hi, wondering if some ozbargainers use the Atom lawm Edgers. I assume they got it at a bargain price. Does anyone know if they go on sale anywhere? What about buying it from overseas? Also, as ebay and gumtree list quite a few, is it worth buying a 2nd hand one?
thanks
Atom Edgers : are they ever on sale ?
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Taita on 19/02/2012 - 00:56
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Does running the tank dry & fresh fuel apply to car engines too?
Just curious.
I read the heading, and was thinking - what, you want to knock a few electrons off? Build-your-own isotopes?
Forgot to update this. About a year after this post, we got a used model (the red heavy duty model) off ebay for less than $100 (the listing title was misspelled so ours was the only bid!). Needed a quick service and its been great since then. Highly recommended.
Come to think of it, no - I've never seen them on sale. Perhaps that's because places that have regular sales (BigW, Kmart, etc.) don't stock them. (Mainly only mower shops have them where I live.)
I did buy one on ebay a couple of years ago. When I turned up to pick up, the guy already had it running. (Alarms bells went off in my head. How long was he pulling that cord to start it before I arrived?) But he stopped & started it a few times, so it kinda eased my concerns a little. And I'd been teaching myself to fix trimmers with the same engine. So the risk seemed small if it was running ok.
I used it about three times, then the engine wouldn't keep running. I suspect it's the rubber diaphram inside the carby. (They go stiff with age and so no longer pump the fuel.) I bought a diaphram kit online but haven't had time to install yet.
All that was just to say… As with everything, if you're mechanically inclined, there's little problem buying second hand. But if not and you don't know its history, make sure you get a huge discount in case something similar happens to you. (For example - you may know this, but you should run the fuel tank dry when you don't plan to use it for a while. And then use fresh fuel when you do use it again. This extends the life of the fuel diaphram and is better for mowers, etc. too - because petrol only has a life of… oh, I forget now… 30 days maybe it was? After a while it goes "off" anyway, and can coat the inside of the engine with like a "varnish".)
They do have an electric one. Not as sturdy as the petrol ones though.
BTW… They're great if you have the type of grass that doesn't trim easily with a lawn trimmer. But maybe you could try fitting thicker cord to your trimmer first? My local mower shop sells a heavy duty trimmer cord. It has a hard inner core and the softer outer has sharp pointed edges that slice through grass. It's a LOT better than standard round cord because it doesn't snap as easy. I'm not supposed to use it in my trimmer (places too much strain on the engine supposedly). But I've been using it for 3-4 years and the trimmer itself is 8 years old. (I bought a huge roll too - so it cost the same $ per meter as the lesser quality stuff.) With trimmers being only ~$99 - and Atoms several times that - maybe it's worth the risk?
Here's an Australian site where you could find a higher concentration of knowledgeable folks too: www.outdoorking.com.au - look for the forum button. They sell parts pretty cheap too. (Well, compared to my local mower shop they are cheaper anyway.)
Not sure of any negs when buying from overseas. (The units themselves will be the same.)