Your first thought on reading this article may be, “What on earth is a whipper snipper.” A whipper snipper is an Australian term for a line trimmer or string trimmer. They are widely used for garden trimming and edging and cut through weeds and grass using a spinning nylon thread. But many models can do far more than that and come complete with a range of different attachments. We’ve listed the most popular ones below.
- If you want more cutting power then consider replacing the nylon cutting line with a brush blade attachment. With this in place you’ll no longer be limited to trimming weeds and grass but will be able to tidy up thick undergrowth and even a hillside of young saplings. The blade will typically be made from plastic or metal and will come with a protective shield. Make sure you use this.
- For basic edging tasks, a standard whipper snipper with a rotatable head is normally sufficient. All you need to do is change the cutting line from a horizontal to a vertical position. But if you have got a very long driveway, or you are seeking absolute perfection, it’s worth getting hold of an edger blade attachment.
- So you’ve trimmed and edged around your whole lawn. You can give your self a pat on the back but don’t put your feet up just yet. Now comes the inevitable tidy up. For a quick way to clean up the mess, consider a blower attachment. These are designed to snap right onto your whipper snipper. Then lay down a tarp and get blowing.
- If you’ve got a chain saw lying around in your garden shed, it’s likely that it is too heavy to swing about overhead. That’s where a pole saw attachments comes into play. The attachment replaces the standard trimming head with a small, lightweight chain saw. Take special care when using this.
- Two other attachments that are often sold with whipper snippers are a hedge trimmer and cultivator. Both are considerable time savers if you don’t have dedicated tools for these tasks.
Whether you use your trimmer with its standard head or replace this with a specialized attachment, make sure you follow a few safety tips. Always wear protective clothing such as thick gloves, glasses and sturdy shoes; remove all obstacles such as sticks and rocks from your cutting path and trim in a forwards direction to avoid the risk of tripping as your work.