Worst chore! MOWING.

[dirtybuck]

Second Worse Chore...WEEDING!

When I was a kid, we used to have an abundance of weeds in our front and back yard. My brother and I were given the "honor" of pulling the little suckers out. We would beg and plead with my dad to get weed and feed at the beginning of Summer, but his answer was always a firm "no, too expensive".

Some were easy with no problem whatsoever, but there were the kind with the "prickly" tops to them that wouldn't budge unless you had a stick of dynamite. Of course, we also had a weed spade, and with that type of weed, it still didn't make the job any easier.

The last time I mowed and did weed pulling was '85 and '86. Do I miss either one? Not even. That's why I live in an apartment.

 

[jasonl]

WHAT?

Who here hates mowing? I enjoy riding on the Bolens and mowing the yard. I installed new mulching blades on it and it works great.

Stihl trimmers for the win too! They're less finicky than others at getting started and running. I put some premium string (that has sharp edges) and it is EASY to trim and cut weeds down.

Let's see some video of that Wizard in action!

 

[whirlcool]

We have a 93' Weed Eater brand self-propelled mower. It is a heavy SOB. The self propel feature needs work. It has been a very reliable mower since we bought it for $279. at Home Depot.
The thread on the wheels is just about worn out. Maybe that's why it isn't pulling as good as it used to.

Mowing in the horrendous heat down here is not my thing. A few years ago we hired a lawn company. They charge $25.00 per mow. Our yard is rather uneven, lots of uphill mowing. They also weed and trim the bushes. It's a deal in my book. The only thing is that you have to watch that they don't use Round Up on the fence line. They did that last year and there was a 3 foot dead zone from the fence to where the grass started growing.

As for weeds in the lawn, with St. Augustine type of grass, they'll be choked out by mid April. St. Augustine is like cardboard. Very difficult to cut, but has a lot of advatadges, like heat and burn out resistance.

 

[mrcleanjeans]

Raking is worse!

 

[mixfinder]

A switch, a motor, action and noise!

I have no patience with a mower that's hard to start but I love to mow and apparoach it a bit like vacuuming. Like my friend Rickr I was a devotee of LawnBoy until they became to difficult to find parts and service. We had a rider in the country and then bought an electric when we moved to the city. There's a reasonable size yard here that I am responsible for. The Yard Man mower was by the dumpster while I went with a tenant to answer a question. When I came back the mower was gone. I am using an old Craftsman electric mower with a composite housing. Its very old and if you lift one side to mow over or around an object the body flexes enough for the blade to grind down more of the housing. I catch the grass and spread it on the beds as mulch. It chokes the weeds so after the intial reclamation its been fairly easy. Giveb a choise I'd do housework all day to get out of 30 minutes of being outside.

 

[tolivac]

I sort of like mowing-to me its like vacuuming a large carpet.and I have used rechargeable electric mowers and corded ones.the rechargeable are better-the power source(batteries)is right at the motor-no loss over a cord.And I used to have a 2 cycle Lawn Boy-now regret selling it.Than I had a Kee mower-popular in the south.Had to sell it too-move.Now I have a John Deere LA145 tractor and a John Deere 45 hand mower-both do well.Mowing is the only outdoor chore I remotely like.when I was a kid we used to have a plug in mower like that Wizard-but it burned up in a large clump of grass.Remember seeing the poor thing being "eaten" by a Rear load trash truck.

 

[toggleswitch]

Dont mind mowing so much. It's the raking and the weeding that I am not so fond of............
My house came with a gasoline mower. Repaired that a few times for quite a few dollars. Got me an electric one for less than the cost of one repair!
I had used both gasoline and electric as a teen-ager and don't really find them to be all that different.
When it was I doing all the yardwork and the partner was sitting on duff, got me a gardener! Best hundred-and-change a month ever spent!

 

[alr2903]

We have 1/2 acre, I mow it. I use the bagger in front under the tree's and mulch the rest. I use the cheap HD mower for the back. We live on a hill too. But when i hire a teen to twenty something to cut it, they never do my mower routine that removes the cuttings from around the back of the house, and keeps my drainage "cuts" clear of clippings. I am not difficult to please, but i am never statisfied with the job they do. Sometimes if its extremely hot i knuckle under and hire them. alr2903

 

[iheartmaytag]

I don't mind mowing

Used to do it as a kid for pocket money. I have a 23 year old Snapper Self-propelled. Narry a problem out of it until this year, where we have had carb. problems out the whazoo.

The repair shop first thought it was just dirty, then they found a bent needle valve. Now they are saying that it could be because of the Alcohol in the gas. All's I know is it is getting frustrating taking it back to the shop.

Was wondering, the electrics I see everyone using are all corded. Has anyone every tried the cordless/rechargable models? I was just wondering how they perform, and do they have the capacity to mow medium to large yards?
[this post was last edited: 6/18/2010-08:48]

 

[wiskybill]

My stress release

Mowing and yard work is my momentary escape from reality. I do my best thinking and planning when I work in the yard.

I take care of my 87 year old Mom and live in the house I grew up in. She's a handful, somewhat like Matt and his Dad in Michigan.

Started mowing this lawn when I was about 7 or 8 years old, except for the 30+ years I was away from home, I know it pretty well. Back then we had an electric Huffy mower with about 300' of extension cord. Dad said it would build character, as well as leg muscles! The lawn is about 3/4 acre. I could almost do it blindfolded today!

Have a couple of wet spots from springs in the yard, so until about now I mow with my 1965 Lawnboy if the grass is damp or my 1975 Snapper with a bagger when its dry. When the springs dry up I can use the 1995 Simplicity rider for the whole yard. I actually prefer the Snapper though for the exercise. I performed an engine transplant on it last year and it runs great! The original engine was losing its compression and was impossible to restart hot. I kept it and am thinking of having it rebuilt. The donor engine came from an identical mower, but is a commercial engine. I have enough parts to keep the Snapper going for a long time.

Bill

 

[goatfarmer]

I love cutting grass!

Ya just gotta have the right vintage equipment! This Allis Chalmers is from 1978

 

[goatfarmer]

On the back burner...

..is this Simplicity Wonderboy, from about 1965.

 

[laundromat]

I miss mowing the lawn---

I had a LawnBoy gas mower with the bag and it was self propelled. I found it at a yard sale and got it for $25.I had and used that mower for about 10 years!There was a local family owned (Potts) repair shop where I had it maintaned. Great mower great features and it wasn't that noisy.

 

[retropia]

If you mulch, I highly recommend getting a Gator blade. As compared to the factory blade on my new Troy-Bilt (MTD) push-mower, the Gator blade did a better job of pulling the grass blades up to be cut, and the cuttings were finer. With the Gator blade, it is much less likely that I have to double-cut when the grass is taller.

 

[qsd-dan]

I have used a Crafstman 6 1/4 HP self propelled mower for 13 years. Starts on the first pull every time after 4 or so primer bulb pumps. In my opinion, starting problems stem directly from lack of maintenance, if the gas is fresh. Oil and air filter are changed every May and the spark plug is changed every 2 years. Maintenance only takes a few minutes so there's no excuse! While the oil is draining, the air filter and spark plug are changed. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes. Don't be a lazy bum!!!

Since this trash they call gas these days goes sour in about a month, I throw in a few ounces of Seafoam in the gas can. It stabilizes the fuel and keeps the carbs and fuel systems clean in the mower and 4 stroke Ryobi weed eater.

Back in the early 90's, I was visiting my grandparents and noticed the lawn needed some serious mowing. Dug out the old 70's John Deer and spent about 15 minutes yanking the cord and spraying starting fluid down the carb. Amazingly, I was able to get it running and finished the job. I asked my grandfather when was the last time he changed out the plug. He said never in 20+ years. After replacing the air filter and installing a new spark plug, it would start on the first pull. It also got an oil change. Talk about pitch black oil!

 

[duet83]

Cute house. I like the awning, very quaint. I want the pink flamingos.

As for electric lawn mowing, I had the Robomower robotic mower, when i had a house. It was awesome. You could set it at the beginning of the season and basically forget it. It could be programmed to start mowing when ever you want, and return to its charging station afterwards. So quiet. no gas or oil. mulched. ...and is protected from rain.

http://www.robomowerusa.com/

 

[iheartmaytag]

Duet83
I love the robomower. I want one so badly. Only problem is it would prob be stolen the first time I sat it out.

How do you keep them out of the garden, or the neighbor's yard? Do you set up an electronic fence, or barriers?

 

[whirlcool]

And the Robomower is NOT cheap either! $1200.00 to start...

 

[duet83]

stolen

I was always concerned about that too.

rather unfounded, I think. you can also get lo-jack.

I think that people might think that if you are suff-iss-ick-aet-it enough to make a robot mow your grass, you can also afford surveilance cameras that would catch their cheesy ass nicking your valuables.

As for mowing boundaries. One sets up an electric fence, similar to that of an invisible fence for pets. As long as one follows the simple directions in setting this up, the robot will not cross the line, and even if it were to, it tries to get back into the boundary. It won't go any further than about 10 feet past the boundary.

http://www.robomowerusa.com/about.php

 

[tolivac]

Good Greif--for $1200 I could start at buying a good tractor or riding mower-would be more useful then the Robo Mower.And according to CU there were safety issues with this type of mower-if you pick the mower up-the blade is supposed to stop-It didn't according to CU's test.Don't remember is this test applied to the Robo Mower.For that price I will ride the tractor or walk behind the mower.