My grass needs to be mowed. The yard isn’t that big. I probably don’t need the gas-powered mower. Anybody have input on what makes a good reel mower?
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Replies
A cheap gas mower will likely be cheaper.
Dan, I've got a gas mower, looking for a "greener" solution.
Electric. A few different units to choose from, both corded and cordless). We've had a B&D 24V cordless model for about 6 years now. Had to replace the batteries once, but otherwise we like it. We have a fairly large lot -- 8000-9000 sq ft of actual lawn. It generally takes two charges, but otherwise not a problem.The problem with reel mowers is that they're fairly precision equipment and easily mucked up, even if good quality. Poorer quality units (still not cheap) will be very rough going and wear out quickly.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
That's an idea. One of the riding mowers we had when I was a kid was a General Electric Elec-Trac. Pretty tough mower, actually a garden tractor. Battery technology wasn't very good though and the charge didn't last long. Luckily we had Fords, Simplicities, and John Deeres as backups.
For my little lawn, 3000 to 4000 sf, maybe a battery-operated model would be the ticket. Greener than the gas unit I have now, and able to tolerate my lack of attention to lawn preening.
Real Goods has one.http://www.gaiam.com/retail/product/14-0187
.
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
"Roundup" works well. Hit the green spots once a month after the first application. %-}
There's nothing good about 'em.
Never was, never will be.
I've used some that were sharp and well lubricated and they worked great.
What specifically don't you like about them?
When I was a kid I mowed huge lawns. Now I have an 1/8 acre city lot, fairly flat, in decent condition, and I'm not that fussy about lawns.
I was half kidding. Every one I used was harder than hell to push. I always hated 'em. I can't imagine VOLUNTARILY using one. OTOH - If you want to be REALLY green - We had an old lady for a neighbor for a while. I'm pretty sure she wasn't all there. Didn't put the prize in her happy meal and all that....She used to let her rather small and unkept yard grow until it was a foot tall. Then she'd crawl around on her hands and knees pulling the grass and weeds by hand, swearing and talking loudly to herself all the time. I think I'd rather do that than have a reel mower...(-:
I ain't a communist necessarily, but I been in the red all my life. [Woody Guthrie]
I can't imagine VOLUNTARILY using one.
That's what I thought too until using one that was actually tuned up and worked well.
Rebeccah's fact that they don't work well on taller grass is a problem though. I just don't have the time or the interest to mow more than once every week or two. I suppose I would have the time if it wasn't for Breaktime, but I still wouldn't have the interest.
Didn't put the prize in her happy meal and all that....
That's a good one. Few grains short of a bushel was she?
I got everything typed before, and hit post, and it went poof, and disappeared.The Brill Luxus is the german sports car of reel mowers. It weighs only 16 pounds, and can go up to 10 years without sharpening, just minor adjustments. The biggest model is the 38, which is about 15 inches wide.
http://www.amazon.com/Brill-Luxus-38/dp/B00029R9OYScotts Classic Reel mower is also highly rated, and cuts up to 20". A little heavier, but a little bigger
http://www.amazon.com/Scotts-20-Inch-Push-Mower-2000-20/dp/B00004RA3EThey aren't the reel mowers that most of us remember. They are lighter, and a lot better made with finer tolerances.Although, this is really what I want:
http://www.friendlyrobotics.com/
As for eco-friendly, what's happening with producing models to meet California's new laws about reduced-emission lawnmowers? With all our grass a riding mower is all that's gonna get the job done in a reasonable time. But sure hate the fumes/emissions. Was hoping I could replace the old one with a California-market one; get it shipped here.
Anybody know?The old house had 200 sq. ft. of lawn. Used a non-powered John Deere reel mower. Made by American Standard, I think. Cute to have my miniature John Deere. Type of grass matters. In the south we use the reels on Zoysia and Bermuda, top sun grasses. If you've got shade and are growing fescue, reels just bend it over.
I can definitely vouch for the fact that they don't work well on long grass. I, too, have a small lawn. I got a reel mower because a) no gasoline to mess with, b) no engine noise, c) safer - I can mow barefoot, d) I always wanted one when I was a kid and Dad would never get one with our half-acre yard.I, too, only mow every once in a while. That turns out to mean that when I do mow, I have to pass repeatedly over every 6' section of the lawn, especially where there are seed stalks -- they're tougher and really tend to bend over. I've learned a trick of positioning the mower with the stubborn blades or stems *inside* the blades, and then pushing. Furthermore, once I've covered the whole lawn once, I go back and do it again, because it looks so choppy. Note that I do not really maintain my mower at all. I got the cheapest one available at HD. I've had the bed blade too loose (doesn't cut) and too tight (doesn't move) through trial and error.I don't mind, because the lawn is so small. In the end, it takes me a couple of hours to mow my 20' x 40' patch of grass, but it's fun and I get a little bit of exercise.Rebeccah
Got one off Freecycle (Post free stuff to keep it out of landfills. Each group is set up locally. See freecycle.org)Found out you can sharpen the blade by using valve grinding compound from the auto store. The blade sharpens like scissors blades not like a regular mower.Got it oiled and sharp and it cuts pretty good. Nice and quiet.
way too much work, resource comsumption and up keep...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
resource comsumption ?
takes longer...
cuts into the fishing time...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
They don't seem to adjust well for me. I bought one and tried to mow St. Augustine. About three inches high. Hard to push through something like that. Yard has to be smooth. Think about golf courses, that is what they use. I don't know where you live but if you were close to Mobile I would give you mine, only used a couple of times. The other down side is trying to find someone to sharpen the blades when needed. I have a friend that is selling a power reel mower for two hundred, it is a $1500 machine if that gives you any idea the down side to using a reel mower. The concept is excellent but they are not very practical.
From http://www.turf.uiuc.edu/extension/ext-mow.html
Mowing Equipment
Reel and rotary mowers are the two most commonly used types of mowers. Either of these
mowers can produce acceptable results provided mowers are well-maintained and proper
mowing practices are followed. Table 2 compares characteristics of these two types of
mowers.
Table 2. Comparison of rotary and reel mower characteristics.
blade moves bogs down or blades are not sharp; long grasses and weeds sucked up for
cutting
longer turf to lay over and not cut cleanly
distances
Here you go. This is a PDF that discusses factors that affect the quality of the cut with a reel mower.
http://www.toro.com/customercare/commercial/education/pdf/98008sl.pdf
Might be too much information, though.
Rebeccah
Try Sears/Craftsman. Very affordable.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/search.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&keyword=reel+mower&vertical=LAWN&cat=Lawn+Mowers
Edited 5/17/2007 3:57 pm ET by Hudson Valley Carpenter
You might want to consider an electric mower, Mike. I have a very small lawn at the beach, and we use a 20 year old Black & Decker electric mower. It's hard-wired, but they make some pretty good rechargeables now. I haven't looked into them, since this one just keeps going strong.
My wife ran over the extension cord about 5 years ago - other than a new blade every couple of years, that's all the service we've needed. Another plus - it's very quiet. No oil changes, either.
I think Home Depot can get them as a special order, and I've seen them on Amazon.
Greg
I bought one last year from Vermont Country store - they have a website. I don't remember the cost, but it seemed entirely reasonable. The lawnmower is a pleasure to use - sharp, sturdy, & made in the USA!
Get a couple of something on four legs that likes grass.
Eat them in the winter.
[email protected]
I know you are looking for a mower but,
Ever seen the movie"COOLHAND LUKE"?
I've knocked down a lot of green the same way.
I wasn't working for the state either.
Haven't seen the movie. Are you talking about a sickle or a scythe?
Either is ECO friendly.
The movie is a must see!
<I wasn't working for the state either.>
I was
Forrest
I've been trying to get my wife to let me have goats for years. No go.
That should take care of half the garbage as well!
Time for DW to rethink this......................[email protected]
Phase One of my conversion plan is complete...I've gotten her to like Goat's milk cheese.
I'll work on the garbage argument next.
Phase One of my conversion plan is complete...I've gotten her to like Goat's milk cheese.
I'll work on the garbage argument next.
We had milk goats when I was a kid (no pun intended). The milk was always great while they were on grain and alfalfa, but if they got out of the pen and were able to graze on weeds, you could definitely taste the bad effect on the milk.
No harm in throwing garbage to the buck, though! He'd come to visit once a year, and we'd load him up with banana peels -- it was absolutely hilarious to us as kids to see him sucking those peels down like fettucine!
I had a reel mower for a couple years, with a small lawn. I like them, but it's tough with long grass. Of course, we always had long grass, because I don't like cutting it more than once a month. It's good exercise that way though. They're relatively simple and fun to maintain, IMHO.
I got mine for $20 from a second hand store, but I'd bet those newer ones would work better, and I know they'd be lighter.
By the way, once you've got your wife keen on goat cheese- you'll have to get her to like eating baby goats. Gotta keep that milk coming, you know. I've always wanted a goat, though- or even a chicken tractor and a couple chickens, to keep the weeds down.zak
"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin
"so it goes"
Mmm...baby goats...
I'm sure it's a delicacy somewhere.
I thought you were a vegetarian?
You have to tell me what a chicken tractor is.
I am vegetarian. But if I were raising my own goats. . . .I might be an opportunivore for that. I met a lady up in washington that makes some of the best goat cheese around- the funny thing is, she doesn't eat much cheese anymore. She eats a lot of goat though.
A chicken tractor is a big cage, with no bottom, and wheels on it. Every day or two, you move the cage to a different patch of lawn, so the chickens can scratch it up, eat the bugs, fertilize, etc.
One thing I don't miss, now that I'm living in an apartment in the city, is lawn mowing. When I start missing that, it's definitely past time to head back to the sticks.zak
"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin
"so it goes"
I had the same thoughts when I first moved in to the house I'm in now. Just larger than a postage stamp. I found out that reel mowers do a terrific job mowing grass. They don't mow weeds worth a darn. I got a Black and Decker cordless electric. It wouldn't mow an acre on a single charge, but it works like a champ on my little patch of weeds. It could bag a little better, but I don't care that much. I left it uncharged over winter, ruined the battery and had to replace it, but it's been fine otherwise.
Mike,
At my old house, I used to use a push-type reel mower for my front yard only. 30X35 area maybe.
I loved the look it gave me and the feeling of a lawn well-cut. Kind of like the difference in using a fine handsaw vs a circular saw. It imparted a bit of a craftsman feeling.
And speaking of "craftsman"... I think that was the type it was. I got it out of the garbage somewhere nearby. It was in good shape and a new one like it was about 130 bucks IIRC. This was about 10 years ago.
The blades are nothing special to sharpen... most guys think you have to sharpen the reels... that's only becuse they've never done it. You only have to sharpen the straight blade that the reels swipes against.
It does take a little getting used to. You can't cut overly long grass without a lot of effort but a well maintaned lawn cuts nicely. Part of the trick is momentum. If the lot slopes, even if it is ever so slightly, cut downhill.
I love the sound a reel mower makes.
http://www.petedraganic.com/
years ago someone threw out a gas reel mower, my lawn was 100 by 100, What a nice cut it made i loved it but got a riding mower, Im not that picky, I see a lot of electric ones for small yards, no noise, no pulling ropes that would be nice, Reel mowers dont do tall grass.
Lee Valley has one, leevalley.com.
I had one when I lived in the city with a smallish lawn and loved it. It was a bit of exercise and fresh air and the lawn looked great.
Scott.
Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
Just saw the OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware, owned by Sears) and they had a couple of reel mowers. Something around $80.
http://canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396673793&bmUID=1179485284093&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443296881&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true
Sorry about the long link but it's to a battery powered reel mower (that you can push too if you're so inclined). If we have them here north of the 49th then there must be some south of it too.
I've been using a Honda electric for 17 years and it's been worth every penny.
Edited 5/18/2007 7:06 am by QCInspector
Sounds like a good idea but they want my Canadian postal code in order to view the item.
I'm more concerned with saving the planet than with the quality of the cut, so I would probably stick with conventional blades if I was to go with electric.
I had a Brill at my last house. Used it for a couple years. Never had to sharpen. Worked well. Only down side, was you had to stay on top of the cutting. Hard to cut if you let it get too long.
That sounds like the consensus here. Maybe in my next life I'll have the urge to keep a perfect lawn. As it is, it tends to get hayed instead of mowed. I should look into that scythe idea.
Try this place, some killer videos too.
http://www.scythesupply.com/
Only wish I had a back 40.
I've used one from Lee Valley for 11 years. The tag on it says American Lawnmower Company. If you get one, you have to keep up with the grass - mabey 3 times a week during the heavy growing season. (yes I've read the life in the Burbs thread)
I usually sharpen it once a year, not to much of a problem. I like the fact I can mow early in the morning without bothering the Neighbors, and can also mow with heavy dew or just after a rain without a problem. Just like shaving it seems to cut better if its damp.
I didn't skip ahead, so others may have said the same: I have a tiny lawn and use my trusty electirc Black and Decker "lawn hog" with a mulch blade. No gas, no bags, no exhaust, lasts forever. It adjusts up to 3" high so you can keep it nice and long. I had previously tried a reel mower but they just don't work if you keep the grass long. Once you get a system the cord is not that big of a PITA (always work away from the cord, duh).
If I had money lying around, I would buy a Neutron or a B+DE battery mower, but you can find the corded ones for under $100 on Craigslist.
HUSQVARNA AUTOMOWER
They call them turtles. self charging self guided, set it and forget it.
You only need to inclined to mow the grass once.
Hopefully you would also be inclined to decommission it before winter hit.
I have to disagree with some of the others: For a small yard, a reel mower is the cats' meow.
Hard to push? I was using one when I was 6.
If your yard is larger than, say, 40x40', or has lots of obstructions, you ought to consider another method. As others have mentioned, they are limited with long grass, even when the blade is sharp. You really need to keep on top of things; in the spring, this can mean mowing three times a week.
I have a Craftsman reel mower that's older than I am (48) and it still works (never sharpened it, either). I still use it sometimes for exercise. Good ones are out there.
Someone mentioned sharpening - good point. Here in Roanoke, VA, NOBODY will sharpen a reel mower. The golf courses have to have machines to sharpen theirs. However, you can get new ones designed to be sharpened by the user. Can't remember the manufacturer, but on one model, you remove one wheel, apply an abrasive paste to the stationary bar under the reel, and using the included crank, rotate the reel backwards to sharpen it.