- A grass trimmer does not use a blade to cut the grass, as in a traditional lawn mower. It uses a short nylon line, like a thick length of fishing line. This rotates at speeds of up to 10,000 revolutions per minute. Because the cutting line is flexible, it is not damaged if it hits a hard object.
- Electrical grass trimmers are plugged in or charged (if cordless) and operated by depressing a trigger. The trigger is mounted in the handle and usually must remain depressed for the trimmer to work. This is safety measure so that, if necessary, the gardener can cut power simply by releasing the trigger.
- The filament is attached to a bobbin that spins around at high speed, causing the filament to cut the grass. The main body of the trimmer--the part between the filament and the handle--is usually between 2 and 3 feet long so that the gardener can hold it and walk along swinging the trimmer side to side.
- Even though the filament is flexible, the speed at which it turns means that it could cause an injury. Thus, grass trimmers are fitted with a guard housing over the filament to protect the user, other people and animals from injury.
- With more and more use, the filament that protrudes from the bobbin becomes worn and may eventually break off. Most grass trimmers have excess filament stored within the bobbin so that when this happens a new length can be drawn from the bobbin. Gardeners should ensure that the trimmer is switched off before drawing out new filament. Some models even have an automatic filament-feed system.
Principle
Trigger
Cutting
Guard
Line
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