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Posted by dkhedmo on September 29, 2006, 3:38 pm
The lawn needs to be mowed, so I guess we'd better go buy a mower.
Yard is pretty good size, .38 acre. We're leave-it-on-the-lawn people,
so I guess we want a side discharge mulching situation, instead of a
rear bagger. Or I guess the option of switching? Some mowers seem to
have an easy tool-less change-over, and some not? What's involved with
changing it manually?
Also planning to do a combo of some leaf clean-up and some mulching of
the leaves, as per advice over on the gardening group. We've got woods
at the back, and lots of mature trees, and prefer a more rustic look
rather than the real manicured golf-course type situation. The grass is
going to be long and think, because, believe me, it's not going to get
mowed like clockwork every 5 days like the old guy across the street who
seems to have nothing else to do.
The Mister works full time and is going to school nights and weekends,
so it's likely I'll be doing the bulk of the yardwork for a couple of
years as I am home with the children, who are too small to assist in
such matters.
Engines - I see people here talking about Briggs and Stratton a lot.
Does that mean they're good or bad? Seems like everyone's asking how to
fix theirs, and we are not mechanically inclined in that way.
Here's what I'm looking at - Home Despot has a Toro #20016 for $299.
Large rear wheel self-propelled, etc. 6.5hp and 22in. I've got a $150
giftcard for HD, so this leans me in this direction, but I'm sure I
could come up with $150 of something else. They also have the Honda
mowers up on the site, but no prices. What are they going for, and do I
want one?
Lowes has a Troy-Bilt #183621 for $299. 6.75hp and 21". It's got the B&S
2 start ready start engine.
Sears has a few Craftsman mowers in that hp/in range, running $173-249,
all with B&S engines, I believe. They also have a Husqvarna for $269. I
thought they made sewing machines???
Any advice appreciated. Thanks.
-Karen-
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Posted by JoeSpareBedroom on September 29, 2006, 4:05 pm
> The lawn needs to be mowed, so I guess we'd better go buy a mower.
>
> Yard is pretty good size, .38 acre. We're leave-it-on-the-lawn people, so
> I guess we want a side discharge mulching situation, instead of a rear
> bagger. Or I guess the option of switching? Some mowers seem to have an
> easy tool-less change-over, and some not? What's involved with changing it
> manually?
I've got a Honda with 3 options: Bag, mulch or side discharge. Changing it
is easy and you'll get more specifics when you read your instructions, or
when you get a demo.
Forget the chain stores. Open your yellow pages and find a store that
specializes in these things. You ***MIGHT*** pay more, but two years from
now, you'll feel smarter. You'll be able to get actual service, and the
faces you saw when you bought the mower will probably still be there.
Here's another reason to buy from a specialty shop: You said the grass is
going to be long and thick. AND...is the ground smooth, or is it bumpy like
many yards? If you're pressed for time, you might think you can mow faster.
Think again. With those two obstacles (long grass, bumpy ground), you need
to mow slower unless you have the right mower. Try asking people at the
chain stores which mower will handle these things best and you'll probably
end up with drool on your shoes.
You're probably going to spend more than $299.00.
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Posted by on September 29, 2006, 4:09 pm
Consider a push reel mower. They are cheap and very light weight,
which is a big plus if you have to push it uphill. Since you aren't
going to be bagging anyway, why not? It's good exercise too.
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Posted by Todd H. on September 29, 2006, 4:32 pm
scott21230@gmail.com writes:
> Consider a push reel mower. They are cheap and very light weight,
> which is a big plus if you have to push it uphill. Since you aren't
> going to be bagging anyway, why not? It's good exercise too.
For the OP's .38 acre for a person who said they definitely won't be
mowing it every 5 days and who's on time? You've got to be kidding.
And I've actually had a reel mower... in Texas, where it's crabgrass
anyway... on an 1/8 of acre and it worked great. Of course I got
strange looks from the Texan suburbanites who musta though "Yankee
thinks he can cut his grass without burnin oi'l?" I grew up in the
midwest with a hilly half acre with the thick green stuff as a
kid--and the TX postage stamp of dry crabgrass diddn't deserve an
internal combustion engine."
But in Chicagoland now, on quarter acre lots with long fast growing
lush gass, the reel mower is taking up space hanging in the garage.
Unless lawncare is your hobby, with the way grass grows in many parts
of the country a reel mower just isn't practical unless it's behind a
tractor on the golf course.
Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/
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Posted by Goedjn on September 29, 2006, 4:44 pm
On 29 Sep 2006 13:09:08 -0700, scott21230@gmail.com wrote:
>Consider a push reel mower. They are cheap and very light weight,
>which is a big plus if you have to push it uphill. Since you aren't
>going to be bagging anyway, why not? It's good exercise too.
Reel mowers don't work worth crap in tall grass.
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