Mrs Webmuppet Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 (edited) I'm thinking of getting a rechargeable strimmer. There's no electric to the patch of land where my bees live and at the moment I have to chop the grass and weeds down by hand and it's jolly hard work. A petrol strimmer would be too heavy as I have to park the car a way from the bees and have to carry everything to the patch of land (or retrieve the ancient wheelbarrow and use that). Has anyone got a rechargeable strimmer and what sort do you have? (and is it any good against evil nettles -they are now only a few inches tall) . Half an hours charge would be sufficient. I hope eventually to clear some of the nettles and weeds and tidy the area up (maybe even plant some bee friendly plants). Edited August 8, 2015 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 I thought you were asking about some kind of guitar player . Sorry, don't know anything about strimmers . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerpots Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 We have a Flymo - 24v I think. Its a pretty hardy beast but it does eat the battery if you are cutting thick grass/weeds etc. More like 15mins charge. I've cut thick docks, nettles, allsorts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Sorry, I don't have any advice on rechargeable strimmers, we have invested in a petrol one, but only my OH can use it, its too heavy for me. I just wanted to say, and you probably already know this, but be careful whilst strimming if it is close to the hives. Our bees used to hate the ride on lawnmower, and the strimmer. I'm sure a rechargeable is much better as it has less fumes and noise, but they used to come out to investigate and were quite annoyed. I used to leave the hive site 'au naturel' for most of the spring and summer, and when I cut, I'd do it as late in the day as I could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 We have both petrol and mains electric, the electric being to cut inside the chicken enclosure quietly because our chickens hate noise. The key to the cutting ability is the diameter of the cord as well as the power of the machine. 2.4 mm on the petrol strimmer will do young nettles (about 2 feet high) and 2.0mm on the electric will do very young nettles (about 6 inches high). Anything less than that size and I don't expect it will cut much at all. The 2.4mm cord is on a 750 Watt machine and the 2.0mm cord is on a 560 Watt machine. So really you need to check to manufacturer's specification Mrs Webmuppet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 most battery ones use 1.3mm - 1.6 mm the later will drain a battery of power like mad a small petrol strimmer weights a little over 5kg and a battery powered one is about 1.5kg - 2.7kg but most only come with one battery which don't last long with strimmers as they are power hungry due to the load on them and extra batteries if you can get them cost than the power tools most seem to be 18v units with quite honestly are up to the job with anything less than 4 or 5 ni-cad batteries or 3 li-ion batteries 1.5ah - 4.0ah personally I'd not use a li-ion battery under 4.00 ah for a strimmer or ni-cads at all and I won't buy any cordless power tool that only comes with one battery their not cost effective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted August 8, 2015 Author Share Posted August 8, 2015 Daphne, I plan on putting weed suppressing membrane down around the hives once the nettle die back in the autumn so I won't have to trim the weeds around the hives. I also plan to gradually clear the nettles and replace them with some bunny proof plants . But in the meantime thanks for the advice. I shall look for a 24v machine with 2or 2.4 mm cord. Fortunately I have managed to keep the nettles to just a few inches tall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 We have a Bosch cordless. It does last a fairly long time. It's easy to change the little plastic thing too - the strips of plastic used to be rather hit and miss on the old strimmers, but this one is just one plastic blade that seems to last ages unless you hit rocks or paving (don't tell OH - that would be me)! https://www.bosch-garden.com/gb/en/garden-tools/garden-tools/art-23-18-li-3165140689311-199946.jsp As far as I can remember the battery doesn't take long to charge either (can't remember if we have 2 - because he has 2 with his drill) but it will trim the edges of the front lawn - and he has a thing about silverweed that he tries to obliterate (but it flowered this year and it was soooo pretty - the bees liked it). And it will do the top lawn edgings without recharging and part of the overgrown grass down by the veggie patch where the chooks aren't allowed during growing season. It runs out quicker if the grass is heavy duty, so sometimes if I tackle that it will do pretty much all of that - hmm trick is not to let it get that bad!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 if your going to put membrane down you'll need to treat the nettles first as they'll still grow under it and pus the membrane out of the way a new plot holder did it last year had the plot strimmed and covered it with membrane all that happed was that the nettles and mares tail came back twice as bad as last year and earlier than on other plots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share Posted August 17, 2015 I am now the proud owner of a 36v rechargeable Qualcast strimmer.......tackled those wretched nettles without any trouble. I wasn't able to go too near the bee hives as the bees were being defensive due an invasion of wasps. The wasps nest has been located and the landowner has promised me that the wasps will be swiftly dealt with ...they are in his shed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Congratulations. And a task satisfyingly dealt with in a short time too! Poor battling bees. Never knew the wasps would pester them too, but I guess it's the end of the season and they like the sweet stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
