Do you like 'cutting the grass'?

[wdfifteen]

In the early 1950s my uncle was a Roof mower dealer, selling these things.



It had about a 26" blade, with a guide on the left and a little steel guard around the back. The right side and about 1/3 of the left side had no protection from the blade at all. It had 7 ankle slicing horsepower.
This is why we have a Consumer Product Safety Commission.
But I'd own one if I could find one.

[asphaltgambler]

^^^^^^^^^^^Check that thing out! - where's all the OSHA warning decals???^^^^

[LEAKYSEALS951]

My wife's suburban postage stamp takes 30-45 minutes pending your battery pushmower's width and charge.



my repowered Dad's 23hp 50 inch deck LGT with the new "quieter" exhaust.



7 minutes 30 seconds. AT IDLE.

F#$% you suburbia.

Yes... The stripes aren't perfect, especially the one in the middle. I was mowing in REVERSE!

Can't wait to go mow a real lawn this weekend.

[wdfifteen]

^^
Nice machines, nice lawn, nice tool box!
Why at idle? Most machines are designed to work at full governed speed.

[HobieMarty]

My lawn care tools. The push mower was left at the house when bought the place, I use it to get under shrubs and mow a part of my yard that has a lot of protruding rocks, would rather beat up the " free" mower than the Craftsman. The Turfmaster will be a toy to play around with.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Missed Approach]

The '69 Wheel Horse has given yeoman's service at Casa de Missed Approach for grass & snow.

Like any air-cooled 911, parts are still surprisingly easy to source.

[HobieMarty]

^ Very nice!!!

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Robert Coats]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Why at idle? Most machines are designed to work at full governed speed.

True dat. Always run the engine at its full, rated RPM to keep the blade(s) spinning at the speed optimal to make a clean, instant cut. A slower spinning blade will usually shred/tear the grass (uneven cut, poor finish, etc.). Many walk-behind mowers don't even have (or need) a throttle for this reason.

I recall most 18-21" single blade walk-behind mower engines run about 3,100 rpm. Because not all mowers have the blade bolted directly to the crankshaft, the federal rules don't limit the engine speed, but the blade tip speed.

-Lawn mower Man-

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

^^
Nice machines, nice lawn, nice tool box!
Why at idle? Most machines are designed to work at full governed speed.

Thanks. Mostly noise and not flinging stuff at neighbors. My dad's 125 was at about 100-117Db mowing. Neighbor's lawnmowers about 75-85db.
Weedeaters 90-100db. This latest tractor build is about 87db at lower rpms and 95db at full throttle, meaning I am almost as quiet as a pushmower at lower settings. My JD is about 98 full throttle, so low/half throttle on the ford it keeps me more in line with the HOA, if you know what I mean. The engine is a B&S repower. It idles much higher than the original kohler to run newer hydraulic systems. The original kohler can idle about 800-900. B&S about 1100-1200. Still not top rpm though. The deck runs off an electric pto, so mowing is no strain on the hydrostatic transmission, and there is no real slope to the yard, so no real strain on the hydro. When the older hydro is under strain, you can hear it whine, and go to full power to keep it juiced, but out here, it's never taxed. The stress on the drive is so low, I can pretty much push the tractor by hand if needed. If I was plowing with it or towing / lifting something under strain on the hydro unit, then full power. This is loafing, like puttering about in a boat in a 'no wake zone' in a marina. As long as the grass isn't too out of hand, it works well, at partial throttle, more like a mulching mower. At the mountain house- No HOA- full "POWAHHHHHH!!!!!

[asphaltgambler]

Diggin the vintage lawn equipment ^^^^^^

[porsche4life]

Hard pass. I grew up mowing about 5acres and it sucked.

Now living in the city, we only have a few hundred sqft of grass in front, and artificial turf in back. I don’t bother with lawn work. We pay $80 a month and it’s mowed like clock work every 2 weeks, all the bushes and trees stay trimmed, and I don’t have to maintain any equipment. 🤣

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Mowing is very fun.
Weed whacking...not so much.
Cleaning the underside of the mowing deck..worst job of the bunch.

How often do you take the time to scrape the dried grass off?

I have a Cub lawn tractor and it has the deck wash built in. Two minutes of power wash per side keeps the deck clean. Then run the blades to dry it out. Has lasted well over the years if you keep the pulleys greased properly.

I don't mind cutting the grass. My wife likes it as it gets her out of of the house since she works from home. She puts on a podcast and off she goes.

The boy liked it until I told him he could not power slide when mowing.

[gacook]

I like cutting the grass so much, I installed fake grass.

Seriously, though, I DO enjoy a nice lawn and wouldn't mind putting in the effort myself if I didn't live in Arizona. It is a nightmare trying to keep good grass here.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by gacook

I like cutting the grass so much, I installed fake grass.

Seriously, though, I DO enjoy a nice lawn and wouldn't mind putting in the effort myself if I didn't live in Arizona. It is a nightmare trying to keep good grass here.

I spent 2-3 days in Tempe, AZ once. I think it was July or Aug. "It's a dry heat." Yeah, so is my oven. It's a miracle that you can keep fake grass. What's it made of, asbestos? Rocks and sand, that's all I'd expect to see for a yard there. You don't have to mow rocks and sand, actually, I think it'd be a really bad idea. Problem solved.

[gacook]

Originally Posted by masraum

I spent 2-3 days in Tempe, AZ once. I think it was July or Aug. "It's a dry heat." Yeah, so is my oven. It's a miracle that you can keep fake grass. What's it made of, asbestos? Rocks and sand, that's all I'd expect to see for a yard there. You don't have to mow rocks and sand, actually, I think it'd be a really bad idea. Problem solved.

Old school artificial grass looked like crap; the new stuff is actually pretty darn good (it does get hot, though). I installed it myself and left some "natural curve" under the grass to give it a more real look. I've actually had a couple people tell me my grass looks so good it almost looked fake--that amused me.

Most yards here are just rock and sand...with some desert vegetation. We call it "Desert landscaping." I hate that look, but I love Arizona for damn near everything else.