String Trimmer Question

[Lawnstar]

I'm currently using a homelite string trimmer, but I'm disappointed because of the lack luster performance. Frankly it's a gutless wonder. I'm using commercial mowers, blowers, and hedge clippers, but have always used the cheap string trimmers because the heads rotate clockwise. I am left handed. A few years ago I bought an echo string trimmer and the head rotated counter clockwise. I used it for a week thinking I could get used to the head rotating counter clockwise, but I never did. Had to return it and get my money back. Just wondering if anyone knows of any commercial string trimmers that rotate clockwise. Thanks

Lawnstar

[65hoss]

None that I know of. BUT, don't you know that you have it made. I've been trying to train myself to use one left handed so as to make it less labor. Hold it left handed and you just walk straight as you trim.

Eric

[LoneStarLawn]

I agree...you got it made...check out this quote maybe it will help

"Consider that the string rotates counter-clockwise on all commercial trimmers. Because of this rotation, the operator must move along a wall from right to left to trim properly. Practically speaking, this necessitates that a right-handed operator walk sideways, if not backwards, while circling a building in a clockwise rotation.

A left-handed trimmer operator, however, doesn't face this problem. He or she holds the throttle grip in the left hand and holds the handle in the right hand. When this person trims along a wall (from right to left, clockwise around a building) following the same path of a right-handed operator, he or she can hold the trimmer straight across the waist with arms fully extended. Most importantly, this operator walks straight ahead.

Obviously, if a right-handed operator converts to a left-handed hold, productivity should increase substantially. The operator now can see where he or she is walking and is less fatigued at the end of the day. And if you train new operators to trim left-handed from the beginning, they will never know the difference. (Of course, in certain situations, you still may need to edge right-handed because of obstacles. An example would be when cars block your path along a curb. In these cases, you can simply switch hands and step out onto the lawn and continue edging until past the obstacle.)"

[Doc]

Lawnstar,

I believe that Echo has a curved shaft trimmer that rotates clockwise.

Doc Scrub

[Richard Martin]

I am right-handed and I have always held the throttle in my left hand and walked clockwise to objects. When I started out doing lawn work it just made sense to hold the trimmer this way because it kicks cut material, leaves etc. out away from the object I am trimming around. I guess that is why I prefer to trim first and then cut.

[bob]

I think most straight shaft trimmers spin counter-clockwise and most curved shaft trimmers spin clock-wise. My friend was training a Mexican ,that didn't know much english and was left-handed, to use the trimmer. What a disaster. Neither spoke the other languge. And my friend was right handed.

[Sammy]

Stihl's FS-75 cuts clock wise.

[MRPLOW]

Whether you are righthanded or lefthanded you should be holding the trigger with your left hand and guiding with your right hand while walking from right to left. If you are not operating your commercial trimmer in this fashion you are severly limiting your trimming abilities and you will never be an expert trimmer(If there is such a thing). It may take a couple of weeks to truly see the benefits but in the long run you will be faster, the trimming will look better, and you will be a lot less tired than if you were walking backwards all day, trying to keep yourself from falling on your ass. I was in the same situation you describe when I upgraded to a commercail trimmer, I was on the verge of taking it back and sticking to my homelite, but I saw the light and am very glad.

[LoneStarLawn]

With the trigger in the right hand you can walk sideways from right to left. With it in the left hand you can walk forward. Either way the trimming is completed with no difference in how it looks. The problem is one is more efficient than the other...there isn't any difference in how it looks.

[Edited by LoneStarLawn on 09-14-2000 at 10:48 PM]

[Chip]

Lone Star thanks for your insight. I had a helper early in the season that I tried to train the only problem he was left handed. I had never trained a lefty before. It drove me nuts he was a young college kid that had never picked up a weed wacker before. He was tried his best but just couldn't get it. He was real good a scalping. That was OK in the cemetry that I do but not on residentials. It took me a couple of days to realize he was left handed. Dummy me.
I tried to trim left handed but just couldn't get used to it. Thanks for your comments they may help me train any newbies that are left handed and I may just try to trim as a lefty for the rest of the season to see if it is any faster.

[Lawnstar]

Thank you folks for the replies. I really appreciate them.
I'm using a straight shaft trimmer. I may have to bite the bullet and buy a trimmer that rotates counter clock wise and just use it until I get the hang of it.
I wish that when I first got into the lawn care business that I would have started out with a commercial trimmer and I wouldn't be having this problem. It's so difficult to change after you have been doing it a certain way.

Lawnstar

[Getmow]

I have always used the trimmer with the throttle in my right hand and walked forward (from left to right). I guess that would explain my back aches. My trimming would stack against the best and I walk forward with the trimmer across my body. My echo 2601 and 2501's will trim as fast as I can walk.

[TJLC]

I own the Echo model gt-2000 curved shaft trimmer. I recently tried the echo model srm-2100 straight shaft trimmer. I could not get used to it at all. I took it back and just stuck with my curved shaft. I am also left handed. And I thought it was a right handed world.

[MRPLOW]

Another reason to walk from right to left is that the grass clipping will shoot back at you intsead of back into the beds.

[LoneStarLawn]

Can anyone trim both ways?

[Runner]

And with walking right to left, with a straight shaft, when you come to cement, whether it's a walkway or a drive, you are then pulling the grass up OFF of the cement leaving a taper, not matting it all back down- spoiling the edge and staining the walk. I guess with curved trimmers, you have to walk clockwise around the islands of grass.

[SMB]

We have 2 Homelite Straight Shafts. One, a EasyReach turns clockwise, and does not have a centrifigal clutch. The other one, the K400 is a brushcutter and has the clutch, it turns couterclockwise, I think it is because of a couple of gears in the head assembly (you know, the end of the shaft) instead of just having a rod. I can use both, but I do find it weird walking backwards, I might try the left handed way.

[eslawns]

Why would you want trimmed grass going into the beds?

I am RH, walk forward when trimming and usually when edging and have no problem. If the edge is not well defined or there is a tree or obstacle, I walk backward. I don't have a preference for my help either. I show them how I do it and tell them to find a way that works for them. Unless they are "unproductive," I don't care. As far as efficiently, I can trim or edge (well defined existing edges) as quickly as I choose to walk. The only difference I notice is whether you hold the trimmer so the string turns at 90 deg. angle to the surface being edged. I guess everyone has a way they like to do things, doesn't mean they're wrong does it?

Lawnstar,

Shindaiwa and Robin have "featherweight" trimmers for around $200. They're both far superior in quality and power to the Homelite. I used the Homelite my first year. Got a Husky 125L and never regretted it. If for no other reason, for the longer shaft.

[MRPLOW]

If you are walking from left to right the grass will shoot back into the beds, there's no two ways about it. I don't think my customers would appreciate that very much.

[Getmow]

Walking left to right there is NO grass going in my beds. The trimmer is at a 90 - edging the beds. If I am trimming the grass is thrown back toward my legs.

[LoneStarLawn]

Whether going right to left.... or left to right the head itself is in the same position...so where ever the grass is shooting out going right to left..its shooting out at the same spot going left to right....it just depends if you want to be hit with the trimmings at your legs or not.

[BUSHMASTER]

I am starting to get DIZZY.