What's In DFB's Cabinet?

[DFB5.0]

Always been a fan of Stihl. Looking at one of their gas trimmers (FS 56 RC-E) to replace my Echo.

I'm a Stihl man to the core, but take this from a pro user.....................

I would HIGHLY recommend taking a look at the Husqvarna 522L.

522L String Trimmer | Husqvarna US



I had been using a Stihl KM-56 powerhead (same engine as the FS 56 RC) with the trimmer attachment, it was far too heavy and poorly balanced due to the connection point for attachments. When I went shopping for a new trimmer, I looked at them all. My main requirement was lightweight. I REALLY wanted a pro-grade Stihl, but they are just too heavy. Same for ECHO, Shindaiwa (basically ECHO). Then I looked at Husqvarna.

As a lifelong Stihl man, the idea of buying the other orange brand was like a Ford man buying a Holden. But, everything just clicked. The 522L is the lightest straight-shaft trimmer on the market. It also has anti-vibration handles, so you don't rattle your nerves to pieces. The FS 56 RC doesn't have anti-vibe. Prior to buying the 522L, I was having a lot of nerve issues in my hands and upper back problems holding that Stihl for extended periods. The Husqvarna solved those problems. I know its $100 more than the Stihl, but its worth every single cent.

The weight difference might sound minor, but trust me, you notice it.

522L - 9.26 lbs
FS 56 RC - 10.6 lb

Now, you might look at the specs with concern. The entry level Stihl curved and straight shaft trimmers have a 27.2cc engine, the 522L only has 22.5cc. But trust me here, you won't notice the difference. Actually, the horsepower difference is negligible, 1.01 for the 522L and 1.1 for the Stihl. And unless you are slashing thick scrub, you simply do not need more than what the 522L delivers.

The only thing I would say is to keep the gearhead greased. Some have noted they are fragile, but mine has done a power of work since I bought it in 2018 and haven't had an issue. I grease the head a few times a year, you'd do it once a season for domestic work. I've also run it exclusively on Stihl HP Ultra fully synthetic oil and the piston and cylinder still look new.

Also, the homeowner Stihl tools typically come out of China or the US. The Husqvarna is built in Sweeden. Husqvarna classify the 522L as semi-professional model. However, the pro-grade 525L that sits above it uses the same shaft, handles and gearhead as the 522L, but with a slightly bigger engine and carrying more weight due to the steel bash blade on the bottom of the tank (you don't need that for domestic use, its more to protect the tank when rattling around in the back of a truck).

On mine, I replaced the Husqvarna head with a Speed-Feed head, which are sold by ECHO but there are aftermarket versions too. From memory, you need the Speed-Feed 400, the 500 had some issues.

Speed-Feed 400 | ECHO
Amazon.com.au : speed feed 400 trimmer head

The BEST TRIMMER HEAD ever made! How to install a Universal Speed Feed on most any trimmer.

If I had to buy another trimmer tomorrow, I'd be buying another Husqvarna 522L. The 522L is one of the very best tools I've bought over the years. I do like the pro-grade Stihl FS 94R, but its heavier, more expensive, and the anti-vibration system isn't as good.

Feel free to reach out, I live and breath this stuff.

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[MAGS1]

I'm a Stihl man to the core, but take this from a pro user.....................

I would HIGHLY recommend taking a look at the Husqvarna 522L.

522L String Trimmer | Husqvarna US



I had been using a Stihl KM-56 powerhead (same engine as the FS 56 RC) with the trimmer attachment, it was far too heavy and poorly balanced due to the connection point for attachments. When I went shopping for a new trimmer, I looked at them all. My main requirement was lightweight. I REALLY wanted a pro-grade Stihl, but they are just too heavy. Same for ECHO, Shindaiwa (basically ECHO). Then I looked at Husqvarna.

As a lifelong Stihl man, the idea of buying the other orange brand was like a Ford man buying a Holden. But, everything just clicked. The 522L is the lightest straight-shaft trimmer on the market. It also has anti-vibration handles, so you don't rattle your nerves to pieces. The FS 56 RC doesn't have anti-vibe. Prior to buying the 522L, I was having a lot of nerve issues in my hands and upper back problems holding that Stihl for extended periods. The Husqvarna solved those problems. I know its $100 more than the Stihl, but its worth every single cent.

The weight difference might sound minor, but trust me, you notice it.

522L - 9.26 lbs
FS 56 RC - 10.6 lb

Now, you might look at the specs with concern. The entry level Stihl curved and straight shaft trimmers have a 27.2cc engine, the 522L only has 22.5cc. But trust me here, you won't notice the difference. Actually, the horsepower difference is negligible, 1.01 for the 522L and 1.1 for the Stihl. And unless you are slashing thick scrub, you simply do not need more than what the 522L delivers.

The only thing I would say is to keep the gearhead greased. Some have noted they are fragile, but mine has done a power of work since I bought it in 2018 and haven't had an issue. I grease the head a few times a year, you'd do it once a season for domestic work. I've also run it exclusively on Stihl HP Ultra fully synthetic oil and the piston and cylinder still look new.

Also, the homeowner Stihl tools typically come out of China or the US. The Husqvarna is built in Sweeden. Husqvarna classify the 522L as semi-professional model. However, the pro-grade 525L that sits above it uses the same shaft, handles and gearhead as the 522L, but with a slightly bigger engine and carrying more weight due to the steel bash blade on the bottom of the tank (you don't need that for domestic use, its more to protect the tank when rattling around in the back of a truck).

On mine, I replaced the Husqvarna head with a Speed-Feed head, which are sold by ECHO but there are aftermarket versions too. From memory, you need the Speed-Feed 400, the 500 had some issues.

Speed-Feed 400 | ECHO
Amazon.com.au : speed feed 400 trimmer head

The BEST TRIMMER HEAD ever made! How to install a Universal Speed Feed on most any trimmer.

If I had to buy another trimmer tomorrow, I'd be buying another Husqvarna 522L. The 522L is one of the very best tools I've bought over the years. I do like the pro-grade Stihl FS 94R, but its heavier, more expensive, and the anti-vibration system isn't as good.

Feel free to reach out, I live and breath this stuff.

Thanks D, appreciate all the insights here. Definitely gives me something to think about. I’ve had mixed luck with Husqvarna, particularly their chainsaws. The 18” saw I had worked great, never had any issues. Sold it several years ago as I no longer needed it. My dad has had nothing but problems with his 18” saw, primarily with the chain coming loose for seemingly no reason. His also leaks, has replaced the lines several times and they still end up leaking. He’s not a frequent user and maintains all his tools well. Maybe it’s just from the infrequent use? He took it to a local dealer/service shop as well and they can’t figure out why it leaks. They did seem to get the chain issue fixed, so far it hasn’t come loose after a few short uses.

I do value your recommendations, particularly since you do a lot of work in this area. I plan to finish out the season with my Echo and will get something new over the winter, start fresh in the spring. Appreciate all the info here, definitely giving me something to think about.

 

[DFB5.0]

KOA 20 Battery Air Inflator (Kit) –

Who here hates pulling up at your local petrol station to fill tyres with air? You know how it is: parking next to a hose reel that doesn't work properly, snagging the hose on the tyres, leaking connections, an inaccurate pressure gauge, and a grotty inflator covered in funk. Yeah, not my idea of fun. So, you either dealt with that annoyance, or went and bought an air compressor of some sort.

I've had a decent air compressor for 15 years, initially purchased for tyres, but also useful for detailing tools. And while I now have a retractable hose reel, I always detest firing up the noisy compressor and attempting to manage the hose while avoiding smacking it into a car. But that all changed once tool companies started making battery-powered compressors/inflators. Compact inflators always existed, but you were tethered to a power cord or jumper leads and all the inconvenience that comes with that. So, you no longer have a hose or cord trailing behind you. Instead, you get a thoroughly portable solution that isn't limited to the confines of your garage — think road trips, worksites, camping. For example, inflating camping beds, or as a backup should you run into trouble on the open road.

Put it this way: I haven't filled tyres with my compressor since getting a Milwaukee M18 Inflator (M18BI0). While it's noisy, you get complete mobility moving around the car. My only complaint is that I wish Milwaukee would send these out with a quick-connect chuck. Apart from that, I've been happy with it.

I did try fitting a quick-chuck, but the machine didn't like it.

Stihl's interpretation of a portable inflator is built around the 10.8V AS battery architecture. While the Milwaukee is only available as a skin, the Stihl can be purchased in skin or kit form. In my case, I scored the kit, which includes the following:

https://www.stihl.com.au/en/p/compr...03667#koa-20-with-battery-and-charger-1003668

- KOA 20 Inflator
- AS 2 battery x1
- AL 1 standard charger
- 4 inflator attachments

Circling back to my Milwaukee, in terms of price, the M18 is about $100 more than a Stihl KOA 20 skin. So in theory, the smaller Milwaukee M12 Compact Inflator is a closer competitor — both are within $10 of one another. And yet, the M12 doesn't quite have the same performance figures as the Stihl. Which of the three you choose would probably come down to what battery ecosystem you're already in, or which you could get more value from after the initial purchase.

Stihl KOA 20 -
Max Pressure – 150 psi
Max Air Flow – 360 LPM
Run Time – 23 minutes
Noise - 77 to 90 dB(A)
Weight – 1.5 kg

Milwaukee M18 M18BI0 -
Max Pressure – 150 psi
Max Air Flow – ND
Run Time – 30 minutes (5.0Ah battery)
Noise - 96 to 97 dB(A)
Weight – 3.2 kg

Milwaukee M12 M12BI-0 -
Max Pressure – 120 psi
Max Air Flow – ND
Run Time – 10 minutes (max. duty cycle to prevent overheating)
Noise - 92 to 96 dB(A)
Weight – 1.42 kg

Looking over the machine, the KOA 20 is super lightweight, with or without the battery fitted. I also love the form factor, which has been cleverly designed to integrate storage for the attachments and the main hose. The LED light, soft touch handle grip, and rubberised feet for reduced vibration are nice touches.

The control panel is well thought out, pairing a high-quality display with simple buttons to cycle through modes, pressure levels and measurement units:

- Main power button
- Start and pause button
- Plus & minus buttons for selecting pressure
- Inflate or deflate modes
- A high-pressure mode for tyres and sports equipment
- A high-volume function for inflating or deflating camping beds, pool toys etc
- LED light activation
- Unit Measurement (BAR, PSI, KPA)
- Battery charge level
- Display for chosen pressure setting and current pressure level

For the demo, I used the KOA 20 to inspect and inflate the tyres on my fabulos XR6. Operationally, the Stihl is noticeably quieter than the M18 inflator, although at a higher pitch. The pressure settings are increased or decreased by one measurement point at a time, same as the Milwaukee. Once the desired pressure is achieved, the unit automatically stops the pump. To save power, the unit powers down after 5 minutes of inactivity. I will say, the KOA 20 takes longer to achieve the chosen pressure than the larger M18, but that's a fair trade-off for the lighter weight and overall footprint. And like the Milwaukee, it would be nice to have a quick-release chuck.



Overall, I like the lightweight and compact form factor of the KOA 20. With that in mind, it would be an ideal travel companion for road trips and caravanning. For volume inflating, I'd probably favour the M18 Milwaukee for its higher duty-cycle capability. Realistically, you will buy whatever battery system you're already invested in. But the KOA 20 is a nice piece of kit and meets my approval.

 

[Mach VII]

I have the M18 inflator and have the same wish for a quick connect option. I find the memory function useful as I have it set for my car and lawn tractor.

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