Product reliability report (safety warning)

[BigBill]

I'm not sure where to put this but i wish we had a section for reports on products with safety problems.

I purchased a new homelite hedge trimmer 26HT model UT40502 I used it last year and took it out agin to use this year and i noticed the anti vibration handle was secured by three screws. Two of the screws were thru holes with nuts while the third one near the operator was just a sheetmetal/self tapping screw into a plastic boss on the handle. This is a 3/8" round and 1" high "plastic boss" that extends on the handle. Of course this is were it seperated from the handle. Now the handle were my hand is floats when i pick up the tirmmer. Its so little you won't notice it or will hardley notice it in your hand unless you look closely at it. I don't know how this got past the design review when it was discussed before going into production. Shame on you Homelite for manufacturing a sleezy product. You never put a self tapping screw on a handle in plastic, all three screws should of been thru bolts with nuts. Cut costs somewhere else not in safety areas.

Besafe and inspect all your equipment before operating it!!!!!!
BigBill

[Barnyard]

While placing it here is okay, this website actually has two other sections where this could be placed. One is the "Safety Forum" where several folks have expressed safety concerns. The other is the "Reviews" section. where you can give a review, good or bad, of a product.

Thanks for giving us all a heads up to the problem with this trimmer. It may save an injury and is something to look at in other, similar products.