I have a smallish patch of lawn - approx 30m x 8m which is reasonably
level, but has the odd bump and dip. With children in the house it
gets a fair amount of abuse, and has hardy (non-rye) grass. However
due to neglect on my behalf the quality of the grass is deteriorating,
with weeds appearing, and grass thinning in places.

My biggest problem is I haven't been cutting it regularly during the
"season" as with long commutes, busy weekends and poor weather it
always seems to be wet when I have time available. This isn't helped
by the rubbish "own brand" rotary mower bought from a shed, which has
now developed the habit of losing wheels (you screw the wheels in to
different threads to adjust the cut height).

I think it's time to invest in a better lawn mower and give the grass
a little TLC, just wondering what u.r.g's viewpoint on a reasonable
lawn mower for this type of garden.

I know it would help if it was something I knew I could use on wet
grass, even rain so I can be sure it gets cut weekly. Preferably
without clogging or electructing me in the process.

Push along vs electric vs (cheap) petrol? Rotary or cylinder?
Mulching?

Any recommendations for makes, or ones to avoid? I don't want to buy
from a shed again, but the last time I spoke to an independent mower
specialist he tried to sell me a £200+ petrol jobby which seemed a
little overkill considering the size of the garden.

Budget isn't that restricted but would prefer not to spend much over
£100 unless it was essential to do so.

TIA - Rufus.

wrote in message
oups.com...

TIA - Rufus.


Seriously consider having someone in to do it for you on a regular basis.

Cost? Minimal
Reliability? "Hopefully" 100%
Peace of mind? "Certainly" 100%
Disposal of cuttings? Their problem 100%

Check out your local paper/post office/news shop window

Mike


--
.................................................. ..............
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
www.rneba.org.uk

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a smallish patch of lawn - approx 30m x 8m which is reasonably
level, but has the odd bump and dip. With children in the house it
gets a fair amount of abuse, and has hardy (non-rye) grass. However
due to neglect on my behalf the quality of the grass is deteriorating,
with weeds appearing, and grass thinning in places.

My biggest problem is I haven't been cutting it regularly during the
"season" as with long commutes, busy weekends and poor weather it
always seems to be wet when I have time available. This isn't helped
by the rubbish "own brand" rotary mower bought from a shed, which has
now developed the habit of losing wheels (you screw the wheels in to
different threads to adjust the cut height).

I think it's time to invest in a better lawn mower and give the grass
a little TLC, just wondering what u.r.g's viewpoint on a reasonable
lawn mower for this type of garden.

I know it would help if it was something I knew I could use on wet
grass, even rain so I can be sure it gets cut weekly. Preferably
without clogging or electructing me in the process.

Push along vs electric vs (cheap) petrol? Rotary or cylinder?
Mulching?

Any recommendations for makes, or ones to avoid? I don't want to buy
from a shed again, but the last time I spoke to an independent mower
specialist he tried to sell me a £200+ petrol jobby which seemed a
little overkill considering the size of the garden.

Budget isn't that restricted but would prefer not to spend much over
£100 unless it was essential to do so.

At that price you won't get a lot.
Mulching preferably,
Second choice (If lawn flat) cylinder either electric or petrol.
Oh, and keep it sharp...

EBay might turn up a bargain.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a smallish patch of lawn - approx 30m x 8m which is reasonably
level, but has the odd bump and dip. With children in the house it
gets a fair amount of abuse, and has hardy (non-rye) grass. However
due to neglect on my behalf the quality of the grass is deteriorating,
with weeds appearing, and grass thinning in places.

So in proper money, approx. 100Ft by 25Ft.

For this size you will want a petrol mower. Smallest and cheapest size are
16" push machines. Within your budget, you can forget about choice and
options, it will be a 16" push machine four wheeled, non mulching, rotary
mower. Which TBH for want you want to achieve is probably the right machine
anyway.

Now two statements in your post,

"This isn't helped
by the rubbish "own brand" rotary mower bought from a shed"

"I don't want to buy
from a shed again, but the last time I spoke to an independent mower
specialist he tried to sell me a £200+ petrol jobby"

One question to ask first, when you go and buy a car, television, washing
machine or vacuum cleaner, do you go for the cheapest possible one
available? Nope, probably not. When it comes to garden machinery, this
mentality seems to kick in.

There is a reason that the mower you bough from a shed was rubbish, because
it was cheap. There is also a reason that the indepedent tried to sell you a
more expensive machine, because it isn't rubbish and better quality costs.
There are other factors, but I'm sure you get the point I'm trying to make.

You can go to the sheds and get a push petrol mower for £99, probably made
in Europe but with a Chinese engine on it. The deck will have not material
in it (i.e. it will be the thickness of a silver foil wrapper) and the
engine will be the quality of toffee on a hot summers day. Forget about
spares, the machine is replaced in warranty, after that it's scrap.

You could go to an independent, who will have a 16" push machine for
£150-£170, which has a decent deck and probably a Briggs & Stratton engine.
It will be better built, last longer, start easier and have spares
available. Plus if you have a problem, you'll have someone to go back to.

You pays your money and takes your choice.

In article ,
"Road_Hog®" No Spam writes:
| wrote in message
| oups.com...
| I have a smallish patch of lawn - approx 30m x 8m which is reasonably
| level, but has the odd bump and dip. With children in the house it
| gets a fair amount of abuse, and has hardy (non-rye) grass. However
| due to neglect on my behalf the quality of the grass is deteriorating,
| with weeds appearing, and grass thinning in places.
|
| So in proper money, approx. 100Ft by 25Ft.
|
| For this size you will want a petrol mower. Smallest and cheapest size are
| 16" push machines. Within your budget, you can forget about choice and
| options, it will be a 16" push machine four wheeled, non mulching, rotary
| mower. Which TBH for want you want to achieve is probably the right machine
| anyway.

For heaven's say, WHY? We mow a lawn like that in less than 20 minutes
with a mains electric rotary.

The bare patches and weeds are unlikely to be caused by or cured by
mowing - it may be a factor, but a minor one. A decent mains-electric
lawnmower would be fine, and a damn site less hassle and quieter than
an affordable petrol job.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Apr 13, 12:24 pm, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:
In article ,"Road_H og®" No Spam writes:
| wrote in message

groups.com...
| I have a smallish patch of lawn - approx 30m x 8m which is reasonably
| level, but has the odd bump and dip. With children in the house it
| gets a fair amount of abuse, and has hardy (non-rye) grass. However
| due to neglect on my behalf the quality of the grass is deteriorating,
| with weeds appearing, and grass thinning in places.
|
| So in proper money, approx. 100Ft by 25Ft.
|
| For this size you will want a petrol mower. Smallest and cheapest size are
| 16" push machines. Within your budget, you can forget about choice and
| options, it will be a 16" push machine four wheeled, non mulching, rotary
| mower. Which TBH for want you want to achieve is probably the right machine
| anyway.

For heaven's say, WHY? We mow a lawn like that in less than 20 minutes
with a mains electric rotary.

The bare patches and weeds are unlikely to be caused by or cured by
mowing - it may be a factor, but a minor one. A decent mains-electric
lawnmower would be fine, and a damn site less hassle and quieter than
an affordable petrol job.

I'm not disagreeing but I like my self-propelled petrol mower for my
5m x 5m lawn.

If the guy wants to mow in the rain then I'd say in general a petrol
mower would be better expecially if he's left it a too few many
weeks. If it were me I'd be looking on ebay but then I have the time
and don't mind fixing things if they go wrong.I paid £40 for my mower.

"Road_Hog®" No Spam wrote in
:

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have a smallish patch of lawn - approx 30m x 8m which is reasonably
level, but has the odd bump and dip. With children in the house it
gets a fair amount of abuse, and has hardy (non-rye) grass. However
due to neglect on my behalf the quality of the grass is deteriorating,
with weeds appearing, and grass thinning in places.

So in proper money, approx. 100Ft by 25Ft.

For this size you will want a petrol mower.

Why? My garden is that size and a rotary electric (?1500W?)
is perfectly adequate.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
For heaven's say, WHY? We mow a lawn like that in less than 20 minutes
with a mains electric rotary.

Do you use an extension lead? Then that is why you should be using a petrol
unit.

Before you answer no, electric mowers do not come with anything like a 100Ft
or cable, so if you answer no, then your garden isn't that length.

"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
43.38...

Why? My garden is that size and a rotary electric (?1500W?)
is perfectly adequate.

Same question to you, do you use an extension cable?

In article ,
"Road_Hog®" No Spam writes:
|
| For heaven's say, WHY? We mow a lawn like that in less than 20 minutes
| with a mains electric rotary.
|
| Do you use an extension lead? Then that is why you should be using a petrol
| unit.

No :-) But why do you say that, anyway?

| Before you answer no, electric mowers do not come with anything like a 100Ft
| or cable, so if you answer no, then your garden isn't that length.

I replaced the lead. OK?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Road_Hog®" No Spam writes:
|
| For heaven's say, WHY? We mow a lawn like that in less than 20
minutes
| with a mains electric rotary.
|
| Do you use an extension lead? Then that is why you should be using a
petrol
| unit.

No :-) But why do you say that, anyway?


Because the lead is usually designed to cover the area that the mower was
meant to cut. Plus most people don't like having to play around with
extension leads and dragging a 100Ft of cable around with them, especially
if it's damp. The resistance in the cable reduces the performance of the
motor as well.


| Before you answer no, electric mowers do not come with anything like a
100Ft
| or cable, so if you answer no, then your garden isn't that length.

I replaced the lead. OK?

Well, you're already modifying the mower and incurring extra costs. It isn't
just that, the electric motors are made to a budget and the blades are
pretty poor as well and you're just compounding it.

In article ,
"Road_Hog®" No Spam writes:
|
| Because the lead is usually designed to cover the area that the mower was
| meant to cut. Plus most people don't like having to play around with
| extension leads and dragging a 100Ft of cable around with them, especially
| if it's damp. The resistance in the cable reduces the performance of the
| motor as well.

Ah. Fascinating. Well, speaking as someone who does do that, the above
is a lot of natural fertiliser.

| Well, you're already modifying the mower and incurring extra costs. It isn't
| just that, the electric motors are made to a budget and the blades are
| pretty poor as well and you're just compounding it.

Costs? Boggle.

You are clearly prejudiced against electric mowers :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 13 Apr 2007 16:45:52 GMT, (Nick Maclaren) wrote:


In article ,
"Road_Hog®" No Spam writes:
|
| Because the lead is usually designed to cover the area that the mower was
| meant to cut. Plus most people don't like having to play around with
| extension leads and dragging a 100Ft of cable around with them, especially
| if it's damp. The resistance in the cable reduces the performance of the
| motor as well.

Ah. Fascinating. Well, speaking as someone who does do that, the above
is a lot of natural fertiliser.

| Well, you're already modifying the mower and incurring extra costs. It isn't
| just that, the electric motors are made to a budget and the blades are
| pretty poor as well and you're just compounding it.

Costs? Boggle.

You are clearly prejudiced against electric mowers :-)


Unusual to find anyone daft enough to support their use!


--


Avoid the rush at the last judgement. Be converted now instead!


PRAYER FOR A NATION


When Pastor Joe Wright, of Central Christian Church, was asked
to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting
the usual politically correct generalities.
But what they heard instead was this:

Heavenly Father, we come before You today to ask Your forgiveness
and seek your direction and guidance.
We know Your Word says,
‘Woe on those who call evil good,’ but that’s exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values.

We confess that:

We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism;

We have, worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism;

We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle;

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery;

We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation;

We have killed our unborn and called it choice;

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem;

We have abused power and called it political savvy;

We have coveted our neighbour’s possessions and called it ambition;

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression;

We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, 0 God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us;
cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have
been sent here by the people of Kansas, and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great state.

Grant them Your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the centre of Your will. I ask it in the name of Your Son, the Living Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.”


****************


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"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
Ah. Fascinating. Well, speaking as someone who does do that, the above
is a lot of natural fertiliser.


You're right, you are talking shit, but as they say, opinions are like
arseholes, everyone has one and they're usually full of shit. Your
contribution and help to the OP has been immense.

"Road_Hog®" No Spam wrote in
:


"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
43.38...

Why? My garden is that size and a rotary electric (?1500W?)
is perfectly adequate.

Same question to you, do you use an extension cable?

Yes, it extends the mains power supply from the socket
to the lawn mower about 100' away!

If you would prefer to give a clue as to why you think
your question is helpful, I'll try to give a more
helpful reply