How to Edge With a String Trimmer
- 1). Check the area for obstacles and clear away problem debris. Lawn edger blades will not cut through stones, tree roots, glass fragments or other hard debris. Edgers either throw these items or bounce off them, sometimes with enough force to damage the edger blade.
- 2). Keep the edger at the right side of your body. Edger safety shields deflect debris only to the right side--using them left-handed is unsafe.
- 3). Check the depth setting of the edger blade. The blade height depends on both machine settings and the way operators hold the edger/trimmer. Hold the machine so that the guide wheel rests on the sidewalk edge and the blade touches the ground about half an inch away from the pavement. With the end of the blade resting on the dirt, the guide wheel should be 1/4 inch above the concrete.
- 4). Set the edger blade depth. Most attachments shift cutting depth when operators loosen a wing nut or adjustment knob on the edger housing. Raise or lower the blade so the guide wheel allows a 1/4-inch cut below the surface of the ground. This often takes several tries to get right.
- 5). Put on your safety goggles. Start the line trimmer and lower the motor so that the guide wheel touches pavement before the edger blade contacts dirt. Use a high speed to begin the cut and lower to half speed when the blade penetrates. Step forward carefully, rolling the attachment on the guide wheel and following the pavement edge.
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