Help! I'm after damaging my husband's hedge cutter

Lady Chatterton

I was off work yesterday and it was a beautiful day so I thought it would be a nice surprise for my husband if I attended to some jobs in our front and back garden.

Anyway, I spent from 9am until 8pm cutting lawns, weeding and cutting unruly hedges and I was thrilled with how great the place looked in the end.

However, here is the problem; I was using my own cordless hedge trimmer to cut the hedge but the battery died and the charge time was going to take too long so I decided to borrow my husband's corded hedge cutter. Everything was going great and I was almost finished the hedge when I got distracted and I cut the cable

My question is, can the cord be replaced or is it case of sneaking off to the local hardware store and replacing the hedge cutter with a similar model?

cgarrad

http://www.spareparts.ie/shop/Flymo-Replacement-cable-15-Metre-(5045174863483).783

Assuming its a flymo, if not search for the maker.

Lady Chatterton

It is actually a Bosch, it looks like this one -

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductLargeImagePopup?storeId=10152&jsparm=true&imageName=100-7304723SPA75UC911502X.jpg&imageText=

brian_t

You are not the first and you wont be the last.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054946864

I certainly would not replace the actual Hedge cutter.

I think I would try to repair it with one of these

http://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-orange-connector-2-pin/46232

The male connector would be wired to the hedge cutter and the female to the mains.

redser7

You could tidy up the cut ends and splice them together. Then wrap each wire with insulation tape, and then the whole exposed area with more tape a qazillion times.
Have had to do that on my lawnmower twice.
I'll probably get slated for even suggesting it. There are safer ways obviously.

Sgt Pepper 64

Just buy him a new one for his birthday and say his old one was looking a bit shabby!

us men love to get new tools to play with!

You can get a perfectly good one from Woodies for about 30 euro

Tenshot

How close is the cut to the end of the cable? If it's only a few feet away from the hedgetrimmer itself, you could probably just remove the cut length and wire the remaining cable directly into the hedge trimmer.

As per the other thread referenced above, it should just be a matter of opening up the housing near where the cable attaches, then removing the old short length and wiring in the remaining length, as you would a 3-pin plug.

Lady Chatterton

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm going to purchase a replacement tomorrow and hope he doesn't notice the change in model. I couldn't stand the slagging I'd get if I actually told him the truth and it would take from my hard work.

At the moment he thinks I'm a domestic and gardening goddess so I think it is better not to burst his bubble. :)

mike65

I did this last summer, cord slipped off my shoulder and whoopsie! As it was cut so near the start of the cable it was just a case of opening up the body of the trimmer and re wiring it having tidied up the cut part.

Alun

You've both got your own individual hedge cutters?

Lady Chatterton

Alun wrote: »

You've both got your own individual hedge cutters?

Yes, indeed we do have his and hers hedge cutters and tool boxes too, we draw the line at sheds though. I like using cordless equipment and my husband hates having to charge stuff.

prospect

I am sure it won't take him from 9am till 8pm of hard labour to fix the cable, so he'll be fine with it.
Fair play, I am gonna PM you my wifes number, she could take a leaf (geddit) from your book.

meglome

MrsD007 wrote: »

My question is, can the cord be replaced or is it case of sneaking off to the local hardware store and replacing the hedge cutter with a similar model?

Was in the GF's family home their last week and her mother did exactly the same. She just put some sort of connector on the cable and taped it I think. Probably a much better idea to remove the cut piece and connect the cable into the housing again.

Course if someone had done all that work for me I wouldn't give a damn about the cable and would just sort it myself. Can't believe you're actually going to buy a new one.

Bruthal

MrsD007 wrote: »

Yes, indeed we do have his and hers hedge cutters and tool boxes too, we draw the line at sheds though. I like using cordless equipment and my husband hates having to charge stuff.

Just get an electrician or someone competent at such repairs if you know one, it should be a simple enough job to replace the entire cable for a competent person although it may need some star head drivers or such to open it. If its very close to the machine it was cut, the same cable can be used once it will still be long enough for your garden.

Taping up cables would not be recommended at all anyway which may have been suggested earlier.

Lady Chatterton

meglome wrote: »

Can't believe you're actually going to buy a new one.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist so I'm absolutely raging with myself for doing something as stupid as cutting the cable (even though it was an accident). The hedge cutter is only a year old so I will give it to my dad so it won't go to waste.

I have found a similar model in Argos for about €80 so I will purchase that and I doubt Mr. D will notice, I really couldn't stand the slagging I'd get if he found out and this way he still thinks I'm wonderful

Bruthal

MrsD007 wrote: »

I have found a similar model in Argos for about €80 so I will purchase that and I doubt Mr. D will notice, I really couldn't stand the slagging I'd get if he found out and this way he still thinks I'm wonderful

So you are fooling him twice in one go then?:D

looksee

I'm surprised no-one has suggested you dispose of the slightly damaged one in an environmentally friendly way by giving it to them:D I don't have a hedge trimmer...though I probably couldn't handle it if I did.

Lady Chatterton

looksee wrote: »

I'm surprised no-one has suggested you dispose of the slightly damaged one in an environmentally friendly way by giving it to them:D

Too late - I've given it to my dad. He has just signed a confidentially agreement, so Mr. D will never hear that his hedge cutter was damaged and replaced. :D

scotty_irish

the best way to cover your ass is to promise to do all the gardening from now on, so he'll never know! small price to pay!

looksee

MrsD007 wrote: »

Too late - I've given it to my dad. He has just signed a confidentially agreement, so Mr. D will never hear that his hedge cutter was damaged and replaced. :D

brian_t

MrsD007 wrote: »

At the moment he thinks I'm a domestic and gardening goddess so I think it is better not to burst his bubble. :)

No doubt all the men from the West of Ireland who think their wives are "a domestic and gardening goddess" and have His & Hers hedge cutters will be giving their hedge cutters a full inspection tonight.

prospect

Personally, I'd be looking for a 2-Stroke replacement.


(I mean a 2-Stroke petrol engine as opposed to anything else, although I doubt he'd complain about that either)

Sgt Pepper 64

MrsD007 wrote: »

I'm a bit of a perfectionist so I'm absolutely raging with myself for doing something as stupid as cutting the cable (even though it was an accident). The hedge cutter is only a year old so I will give it to my dad so it won't go to waste.

I have found a similar model in Argos for about €80 so I will purchase that and I doubt Mr. D will notice, I really couldn't stand the slagging I'd get if he found out and this way he still thinks I'm wonderful

thank the lucky stars you are alive to tell the tale, I've heard of people being electrocuted having done that with hedge cutters, although lawn mowers are more common.
I wouldnt take the chance of repairing it myself - you dont mess with electricity!

laros

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10152&catalogId=13352&langId=111&searchTerms=RCD&authToken=


While your in Argos ,pick up an RCD device as well, If a cable is cut then it trips out and cuts the power, essential for any plugged in power tools especially in the garden.Less than €20 ,What price a life...???

Bruthal

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

thank the lucky stars you are alive to tell the tale, I've heard of people being electrocuted having done that with hedge cutters, although lawn mowers are more common

The chance of being electrocuted in these circumstances is almost zero, or extremely low anyway, the blade cuts straight through the cable and trips the protective devices in the MCB boards, and socket circuits will have the RCD which virtually eliminates the risk. So a properly wired house will mean there is very little chance of being electrocuted. Houses last wired in the 60`s and 70`s or before would have more risk alright.


Them plug in RCD`s that can be got for electric lawnmowers etc can be used for older installations anyway.

Lady Chatterton

robbie7730 wrote: »

The chance of being electrocuted in these circumstances is almost zero, or extremely low anyway, the blade cuts straight through the cable and trips the protective devices in the MCB boards, and socket circuits will have the RCD which virtually eliminates the risk. So a properly wired house will mean there is very little chance of being electrocuted. Houses last wired in the 60`s and 70`s or before would have more risk alright.


Them plug in RCD`s that can be got for electric lawnmowers etc can be used for older installations anyway.

That's for clarifying that - Sgt Pepper nearly but my heart crossways with his post.

Bruthal

MrsD007 wrote: »

That's for clarifying that - Sgt Pepper nearly but my heart crossways with his post.

Did you notice having to reset any of the socket trip switches in the house? It would be very unusual if none tripped, and probably the plug fuse as well would be gone.

Lady Chatterton

robbie7730 wrote: »

Did you notice having to reset any of the socket trip switches in the house? It would be very unusual if none tripped, and probably the plug fuse as well would be gone.

Yes, it tripped in the house, had to go to board to turn the sockets back on again.

Bruthal

MrsD007 wrote: »

Yes, it tripped in the house, had to go to board to turn the sockets back on again.

Yes that would of happened instantly, so its not a high risk activity, trimming the actual chord along with the hedge:D

Lady Chatterton

robbie7730 wrote: »

Yes that would of happened instantly, so its not a high risk activity, trimming the actual chord along with the hedge

Indeed

However, I think I will stick to using my own cordless equipment in future. Thanks for all the info and advice guys - much appreciated :)

LLU

like the good shepherd who knows all his sheep, I know all my tools and I'd know if one suddenly became new again! personally I think you've overreacted a bit here but anyway what's done is done so best of luck with it. just don't let it escalate and do something like burning down the garden shed to cover your tracks!