The Black and Decker GH1000 Type 2 string trimmer

After my disappointment with the performance of string trimmers with 0.040- and 0.065-in. strings, I bought a futuristic-looking Black and Decker model that used professional-size 0.080-in. line. Around the end of the two-year warranty period, the string stopped spinning, even though the motor was still turning. Prying into the interior, I saw that the drive belt had broken and the drive pulley had melted. I replaced the belt with a $7 belt from eReplacementparts.com. Although the company sells the aluminum drive pulley for only $1.42, it does not offer the plastic drive pulley. I spent an hour and still couldn’t figure out how to disassemble the drive pulley. I did make sure I got a spare belt; the new one won’t last long.

The manufacturer used several holes for fixturing during factory assembly. All the screws holding the case halves together are identical in length.

SIP Cinderson of Suzhou, China—near Shanghai—makes the universal brushed motor rated at 120V and 7.2A. It has a nominal power consumption of 874W, or about 1 hp.

Inadequate structure between the motor and the drive pulley means that the cogged belt will run off the pulleys under heavy loads, such as when you are cutting thick weeds and grass.

The designers added a large flange on the driven pulley to keep the belt from flying off. They also lengthened the drive pulley to keep the belt engaged as it tries to run off the drive pulley.

Although the flange on the drive pulley prevents the belt from flying off, the side pressure creates enough friction to melt the plastic. The molten plastic solidified under the belt, eventually causing it to rip apart.

The designers covered a screw with a decal, making disassembly frustrating. Other than this problem, the design follows good Z-axis assembly practices. You can put every subassembly onto the bottom half of the case, then put on the top half and screw it together all from one direction, the Z axis.