Hello all

At present I use a 2-stroke push-it-yourself mower
which after nearly 20 years is slowly getting too weak.
I am considering a new 4-stroke self-propelled walk-behind machine
but have no experience using one.
I mow about 2000 m2 of varied smooth / rough.

On such machines
can one vary the blade speed
(as I can on my old 2-stroke)
or is this fixed at one pitch ?
I prefer to mow at lower revs
rather than whining away at full throttle.
This makes mowing less noisy.

Can one push and pull a self-propelled mower
back and forth in and out of corners, under hedges etc. ?

Best regards and thanks in advance from
Ray

"Raymond RUSSELL" wrote in message
r...
Hello all

At present I use a 2-stroke push-it-yourself mower
which after nearly 20 years is slowly getting too weak.
I am considering a new 4-stroke self-propelled walk-behind
machine
but have no experience using one.
I mow about 2000 m2 of varied smooth / rough.

I have owned a self propelled (by a rear roller) Hayter Harrier
for 13 years and have used it for taming overgrown areas as well
as regular mowing of a neat lawn.


On such machines
can one vary the blade speed
(as I can on my old 2-stroke)
or is this fixed at one pitch ?

It has a throttle control but the difference in noise levels at
full and low throttle seems very small. It seems to need full
throttle to effectively fill the grass box though. I think you
will find modern four stroke mowers a lot quieter than an old two
stroke, as long as you opt for a quality machine.

Can one push and pull a self-propelled mower
back and forth in and out of corners, under hedges etc. ?

Yes. Just release the drive control and it can be pushed/pulled
quite easily.

Mike

In article ,
says...
Hello all

At present I use a 2-stroke push-it-yourself mower
which after nearly 20 years is slowly getting too weak.
I am considering a new 4-stroke self-propelled walk-behind machine
but have no experience using one.
I mow about 2000 m2 of varied smooth / rough.

On such machines
can one vary the blade speed
(as I can on my old 2-stroke)
or is this fixed at one pitch ?
I prefer to mow at lower revs
rather than whining away at full throttle.
This makes mowing less noisy.

Can one push and pull a self-propelled mower
back and forth in and out of corners, under hedges etc. ?

Best regards and thanks in advance from
Ray



You can throttle back but you will find your speed over the ground a bit
slow, I got rid of my self propelled mower years ago and find the job
takes a lot less time with a motor rotary that you push, they are a lot
cheaper, lighter, and there is less to go wrong, sit on tractor types may
be a lot better but the ones you walk behind seem designed for 80 year
olds with bad hips. But then I am always trying to get the grass done in
a hurry, if you like to take your time it presumably isn't an issue!

You will find all modern 4 strokes much quieter than your present mower
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

I got rid of my self propelled mower years ago and find the job
takes a lot less time with a motor rotary that you push, they are a lot
cheaper, lighter, and there is less to go wrong


I'm gradually coming round to that position myself.
Any recommendations ?
Since self-propelled is a fairly expensive item,
that will allow me to be a bit more generous on other features.

Best regards and thanks from
Ray

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
T...
In article ,
says...
Hello all
This makes mowing less noisy.

Can one push and pull a self-propelled mower
back and forth in and out of corners, under hedges etc. ?

Best regards and thanks in advance from
Ray



You can throttle back but you will find your speed over the
ground a bit
slow, I got rid of my self propelled mower years ago and find
the job
takes a lot less time with a motor rotary that you push, they
are a lot
cheaper, lighter, and there is less to go wrong, sit on tractor
types may
be a lot better but the ones you walk behind seem designed for
80 year
olds with bad hips. But then I am always trying to get the
grass done in
a hurry, if you like to take your time it presumably isn't an
issue!

You should try a Hayter Harrier. Forward speed at full throttle
is quite
quick.

Mike

On Fri, 2 Jul 2010 07:51:24 +0200, Raymond RUSSELL wrote:

can one vary the blade speed (as I can on my old 2-stroke)
or is this fixed at one pitch ?

There should be a hand throttle, look for a lever marked with a
running hare with lots of speed lines at one end and just a running
hare at the other.

I prefer to mow at lower revs rather than whining away at full throttle.
This makes mowing less noisy.

Two strokes are noisy compared to four strokes. The throttle setting
on a four stroke doesn't make a great deal of difference to the noise
TBH, it just varies how fast the mower covers the ground.

Can one push and pull a self-propelled mower back and forth in and out
of corners, under hedges etc. ?

Yes, no problem just need to coordinate the clutch bar and going
forwards/backwards. Having the clutch engaged and trying to drag the
mower backwards is hard work. B-)

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article ,
says...

I got rid of my self propelled mower years ago and find the job
takes a lot less time with a motor rotary that you push, they are a lot
cheaper, lighter, and there is less to go wrong


I'm gradually coming round to that position myself.
Any recommendations ?
Since self-propelled is a fairly expensive item,
that will allow me to be a bit more generous on other features.

Best regards and thanks from
Ray



Having become dissallusioned with all the better makes I now buy the
cheapist mower I can find, currently a champion from Do It All £80 and to
my surprise the best mower I have ever had!!
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

In article ,
says...

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
T...
In article ,
says...
Hello all
This makes mowing less noisy.

Can one push and pull a self-propelled mower
back and forth in and out of corners, under hedges etc. ?

Best regards and thanks in advance from
Ray



You can throttle back but you will find your speed over the
ground a bit
slow, I got rid of my self propelled mower years ago and find
the job
takes a lot less time with a motor rotary that you push, they
are a lot
cheaper, lighter, and there is less to go wrong, sit on tractor
types may
be a lot better but the ones you walk behind seem designed for
80 year
olds with bad hips. But then I am always trying to get the
grass done in
a hurry, if you like to take your time it presumably isn't an
issue!

You should try a Hayter Harrier. Forward speed at full throttle
is quite
quick.

Mike

Fair point, but I still think if you have acres get a ride on if you have
less get one you push the self propelled jobs seem to be unnecessary :~)
I manage my 1 acre perfectly well with a push rotary

--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Hello Charlie


I manage my 1 acre perfectly well with a push rotary


Which make and model ?
I'm looking for recommendations.

Best regards froom Ray

On 2 July, 06:51, "Raymond RUSSELL" wrote:
Hello all

At present I use a 2-stroke push-it-yourself mower
which after nearly 20 years is slowly getting too weak.
I am considering a new 4-stroke self-propelled walk-behind machine
but have no experience using one.
I mow about 2000 m2 of varied smooth / rough.

I have something broadly similar

On such machines
can one vary the blade speed
(as I can on my old 2-stroke)
or is this fixed at one pitch ?
I prefer to mow at lower revs
rather than whining away at full throttle.
This makes mowing less noisy.

I've just bought a John Deere which cuts nicely at lower revs - the
fan deals with the cuttings.

Yhe wheel drive has a variable speed separate from the motor revs

Can one push and pull a self-propelled mower
back and forth in and out of corners, under hedges etc. ?
Yep. Just drop the drive clutch.
Oh yes

Hello Robert


I've just bought a John Deere which cuts nicely at lower revs - the
fan deals with the cuttings.


Without wishing to encourage advertising
is that, may I ask, the JS63V or VC (with caster wheels at front) ?

These two are on my short list and I'd be very interested to hear your
opinion.

Best regards and thanks in advance from
Ray

On 4 July, 10:25, "Raymond RUSSELL" wrote:
Hello Robert


I've just bought a John Deere which cuts nicely at lower revs - the
fan deals with the cuttings.



Without wishing to encourage advertising
is that, may I ask, the JS63V or VC (with caster wheels at front) ?

These two are on my short list and I'd be very interested to hear your
opinion.

Best regards and thanks in advance from
Ray


Very nearly bought that, but settled for the smaller R43VE instead.
My reasoning being that I want it to last 30 years like my last one,
and I'll be around 90 then. I also wanted a cast, not pressed, deck.
And the electric start is for when I am old and feeble too. The R43
has a disappointingly narrow orifice for emptying the grass bag, and
you can't lift it straight up through the handles, but is in all other
respects very much what I wanted.

The one with casters was very easy to manouvre, but the guy who was
selling them said they are great for graveyards and things, but a bit
tiring to keep straight in an ordinary straight-cutting environment.

There are versions of the mulching mowers with a grass collection
system too, with a side vent. Not seen one of those, looked very
desirable.

On 4 July, 10:25, "Raymond RUSSELL" wrote:
Hello Robert


I've just bought a John Deere which cuts nicely at lower revs - the
fan deals with the cuttings.



Without wishing to encourage advertising
is that, may I ask, the JS63V or VC (with caster wheels at front) ?

These two are on my short list and I'd be very interested to hear your
opinion.


The other thing I'd say is that I cut my whole 2500m2 in about 2
hours, with the new one, whereas my old push mower would have taken me
around 3.

The dead-mans lever is a bit of bugger when the dogs are with me, and
dropping toys to be thrown in front of the casing. If I can't wean
them off that I may have to put a velcro strap round the dead-man's
lever. That, apparently, is what people do who don't want the engine
to keep stopping.