Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Is your Weedeater Improved with Internet Access?

These days you can get the internet on all sorts of things.  10 years ago we began thinking of new ways to apply this technology and laughed at some of the false starts that hit the market.

There were boxes you could hang on the wall in the kitchen to get your email and your recipes online.  That was not quite good enough so they mounted the things in the refrigerator so you could order milk when you ran out.

I wonder what happens if your computer on the refrigerator gets a virus, will it make the science experiment you have in the back turn blue instead of green? 

Come on, you know you have some past date food in the refrigerator, don't even try to say you don't!

Actually what happened with me was that I was busily using the weedeater a week back.  After covering myself in tiny little bits of bougainvillea, and breathing in brush I had to stop my work.  I had run out of "string".  I had only enough string to wind one more reel on the thing so I thought it was a good time to accidentally fall into the pool.

Yes, I checked my pockets, the cell phone stayed on shore - or rather on the Tiki Bar in the Lanai.

Yes, Lanai, it is Florida after all.  The house may only be 1200 square feet but the back yard has a lap pool.

After throwing my "accidentally" soaked clothes out on the deck and cooling down, I went in and showered.

I do most of my best thinking in the shower and came up with this bright idea.  This is how I got the topic after all. 

Weedeaters, Strimmers, and what ever you would like to call them have a fair amount of different styles and uses.  I have a laughably light electric one that uses blue plastic line that I could use to catch a crab off a bridge on the Jersey Shore.  I don't like that because light string breaks easier.

I also have a gas powered strimmer.  I like that term better than the "Weedeater" thing since it rolls off the tongue better.  After all it puts weeds on the tongue when you use it since it is so much more powerful.   We got it from a neighbor when they decided they didn't like pulling a rope 50 times because it wouldn't start.

Here's a Helpful Hint.  If you have a gas powered piece of yard equiment, Petrol to my UK Readers, let the thing run dry when through.  It is always best to underfill the equipment than over fill it especially if it is a 2-cycle motor.  Mine is 2-cycle and that oil remains in the little fuel tank and makes things very difficult for me when I go to start the machine.  Run it dry, and fill with fresh.

The thing is that there are various gauges of line and various constructions of line that you can use in a given Strimmer.   You can always go smaller, and sometimes you can even go larger.   I stopped using that thin poly plastic crap almost immediately and went to this stuff sold by Husqvarna with Titanium in the center.  Tough stuff.

That got me thinking.  Since I didn't have the instruction manuals I didn't know whether I was doing things right.  It was a bear to start and I was constantly stopping the thing to draw out more line.  The "bump feed" was pretty useless since it almost never worked right so I'd stop the motor and do it by hand.

So what would the manual say?  Being a Project Manager, searching for things online is simply second nature.  I have found all sorts of documentation for pieces of computer hardware that were long since discontinued.  I've found ways to rebuild electronics, and one of these days I'll even finish that "performance" crystal radio that I want to build.

Why not search for the manual for the Strimmer?

Right in One!  I found the manual almost immediately as well as a forum dedicated to String Trimmers.  Yes, people actually discuss these things, I mean you're reading this, right?  Gotcha!  I'll shut up and continue about my toy...

Turns out that I was using the "middle grade" string on my strimmer.  So when I went out to get supplies I was going to get the "super duper extra beefy Titanium line" at .095 inches instead of .080 and weed eat the world!   Just don't go too thick or you will overheat the motor.

I tend to have a lot of problems with the Home Depot on Sunrise in Fort Lauderdale but since it was threatening weather I tried that one first.  This was the one that the overzealous security "guards" would follow you around the store.  I stopped going there because it was unnerving being treated like someone getting ready to board a flight.  All of the Home Depot stores in Broward County were like that for a while and while they did relax, I prefer Lowes.

This time was no different.  After having the security guard walk in front of me to confront someone else, and my scaring her out of her wits by my using The Voice to say "Excuse Me!" so she wouldn't step on my foot, I knew this would be a useless trip.  I could not find the right part, and decided that Home Depot would lose this sale.

We packed up and went to Lowes where we were treated well, as usual.  We also found everything we were looking for as well as being asked by two different employees if we needed help.  I highly recommend the Lowes on Oakland Park Blvd and Powerline in Oakland Park by the way.

I also found my .095 string as well as a Brush Cutter Blade that I am afraid may have to go back.  I couldn't figure out how to get that blasted thing on and since it was basically an 8 inch square of steel bolted to the motor and designed to rotate at something like 1200 RPM I was afraid - afraid the thing may fly off and injure someone.

This week was the week of strimming.  After putting the .095 inch string on the machine and pulling to start, I went into a frenzy of green destruction.  You see, the .080 would break where the extra .015 inch of thickness gave it just enough heft to chew through roots and my boots.

That's why you wear old shoes when you go to do your yardwork.

So yes, your Weedeater is improved with Internet Access, just not how you may have thought.  It pays to read the friendly manual.  RTFM folks, it's worth the research!

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