Make Strimming Easy with the Right Strimmer Wire
Strimmers who are non-professional and just want to deal with obstinate weeds in their garden often complain about one thing; the strimmer wire snaps far too often and requires constant fixing. It’s a common problem, but in most cases, the problem lies with the strimmer line or wire not being suited to the job in hand. Check out the wide range of strimmer wire available on eBay to find the one that’s right for your needs.
Strimmer wire gaugesStrimmer wire comes in a range of thicknesses, and you should select the thickness based on the thickness of the weeds to be strimmed.
- 1.5 mm gauge: For light strimming of grass and soft weeds, a 1.5 mm gauge is fine but take care dealing with weeds and grass tufts that back onto brick walls or rocks to avoid snapping.
- 2.4 mm gauge: This gauge is suitable for thicker, more fibrous weeds.
- 4 mm gauge: For heavier undergrowth, a thicker line is tougher and less likely to snap. However, if your strimmer is a cordless, battery-operated strimmer, it may not be powerful enough to handle strimmer wire that is too thick, as that can have a slowing effect on your strimmer’s motor. Even electric mains-powered strimmers can struggle in these situations, which is why professionals usually opt for petrol-driven strimmers when faced with large, extra-tough strimming jobs that require thick strimmer wire.
Nylon is the standard material that strimmer cord is composed of. It’s a good choice because it’s safe for users and cuts well, provided it’s not given too tough a job to deal with. That’s what causes cord snapping. To prevent or reduce the risk of snapping, some manufacturers have taken steps to improve nylon’s properties by chemically enhancing it. Strengthened nylon cord offers better cutting and improved resistance to snapping.
Improving cutting efficiencyThe shape of the cross-section of most strimmer wire is circular, but some strimmer wire is also produced in other shapes, such as square, star-shaped or serrated. Round-shaped cord works well enough, but other shapes that have edges can slice through the weeds or grass more efficiently. Less resistance from the weeds means a reduced risk of cord-snapping and a cleaner cut.
Which strimmer line lengths are available?Strimmer line is commonly sold in various lengths. Common offerings on eBay list coiled lengths ranging between 10 and 50 metres. The greater the length, the higher the initial cost, but that’s outweighed by the convenience of not having to change the strimmer wire so often.