Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

Hello, group.

First post here. I live in North Hampshire in a Victorian terrace with,
to judge from the "finds" recently dug up, a Victorian garden too!

Last weekend we laid a small lawn where once there was a patio,
and it seems to being doing well, so we'll be needing a mower soon.

Perhaps it's turning 40, perhaps is something else, I don't know, but
I find myself wanting a push-mower instead of a 20-quid electrified
plastic wonder from the orient. This is despite the warnings of others
that they're hard to push, you can't cut wet or long grass with them
and they leave "tram lines" in the grass.

Am I being naive in believing that modern contactless mowers (that'll
be the Brill, then) are actually easy to use and functional, or are my
advisers (that'll be the in-laws, then) right?

Any anecdotes or experiences of these modern push mowers would be
gratefully received.

Cheers,

--
Rick

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

On Mon, 11 Jun 2007 10:58:45 GMT, Rick wrote:

Hello, group.

First post here. I live in North Hampshire in a Victorian terrace with,
to judge from the "finds" recently dug up, a Victorian garden too!

Last weekend we laid a small lawn where once there was a patio,
and it seems to being doing well, so we'll be needing a mower soon.

Perhaps it's turning 40, perhaps is something else, I don't know, but
I find myself wanting a push-mower instead of a 20-quid electrified
plastic wonder from the orient. This is despite the warnings of others
that they're hard to push, you can't cut wet or long grass with them
and they leave "tram lines" in the grass.

Am I being naive in believing that modern contactless mowers (that'll
be the Brill, then) are actually easy to use and functional, or are my
advisers (that'll be the in-laws, then) right?

Any anecdotes or experiences of these modern push mowers would be
gratefully received.

Cheers,


Sadly the quality of the, hard to fund, push mower leaves a lot to be
desired as well these days, but they do work very well in the cutting
department.

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

On Jun 11, 11:58 am, Rick wrote:
Hello, group.

Any anecdotes or experiences of these modern push mowers would be
gratefully received.


When you say "push" do you mean a push-powered cylinder
mower? ...and when you say "contactless" do you mean hover type??

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

On Jun 11, 11:58 am, Rick wrote:
Hello, group.

First post here. I live in North Hampshire in a Victorian terrace with,
to judge from the "finds" recently dug up, a Victorian garden too!

Last weekend we laid a small lawn where once there was a patio,
and it seems to being doing well, so we'll be needing a mower soon.

Perhaps it's turning 40, perhaps is something else, I don't know, but
I find myself wanting a push-mower instead of a 20-quid electrified
plastic wonder from the orient. This is despite the warnings of others
that they're hard to push, you can't cut wet or long grass with them
and they leave "tram lines" in the grass.

Am I being naive in believing that modern contactless mowers (that'll
be the Brill, then) are actually easy to use and functional, or are my
advisers (that'll be the in-laws, then) right?

Any anecdotes or experiences of these modern push mowers would be
gratefully received.


I cut my 1/2 acre lawn with one of those (castlegarden) and it is
great. I don't see "tram tracks" - though it does produce stripes, but
then, all mowers do, so far as I know. Mine starts first time every
time and can be used to either mulch or bag grass clippings. But I'm
not sure what is "modern" about it, seen as I recall mowing my
parents' garden many moons ago with something pretty much exactly the
same - just clunkier to set the mowing height, but probably due to age
and wear rather than older technology...
If your lawn is small, you're probably ok with your flymo. But if
it's larger, maybe a petrol push mower may be better. If it is
steeply sloped, or if you're a bit of a slouch, you might want to
consider a self-propelled mower.

Cat(h) (amateur mower only)

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

On Jun 11, 1:45 pm, "Cat(h)" wrote:
On Jun 11, 11:58 am, Rick wrote:





Hello, group.

First post here. I live in North Hampshire in a Victorian terrace with,
to judge from the "finds" recently dug up, a Victorian garden too!

Last weekend we laid a small lawn where once there was a patio,
and it seems to being doing well, so we'll be needing a mower soon.

Perhaps it's turning 40, perhaps is something else, I don't know, but
I find myself wanting a push-mower instead of a 20-quid electrified
plastic wonder from the orient. This is despite the warnings of others
that they're hard to push, you can't cut wet or long grass with them
and they leave "tram lines" in the grass.

Am I being naive in believing that modern contactless mowers (that'll
be the Brill, then) are actually easy to use and functional, or are my
advisers (that'll be the in-laws, then) right?

Any anecdotes or experiences of these modern push mowers would be
gratefully received.

I cut my 1/2 acre lawn with one of those (castlegarden) and it is
great. I don't see "tram tracks" - though it does produce stripes, but
then, all mowers do, so far as I know. Mine starts first time every
time and can be used to either mulch or bag grass clippings. But I'm
not sure what is "modern" about it, seen as I recall mowing my
parents' garden many moons ago with something pretty much exactly the
same - just clunkier to set the mowing height, but probably due to age
and wear rather than older technology...
If your lawn is small, you're probably ok with your flymo. But if
it's larger, maybe a petrol push mower may be better. If it is
steeply sloped, or if you're a bit of a slouch, you might want to
consider a self-propelled mower.

Cat(h) (amateur mower only)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


I've just re-read the OP's post, and it suddenly strikes me that he
may be talking about one of those manual old fashioned push mowers...
I have no experience of that, and if that was your question, Rick,
humblest apology for the misunderstanding.
Cat(h)

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

adder1969 wrote:

When you say "push" do you mean a push-powered cylinder
mower? ...and when you say "contactless" do you mean hover type??


Hi,

I mean an unpowered non-electric, non-petrol,
you-pushing-it-along-makes-the-blades-spin type.
It's difficult to come up with a concise term
to describe such mowers, as they seem to get
called all manner of things; manual, push,
hand-push, reel, old-fashioned...

By "Contactless" I mean that the blades miss the
bed knife, apparently making such mowers easier to
push than your grandfather's mower whilst remaining
effective.


Cheers,

--
Rick

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

In article 1181559524.852626@xnews001, Rick writes:
|
| Am I being naive in believing that modern contactless mowers (that'll
| be the Brill, then) are actually easy to use and functional, or are my
| advisers (that'll be the in-laws, then) right?

A cheap hover mower is typically a disaster, as all of the first ones
(yes, Flymo, that means you) were. Some may be OK.

A relatively cheap electric rotary, of the sort that you push, is very
simple and fairly reliable. Their wheels are generally plastic crap,
though, and I have had to disable the safety handle on safety grounds
more than once ....

The only real problem with a machine that turns a cylinder by you
pushing is that it gouges holes if the ground is soft and the grass
thick, as happens after 2 weeks solid rain in summer.

But there is NO problem with ones where the power only turns the
cutter, and you push the mower, or a ride -on one powered by pedals
(though I don't think that you can buy one of them).


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

The only real problem with a machine that turns a cylinder by you
pushing is that it gouges holes if the ground is soft and the grass
thick, as happens after 2 weeks solid rain in summer.
Nick Maclaren.

My parents had one of those manual push mowers with the roller on the back.
It was often my job to push the retched thing around one a week. And like
you say, if the growth was too thick it was a real pain to push - I had to
take repeated plunges at the grass to cut it rather than walk continuously
onwards with it. Enough to put anyone off lawns for life.

However, being a sucker for punishment we now have around an acre of lawn!
We only have a self propelled rotary type mower, which despite being a darn
site easier than any sort of push mower still entails a substantial amount
of walking and emptying of the grass box. It also needs a little help going
up a slope. I had to smile to myself on Saturday while mowing the lawn
adjacent to our neighbours - I was pacing up and down behind the blessed
mower, drenched in sweat and our neighbour rode out on his sit on mower,
giving me a wave and pointing down smugly at his new mower. I waved back and
smiled sweetly. Git! I hate smug b***ards! Or more accurately I envy his
mower. Mutter, mutter, curse, grumble!

David.

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

On 11 Jun, 11:58, Rick wrote:
Hello, group.

First post here. I live in North Hampshire in a Victorian terrace with,
to judge from the "finds" recently dug up, a Victorian garden too!

Last weekend we laid a small lawn where once there was a patio,
and it seems to being doing well, so we'll be needing a mower soon.

Perhaps it's turning 40, perhaps is something else, I don't know, but
I find myself wanting a push-mower instead of a 20-quid electrified
plastic wonder from the orient. This is despite the warnings of others
that they're hard to push, you can't cut wet or long grass with them
and they leave "tram lines" in the grass.

Am I being naive in believing that modern contactless mowers (that'll
be the Brill, then) are actually easy to use and functional, or are my
advisers (that'll be the in-laws, then) right?

I have a Brill that I use for tight spots and when I can't be bothered
to haul the Suffolk Punch out of the shed. It's light, easy to push,
cuts nicely and will cut relatively long and wet grass. The only thing
I really need for it is the grass basket which I can't find anywhere
for sale.

For the record this is used on a 10 x 15 meter lawn.

R

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

I may be able to afford a sit on mower sooner than expected! Today has been
incredibly lucky! This morning I had an email saying I'd been granted
£500,000 from the Princess of Wales memorial fund. At lunch time I had an
email saying I'd won the World lottery. This afternoon I've had an email
saying a long lost relative has died in a plane crash in Nigeria and left me
his colossal fortune.

Just how lucky can today get?

David.

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

g'day rick,

quiet the contrary from our point of view, we have one and we mow our
app 300 sq/mtr grass with.

it is just as easy to push as any power mower, it cuts neater, no push
and pull just walk merrily along in stgraight rows, it will cut wet
grass better than a power mower as it can't clog, it lays the fine
clip evenly over the lawn so it can mulch down and do the lawn sorry
grass good.

it is super quiet.

and through expereince we know how to keep the blades set right so
they work as they should, that is the lynch pin of all reel type
mowers the suer msut learn to look after those blades.

no they won't cut long or over grown grass they aren't designed to so
mow more often it si lots easier then and it costs you nothing but a
bit of time.

we just recently bought a flymo/husquvarna model from the recycle
yard, in near new condition just perfect, and our patch of grass looks
lots neater than the others around us.

would never buy the unreliability of any cheap power mower.


On Mon, 11 Jun 2007 10:58:45 GMT, Rick wrote:

snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len & bev

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

"Cat(h)" wrote in message
oups.com...
I cut my 1/2 acre lawn with one of those..

I've just re-read the OP's post, and it suddenly strikes me that he
may be talking about one of those manual old fashioned push mowers...

For a moment there I thought you must be Clark Kent's sister :-)

Push mowers - am I deluded!?
 

On Jun 12, 7:53 am, "CWatters"
wrote:
"Cat(h)" wrote in message

oups.com...
I cut my 1/2 acre lawn with one of those..



I've just re-read the OP's post, and it suddenly strikes me that he
may be talking about one of those manual old fashioned push mowers...

For a moment there I thought you must be Clark Kent's sister :-)

Hey, maybe I am.

(Super)Cat(h)