How to use a gasoline line lawn mower

Choice of trimmer: petrol or electric?

Electric trimmer

The electric trimmer is used to cut a small area of ​​lawn grass and has the following advantages:

• Virtually no noise
• Doesn’t require frequent maintenance
• Environmentally friendly
• Lightweight
• Costs less than a petrol trimmer

As for the disadvantages of an electric trimmer, these include:

• Weak engine power
• Has a small arsenal of cutting attachments
• Cannot be used in rainy weather or after precipitation
• “Tied” to an outlet, which limits the mobility of the unit

So, you have familiarized yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of an electric trimmer, now you can take a closer look at its design and scope.

The electric trimmer consists of an electric motor, a handle, a rod and an executive body.

The electric motor is connected to the network using an extension cord. The location of the trimmer motor can be either top or bottom. With the lower location of the electric motor, it is more convenient to cut the grass, but at the same time, the unit itself has less power, and, accordingly, productivity. It should be noted that when the engine is located at the bottom, only a fishing line or a string can protrude as the trimmer actuator; in this case, there is no way to install the knives. Also, the disadvantage of the lower location of the electric trimmer motor is that it is impossible to cut the grass in the morning and after rain (due to dew and precipitation on the leaves of the lawn grass). As for the upper location of the electric motor, in this case, the trimmer power is higher, it becomes possible to install steel knives for cutting not only soft lawn grass, but even weeds.

The trimmer handle can be either D- or J-, T-shaped, depending on the complexity and time of work. It’s good if the trimmer has several handles in the kit at once.

The bar can be collapsible or solid. The latter option provides a more reliable design, but is less convenient to transport. There are also telescopic rods that move / expand, which allows you to choose the optimal length of the hand lawn mower.

There are also battery trimmers that remove the main disadvantage of electrical units. limited mobility. The disadvantage of battery trimmers is that the battery lasts for 20-30 minutes of operation, and the cost of the unit itself is several times higher than a gasoline or mains electric trimmer.

Now we turn to consideration of petrol trimmers!

Petrol trimmer

Gasoline trimmers are more popular with summer residents.

The advantages of petrol trimmers are as follows:

• The units are powerful and can mow not only grass, but also bushes
• Petrol trimmers are power independent and mobile
• There are no restrictions in the conditions of using a gasoline trimmer
• Very high productivity, medium-sized areas can be cut
• The assortment has a large number of cutting tools

As for the disadvantages of gasoline trimmers, the main ones are:

• High engine noise during operation
• Fixed costs for fuels and lubricants (oil, gasoline)
• Emission of harmful emissions into the atmosphere
• Significant weight of the units
• Higher price for petrol trimmer
• frequent repair and maintenance of the trimmer motor

As you can see, in order for the trimmer to be more powerful and productive, you need to pay significant amounts not only for the purchase of the unit, but also for its maintenance! Despite this, most summer residents still prefer the gasoline trimmer model.

So, now we will tell you in more detail about what a gasoline trimmer is.

Like an electric unit, a petrol trimmer consists of an engine, a handle, a rod and an actuator.

As for the handle and the bar, the situation is the same as in the previous case, there is nothing new.

With regard to the engine, several important nuances need to be clarified. The petrol trimmer engine can be four-stroke or two-stroke. A two-stroke engine is cheaper, but noisier and more likely to fail. For a two-stroke engine to work, you must use 92nd gasoline mixed with oil. The four-stroke engine has a special crater for oil and a separate tank for gasoline. The capacity of the reservoir is from 0.5 to 1.5 liters, depending on the power of the petrol trimmer. The problem with all gasoline engines is heating. Therefore, when working with a petrol trimmer, it is necessary to take breaks every 20-40 minutes of operation, depending on the recommendations of the manufacturers. When choosing a petrol trimmer, pay attention to the engine manufacturer. If it is BriggsStratton, MTD or Honda, the trimmer is of high quality and will last a long time.

The executive body of a manual gasoline lawn mower can be presented not only in the form of knives, but also in the form of a special attachment for a cultivator, snow plow, brush cutter and even an air blower.

As we already said, the weight of a gasoline trimmer is much higher than that of an electric unit, therefore it is recommended to additionally purchase a special harness, presented in the form of a single, double shoulder strap and even a special knapsack that will distribute the load evenly over the entire torso.

That’s all you need to know before buying your own lawn trimmer. We still recommend to stop your choice on the gasoline model, because power will affect performance and therefore runtime. And the faster you trim the grass, the more time you have to rest.!

Principle of operation

If we consider the principle of the trimmer, then it is similar to a hand scythe. The difference is that it is equipped with a motor, with its help the cutting element is rotated.

Manufacturing companies produce the following mower models:

• On which a gasoline engine is installed. These garden tools have a fuel tank, this is their distinctive feature.
• Devices with an electric motor. These tools are lighter because they do not have a fuel tank. But when choosing such models, you need to take into account that a power source is needed for their operation.

All electric streamers can be divided into battery-powered and mains-connected models. Each type has its own characteristics, but they affect the power supply unit. If you do not take it into account, then the rest of the design is similar in different devices.

If you take any trimmer model, then it consists of elements such as:

• motor;
• fuel tank (petrol brushcutters do not have one);
• levers with which the mower is controlled;
• a knife for cutting grass;
• barbell;
• spool with wound fishing line, which is used for cutting grass;
• protective cover;
• bevel gear.

The motor is placed near the mowing head and can be mounted from below or from above. The gearbox is only available on those models with a straight bar. If it is bent, then the main bearing becomes the connecting element. It consists of 2 bushings.

A fishing line is used as a cutting device. It is easy to replace it with steel knives and discs, they can be made of plastic or metal.

The choice of the cutting element depends on how hard the grass will have to be mowed. Most often, a fishing line is used in the work, it is called a cord. There are products of various shapes on sale, among buyers in demand are spiral and round.

The fishing line is wound on a spool, it is inserted into the spool, while the 2 ends of the wire remain free. When the mower motor starts to work, the bobbin rotates, the grass is cut by the free ends of the line.

How the trimmer works and how to use it correctly

Brushcutters are devices that make it easy to maintain lawns. The question of how to use the trimmer is asked by those buyers who are just going to purchase a garden tool. The industry produces devices of different types, so when choosing, you need to pay attention to their characteristics.

Lawn Mower Control Basics

In fact, any of the lawn mowers is a motor with a pair of sharp knives mounted on the motor shaft. The entire structure of the motor shaft with the impeller is covered with plastic or steel protection and fixed to the wheel cart. Despite the relatively large weight of the unit, in theory, any adult without special physical training can mow with a lawn mower. However, mowing grass is not as easy as it might look on an advertisement.

To operate the mower correctly and safely, you must:

• Correctly service the device, adjust and prepare the mower for work;
• It is good to navigate the terrain of the mowed area. Before starting work, inspect the area and remove stones, large branches, any debris that can break off the cutting edge, knife and engine;
• If there are flower beds or shrubs on the lawn, it is necessary to think in advance about the route of the mower and the place to unload the container with cut grass.

How to mow without blunders

First of all, you need to mow without putting excessive unnecessary force on the control handle. The lawn mower was designed without taking into account this overload on the rear axle. For the front-drive version of the mower, this impairs the mowing quality. When working on the rear-wheel drive version, this “help” wears out the transmission and leads to the appearance of potholes in the lawn, it becomes more difficult to mow. In addition, it can easily damage the knife, motor or mow the grass on the ground.

The art of lawn mowing comes with practice. Most often, the direction of movement is corrected by moving the handle to the left or right. In particularly difficult cases, you can mow even on difficult paths by slightly tilting the mower body to the left or right, increasing the traction of the wheels on one side and loosening on the other. The controls are simple, but require practice and skill.

It is considered the most difficult to mow near a curb or fence. Such work requires accuracy and a good eye. Most often, damage to knives occurs when trying to mow in areas interspersed with gravel or under the edge of a stone blind area.

Models with a piano suspension of the front pair of wheels are best mowed in such difficult conditions. For complex edge configurations, mowing with such a lawn mower is much easier.

Risk factors:

• the mechanism is in motion, the metal knife rotates at high speed;
• in case of an emergency break in the circuit. a high voltage of electric current can infect a person;
• the likelihood of hitting foreign objects that can fly off to the sides;
• working process with combustible substances: fuel for a gasoline engine.

How to use the trimmer

Step 1. Installing the cutting device.

Depending on the type of weed, we choose a cutting tool: for soft-stemmed grasses. fishing line, for hard-stemmed and small shrubs. a knife. We unscrew the nut of the cutting mechanism and install the cutting tool. Tighten the nut. the mechanism is ready for operation.

Note: some trimmers do not have interchangeable cutting tools, so you can start using them right away.

Step 2. Preparing the trimmer for work.

If the trimmer is electric, charge the battery or turn on the motor. If it is gasoline, fill the tank with fuel. Then, depending on the type of trimmer, we adapt it to ourselves (the upper motor. is hung with a loop on the shoulder, the knapsack. by the shoulders, the lower upper arm. we grab the handles). Hold the trimmer over the grass so that its cutting mechanism is parallel to the area to be treated. We start the engine.

Step 3. Mowing.

The grass trimmer is mowing with simple movements. It is important to remember that the cutter bar of the device rotates counterclockwise so that the cut grass will fall onto the already worked area. The first is from right to left in front of you (this is how we cut off the top of the grass). The second is from left to right (this is how we remove the remnants of the grass).

It is better to divide a large area of ​​the cultivated area into squares, and mow the grass on them, moving from one to the other along the outer side of each square.

When mowing grass on slopes, it is recommended to mow from below, moving parallel to the sloping area. We reached the edge, returned back, became a little higher. and we repeat the same route. until the site is completely mowed.

To mow grass in an area where there are trees, it is better to use a line cutting device, and you need to mow, passing the area around the perimeter, bypassing the tree around the trunk.

Step 4. Finish work.

After the end of the mowing of all the grass on the site, turn off the engine, remove the trimmer (for shoulder and backpack devices), clean the cutting mechanism of grass residues.

Wet Weather Operation

Electric mowers must not be used in the rain, there may be a short circuit. When the precipitation stops, you need to wait for the grass to dry.

Not all gasoline mowers are protected from moisture, so some manufacturers prohibit the operation of mowers in the rain.

Types of gasoline lawn mowers

Gasoline lawn mower design

There are several varieties of gasoline lawn mowers, namely:

By engine type:

• Household (for a plot of up to 8 acres, with a motor resource of 500 hours and having a power of up to 5 hp)
• Semi-professional (for a plot of up to 18 acres, with a motor resource of 700 hours and having a power of up to 7 hp)
• Professional (for sites of any size, with a service life of 1000 hours, power over 7 hp)

Cutting width:

• With a width of 42-28 cm.Suitable for plots of no more than 8 acres.
• With a width of 51-53 cm.Suitable for plots up to 18 ares.

By type of collector:

• With cloth collector (for powerful machines). Dignity. well filled. Disadvantage. difficult to clean.
• With plastic grass catcher. The advantage is ease of maintenance. Disadvantage. poor filling of the container.
• With combined collector (plastic cloth). Advantages. ease of maintenance, well-filled.

By functional features:

• Guide the cut grass into the collection box. These types of gasoline lawn mowers do not have the more important functions of mulching and side discharge of cut grass.
• Mulch the soil with cut grass. The cut grass is additionally crushed in the deck of the machine and laid with a thin mulch layer on the lawn. These lawn mowers have an outlet for a grass catcher and a plug.
• Lateral discharge of cut grass. Used when servicing large areas of lawn.

There are also more expensive gasoline lawn mowers that include all 3 functions.

For adjusting the mowing height of the lawn:

• Individual adjustment. A separate lever for adjusting the cutting height is installed on each wheel of the machine.
• Central adjustment. Adjustment lever controls the entire cutting height at the same time.
• Screw adjustment. The easiest and most inconvenient way to adjust the cutting height, in which the height is manually set when the wheel axle is moved up / down.

By type of movement:

• Self-propelled. Has a drive that allows the petrol lawn mower to move automatically. The main thing is to direct to the mowing area.
• Not self-propelled. The unit is moved manually.

By drive type:

• Front-wheel drive lawn mower. Is more maneuverable and can be used on level ground.
• Rear wheel drive lawn mower. Used when mowing grass in hilly areas, because more stable when driving with a load on the rear wheels (driving uphill).

Choosing the right gasoline lawnmower: tips from professionals

The advantage of gasoline lawn mowers

The main competitor to gasoline lawn mowers is electric lawn mowers. The advantages of gasoline lawn mowers over electric ones are as follows:

• Does not depend on the availability of a power source
• They have a more powerful engine, which allows you to work on large lawn sizes
• maneuverable, because do not have an electric cable that will trail behind and cling to all obstacles.
• The gasoline-powered lawnmower can cut even harder grass
• Cheaper to maintain (although they break more often)

Despite this, gasoline lawn mowers have several significant disadvantages, namely:

• Make noise
• Assumes additional material costs for fuels and lubricants (fuels and lubricants)
• Emission of harmful emissions into the atmosphere
• frequent repairs and maintenance
• The design of the engine is built in such a way that when working with a gasoline lawn mower on hills steeper than 25 o. oil ceases to flow into the lubrication channels of the rubbing parts, as a result of which the mower may break.

Recommendations for choosing a gasoline lawn mower yourself

We have provided almost all the advantages and disadvantages of various types of gasoline lawn mowers above, in a brief description. But still I would like to draw your attention to some design features of gasoline lawn mowers that should be considered when buying a unit.

So, professional gardeners provide you with the following recommendations for choosing a gasoline lawn mower:

• When buying a petrol lawn mower, pay attention to the wheel diameter. The larger the diameter, the more maneuverable the machine will be, which means the more comfortable the process of mowing the lawn.

By the way, the width of the wheels must also be taken into account, because narrow wheels will push through the lawn, leaving not very attractive traces.

• The mower deck must be aluminum. In this case, the mower itself will be lighter, more resistant to mechanical damage and corrosion.
• If you choose a unit that is not powerful enough, the grass catcher must be plastic, because it will be more convenient to empty the container from grass.
• Give preference to lawn mowers with foldable rubberized handles. They are easier to transport and vibration from the engine will be less felt.
• The mowing height should be adjusted with the central lever, which is both more convenient and will allow for a more even mowing of the lawn throughout the area.
• Pay attention to the executive body of the lawn mower. the knife. It should be sharp and preferably wide. In this version, the lawn mower will cut the grass better.
• Choose a gasoline-powered lawnmower with wheel bearings, as ordinary plastic bushings fail faster and are less resistant to mechanical damage.
• It is impossible not to say about the power of the engine. Based on the area of ​​your site, choose an engine with a power reserve so that you can cut grass in any weather. We draw your attention to the fact that self-propelled lawn mowers take away part of the engine power for movement, this must also be taken into account.
• Give preference to lawn mower manufacturers such as: Honda, Hitachi, Craftsman, Viking, MTD, Stihl, Husqvarma, Stiga, Makita, etc. Pay attention to the gasoline lawn mower engine manufacturer, the leaders are Briggs Stratton and Honda.

That’s all the recommendations for choosing a gasoline lawn mower with your own hands! We draw your attention to the fact that if you change the oil in a timely manner and sharpen the knives, the gasoline unit will serve you for a long time and carefree.!

How to use your lawn mower properly?

General rules of work

Now you can start the engine and start moving around the lawn. You need to walk at an even pace, the mower is only pushed forward, not going back. Reverse is performed with the engine off. Slope work is more difficult. You need to move along it, not up and down.

It is best to cut the grass when it and the soil are dry. For an electric lawn mower, cutting wet surfaces, working in the rain is prohibited due to the high risk of electric shock. In addition, this tool requires special attention to the electrical cable, which should not be in the way.

If obstacles arise, first turn off the mower, after which you can move away from it. If you need to clean the deck, you should wait until the knife stops before starting the inspection. Even the grass catcher should be cleaned with the engine switched off. Do not leave the mower unattended, especially if children may approach it while you are away. Tracks with hard surface are overcome with the engine off.

Individual protection means

It is recommended to use personal protective equipment during work. Earplugs or headphones are used to protect the organ of hearing. According to medical data, hearing impairment occurs with prolonged exposure to sound of about 90 dB. This is the noise level that lawn mowers have. The loudest are models with an internal combustion engine, their level can exceed 100 dB. Almost every manufacturer indicates that their cars are very quiet. Compare the specifications on the product data sheet with the numbers above and decide if you need headphones.

Goggles are used to protect the eyes from dust. But you should definitely get gloves. For large volumes of work, they will protect your hands from calluses. If there is no rubber grip on the grip, hands will not slip off while wearing gloves. The listed personal protective equipment will be useful when performing other gardening activities.

• 1. Risk factors
• 2. Preparation
• 3. General rules of work
• 4. Personal protective equipment
• 5. After the haircut
• 6. If the mower does not work

The sharp blade of a lawn mower is not only dangerous for the grass. Knowing all the risk factors will help you to understand that getting ready for work, haircuts and follow-up care are of the utmost importance. The safety of the user and the service life of the tool depend on this. Protect yourself and your expensive equipment!

How to tell where to correctly connect what fuel line on a weed eater, trimmer, leaf blower or edger

Agree, you will not put a person without a license, let alone a child, behind the wheel of your car. A professional will not allow an inexperienced user to start acquaintance with a chainsaw from felling trees. Everyone understands that it is dangerous.

The lawn mower seems harmless, so much so that users do not attach importance to the rules of safe operation.

Do you find this topic boring? Check out the statistics. According to the American School of Public Health, about 80,000 people every year go to the doctor after working with a lawn mower, 32% of all cases are associated with amputation of toes.

Risk factors

• a moving mechanism and a metal knife rotating at high speed;
• high voltage electric current, which can strike a person in case of an emergency open circuit;
• foreign objects, stones can damage the mower deck or fly to the side;
• work with flammable substances. fuel for a gasoline engine;
• high noise level.

After the haircut

Cleaning the mower after use will ensure a long and trouble-free service. It is not enough to wipe the knife blade. Let’s start with security again. Depending on the type of tool, you must unplug the power cord, disconnect the battery or the fuel supply. The machine is placed on a hard surface.

The remains of grass and the ground are cleaned with a brush and rag from a knife, deck, grass catcher. Then they wipe the rest of the case and the air intake grilles.

Drum mowers require blades to be cleaned. For self-sharpening, a special device is produced, to which an abrasive tape is attached. It is placed on a fixed knife. Sharpening occurs when the drum is idle. And yet for this it is better to give the tool for service to a service center.

often than not, the deterioration of the cut is not due to dull blades, but is caused by improper adjustment of the knives. Check the cutter mechanism with care by placing a piece of paper between the lower knife and the rotating blade. If it is cut straight, then everything is in order. Otherwise tighten the screws.

How To Replace Fuel Lines On Strimmers/Chainsaws/etc

Electric lawn mowers. when leaving, they check the condition of the electric cable for breakage, insulation failure. Use a quality extension cord. It is recommended to use an outlet with a residual current device (RCD) for connection. For the safety of the instrument itself, it is important that the voltage in the network is supplied within the normal range.

Cordless Lawn Mowers. Maintenance requires careful attention to the battery and charger. Exclude moisture on them. Protect the battery against overheating. It should not be stored next to small metal objects, they can short-circuit the poles, up to the point of fire. A damaged battery may emit liquid or gas, which can irritate the skin and respiratory tract. Defective devices must be disposed of; the battery must not be opened. After servicing the lead-acid battery, be sure to wash your hands.

Gasoline Lawn Mowers. The main care is engine maintenance. Experienced users recommend starting a journal and recording all performed and planned operations in it: oil change, candles, and so on. The fuel is explosive! Therefore, the instrument is refueled with the engine off, in an open space where no smoking is allowed. The oil is topped up only when the engine has cooled down. If gasoline is spilled, you must not start the car in this area until it evaporates. The lawnmower with the engine running must not be left indoors due to the danger of exhaust gas poisoning.

Training

It is very simple to avoid trouble: it is enough to carefully study the operating manual and follow the rules of work. Only then can you take up the tool. Install the handle, attach the grass catcher. If the mower is a petrol mower, it is filled with fuel and oil. After setting the desired mowing height.

Many lawn mowers have safety devices. With a blocking against spontaneous activation, they start only after a special button is pressed together with the lever. Then the button can be turned off and the engine will run as long as the lever is pressed. As soon as you release it, the knife will stop rotating. The ignition key should be considered as a safety feature of a gasoline lawnmower, without which it cannot be started. You need to know all the features before starting work in order to urgently stop the tool if necessary.

Every time before switching on, check the condition of the knife, body, electrical cable for damage. It is necessary to remove foreign objects from the lawn: sticks, stones, etc. They can damage the lawnmower.

For personal safety, sturdy closed shoes with non-slippery soles are essential. It is better to wear long trousers. They start work in the morning or afternoon in good visibility conditions. There should be no people or animals nearby. Particular attention should be paid to small children; when they appear, it is better to turn off the engine.