Walk Behind Edger

[jwstewar]

The wife has decided she wants to change some of the landscaping around the house. Instead of the Castle Blocks we have now she just wants to do an edge around it. We'll I've never done an edge, but I know it could take a lot of work around the whole house so I said no until we get an edger.

I was looking at the stick edgers. I was looking at the one that would go on the end of the motor of my Ryobi string trimmer. I currently have the cultivator, snow blower, vacuum, hedge trimmer, & tree trimmer for it. All have worked OK. So I found the edge for this for $60 - 70 depending upon the brand.

I then found a John Deere walk behind edger on Craigslist for $100. The guy that had it has a landscaping co. I'm supposed to go look at it tonight after work. Anyone know anything about these units? Any ideas what year(s) they were made and if I can still get parts? Does $100 seem resonable? He said that he hasn't had any other calls......

 

[TimS]

Jim, that seems way high - particularly for a unit that has seen commercial use. From what I've seen these guys don't get rid of anything until it's worn out. As a point of reference, I got a used one for $30 - just needed fresh gas to replace the varnish in the tank and it's been fine. My sister in law went the Sears route and got a new one for a couple of hundred.

If the guy hasn't had any offers, maybe go there with $50 cash and if it looks like it hasn't been beat up too bad, see what you can do?

Tim

 

[nolefan]

Just my two cents but from owning both types I would not buy the walk behind. The stick edgers are much more manueverable and do just as good of job if not better. I have a Echo stick edger that I have been very happy with. Good luck.

 

[jwstewar]

Thanks for the input guys. Unfortunately when I called him after work to let him know I was leaving (like he had asked me to do) he said he had just sold it. I guess at least he let me know before I drove over there. One way I'm glad I didn't have to make a decision (and tell him know), but in another way I'm upset that he sold it - not that he had an obligation to hold it as a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush and I hadn't given him a for sure yes (I hadn't seen it) nor had I given him any money.

 

[Inspector507]

Jim,
4 or 5 years ago I bought a Toro (I Think) Mini Tiller from Lowes for $99. It was returned for one reason or another, that's why the low price. It's a 2 cycle machine. Fueled it up and it ran great except the shut off switch did not work. Maybe that's the reason it was returned and of course you know I could replace that.
Anyway, it came with an edger blade that replaces the tines on one side. Take the other side tines off to use. Might be something to look into.