The Whipper Snipper
Whipper snippers sport a wide variety of names. Different people refer to them as string trimmers, line strimmers, edge trimmers, weedeaters, weedwackers, strimmers, garden strimmers and bush cutters. The first whipper snippers came into being during the late 1960s. By 1970, the basic model we have today operated to cut and trim. The first whipper snippers had fixed heads. Next on the scene were manual heads, followed by semi-automatic (tap-and-go) and automatic.
Essentially, however, a whipper snipper is a device for cutting or edging grass and trimming hedges or ditch grass. Unlike a lawn mower, instead of using a blade, a whipper snipper employs a flexible monofilament line. The addition of nylon blades in the electric models can supplement the cutting edge. Gas-oil models often offer supplemental metal blade attachments to increase the cutting edge.
How does it work? A whipper snipper operates on a simple principle - if a line, courtesy of a motor, turns fast enough and juts out very stiffly from its rotating reel through the application of centrifugal force, the line is stiff enough to severe grass at the point of impact. As a result, the faster the line turns, the stiffer it becomes. The tougher the line, the specific shape and the amount of motor indicate whether the whipper snipper is suitable for grass, brush or both.
The machine, itself, consists of the line sitting at the end of a long hardened steel shaft housed in aluminum tubing. The shaft has one or two handles. The line is usually nylon and can be either round cut or edged. The thicker the line, the longer it lasts.
The machine may also have a shoulder strap or similar device to help support the weight. This is to prevent possible back problems. Other safety equipment includes goggles for eye protection and, possibly, earphones to cover the ears.
Whipper snippers have different types of possible engines. Those with an internal combustion engine have the engine on the opposite end of the shaft from the cutting head. Electric models have an electric motor in the cutting head. The electric models are usually easier to manoeuvre. They tend to be lighter and easier to operate. They are also more environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, an electric machine is governed by the length of its power cord. The newer battery powered models, however, increase the mobility and the amount of ground a whipper snipper can cover.
Gas-oil operated whipper snippers are popular. They have more power and, therefore, can increase the length of line they spin. The oil to gas ratio, however, must be exact. This is particularly true for the two-stroke engines.
It is possible to accessorise gas whipper snippers. Metal blades can be brought into play. In these instances, a safety shield is a necessity. You can find it on the inside or user side. The larger trimmers are much heavier. They frequently require a body harness. Large whipper snippers, however, are much more mobile. A power cord or electrical source does not restrict their application. This makes them ideal for extended commercial use.
You must be careful when using a whipper snipper. Flying nylon filaments can cause eye damage. On the lighter side - the weedwacker is now a part of the annals of professional wrestling. Wifebeater used his ever-present weedwacker against his opponent, Sick Nick Mondo, to win Combat Zone Wrestling's first Tournament of Death in 2002.
