String Trimmer Question

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

 

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

 

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.)"

 

Lawnstar,

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

Doc Scrub

 

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.

 

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.

 

Stihl's FS-75 cuts clock wise.

 

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.

 

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]

 

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.