SKIL 40v trimmer/blower set, a review.

I've lived in this home for 15 years, and in that time I've used up two expensive gas weed-eaters.  The latest was a Cub Cadet 4-stroke that gave me 6 years before the head quit.  Luckily I have a bladed shaft that fits, so it's not dead-dead.

I decided this time to go battery, and spent a day researching. I arrived at this one for a balance of value, good ratings, and features.  Trimmer, blower, 40v battery, and charger for $180. This morning the set got their first work out as I tried to beat the heat.

First impression:  So light and quiet, it CAN'T work that well, yet it does.  No sturm and drang, no waking the neighbors, no looking like I fought the weed wars.  It just whacks down the weeds and grass.  From seedlings up to 5 foot tall poke, all slaughtered easily and quietly.  It's the grim reaper scythe of weed whackers.  In addition, it doesn't splatter me with weed guts from head to toes.  No more stripping on the front porch and marching to the shower.  I'm sure the neighbors will be pleased with that.

Line usage was less than half what the Cub Cadette burned through.  It seems raw (and loud) power uses line like crazy.  This SKIL thing just chewed through green stuff and soldiered on, miserly on the trim line.  I also found it easy to operate in close quarters around my veg plants and roses.  Precision is a snap compared to the big gas model.

Assembly was silly easy, taking all of 5 minutes.  If I had gotten a real Torx driver instead of the crappy thing  that came with it, it would have been 2 minutes.  Two screws for the handle and two screws for the line guard.  That's it.  A note on the crappy included tool, it bent in my fingers.  Be gentle with it, or throw it away and use a real tool.

Operation is intuitive. Slide a charged battery on and GO.  Variable speed is handy and the 'safety' button is well placed for a natural grip.  Not having to deal with a finicky gas engine is why I went this route.  Getting too old and too crotchety to put up with that when THIS tech is right here.

The blower is even easier.  Snap on the tube (.5 seconds), slide on the 40v battery, and it's go time.  One variable speed lever and no waiting.   Just blowing. Plenty of air moving to clear the road, walk, and drive...and quietly too.  I ordered a reducing nozzle to increase air speed and I expect it will work even better with that installed.

Battery life?  Juuuuust right for me.  This morning I did the front yard, around my garden and driveway, and all the road frontage.  Then I swapped the battery to the blower and cleared the areas I trimmed.  Putting the battery on charge when done, I see I used about half it's charge.  That means it would have also done the back yard and patio as well, if I chose to.   I expect to order another battery just because.  Not that I need to to weed whack for hours at a time (too old for that crap now) but it would be nice to let the wife play along at the same time.

6-12-26

 W: 317.0                BS: 109

• Weeds
• Dishes
• Garden
• Vacuum
• Laundry
• Party stuff
• ?

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Still air stands witness
Drowning In colorless light
Hours turning to ash

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6-11-26

 W: 316.6                BS: 109

BP was a bit stiff this morning, 176/109.   To be watched as the day progresses.  Did I screw up meds yesterday?

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6-10-26

 W: 316.0                BS: 85

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Sub rolls

 

My Butter Bread recipe, substituting schmalz for the butter.  It could have been butter, but I had the schmalz on the counter to be used.

Simply make the dough as the recipe calls for, but shape it into 6 fairly equal long roll shapes.  I chose to brush with melted butter before and after baking, because Mo Butter Is Better.

I did these on a baguette tray, but any baking sheet will work.

6-9-26

 W: 313.4            BS: 84

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6-8-26

 W: 313.8            BS: 87

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A pair of Carolina wrens have set up housekeeping on our front porch.  Ma and Pa are running a steady stream of smooshed bugs to a nest full of gaping mouths.

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6-7-26

 W: 316.4            BS: 84

The heat is here.  Might as well get used to it. High 80s into 90s for the foreseeable. 

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Macomber turnip.  I planted a couple dozen to try, and they grow like gangbusters. Large healthy roots and luxurious greens.  Now, to see if we like eating them.

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6-5-26

 W: 318.0        BS: 94

Doc doubled the new BP med starting today, so we shall be watching veerrrrry closely.

142/82

125/70

101/45

146/79

132/73

All in the space of an hour.  Bad cuff?

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On the way home from taxi duty and a stop at the Boozemart, I got behind a driver who apparently was already sauced up. Or sumpin. Drunk, drugged, stroke... inpaired. The first clue were the forays across the line and onto the shoulder.

Uh huh.

I followed for one turn, past two good places to pull over for vehicle trouble, and several more serious wanders outside the lane. Oh, and one full stop for no apparent reason. At that point I am waiting for county emergency to answer.

Fun fact. If you call 911 from my truck with the phone plugged in, it totally fubars the call. They can't hear me, and to me they sound like tinny whispers.

So, trying to follow suspect #1 while sorting out the phone issue and loudly saying their reg-plate numbers and our location. Another turn and I had just said "This person is going to hit someone" and.... they crossed the line and side-swiped someone. Oh Boy. The rodeo is in town.

All the moving parts come to a stop, with all dem people on the road in significantly injured vehicles and me pulled off at a side street maybe 20 yards away. Shutting the truck off solved my phone issue, and the nice lady was still trying to get through, so cool. I gave her location, rough idea of the scene, and began checking out the players for injuries. Made sure to get that plate said again in case #1 suspect decided to vamoose. I noticed enough leakages under his new Buick to see he wasn't moving that thing. The other vehicle had spewed a few large suspension parts into the road, and on a GM that's a disqualifier.

All the peoples were out, walking, talking, and only one was wobbling... good 'ol #1.

That's it. Checked out conditions, directed the looky lou's past the scene, and waited on the nice officer. Turned out another guy at the scene was an off-duty, so he repeated what I had done and then vested up to direct traffic.

Officer friendly arrived, sorted the scene in a minute or two, and began the first interviews. My turn, I just handed him my license, told him everything on it is correct, gave him my number, and a short paragraph of what I had witnessed. "Uh huh... thank you sir".

I told him "I'll be home the rest of the day and just a couple miles that way. Hit me up if I can help" and homeward bound I was.

That's it. Did my part, not fast enough, but nobody got hurt and I could not have stopped it in time no how anyway. Time to relax a few with a cigar and contemplate life.

G.K. Chesterton on politicians.

 

March 1st, 1921, to the Cleveland Press.  No... I was not there, thank you very much.

He went on to say all politics should be local so that we might kick our politicians as we wish, and hang them on the same liberty tree we gathered around.

I mean, can't argue with that logic, can we?

Slicy stabby

 

Knife sharpening day at the OK-ish corral. Every month or two, the stones get soaked. 600/1000/3000 and then the steel.

I don't buy 'good' knives for our kitchen.  It's taken me years to get the barbarians to not throw knives in the sink or dishwasher.  I buy working knives at the restaurant store.  Damn near disposable, but they do hold an edge and they are shaped correctly. The best blade in the pack is a Victorinox that cost about $50.

Sharpening sessions involve cleaning, 600 grit till the edge is shaped right, then 1000 and 3000 to get the sharp.  Clean between stoning, and before the steel.  Once dry and fully cleaned they go back to the magnet rack over the counter.

When is it time for a sharpening session?  When I am disappointed with performance on the board.

 

6-4-26

 W: 319.8            BS: NA

There's reasons, and then their are excuses. One can have reasons for screwing up, while still not making excuses.  I know the reasons for where I am.

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6-3-26

 W: 318.8        BS: 142

Yesterday, FUBAR.

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6-1-26

 W: 314.8            BS: 141

Awake at 3am. OofB at 5am.  No sleep for the wicked.

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Via Peter...

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5-31-26

 W: 314.0            BS: 74

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Chicken Lazone, predominantly from Chef John's recipe.  I gave the halved chicken breasts 24 hours in the fridge after the spice rub.  You know I changed up the recipe, because I gotta be me.  Everyone who had some (Everyone in the house) including myself declared it the tastiest chicken I ever made. 

Anyone wants more detail on how I made it. just ask.

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