Lawnmowers. ------- Motor mowers -------------
Always treat your lawnmowers with respect, they can be very dangerous. New lawnmowers nowadays are fitted with various safety features for your protection; do not disable these safety features. We find that some people do.
Buying new Lawn mowers. -------
When buying a new lawnmower do not underestimate the demands you will be making on the machine. It is always better too spend a little more on a slightly larger machine, rather than one which is not up too the job in hand. Most new machines have a guide to their performance envelope.
Rotary or cylinder mower? Today it all boils down too personal choice, at one time rotary mowers left much to be desired if you were looking for a beautiful smooth lawn, but today that is no longer the case.
Even the long established cylinder mowers have undergone considerable development and now boast many refinements unimaginable not so many years ago.
Cylinder mowers are also known as reel mowers.
Many major store groups and large garden center chains often have a range of mowers under their own brand name. These are often manufactured by the leading lawn mower producers, so the availability of spare parts, if ever needed, should not usually be a problem.
Amazingly in this age of the powered machine, there is still a considerable demand for the humble push mower, which depends on you to provide the power. Always look for a strong handle frame, some offered for sale are of very weak contruction in this area, and will soon bend if heavy loads are applied.
Buying used Lawnmowers. -------
If considering buying used ride-on lawn mowers and larger self-propelled and tractor mowers; have the machine checked over by an expert.
We find that most private consumers who buy these larger lawnmowers from new, rarely, if ever, do any maintenance on the machine. On the other hand, public utilities, golf courses and such like, do undertake regular maintenance. However machines from these sources, will have had a busy life.
Oil in the engine and gearbox needs too be changed on a regular basis. Has this been done?
Also air filters and drive belts need to be checked.
A blocked air filter can double the consumption of fuel, considerably lower the power of the engine and therefore put a general stress on the whole machine.
Replacing badly worn driving belts can add considerably to the cost of a second hand machine so it is as well to insist that the seller replaces them, or makes a cash allowance to reflect this state of affairs.
Spring mowing guide. -------------
If the weather is mild the grass will soon be on the way, so it is best now to check over your lawnmower for defects before you begin. Check for blade wear, oil bearings and on electric lawn mowers check the cables for damage. Replace any defective or badly worn parts.
Remember when doing maintenance work on your mower, always remove the spark plug lead on petrol driven lawn mowers and always unplug electric tools.
On gas engines replace the engine oil, replace replaceable paper air filters or, if fitted, wash wire mesh air filters in petrol.
Always dispose of used oils etc; in accordance with the disposal laws of your territory.
If taking an early spring cut on your lawn it is best to use a rotary mower, set the blades fairly high to avoid pulling the grass out by the roots. This type of damage is more prone to happen with a cylinder mower.
Always ensure that cutting blades are kept sharp and rust free.
Lawn mowers. --------- A short history -------------
Formal lawns first started in France around the 1700s, and the idea soon spread to England and the rest of the world. At first lawns were grazed by animals, but often the grass got too long, and large teams of workers with scythe, sickle, or shears then had to hand cut the lawns.
The first patent for a mechanical lawn mower, was taken out on August 31st, 1830 by engineer, Edwin Budding from Gloucestershire, in England.
Budding's design was based on a cutting tool used for trimming the nap off carpet in the local carpet factory. It was a cylinder mower; this had a series of blades arranged in a reel working against a static blade. These mowers were built at a local foundry too Budding's design.
Soon horses wearing oversize leather boots to prevent lawn damage, were being used too pull a wide cylinder mower, allowed vast lawns and playing fields to be more quickly and cheaply cut.
Steam powered lawn mowers appeared in the 1890's, though these were large heavy machines and took several hours too raise steam before work could begin. There were several attempts too produce more lightweight oil engined mowers, but steam was favoured. At the beginning of the 20th century Ransomes produced the first truly successful commercial mower powered by an internal combustion engine.
Other manufactures soon followed Ransomes and by the First World War the steam mower was forgotten.
Thomas Green and Son of Leeds introduced a silent chain to transmit power from the roller to the cutting cylinder, instead of noisy gear wheels.
Electric power and rotary cutting were all tried out in the 1920s and 30s, although they did not become popular. By the 1950s lawn mower design had advanced greatly and mass production made the machines inexpensive and within the reach of the average gardener. The introduction of plastic components also reduced costs, though the basic design remained much the same.
One major innovation was the rotary hover mower, introduced by Flymo in the early 1960s.
Also the wheeled rotary mower made a large step forward in sales, during the 1960s thanks mostly too the development of high power but lightweight gas and diesel engines.
The phenomenon of the ride on mower has swept the world as incomes have increased. Despite this hundreds of thousands of push mowers are currently being sold, as people seek a quieter method of cutting the grass.
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