How do woodies edge their lawns?

[Tiger]

Dear all,

On the weekend just gone, I was ordered to clean up the lawn. I have a Ryobi line trimmer which I don't use much as it's more trouble to set up than to do the actual job. It is supposed to have a bump feed action which supposedly releases some reel just when the machine needs it. Well it started ok then tapped the thing on the lawn and nothing happened. On closer examination the plastic wheel which screws the bump feed onto a revolving shaft had bent totally out of shape. I rang several Bunnies and Mega Mitre 10. The part I need is out of date, try Ryobi during weekdays, they might have it. I use the Ryobi line trimmer to neaten up the edges of my lawn but without it, I got out a hand edger which is a metal disc attached to a handle. That was hard work and it would go off-line so that wasn't much help even after I sharpened it. My mind got to thinking there must be another way. I'll ask the guys on the forum. What techniques do you use on your lawn edges? Do you worry about the edges? We would all rather be working with wood so how do you speed up this painful process? I know this is not a typical woodworking question but I'd like to hear what you guys do.

[Wood Butcher]

Poison!!

I poison a strip about 2 inches wide out from the edges. Means that you can mow up to the edge but the dead strip is not to big to look really bad.

[Tiger]

Poison, good solution. What's your poison called?

[ozwinner]

I get "The Man" in.


Al

[Tiger]

I get "The Man" in.


Al

Some of us can't afford to get someone else in.

[Rusty]

Chamfer the edges (hold your trimmer upright like it's a push broom) then mow. The mower picks up most of the cuttings from the edges, and I can't seem to see what's left.

Regards,
Rusty.

[ozwinner]

Some of us can't afford to get someone else in.

Its cheaper than me stopping work to do it.

Al

[Tiger]

I get "The Man" in.


Al

You don't watch Desperate Housewives do you?

[Auld Bassoon]

Ask the garden service man to do it - leaves me more time in the shed

[Barry_White]

I bought an electric GMC edger to do around the concrete paths and verandahs. Very quick to use. The first one stopped working after about 10 times of use, took it back and got another one one month before the warranty ran out.

I use a Tanaka whipper snipper with a bump head on it. I have used two other types of heads but the bump one is far superior. It is a generic one that I bought from a mower specialist and really an industrial one that cost me about $45.00.

[ozwinner]

You don't watch Desperate Housewives do you?

Err, No.
I have enough desperation in my life at the moment, without looking at some one elses.

Al

[Auld Bassoon]

Ask the garden service man to do it - leaves me more time in the shed

[Trav]

I use a talon whipper snipper. Once I worked out the dodgy priming button, it works a treat. It even starts most of the time.

Trav

[Wood Butcher]

Poison, good solution. What's your poison called?

I use Roundup CT - pinch it from work. It's basically high strength roundup. Works a treat!

[savage]

G'Day All,

Just bought my second Tanaka, bigger motor that the first but a lot lighter and easier to start. I use this for around the fence line, down pipes etc, for the edges I made an edger just for the driveway, footpaths etc. It uses a traditional industrial blade (disc type as oppossed to the straight blade type) like the Victa model. I just made it out of spare parts and put a 4hp Brigg and Stratton 4 stroke engine on to it, no throttle control is used as it is governed, V-belt driven and fully hight adjustable. I tried several ways to engage the drive pully and found a bit of threaded bar to a pivoting front wheel assembly works well all be it slow, if you are interested in seeing a few pics let me know, it is simple to make just time consuming getting the parts together. It has given me years of service.
savage(Eric)