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barefootpotter

WeedEater guard

8 years ago

Is it possible to safely build a larger guard on a weed eater?

I used to own a black and decker weed eater...i loved it. I felt comfortable using it but it broke and i bought another of the same but it broke the same way too so i decided buying a weed eater once a year sucked and went with another brand...i got a snapper...my dad always loved snapper mowers so i figured a snapper weedeater would serve me well.

Now the snapper is plenty powerful but the back guard is so much smaller than the black and decker that after a run with the weed eater i feel and look like i have rolled in a pile of chopped spinach. If the guard was wider i would not be getting as covered with chopped up weeds.

Anybody have a way of making a back guard that is wider? The weed eater is a Snapper ST60V that runs on a 60volt battery.

Comments (22)

  • 8 years ago

    hi pea, i wouldn't think they offer a bigger shield. is there a line cutter on your guard? if you don't mind ruining the guard you could find some malleable plastic or some thick rubber and fasten it to the guard? weed whacking is usually a dirty job. remember eye protection. good luck.



  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Pea , You may wish to review the larger guard available from Snapper on their 82 Volt Commercial Elect trimmer , it is quite substantial and is the same guard that is used in the Snapper Commercial Grade Gas Units . However as 300' advised Protective eyewear or face shield for non experienced users .

  • 8 years ago

    I always wear safety glasses but yesterday i came in bleeding from something hitting my arm. I found this on ebay do you think this would works?

    https://www.ebay.com/i/232537392905

    i really liked that black and decker. I'm am short and it was light and had ajustable speed, continuous feed and the guard had a good amount of coverage so you had to be doing something stupid to get hit with the fly back debris. But the inner plastic gear wore out on both of the weed eaters in the same way so it must be a design flaw.


  • 8 years ago

    Pea , Yep that pretty well will protect you from everything including Uv Rays ! lol.

  • 8 years ago

    I just came in from trimming again with another arm wound so i think i will give that thing a try. Thanks for the input.

  • 8 years ago

    10-4 !

  • 8 years ago

    Dumb question: Can you modify the guard from the B&D and use it on the Snapper?

  • 8 years ago

    i'm not sure whats happening with your weed whacker, but i don't ever injure my arms?

  • 8 years ago

    The b&d attaches totally different from the snapper. So thats out. The weed eater slings stuff out behind badly. I read a review yesterday of someone complaining of something similar about this trimmer. The guard is just not wide enough to protect someone behind it from the stuff it flings at a high rate of speed backwards. It seems to fling it mostly back and up. Also apparently snapper did not actually make this trimmer but just slapped their name on it...any questions they direct to another company...this is not the snapper my dad loved...dad would be disappointed in a company he held in high regard.

  • 8 years ago

    that's weird. is this a brand new model for snapper? there has been other conversations regarding debris shields and i don't think a company would put a shield on their machines that don't work? as i said in a earlier post, i haven't had a problem with stuff flying that high, my shins get pelted but that's about it and i'm using a much bigger machine. i would check out that guard you mentioned and see if they (snapper) issues a recall. if it's happening to enough people you'd think snapper would do something.

  • 8 years ago

    I bought new at the end of last fall season. It was on an end of season markdown, i bought a hedge trimmer that takes the same battery at the same time, also marked down. I used the weed trimmer a couple of times before winter came and the weeds stopped growing.

    The stuff flies high...its caught up in my bun on my head, on my shoulders, down the back of my shirt...i see no mention of any recall on the website.

    I am a rather short girl perhaps my shortness makes for a different angle on the tool. Frankly i sure wish tool manufactures would take shorter people into account when designing something...don't even get me started on ladders with rungs too far apart for comfortable safe dismounting. And seatbelts latches that are hiding in the hole in the seat when you have the bench seat of a truck adjusted all the way up so you can reach the pedals comfortably.


  • 8 years ago

    i was reading some reviews on your trimmer and everybody seems to like it. i did find 1 response from a guy from "greenworks" that i copied, there's a phone number you might want to try. are there any landscaper tool stores in your area? shops that specialize in lawn equipment will be more help. it might be a good idea to see if there are other brands that might be better designed. risking injury over cutting grass isn't worth it.


    Comment from Greenworks Tools - 8/8/2017

    Hello JcurleyP<br />Thank you so much for the feedback on the tool. We will pass your comments to our developers. I would like to make some recommendations in order to improve your experience with the tool<br />The string trimmer is equipped with an auxiliary handle for ease of operation and to prevent loss of control. We recommend, holding the power head with your right hand on the rear handle and your left hand on the auxiliary handle. Keep a firm grip with both hands while in operation. Power head should be held at a comfortable position with the rear handle about hip height.<br />If you would like to contact us at 888-909-6757or by email on info@greenworkstools.com, we would be happy to speak with you about the tool and answer any question you

  • 8 years ago

    There is no way hip height is possible, that would make the length over extend in the front and not balanced to hold. Short people have short arms too so the front handle can't be too far away from the trigger either. If i just had a larger guard in the back it would keep the debris from flying.

    I kinda knew i would have a height problem when buying a new weed eater as all the brands that were on display had the same issue of being over extended if carried where i see most people carry the tool. I just didn't realize that it would cause a debris issue. If this sheild off of ebay works then that is the cheapest solution if not i will likely just buy another black and decker and just budget for a new one yearly.

    I seriously loved that freaking b&d weed eater up until the motor kept spinning and the cut head didn't. I took the first one apart to see what went wrong and the teeth on the plastic gear had been eaten away. Bought a new one since i already had the battery and charger hoping it was not a design flaw and found it was when the second stopped working in the same way about the same length of use time. B&D is actually my first choice on any tool as they seem to be geared for smaller hands, i have their matrix drill system, their leaf blower, and their pole saw. But the weed trimmer seems to have a flaw.

  • 8 years ago

    hi, what is the model # on that B&D, i doubt it's serviceable but it's fun researching. years ago honda offered a cultivator that had the same problem, plastic meets metal. plastic always lost. but it could be fixed.

  • 8 years ago

    Its the 40volt Max weed trimmer(not sure the exact modle num.)i think it is called. I looked at the available parts when i took the first one apart and the part with the gear wasn't listed as a replaceable part. Its permanently attached to the shaft. I can't see as replacing it would help anyway as it would always be worn down. The snapper if the guard was bigger would serve its purpose just not the with the joy of handling a tool that fits.

  • 8 years ago

    yeah, it doesn't look like it would be worth trying to repair., the only thing i found would require you to purchase the whole tube plus the gear with the motor attached? manufactures like for you to go out and routinely pick up a new unit. sad, but that's the way things are built these day's.

  • 8 years ago

    Maybe way off base here, but all the weedeaters I've seen rotate clockwise so if you go left to right or straight in the material should be thrown to the right side. To throw behind, would have to be backed into the grass?

  • 8 years ago

    hi, straight shaft trimmers rotate counter clockwise.

  • 8 years ago

    Fine, reverse my comments if it's a straight shaft, still have trouble understanding how the material is thrown behind or behind and up to hit arms?

  • 8 years ago

    yeah that kind a had me wondering too. we think because of her stature, debris was getting in areas that don't on most users and was looking for a bigger/wider shield.

  • 8 years ago

    All she has to do is order the Snapper 80 Volt Guard i suggested on June 2nd or go with the guard she provided information on June 3 rd . Believe her shortness for some reason causes a improper trimmer head positioning which is causing her distress . A aftermarket guard will resolve her issues . No need in reinventing the wheel !

  • 8 years ago

    On the Poulan Trimmer the D handle can be moved up and down the shaft to accommodate the length of your arms and body type. So you can adjust the arrangement to what works for you.

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