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Mark LaFountain

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I only buy 91 No alcohol for all my small motors. Actually, that's what I run in my truck (tuned for it) and have been running in the new SUV (turbo motors enjoy premium IMO) as well

 

The octane isn't particularly important in the small motors but is normally only $0.10/gal more expensive than the 87 no alcohol.

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The KM90 is only $80 more than the KM56 and the attachments are the same.

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OK, I promised Neal some Tung Sol Tube pics. IMO they are my prettiest power tubes. Not just lit up, but audibly as well...

 

smDSCN3297_zpskcnwpojx.jpg

 

smDSCN3296_zpswbci3gwq.jpg

 

And a big hell yeah to Sean

 

smDSCN3298_zpssyo4ktyo.jpg

 

The Tung Sols and the Berhinger are retardedly good together. My soundstage opened up, and there is more air in the overall presentation. I added a lot of detail, too. I am pondering spending a little more money on a DAC... Maybe a Schiit Bifrost or a Modi 2 Uber.

 

http://schiit.com/products/bifrost

 

http://schiit.com/products/modi-2

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OK, I promised Neal some Tung Sol Tube pics. IMO they are my prettiest power tubes. Not just lit up, but audibly as well...

 

smDSCN3297_zpskcnwpojx.jpg

 

smDSCN3296_zpswbci3gwq.jpg

 

And a big hell yeah to Sean

 

smDSCN3298_zpssyo4ktyo.jpg

 

The Tung Sols and the Berhinger are retardedly good together. My soundstage opened up, and there is more air in the overall presentation. I added a lot of detail, too. I am pondering spending a little more money on a DAC... Maybe a Schiit Bifrost or a Modi 2 Uber.

 

http://schiit.com/products/bifrost

 

http://schiit.com/products/modi-2

That is nice seth..smile.png

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So I got tired of buying a new $100 weed eater every year. I have a lot of maintenance that I have half assed for years and now I need to do something about it.

I decided to look at the multi-task units offered by Echo, Husqvarna, and Stihl. I elected to stick with these 3 brands as they are really excellent units for homeowners and professionals. I want to play with the various offerings like pole saws, hedge trimmers/lawn scythe, brush cutters, etc. My goal was 13 pounds with trimmer, simple trimmer head string swaps, 1.25HP, and a good warranty.

I picked up the Stihl first. I started looking at the homeowner's series head, the KM56RCE. It has a 2 stroke engine, 1.1 HP, right at 9 pounds for the head, an easy start (decompression set up), and a 2-4 year warranty. It was decent, but lacked the power I was really hoping for. The price of the head was a really easy $210, and let's be real, it's a Stihl. I have a 50 year old Stihl chainsaw that has outlasted 4 Poulans and an Echo. But the CARB tier was estimated at 150 hours... The professional Series (KM90, KM110, and KM130) have a 300+ estimated tier, and 4 stroke engines rated at 1.27, 1.4, and 1.9 HP rating and priced at $310, 350, and 390 respectively. The pro series also boasts a vibration damping system for the engine to reduce fatigue. They are heavier, but smaller than the 2 stroke motor.

I picked up the Echo and was not impressed. Usually they make a great product, but the attachments felt jenky in the connection. They were also very close lipped about the power ratings. At $300 for their top of the line offering, the price was excellent. Their 5 year warranty kicked ass.

I like the Husqvarnas. They make an amazing product, but right out of the gate I was turned off by the price. Their models that compared to the Stihl Homeowners series priced out at a whopping $450. At 1.1 HP and that price I stopped bothering with it.

I went with the Stihl KM90r. After talking to the rep (fully ready to throw down the money for the 130) I think it is a good fit. He said most pros who use their systems use the 90 motors. The 110 just really uses more gas, and the 130 is so hyper most people don't care for it. SO I grabbed the straight shaft Autocut trimmer head attachment, the brush cutter attachment, the pole saw attachment, and an additional Fix-Cut trimmer head (just insert 8" lines into the receptical, so no winding/etc.) for when the boy uses it. With oils, fuels, additional accessories I wound up spending about a grand on a god damn weed eater. It had better last me a long fucking time.

I just came in from using it for several hours. Started on the second pull cold, and 1st pull on successive startups. The trimmer is a monster, it straight throws some trimmings. I'm glad they gave me free safety glasses... I need them. The brush cutter is frightening. I used it for several hours, even grinding a stump down with it. Tomorrow I will be using the pole saw, to deal with some branches around the roof of my house. Unfortunately, I paid a shit ton of money for a weed eater that still requires user effort.

Thank you so much. I have been going through cheapies every 2 years.

Great input.

 

 

Dude, I got so tired of wasting my money and time. I would get irritated when they would get hard to start. I generally got a year out of a $100 "Weedeater" or Craftsman weed eater, then I would throw the fucker in the burn pile. 3 weeks ago my eater died. I figure I have been a homeowner for over 20 years, so I have spent roughly 2K on crap weedeaters. Why not buy one that will likely outlast me? I just hope this survives the test of time.

 

Plus I got the bonus of the pole saw, brush cutter, and a lot of other great attachments like a killer blower, lawn scythe, edger, cultivator... and like 14 other attachments. It's really a cool tool.

 

stihl-kombi-tools.jpg

 

Bumping this because I am back into the serious looking of this same equipment.

 

Any update on your set up? Not sure if I really want to drop the change for the KM90

 

 

 

Love it. Starts first pull every time. The brush cutter head is a frikken monster. I rip through 1 inch saplings like they are grass. I bought 2 trimmer heads, the Duro-Cut (which uses 8 inch sections of precut string so you don't have to deal with winding auto heads and having them unravel) and the Auto-Cut, a standard bump feed twin line head. I have had no issue with either head, but I find myself using the Duro-Cut with .120 line. It's a monster. I have used the pole saw quite a bit already as well. It is a beast, just like everything else for the Kombi unit. Next purchase for me will be the 130 degree hedge trimmer. I want to keep my trees better maintained in the yard, and making everything easy to walk/ride under will be easy with this trimmer, I am sure.

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The KM90 is only $80 more than the KM56 and the attachments are the same.

 

 

Buy the KM90. Not for the extra power (keep in mind, it is a 4 stroke) but for life. CARB expectancy is over 3X what the expectancy of the 56 is. Basically when a small engine fails CARB standards is when the rings/cylinder sleeves are worn out. So for $80 more you can expect 3X the life of major internal components.

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OK, I promised Neal some Tung Sol Tube pics. IMO they are my prettiest power tubes. Not just lit up, but audibly as well...

 

smDSCN3297_zpskcnwpojx.jpg

 

smDSCN3296_zpswbci3gwq.jpg

 

And a big hell yeah to Sean

 

smDSCN3298_zpssyo4ktyo.jpg

 

The Tung Sols and the Berhinger are retardedly good together. My soundstage opened up, and there is more air in the overall presentation. I added a lot of detail, too. I am pondering spending a little more money on a DAC... Maybe a Schiit Bifrost or a Modi 2 Uber.

 

http://schiit.com/products/bifrost

 

http://schiit.com/products/modi-2

That is nice seth..smile.png

 

 

 

Thanks! I'm very happy with what I have achieved with it in such a short time. It really sounds more impressive than it looks.

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..

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The KM90 is only $80 more than the KM56 and the attachments are the same.

Buy the KM90. Not for the extra power (keep in mind, it is a 4 stroke) but for life. CARB expectancy is over 3X what the expectancy of the 56 is. Basically when a small engine fails CARB standards is when the rings/cylinder sleeves are worn out. So for $80 more you can expect 3X the life of major internal components.

Talked to my Stihl dealer. They are offering the trimmer for $50 if you buy a KM90 (at $300) and are giving a $20 rebate for the KM90. It makes it a no brainer at $10 more.

Now I have to talk the wife into dropping money on Stihl...

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Very nice Seth.

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Any idea how long I should expect my sls 8's to last in a car door. I think i've been running them for >4yr now. Im thinking about picking up some spares next time i see a sale on partsexpress. on that same note, is there a better driver out there? Most 8" subs are too deep and most midwoofers lack comparable displacement. 

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The KM90 is only $80 more than the KM56 and the attachments are the same.

I burn only non-oxy in everything I can.  Ethanol SUCKS if it isn't 85% or higher and run on an engine designed JUST for that.

 

I personally own uni-taskers and prefer that.  more of an investment, but each tool works better.

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OK, I promised Neal some Tung Sol Tube pics. IMO they are my prettiest power tubes. Not just lit up, but audibly as well...

 

smDSCN3297_zpskcnwpojx.jpg

 

smDSCN3296_zpswbci3gwq.jpg

 

And a big hell yeah to Sean

 

smDSCN3298_zpssyo4ktyo.jpg

 

The Tung Sols and the Berhinger are retardedly good together. My soundstage opened up, and there is more air in the overall presentation. I added a lot of detail, too. I am pondering spending a little more money on a DAC... Maybe a Schiit Bifrost or a Modi 2 Uber.

 

http://schiit.com/products/b

 

OK, I promised Neal some Tung Sol Tube pics. IMO they are my prettiest power tubes. Not just lit up, but audibly as well...

 

smDSCN3297_zpskcnwpojx.jpg

 

smDSCN3296_zpswbci3gwq.jpg

 

And a big hell yeah to Sean

 

smDSCN3298_zpssyo4ktyo.jpg

 

The Tung Sols and the Berhinger are retardedly good together. My soundstage opened up, and there is more air in the overall presentation. I added a lot of detail, too. I am pondering spending a little more money on a DAC... Maybe a Schiit Bifrost or a Modi 2 Uber.

 

http://schiit.com/products/bifrost

 

http://schiit.com/products/modi-2

 

ifrost

 

http://schiit.com/products/modi-2

Glad my recommendation at least got things going.  Impossible to beat at that price point and if you just end up using it for digital out only later that doesn't suck either.  

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Any idea how long I should expect my sls 8's to last in a car door. I think i've been running them for >4yr now. Im thinking about picking up some spares next time i see a sale on partsexpress. on that same note, is there a better driver out there? Most 8" subs are too deep and most midwoofers lack comparable displacement. 

What don't they do?  Pull them out and look, I've run drivers in my doors WAY longer before ;)

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They still beat the shit out of my doors.  Just ordering some stuff from PE... 

 

Taking some vacation time in July to head back to PA and finish the install. 

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So i told you guys last week about the welding job I applied for on low-boy trailers. They said they are no open positions right now, but they were very impressed,(what the shop foreman and owner told me) they said once business picks up im at the top of there list. Im going to start applying for other welding jobs. Even though I didnt officially get the job im glad they were impressed with my welding skills. To be honest my Mig welds came out kind of shitty and my stick welds came out very nice.. Im hopeful for the future but damn life is really rough on me right now. :(

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She could use either set. The picture she painted of me when she was mad is nasty. 

I'm pretty bummed now, how do other couples work? I've been pushing projects more and more behind just because I spend time with her. If this doesn't work out, I shall do my best to find somebody who has a strong passion for something, doesn't have to be the same passion as mine. 

 

When first dating it's nice if somebody has hobbies and uses up their free time to grow and evolve. When the relationship gets serious you begin to spend more time with each other and the hobbies start to lag. Then it becomes a problem for the other person that you don't have hobbies anymore. 

 

Rant over, I should be working now. 

Walk away.  A woman that wants you to not be you is not for you.

 

 

I have to weigh everything. The part about the hobbies was an anecdote and I'm slipping slowly into it. I'm at that part where my hobbies are lagging behind. 

Playing chauffeur is what consumes my time. When she stays at my place I always go to work late, get off work late, pick her up and from there on I don't have time to do everything I would do in an afternoon. End result is we don't have time for us. Simple solution in my view would be for her to use one of my cars and go to work. It's 1.5 miles away. She could even walk there or bike there. 

 

 

If it's 1.5 miles away, how does it take up all your time?

 

Not trying to be a nag, just trying to understand.

 

 

She can't go to work at 7AM like I do, so driving her to work means I get to work after 8:30AM

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The KM90 is only $80 more than the KM56 and the attachments are the same.

Buy the KM90. Not for the extra power (keep in mind, it is a 4 stroke) but for life. CARB expectancy is over 3X what the expectancy of the 56 is. Basically when a small engine fails CARB standards is when the rings/cylinder sleeves are worn out. So for $80 more you can expect 3X the life of major internal components.

Talked to my Stihl dealer. They are offering the trimmer for $50 if you buy a KM90 (at $300) and are giving a $20 rebate for the KM90. It makes it a no brainer at $10 more.

Now I have to talk the wife into dropping money on Stihl...

 

You know if you don't want the Kombi set up you can get the FS90r, which is the same engine with a fixed shaft.

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The KM90 is only $80 more than the KM56 and the attachments are the same.

I burn only non-oxy in everything I can. Ethanol SUCKS if it isn't 85% or higher and run on an engine designed JUST for that.

I personally own uni-taskers and prefer that. more of an investment, but each tool works better.

Normally I would agree with you. In the case of the weed whip function I don't agree so much.

They still have a split in the shaft normally. So the design just adds simplicity of changing out the shafts.

I don't exactly trust the blower function to have enough power, but having a weed whip with some versatility might not be bad. Especially since the top of the line weed whips are the same price as this system.

Where I can really see this system as a help is for comercial use. Only need a couple motors and then a bunch of tools.

Really simplify the work truck.

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Final power steering flush on the 4runner. 

 

Now time to start converting the transmission on the camry. I finally got the proper tech procedure for it.  

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Last two days my truck has been running like shit, rough as fuck, and then out of nowhere it stops running insanely rough...idk

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