19-03-2004, 12:12 AM
|
|
|
push reel mower shopping
(J. Del Col) wrote in
m:
Salty Thumb wrote in message
. ..
Has anybody done any push reel mower shopping recently? I am about
to take the plunge and get a Scotts 20-2000 for $120, mainly because
of the 20" cutting width. There was some message on the group about
staying away from Scotts and some other people saying they were
looking for the 'Scotts Classic'. There is also a 18" American brand
for $100 that I'm considering as an alternative. Yeah, they are from
box stores, but I'm open to other sources if someone can tell me what
they are.
I found some reviews on Amazon.com, mostly good, but who knows if
they are just shill posts. In the group, there was also some guy
raving about German engineered push reel mowers (and another about
some electric push reels that I'm not interested in).
Some specific questions, I am a cheapskate, do these things ever go
on sale? Do these things still work okay when pushed at a running
(vs. walking) speed? I've been wasting a lot of time lollygagging
behind a gasoline mower and I'd to try shaving the lawn at brisker
pace.
Hi J. Del Col,
Running with a reel mower --or any lawn mower-- is akin to running
with scissors.
Do you know of any specific risk factors or are you just being prudent?
It may well be a stupid idea, but I can't see how it could be more
dangerous than 3.5 horses or running with a baby jogger. I've been
stabbed by a piece of wood flying out from a table saw, so I'm probably
more safety conscious than most people. Actually I have wondered if any
of these push mowers can be rigged with something like a 'cow catcher' to
knock hidden debris out of the way.
I hope you have a level lawn. These things are not very good on
steeply sloped or uneven land--I speak from experience.
Yup, nice boring, level suburban lawn. Well, it's sloped for drainage,
but not lumpy.
Be prepared to cut the grass more often. They don't do well on long
grass.
Yeah, that is one of the reason why I am thinking of getting it. A guy
in the neighborhood, lawn greener than leprechaun underwear, says the
trick is to mow often. Doesn't use any chems or have lawn sprinkler (at
least nothing he'll let on to).
Be sure to get a proper blade sharpening jig and stone too. You will
also spend time keeping the blades adjusted properly to get a clean,
even cut.
Yeah, that's probably my only big concern. I figured I'd cross that
bridge when I came to it, but I have seen some posts referring to
'reverse lapping' that seems easy enough.
Good luck.
Thanks and thanks for the comments.
P.S. Also for anybody interested, the Brill that I mentioned in my reply
to Janice also comes in a non-electric models with cutting widths of 13"
and 15" (and $$$). I'd like something wider, but the ads sure are sexy
(for a lawn mower anyway).
|