Converting string trimmer to saw blade

[MuttCat]

String trimmer to saw blade?

This is all new to me but here goes. I've got an older Homelite string trimmer, 25cc I believe, that I'd like to install a brush blade on. The trimmer is a cable drive and probably underpowered, but it should be ok for what I want. Has anybody here done this? I guess I need some sort of arbor adapter? Any thoughts?

Sorry guys, I posted to the wrong sub forum, too early no coffee........

 

[Creature Meadow]

Re: String trimmer to daw blade?

I have a Stihl trimmer that I keep a 10" brush blade on all the time. Not sure the cc's of it but I use it for many applications from cutting thick heavy grass to pruning limbs on my trees. It is a straight shaft industrial trimmer.

Be cautious when contacting the limbs if you use it for that. All trimmers I am aware of rotate counter clockwise so the object you are cutting should be contacted on the right side. Otherwise if swinging trimmer from left to right it will want to spin off the object or jump.

Been using blades on my trimmers since the 80's, it was the only way we had to cut lanes for deer hunting through cut overs.

Very doable but just be cautious.

Got to close to my 4-wheeler rear tire once and I sliced the rear tire. Parked it in the area I was cleaning up and instead of clearing an area and moving 4-wheeler after cutting was clearing around the 4 wheeler, bad choice $50 buck screw up to replace it.

Good luck and safe cutting.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Re: String trimmer to daw blade?

To run a scratcher blade you have to have a drive shaft trimmer (straight shaft) not a flex shaft (curved shaft) trimmer. Reason being is the shock load of the scratcher blade will 'unwind' the flex shaft. Not doable. Buy a straight shaft trimmer that can accept a scratcher blade, yours cannot.

 

[D2Cat]

Re: String trimmer to daw blade?

Here's what I use for trimming brush with a straight shaft weed eater. You can buy them at Home Depot for about $25.

I wore the teeth out on one a few years ago and couldn't get one anywhere at the time. I bought a couple of feet of the biggest chain the local saw dealer had and welded it to the old disc after I ground off the old teeth rivets. It worked better then the original. Was/is a cutting machine!

 

[85Hokie]

Re: String trimmer to daw blade?

Like CM....I took an old 10" power miter box blade, placed it on my straight shaft stihl 66...

took out pine trees about 2 1/2" in diameter

however - is it dangerous? O hell yes....

trick was to "bounce" the blade into the tree slightly, NOT hold it up against the tree while cutting.

 

[MuttCat]

This is all new to me but here goes. I've got an older Homelite string trimmer, straight shaft, 25cc I believe, that I'd like to install a brush blade on. The trimmer is a cable drive and probably underpowered, but it should be ok for what I want. Has anybody here done this? I guess I need some sort of arbor adapter? Any thoughts?

 

[SidecarFlip]

Re: String trimmer to daw blade?

All well and good. Key words here are STRAIGHT SHAFT TRIMMER.

A curved shaft trimmer won't work, you'll destroy the wire wound shaft in short order.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Answered you in your duplicate post. Has to be a solid straight shaft trimmer with bevel gears in the head.

 

[CaveCreekRay]

SCF is correct. The bent shaft trimmers cannot be converted.

I just bought a bevel gear trimmer and converted it. Works very well in heavy brush but, it takes awhile. The blade will cut 1/2 dry brush when needed.

 

[JackJ]

OP says his is a straight shaft, not bent, but many of the cheaper straight shafts still use a cable drive, rather than a solid drive shaft.

My entry level Stihl FS - 55 has a straight cable, and they list various blades as compatible accessories. But yeah, you might need an adaptor kit. The issues are the arbor size, and a means to lock the blade in place. I recently bought a Forester brand blade with chainsaw teeth via Amazon, and saw some adaptor kits (which I didn't need for my trimmer) as "You might also like...." accessories.

The Forester blade has worked great on saplings: https://www.forestershop.com/chainsaw-tooth-blade-7-dia-20mm-arbor-1-w-bushing-cut-7.html

 

[RCW]

I have a couple larger Stihl brushcutters.

They use a "cup"-type adapter that goes on left-hand threaded stud to hold the blade flat. The cup is maybe 3" in diameter and 1"+ high, and a fine/left-hand threaded flanged lock nut goes on the stud. I often add a washer just in case.

PS - did a Google search for "trimmer blade adapter" and found this for Stihl. Not saying it will work with yours, but maybe there's something similar.

https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Atta...ocphy=9005411&hvtargid=pla-417648942660&psc=1

 

[MuttCat]

I've been browsing, but the adapters are mostly for Stihl trimmers. Yes, mine is straight shaft, but it is a cable drive. The stuff I want to take out is Multiflora rose and small Buckthorn. I like those Renegade blades which should make short work of those plants. I plan to hit them with Roundup first (OHNO!) then wack em. I just thought this route might be easier than chopping out with an axe. I didn't think this would get complicated.

 

[Russell King]

Re: String trimmer to saw blade?

I have an Echo PAS where you swap the lower half of the shaft out with different tools.

The brush cutter is a curved shaft and has a metal cover over the blade. I installed the bicycle style handlebar for more control.

They also sell a bar type thing to help control it if you don’t have the handlebars.

I would not want to operate one without a two handed method to control the counter torque when the blade contacts anything.


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