Function

• A gas-powered weed eater is a tool used in the garden for edging walkways by cutting a straight line where the lawn meets the cement or brickwork. The weed eater will also chop down tall, unwanted weeds in cracks in the cement, between stones, against buildings and around lawn ornaments, furniture or trees.
  
  

Size

• A gas-powered weed eater is about 4 feet long and 8 inches wide at the top and bottom, with a 1-inch wide connector pole. It weighs three to five pounds.
  
  

Benefits

• The benefits of a gas-powered weed eater is the absence of the long extension cord that an electric weed eater necessitates. A gas-powered weed eater can work in remote locations for hours at a time, if you bring along a surplus can of gasoline and oil to refill the tank. Weed eaters are the perfect compliment to a lawnmower, giving a mowed lawn a more finished look by trimming edges and awkward-to-reach areas.
  
  

Warning

• Gas-powered weed eaters require a mixture of gas and oil in the tank to function properly. The gas/oil mixture varies with different brands, but is approximately 20:1. Running the weed eater without oil will damage the engine. Weed eaters are noisy and their engines can get hot to the touch. Proper footwear is recommended to avoid injury while in use.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Weed eaters often get tangles in their weed-cutting string or a breakage in the string as they are used. Firm tapping on the ground with the head of the weed eater as it is running will release more string after a breakage occurs. If string is tangled, the machine must be turned off and the bottom cap removed to access and manually untangle the string.
  
  

Potential

• A weed eater can cut hours out of the amount of time it takes to weed or edge a garden by hand. Since the weed eater requires very little gas to perform its function, it's a good investment for the thrifty gardener.
  
  

Identification

• A gas-powered weed eater is easily identifiable by it's short sturdy handle, engine and small gas tank which is attached to a long, thin metal pole. At the far end of the pole is the weed eater mechanism, which consists of a spinning disc wrapped with durable plastic string, covered by a cap and an oblong safety hood.