Attachments or separate tools ?

[rochester]

Going out to buy my 1st commercial trimmer. At this point Im not looking for but Im sure I will eventually want an edger and maybe a de thatcher. What do you guys think about the machines that have the trimmer, edger, dethatcher etc. attachments? How cost effective are they compared to buying separate tools. I know echo has this equipment, Im sure others must also. If I do go with the attachment route what would be a good machine ?

[skyphoto]

Dont know about any others but you can do a search on them...I have a stihl fs85 and it is not a split shaft but you can change the heads to saw,hedge trimmer,tiller etc. and still can store it in your trimmertrap without the possibility of getting it stolen cause it splits in the middle. Like I said do a search and you will get quite a few post about this subject.

Peace!

[Sammy]

Most likely you will need a trimmer full time. I have the Stihl FS-85 also, use it as a backup trimmer.
Buy a good dedicated trimmer and as you grow get another one that you can change tools off of.

[Chopper Lover]

I have a dedicated trimmer and split shaft with edger, hedge shears and trimmer head. I use it mostly for the edger, occasionally for the shears, and only as a back up for the trimmer. So far it is working out well.

I hope this helps.
Mark

[mdb landscaping]

i have an echo split shaft trimmer with three attachments. i have the trimmer, the edger and the broom. i dont know how id get along without them. they also make a dethatcher,hedge trimmers, and now a brush cutter. id recommend split shaft trimmers to anyone. they are real handy

[SLC1]

I have an echo split shaft trimmer also, we have three of them now, with the trimmers. And we have one edger, one hedge trimmer, and one power broom we love this machine, it is great, we use one with the trimmer all the time and the other two we change around all the time to do other jobs they work great. Just my two cents.

[lawnboy82]

i have 1 dedicated trimmer. then i took the line head off another one and put a brush blade on it. i can always switch back if i need to. then i have a stihl ht75 with the power pole saw on it. im gonna spend the 200 bucks for the hedge trimmer so i can trim 15 or 20 foot hedges with it. the split shaft trimmer things from what i have heard are nice. however a couple of people have told me that the splines wear out fast or something? i dunno something goes on those things after a while was all i had heard.

[Currinson]

I also have the echo with the split shaft,the power broom is worth its weight in gold ,expecially this year with all of the sand and salt on the roadsides.

[Skookum]

I have plenty of trimmers. I have used the Ryobi split shaft models for years now. The attachments are just way too handy. Hedge trimmer, vac-bagger, brush cutter, and limb pruner saved me many back breakers and time on the clock.

This Spring I bought the Echo split shaft power head and two attachments; the 10" chain saw pruner/trimmer, and the articulated hedge trimmer. I plan to get the broom attachment sometime.

[gene gls]

I have a Marayamma split shaft.Would not recomend it! The shaft speed is not sufficent for some attachements.The little tiller works great for beds so I leave it set up. I find it much better to have dedicated tools.

Gene

[bob]

I also have a Stihl FS-85 trimmer. I've never actually used it as a weed eater. I have the power scythe head, articulating hedge trimmer head, and the power pruner head. I run Shindaiwa's as trimmers. The de-thatcher attachments for these tools seem like they would take a long time to use.