Our Testing
At Desert Extrusion, we utilize an organized, scientific system to measure the differences in trimmer line performance. Several weeks each year are set aside to conduct controlled field testing. Seasonal grass or grain is grown in irrigated, leased fields, according to our specifications.
Factors to consider with trimmer line quality:
- Conditioning can affect wear life up to 5 times.
- Operator technique can change line wear up to 4 times.
- Raw material selection can result in a 3 to 4 times difference in line life.
- Labeling may not reflect the true mass of many shaped lines which can affect wear by 30 to 50%.
Desert Extrusion has verified in extensive field tests that the performance of all our custom commercial copolymer products is unsurpassed. And we have the statistics to support this claim.
Our rigorous field tests include these criteria:
- Line size must be exact. All lines are weighed for equivalent mass to assure proper comparison. For example, many .095" square lines have the same mass as a .105" round line.
- Fixed line heads are utilized. This ensures accurate wear measurement since line can slip in bump heads, causing improper wear measurement.
- Standard moisture conditioning. Properly conditioned lines of the same type will wear from 3-5 times longer than dry non-conditioned lines.
- Correct line sizes are used. Our fields are grown to the proper density for the accurate testing of .095" line. Larger lines won't wear out, while smaller lines wear too quickly for an accurate test.
- Commercial trimmers are used. Smaller home use trimmers may slow under load, providing varying results.
- Multiple operators are used. Operators cut simultaneously with the same line type in order to achieve an average line wear. We sometimes see four times the difference in wear between operators.
- Grass consistency. Grass test fields are inspected for stalk density, uniformity, and size. The fields are fertilized, then irrigated consistently during the growing season.
- Temperature consistency. Lines that perform well at a normal 70˚F range can break and crack to an unacceptable level if tested at 40˚F or lower.
Contact Sales or call 1-602-276-8009 Fax: 602-276-7991
