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92 of 92 found the following review helpful:
Weedeater WT-3100: a mixed bag Jul 26, 2006
By Marc Cohen
This machine has some very strong points and some very weak ones. I'll report, and you decide. On the positive side: the motor is very powerful and very easy to start. It is extremely easy to load the string into the trimmer head. The trimmer rests on a sturdy pair of wheels which take all the strain off your arms and back. You can cut a lot more grass and weeds before you get tired. All of this should make it a great product. But read on . . . .
Gripe #1: the string. It is loaded into the trimmer head in pre-cut 18.5" lengths. When a string's ends are worn down to the point where they extend only 3" on each side from the head, the string needs to be replaced, even though it is still 12" long. (6" of the string is threaded through the trimmer head, which is why a 12" length extends only 3" on each side.) This means that 2/3 of the string never gets used in cutting. This shouldn't matter, right, because string is cheap? Wrong. This machine uses .115" diameter string, a dimension so rare that only Weedeater sells it! And only in pre-cut lengths at $7.72 for a package of 12. This comes out to $.41 per foot (or $.60 for each length you install). Compare this with the 7 or 8 cents per foot you pay when you buy it by the reel from other manufacturers. And to top it off, the string does not last nearly as long as you'd think. So far, I've used between 2 and 5 lengths in each of my trimming sessions. That comes to an average of nearly $2 per session just for the few inches of string that get used. The string costs more than the gas! And gas ain't cheap! You can get around this a bit by using the closest size (.105" diameter) that's available in bulk in an aftermarket product, but it doesn't work quite as well. There are reports that .130" will work (Amazon even lists this--incorrectly--as the official replacement size), but others have said that it doesn't. I'm wary about trying it.
Gripe #2: the trimmer head. This is the weak part of any string trimmer I've ever used, but my experience with the WT-3100 takes the cake. During my third use (after owning it for all of 9 days) the trimmer head broke in half. I didn't hit anything, it just flew apart. The two parts of the head are riveted together, making a kind of sandwich where the line is threaded through. This looks like a design flaw to me--4 good sized and 5 tiny rivets holding together the part that rotates at great velocity and comes in contact with the ground. Why rivets? Fortunately, there is a 2-year parts & labor warranty, which leads me to . . . .
Gripe #3: Weedeater service. When you call the 800 number that comes with the instruction manual--advertised as "Weedeater Service"--you get another company that handles service issues for Weedeater and many other companies. They are basically a parts distributor who can also give you the name, address, and phone number of the Weedeater dealer in your area. (Actually, the dealer they sent me to first no longer works on Weedeaters.) That is where you must go for service or even technical support. That's right! If you have a technical question--like how to install a replacement part--there's no one at Weedeater to answer it. They have simply insulated themselves from their customers. There is no technical support, period. (Since I live on an island that's an hour-and-a-half ferry and auto ride from the nearest dealer, that's a big deal to me.)
OK, to end on a more positive note. Weedeater's 800-number parts-supplier shipped me a replacement trimmer head (under warranty) that arrived in 5 days. There were no installation instructions (and Weedeater is obviously no help here) but a long-distance call to the nearest dealer provided me the clues I needed to figure out how to install the puppy. I put it in and the WT-3100 is now running again. So far, the new head shows no signs of disintegrating, but the jury is still out.
So while I can't really recommend this trimmer, I can't really pan it, either. The motor is really a brute, and it cuts weeds and grass (even tough bear-grass) effortlessly. (Note: it will not cut woody stems of 3/16" or larger; it skins them, but doesn't cut them.) The wheels are great. But the expensive, hard-to-obtain string and non-existent tech support are real downers. For me, it all hinges on whether the trimmer head holds together. We'll see.
120 of 122 found the following review helpful:
 Wheeled String Trimmer Is A Winner! Apr 17, 2006
By GailR
I own a Weedeater 3100 wheeled string trimmer with 16" cut and just love it!
I live on a retired dairy farm where I keep much of the land unused but managed for wildlife. I also have quite a bit of lawn area to keep mowed & trimmed, as well as a Bluebird Trail and several fencelines and roadside frontage.
I have found this string trimmer to be ideal for my needs. Its motor is a bit more powerful than on the smaller & wheel-less, shaft model string trimmers and the cutting string is heavier duty. The Amazon accessories list gives the wrong size for the replacement strings, however. The correct size is .115 diameter.
It has a 2-cycle engine, so you will need to mix the oil & gasoline together. A small bottle of oil with fuel stabilizer is included, enough to make 1 gallon of gas + oil mix. Also, use only 2-cycle oil and NOT the 10x30 you might use in 4 cycle lawnmower engines and NOT the 10w30 oil you might use in your vehicle.
The starting instructions are very clear and well marked on the engine. It uses a standard rope pull as found on other string trimmers. Also has a priming bulb for easier starting (removes air from fuel line and carbureator). The engine is marked for 3 Choke positions, Full, Half, and Off. There is an idler screw adjuster behind the air cleaner cover. The air cleaner should be cleaned & oiled after every 5 hours of use. You must remove 2 screws to remove the air cleaner cover. The air filter is washable in soap & water and must be oiled with 10-15 drops of oil before re-inserting the cleaned filter.
My trimmer started right up just using the factory set adjustments and no further adjusting was needed. Mine started on the 3rd or 4th pull. As with other trimmers, the string spins when you squeeze the throttle trigger.
The safety shields are very adequate yet not in the way. The handlebar is ergonomically shaped and has padded hand grips. I did feel the handle could have been longer and I am 5'5" tall, so others may find this even more of a problem for them. The cable neatly tucks into 2 metal snap-on cable guides. The throttle trigger is on the left side of the handlebar and works by squeezing it.
My very favorite aspect of this wheeled string trimmer is that it uses 16" in length cut string and NOT a continuous, spool type string head that you must re-wind string on when needed. No more tangled string! HOORAY! This Model 3100 uses one 16" long string of .115 diameter that you VERY simply slide thru a "tunnel" on the bottom of the head, then pull to equal lengths on both sides, and tuck each end thru its hole. Couldn't be simpler or more intuitive. A package of 12 replacement cut strings costs around $3. Or you could buy a larger spool of .115 diamater string and cut your own individual 16" lengths.
On my first tryout I trimmed tough meadow grass, thorny wild raspberry bush whips, old dried Goldenrod, Burdock, roadside and ditch grasses, small Maple tree seedling whips, Red Osier Dogwood whips, young Staghorn Sumac whips, young Black Walnut whips. None of the above gave the trimmer any problems. In fact, I used just the one string to do all that cutting and did not have to replace it when finished!
I was careful not to hit any wire fencelines or cement or bricks and that helped preserve the life of the cutting string, too.
The rope pull is somewhat hard to pull (at least wyhen it is brand new) but it is nice having the rope pull mounted high on the handle, so you can start up without stooping.
The trimmer is surprisingly lightweight and I can easily lift it. The 2 wheels are high enough to be effective in taller grasses and weeds and the traction on the wheels is deep enough to be useful.
It pushes through the grass very easily. If you are on rough or uneven ground, you will have to be careful to not pull it behind you, such as when walking up hills, as it tips from side-to-side easier when pulling with just one hand (because of its light weight)
There is a well constructed, metal cage over the engine to keep out debris.
In conclusion, I am very glad I purchased this WeedEater 3100 wheeled string trimmer. No tools are needed to assemble it. All you need do is turn 2 plastic-handled bolts to connect the 2 handlebar sections and then snap-on 2 cable guides over the throttle wire.
It works better than I expected and I much prefer the wheeled type string trimmer to the un-wheeled type. And I much prefer the single cut-length string over the spool string.
20 of 21 found the following review helpful:
 The Only Big Thing is the Disappointment Jul 31, 2006
By Daniel T. Sicular
I bought this little wheeled string trimmer expecting to save my back knocking down tall grass around my garden and small orchard. Whle it is a neat looking tool, it has been nearly completely useless. In fact, it turns out to be much more effort to use, and harder on the back, than a regular string trimmer. The wheels are small and hard - they absorb no shock on rough ground, and the wheelbase is so narrow that the thing is constantly tipping and difficult to control. Perhaps it is meant to trim around a manicured, perfectly flat lawn, and it may work well for that. Then again, the two-stroke engine is noisy and does not respond readily to the throttle. If you have tall grass and weeds, or uneven ground, or don't like the mosquito-like buzz of a small, low-quality two-stroke engine, look for something else. If I could figure out how to get it back in the box I'd return it.
16 of 17 found the following review helpful:
I used it - I can't stand it Aug 04, 2006
By J. Simon
I bought this unit recently - thinking that this wheeled trimmer would be easier on my back. Was I ever wrong.
First, the engine is very hard to start - plus the pull cord is strung through an eye-bolt that turns if you pull at an angle which will jam the cord.
Second, I am 6'4" and this unit's handles are obviously too short for me. I wouldn't recommend using this trimmer unless you are less than 6 foot tall.
Third, the wheels can't handle any uneven terrain - things like going over roots next to a tree require much additional force. Plus if you hit uneven terrain the front of the unit, which has no wheels, has a tendency to tip forward - giving areas you didn't want to wack a too-close trim.
Fourth - Since the head is fixed you can't easily position this unit in hard to reach areas.
Fifth - I went through two lines just doing 1/4 acre - the lines are expensive to buy.
Skip this unit - for the money you can get a very good string trimmer that uses standard line.
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
CUSTOMER SERVICE--HAH!!!!!! Aug 01, 2007
By K. Osta
"bigreader"
Just received wt3100 about 2 hours ago....Mesh housing motor cover about 1 1/2" too short. Have spent the last 2 hours trying to find out how to rectify the problem. One "authorized dealer" inferred we got it off the back of a truck. Poulon/Weedeater pretty much blew us off and of course it's not returnable to Amazon. BUYER BEWARE
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