So just how do you restring a weedeater / string trimmer without losing all of your patience?
Quite simply, a weedeater (or weed whacker, string trimmer or line trimmer as it is often called), is a must-have tool for keeping the lawn and landscape looking neat and tidy.
But it can also be an absolute nightmare when it runs out of string!
I am not afraid to admit that the entire process has frustrated me for well over 35 years.
And I mean, really, really frustrated me!
I actually love to use the weedeater. Until it runs out of string of course. And then the nightmare comes alive.
Sometimes, I get lucky and have it re-strung in just a few minutes. And I might even pat myself on the back and think I finally have it all figured out.
But then, the very next time it runs out of string, I might fight for 20 to 30 minutes trying to rewind the spool. Only to of course finally fire it back up and watch the entire spool discharge in seconds!
I am ashamed to admit at that point, the inner child in me most likely threw the spool across the lawn in disgust.
But one day, it all changed – and I have my wife to thank for it 100%!
All it took was me being out of town on a business trip to make it all happen!
Learning To Restring A Weedeater With Ease
Mary and I have a pretty set mowing and trimming routine. She mows most of the 3 acres, while I trim with the weedeater.
She can get poison ivy by looking at it, and the covering of weeds and grass that results from using the weedeater has never been a good combination for her.
But it just so happened last summer that I was stuck out of town for two straight weeks, and the trimming was getting bad.
And Mary decided poison ivy or not, she was going to tackle the chore.
So she put on jeans and long sleeves, and fired up our old trusty Echo string trimmer.
I have owned my Echo for going on 6 years now. And beyond never knowing how to easily restring it, it has been an incredible power tool for me.
And as soon as Mary went off to trim with the weedeater, it happened. She ran out string.
Now, you have to understand, Mary to this point had a long history of watching me in total frustration when it came time to restring a weedeater.
So she did what any smart, intelligent person would do.
She decided to “read the directions”, or in this case, look up a few “how-to” videos on line to see how it should really be done.
Why You Should Read Directions – How To Restring A Weedeater
You can imagine my surprise when she called me that night to tell me everything was mowed and trimmed.
I asked, “Were you able to start the weedeater?” When she responded back with a quick yes, I have to admit I was totally impressed. I mean, that can be a whole other frustrating thing with weedeaters.
But then she went on: “And, I learned how to restring it too – in seconds!”
I remember laughing and said, “you mean you got lucky.” Obviously, thinking to all of the times in the past I actually got lucky and had it work.
She finished by saying, “And I wound it back up with it all together.”
That was simply too much for me to believe. So much so, when I got home I went out and asked her to show me.
And about two minutes later, I stood there with my jaw on the floor.
Learning The Secret
How easy was it? Apparently, my Echo trimmer, and many others as well, have a “Speed-Feed Head” that can be wound with the entire string head together.
As you can see in the video below, it should be a simple process. One that I was making way too hard for 35 plus years.
*VIDEO : IF you are unable to see the video above – you can also see it on our youtube channel here : How To Restring A Weedeater
To restring a weedeater, you simply run the wire through the head, and then put it through the eyelets. And then, put it back together, with all of the wire still out.
Simply by holding the top side of the head, and twisting the lower side of the head in the opposite direction, it winds it up perfectly. Every single time.
It was crazy how easy it was!
I was both elated and ashamed all at the same time! Elated that it would never be a pain again.
And ashamed that I hadn’t taken the time to learn this over the last 35 years LOL!
Another lesson learned from my wife to read the directions first.
For more on lawn care, be sure to check out our article, 6 Tips To A Great Lawn Without Chemicals.
Happy Gardening and Weedeating – Jim and Mary
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
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