A circular carbide blade is a very useful and versatile attachment for your weed trimmer.
Your ordinary whacker can work well for grass and light shrubs, but for thicker, tougher bush, your trimmer will need a blade that will convert your ordinary trimmer into a brush cutter with additional power.
The attachment can supplement a range of garden care equipment including:
- Chainsaws
- Hedge trimmers
There are a variety of blades, but the right one for you will depend on your gas weed eater and what is recommended in your manual.
A circular carbide blade is a simple, yet powerful addition to your whacker and you can accomplish the following garden tasks with ease:
Brush Clearing
Where an ordinary string trimmer may not be strong enough to tackle some of the tougher trimming jobs, a circular carbide blade certainly can. It’s ideal for clearing large parcels of land with sticker and stock bushes, and heavy, dense woods.
Tree Trimming
Overhanging branches can pose a threat to persons and property. However, trimming a tree can be cumbersome and time-consuming even when you use a chainsaw.
The carbide circular blade cuts through tree limbs quite easily. The carbide can cut a limb proportionate to the diameter of the blade, once you cut the limb from both sides.
For the tougher jobs like saplings, tall, heavy shrubs, wood stock and weeds, the circular carbide blade will plow through them faster and with more precision.
Know Your Blade
Each blade will differ in size and design, depending on the model of your weed whacker.
The size of the blade attachment should match back to the diameter of the arbor hole.
A good gauge when purchasing your blade is to get an arbor hole that is at least one inch in diameter. Most blades will likely fit that dimension.
Installation will vary, but you have to take out the whacker head, attach the blade and any other components that help secure the carbide blade in position.
Design and Durability
Trimmer blades are usually designed for up to and sometimes more than 10,000 rpm.
They are very flexible and will hardly bend out of shape with constant use. They can withstand pressure from rocks and other hard objects.
These blades are significantly cheaper but normally last up to 10 times longer than other blades.
Blade Teeth
Most blades are either made of steel or carbide. They range in sizes from 30 inches to 100 inches.
The 30 to 40-inch range will cut through heavy wood quite adequately, and tackle bramble, thick brush, and tumbleweeds.
However, this blade is not best suited for pruning and hedging jobs around the garden. The teeth are likely to produce jagged cuts.
The 80 to 100- inch carbide blades are more powerful and stay sharper for longer periods. They are a little more expensive than the other types but provide more versatility, durability, and value for money.
Your greatest consideration, however, is to ensure you have a blade that is at least 8 inches in diameter to fit comfortably onto the safety blade guard.
It’s better to go with at least 9 inches since anything above this size will likely slow down the motor.