to the dealer, and got it back yesterday. On asking what the fault was, the chap broke into a wide grin, and said it was funny. Turns out that a snail had crawled up the engine casing, and jammed the throttle wide open! ?

I rarely have a vast expanse of greenery without trees, gravestones, electric posts or buildings in front of me. Sadly, I can't often use the Genghis Khan approach to my cutting/clearance. ?

Not sure how it will stack up against Stihl/Husqvarna ( I think a colleague has a Husky ) but as I've already got lots of Makita battery tools, I've gone for a Makita battery chainsaw. Should be arriving within a week, I hope, I'll let you know how I get on with it.

So it's only me who puts one arm in my pocket, and the other between my teeth? I thought it seemed unnecessarily tricky. Let me elucidate, with cow horns, as far as I can see, you can only move the cutter head laterally. For backwards and forwards movement, you have to use your feet. With the loop handle, without moving your feet, you can cut round obstructions and sensitive items merely by using the movement of your arms laterally and backwards and forwards. In my humble opinion, a much easier and more controlled process. Others may disagree, all I can say is it works for me.

I think I may be bucking the trend here ( and my son certainly disagrees ) but I prefer loop handles for strimming, as rather than waltz round obstacles, you move your arms, which seems easier to me. Granted if you were let loose in a five acre paddock, with no obstacles, a bike handle machine might seem a better bet. You've reminded me that when I got my first 4-mix, I was convinced that it ran slower than the 2-stroke, and thus didn't run lines as well as 2-strokes. I must have got used to that.

Every now and again, I decide I need a Brushcutter, and then I return to Planet Sensible and realise that with three 4-mix Kombi power units in the shed, it's a pointless idea. I don't do enough clearing work to justify a dedicated machine. I wasn't the biggest fan of the 4-mix engines initially, the fact that they seem to run on fresh air, and with a bit of servicing, keep running, I've got no issues with them.

Well that's a big surprise! Backwards compatibility is usually a dirty word.

While it might save money in one way, it would stop them selling new items. Cynical? Moi?

The question which immediately sprang to my mind was, will the electric kit fit the petrol? If they're interchangeable, that's great news. and so unlikely that I'm ashamed for even considering it.

Once upon a time, I had a job at the far side of a town, and there was no way on God's Green Earth I could carry enough sand and paving slabs for the job in one trip with transit and trailer. I loaded up what I thought was reasonable, and to the casual observer, it looked well within limits. ( It wouldn't have been, had I gone on a weighbridge). Having arrived at the job, we unhitched the trailer, unloaded slabs from the van, and my co-worker stayed on site while I went to fetch the rest of the slabs from the relatively nearby merchant. While sitting at the lights, waiting to get across to the merchant's, I burst out laughing. Crossing in front of me, was a Transit pickup. Loaded with soil. And then loaded with a bit more. And then a full load put on for luck. I kid you not, it was level with the top of the cab! I mentally thanked him for " running interference" as the Americans have it, and went on my way with my remaining slabs.

My larger one is a Macallister from B&Q, and has been good. I'm currently doing most with an Evolution saw though, and it makes a very nice cut. Also, nails aren't an obstacle. I've got the middle sized one, the 210mm. There's a 255mm one if you need bigger capacity, and also a high capacity 210mm.

Presumably primarily because there's no filter on the forum. As a Mod on another forum, much hilarity, exasperation and debate came from what was/wasn't, should/shouldn't be tolerated. Secondary reason: Because we're all big, robust, grown up unshockable outdoorsy types? ?

Fair enough. There's worse kit than Einhell. Re saws up ladders, it's not a marriage made in heaven whatever power they use. From the scenario you describe, if you go for Einhell, I'd be adding one of these. ( Mind you, I have Makita tools, so my choice is made already). Edit: Blimey, the Einhell stuff is cheap! Saw, charger and one 3Ah battery for less than the cost of two Makita batteries? If I were using any battery kit, 5Ah is the minimum size, and 6 is better.

I must be missing something here. Personally, I'd be taking the petrol saw out to acquire the timber, and using a battery or mains one at home.

Lateral thinking reply, ( alluded to by Stere ) have you room to get an access platform in, if you like them at the height they are? ( Or simply wish to lower them more easily with kit you have). One of my local hirers has now got a self propelled one, which sounds absolutely ace.

And Mini Digger weekend hires. ?

Wasn't any paint on mine. Been in a piggery for fifty years. Don't think I will ever use drier timber.

( Almost ) absolutely nothing. This is what I used to cut up the nail embedded timber from a big demolition job. I only removed big external nails. The little Brother is an excellent piece of kit, but obviously smaller cutting capacity. Both are excellent for cutting clean timber of most types. They don't like really fresh ( ie dripping wet ) tanalised.

I'm going to try 2.7 first, I think. That should let me know whether 3mm is an option. Thanks.

I couldn't find that information anywhere, must not have been looking in the right place. Might just order some 2.7 and try it, nothing to lose, thanks.

No Sir, you misunderstand me, sorry. Multiple Kombis. One set up with extension, one without. Works for me. Love my Kombis.

I used to get cheesed off when hedgecutting, inserting and removing extension pieces. It was a real pain in the posterior. As my inventory of tools has grown, the luxury of having one engine at normal length, and one extended is sheer bliss, and really cuts down wasted time.

Much the same as my practice. 16" inset boiler, I cut logs to 15". That way I can feed them in and fill it efficiently, without sticking my hand too far in! ( Doors on the front, fed horizontally ).

I was going to make a really cost saving and versatile suggestion, based on what I'm doing. Then when I looked at the figures, the list prices were near identical. A big Stihl petrol polesaw is almost exactly the same list price as a Kombi engine, extension and pole pruner, so if you only want to cut branches, and not strim grass etc, no advantage at all. You'd actually have a worse machine. I will however add that when I used the pruner for butchering thorn hedges, it was a real pain keeping the chain attached. Fortunately, my experiment of upgrading to a bar and chain for my 023 transformed the job.

I use my Kombis as strimmers and brushcutters quite a lot. Blades are no problem, I've got favourite types which do what I want perfectly. It's the line I have questions with. I realise that here we're in a balancing act between indestructible line and engine power/gearbox strength. Apologies for being about to quote lots of numbers. I currently use 2.4mm line ( I like Nylium best of all ) in Autocut 25-2 heads. Can I simply enlarge a couple of holes in the inner mounting to accept 2.7 line, will this work OK? ( On occasion, I think I've used thicker line, and shaved the ends of the line ). Alternatively, would either Autocut 30-2, or 36-2 fit onto my Kombis? Or does anyone have better suggestions than my ideas? Only stipulation is that it must fit Kombis, I'm really not looking at buying even a cheap unit which normally uses thicker line. ( We once borrowed a couple of whacking great Stihls for a paddock clearance, and could barely keep the buggers in fuel)! Thanks folks.