i WAS THINKING OF GETTING A COUPLE OF ECHO RAPID LOADERS, i JUST BOUGHT 4 261T'S, AND WAS GOING TO PUT RAPID LOADERS ON THEM, ANY OPINIONS?????
Any Body Ever Use A Echo Rapid Loader
Rob.C
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
Joined
·
3,095 Posts
Are those the ones that you stick the 8-10" piece of line in each end, and just insert a new piece when the old one gets too short?
I used one for a while, it was useful for trimming around some objects but once you start trimming around things that eat up trimmer line like rocks and especially chain link fences, you're stopping every 30 seconds to replace the pieces of line.
I dunno, I like the bump-feed Stihl heads myself. I can usually make a spool last quite a long time unless I'm trimming a chainlink fence.
I used one for a while, it was useful for trimming around some objects but once you start trimming around things that eat up trimmer line like rocks and especially chain link fences, you're stopping every 30 seconds to replace the pieces of line.
I dunno, I like the bump-feed Stihl heads myself. I can usually make a spool last quite a long time unless I'm trimming a chainlink fence.
Joined
·
907 Posts
For commercial work....bump and feed is the only way to go.
Joined
·
22,463 Posts
Best thing to do is pre-string a spool or three, stick it in the toolbox, that's what I do.
Yeah I always thought that WAS the rapid loader, bump, it's re-loaded.
Joined
·
101 Posts
You can also try using a speedfeed head from Shindaiwa. They make adapters for most popular trimmers. The dealer I get all of my handhelds mentioned it to me when I got my last trimmer becuase I was complaining that it was a pain to fill the stihl heads in the middle of a job. I went with his suggestion and its been great. Its probably one of the nicest heads out there to fill. It also came with there twisted trimmer line pre-spooled and I liked the line so much I went and got a large spool. I may look funny running a stihl with a shindaiwa head and string but it works well and the string is very quiet also. I am not a fan of heads that arent a "tap and feed" design they encourage you to trim until there is only a few inches of line left becuase you dont want to stop and adjust. This is very unproductive. Best of luck.
Joined
·
68 Posts
I use the rapid loader. I like not having to deal with the spool. They are very quick and easy to add new string. Few drawbacks are that once the string gets too short you have to throw it out. So your actualy waisting string. And if your far away from your truck you have to walk back to reload or carry extra string in your pocket. But deffinetely good for a home owner.
Joined
·
1,266 Posts
been using this for 4 years, I usually carry a few extra pieces in my pocket it takes 2 seconds to change them. I very rearly break the line well worth it IMO
Joined
·
2,990 Posts
Same here. I'm also pretty careful around chain link fences and other stuff that eats up line.
Joined
·
691 Posts
three words (shindiawa. speed. feed.)
Joined
·
403 Posts
If you run the head very close to the ground they wear out very quickly or get built up with debris and then don't work very well. A couple of my employees like them, but I still like to use the bump feed heads. Takes 5 minutes to wind a new spool, usually keep a full spool in the tool box and don't have to worry about getting long distance from truck and not have extra lines for the rapid loader. Seems like a lot of line is wasted since you have some waste with each string cut for use when compared to the little amount left on the spool or discarded when the spool runs out. $25-28 per rapid loader and we go thru about 2 each year.
i totally agree. my dealers keep praising them and i tell them there as dumb for praising thost things as people praising a golden cow.... if you want speed and not be stopping all the time to put in little pieces of string,have pieces of it that you carry with you falling out of your back pocket everywhere.then go bump and feed. you can run much bigger line in it with more power than normal head but it will tend to snap off. then ur out of luck again.
Joined
·
4,643 Posts
they are for home owners-period
If you lube them up real good the echo heads will feed out pretty easily. I am talking about lubing the spring and mating surfaces. On guy told me to reduce the spring force but we aren't having any problem.
Joined
·
3,341 Posts
Same here...I got rid of the bump heads years ago. If your good with a trimmer, the strings last a long time.
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
