Abstract: A rotary weed cutter or trimmer establishes two cone shaped guard volumes about the drive shaft to prevent weeds or vines, whether cut or uncut, from wrapping around the shaft during operations. A motor-driven weed cutting machine drives a main filament spool mounted on the drive shaft. When the spool is rotated at high speed by the motor the filaments create a conventional cutting plane. An auxiliary spool is employed to create a guard zone comprising two cone shaped guard volumes coaxial with the drive shaft. The auxiliary spool is mounted on the shaft between the main spool and the frame of the machine. The hub of the auxiliary spool defines a central orifice to accommodate the shaft. An upper disk and a lower disk extend from the hub. A plurality of holes are drilled about the periphery of the disks. Cutting line or braided wire is disposed through the holes. Each of the bitter ends of the line or wire are left unanchored to provide cutting action in the vicinity of the shaft.