I could have purchased a bright and shiny Homelite 13 inch weedwacker for $79.00 plus tax. What I found on my neighbor’s parking strip was the same product, but dirty. There was no tax and no fee. It used to be that weedwackers were designed to have their weedwacking plastic lines replaceable only by their own weedwacking product lines. I use whatever is the cheapest.
My Homelite has two releases for the spinning center of the wacker that mows down the weeds. Note the little triangles opposite each other. On either side is a small plastic rectangle about half an inch down on either side. I use a heavy duty scissor and simply press down on the rectangle on one side or the other and pull the round plastic cover up with the rectangles on it.
Image #2 shows the inner construction with the plastic lines reaching from the center of the spinning wheel to the outside edge (#1) for weedwacking. In the middle of the center piece is the tie-down of the plastic line (#2). The two open slots are where the plastic rectangles are (#3) mentioned in the second paragraph.
The plastic string you can generally find at yard or garden sales. We have an asphalt driveway, so the heavy orange plastic string works well, but if I were to purchase from a store I go for a little lighter string and save money.
I have lots of old cables, lines, and cords, so I clean house with the old stuff, which sometimes has a two, three, or four interior electrical cords. These electrical cords work best with grass.
If you can’t find a weedwacker for free or next to nothing, all is not lost. You can always stop in at St. Vinnie’s on South 56th, near Stevens Street, in Tacoma. They have lots of lawn tool bargains.
I like St. Vinnie’s because I usually leave with a smile on my face and many items I didn’t know I needed . . . and the money they take in goes to help people in our community. Visit St. Vinnies – https://www.svdptacoma.org/
Great reuse of unwanted tools!!! I like the idea of using cord too
Jerry,
I was always taught to save a buck if possible. Thanks for reading and sharing.
Don
Make sure you use eye protection.
Especially with that copper wire spinning around.
Brian,
Of course. I always use protective glasses . . . ever since shooting an old plastic model boat on Clover Creek with my Red Ryder BB Gun. A BB bounced off the rounded hull and came back and hit my right eye . . . thankfully, I blinked first.
Don
This article is bewildering. You found what on your neighbors parking strip?
I so don’t get it.
The old weed-whacker was left on the lawn to be picked up by anyone who wanted it. I put it to good use.
Don