Dear Editor,

In the article “Weed whacker worry” on September 10, it is obvious that the workmen have not been trained to properly use the “weed whackers” that they have been issued, because of the reported damage to passing cars. From what I have observed, it appears that the “weed whackers” they use are either Stihl FS-220s or the lighter duty model. I have a FS-220 and am familiar with its use when fitted with the nylon monofilament line, three-sided heavy brush blade, and circular saw.

In the use of “weed whackers”, the first thing to note is the way the cutter rotates. From the standpoint of the operator looking down on the cutter, it spins in a counterclockwise direction. In operation this is critical. The proper way to use it near anything that can be damaged by stones, sticks or other debris thrown up by the whirling monofilament line takes the rotational direction into consideration. There is a plastic guard mounted on the cutter head that protects the operator from the same debris that is thrown up during operation.

Have you noticed the grass, leaves and trash that you see thrown on the road wherever the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) employees work? That’s another indication of improper use.

A couple of simple rules are to be followed, once the operator understands that he is to swing the side of the spinning line into the thing he wants to cut, and that cuttings and debris will be thrown to his left, and he is to swing the cutter head from right to left when cutting:

(1) Stand with your right towards the thing you don’t want to damage.

(2) Start the cut about 1 ft (1/3 m) to the right of a line pointing straight in front of you.

So, if I don’t want any stones, grass, or other debris flying on to the roadway and littering the road, or breaking the windows of passing cars, my first cut will start at a driveway leading on to the main road, with my right to the main road and my right foot almost on the curb wall, and I will walk along the curb wall. Swing the cutter head to the left while cutting. Return swing to the right while making a light cut or no cut. Once the cutter head is clear of the grass on my right, I make a short step forward and make a swinging cut to my left again. Repeat.

When I have gone a fair distance along the sidewalk, I would idle the motor and walk back to where I started, and with my right foot on the edge of the uncut grass, I would make the next run down the sidewalk; repeat.

If there is a house with lots of glass windows to my left and there is no boundary wall to stop flying debris, I would change my strategy: facing away from the road, advance towards the yard while cutting. This will throw the cuttings back on to the previously cut area. Once past the house, return to the usual strategy.

Of course, it is also not a good idea to remove the safety guard from the cutter head as I have noticed some of the NSWMA workers have done. It prevents stones from bouncing off their shins. I know this from experience. Ouch!

Easy as cheese, no damage done, and no cuttings messing up the road. (Remember that wet grass on the road can cause a car to skid.

Howard Chin

Member, Jamaica Institution of Engineers

hmc14@cwjamaica.com