Picture posting is enabled for all :)
I gave my plot a good going over with a petrol strimmer last weekend and they're not too bad smell-wise. Can be rather noisy (but you get used to it) and apart from a bit of smoke when first started up it was an OK experience. I'd advise goggles though - my face and hair were caked in chopped grass and bramble (and a few disembowelled slugs!) within minutes.
On the technical side.....As for fumes and noise with the engine being so close to you... the exhaust is designed with the output pointing away from you to help clear the fumes away from you. But if the wind is blowing to you ....well.... Noise... 2 stroke give out around 95 to 110 decibels so hearing protection needs to be worn
;) Domestic electrical tools are a lot cheaper and/or you may already have them, have you considered buying a generator instead?You can run a variety of tools off a genny, saws, hedge trimmers, drills, strimmers, you can even boil a kettle. ;D
On the technical side.....
My OH was all for giving up the allotment yesterday after failing to get our petrol strimmer started! It'a McCulloch, not sure what model. We had it serviced last year because it was so hard to start, but it doesn't seem to have made much difference.Any tips, please?