Ode to a Weedwhacker

I was out back repairing a gas powered weed-whacker and realized that it's probably my favorite outdoor tool. 

I'm sitting here in bits of weeds, bougainvillea, and coleus clippings, smelling slightly of gasoline and sweating but it's fine. 

You see it saves me a lot of time.  Manual tools have their use in a yard, but if you know what you're doing, you can replace many of those tools or at least supplement them with a snarling and smelly handheld beast.

I went out to replace a primer bulb and of course had to test the thing out.

Since the motor started almost immediately, I then could have switched it off or finished what I had started the day before with the tool. 

Before I was through, I had edged the pool deck, trimmed bougainvillea and podocarpus, got rid of some Virginia Creeper, and got rid of some of those sticky seed weeds that were growing out of my banana tree's pot. 

They will all be back, we're going into the wet season.

Oh and Since Your Mileage May Vary, I would say trimming trees with a weed-whacker is truly one of those things that you Should Not Try At Home... although you will and at your own risk.

I have two gas powered ones.  The first was given to me and after a lot of effort I got it to work fairly well even if it is stubborn to start.  This other "newer" one was one that I got off of a trash pile on "Bulk Pickup Day".  I found out why it was there shortly after getting it home.

In the last two days, I have replaced the gas tank, the primer bulb, and broke the pull start handle.   Seems to me that Homelite was using the wrong plastic when they made it.  "It" is a Trim 'n Edge™ – UT20024B.  Homelite doesn't even exist since they got bought up by a company that also owns Ryobi in the interim, but for a 6 or 7 year old tool, I'm happy.

It worked fine!  I was out there using the monster in an "off-label" manner and having fun.  The reason I came in was that the pull start handle had broke.  The yard looks fine, and the gasoline will wash out in the shower.

That reminds me... time to get cleaned up.  If you will excuse me...