Does anyone have a reel mower?

[Snowwark]

With our old electric lawnmower on it's last legs, DH has been making more and more noises about switching to a reel mower. I think we might go for it this spring.

I know that they're more enviromentally friendly, and many horticultural experts say that the revolving (scissor) blade action is better for your grass, slicing it cleanly, keeping moisture in.....but still, I almost feel as if I'm going back in time.

We'll still have our old electric one in case the grass gets too long, but with our small lot, a push mower might work out fine.

Does anyone else have one, or know someone who does?

http://worldzone.net/anime/snwark//scottsreelmower.gif

He's also been looking at the rechargeable battery models.

http://worldzone.net/anime/snwark//rechargeablereelmower.jpg

:)

[DixieDreamer]

Yes, I do. It is gathering dust in the pumphouse. The blades must be sharpened frequently to work properly and even with our postage stamp size lawn.. it was a HUGE effort to get the lawn mowed. We used it for one year and then bought another gas powered mower... which is running beautifully and was worth every last cent! :)

[mill]

Hi Snowark,

If I can remember correctly from my childhood, pushing a reel mower takes a bit of effort. Are you sure your DH if fit enough for the task?

[Snowwark]

Well well well....Welcome Dave....took you long enough!! ;)

Dixie, and Dave, today's push mowers are a lot more lightweight than the old models, and are actually making a bit of a comeback.

I do the lawn Dave, I have a much better eye for it than DH... ;).

:bounce: :Pinkbounc :bounce:

[DixieDreamer]

Mines not very old Kim. Bought it about 3 years ago - for the same reasons you are thinking of doing it. It really is a nice model... but was a bit too much to do on a regular basis. You may have more energy for it then we did though!

[Snowwark]

If DH goes through with the purchase, we shall see Dixie. Maybe I'll need to hire myself a garden boy/man/guy...lol....:smooth:

[Kilted_Yank]

Hiya...

We have a reel mower, and have been using the same one for nine yeaars.

We like it. Less noise, nonpolluting, easy to store, and no gas to deal with.


Wouldn't buy a gas mower for anything in the world.

Cheers,

Bill

[Snowwark]

Welcome Kilted_Yank! :)

Those are the very reasons why we are thinking of buying a reel mower.

Our neighbours have an old, very noisy, gas lawnmower, that they start up everytime we sit down to dinner out on the deck. Coincidence...hmmmm....;) :)

[marlasmom]

I bought the electric rechargeable one. would not buy it again. It is very heavy and only lasts about 45 minutes - not enough.

[Snowwark]

Hmmmm....very strange...I wrote a reply on here and it never showed up.....must be the little F&G board Dirt Devils! :eek:

Marlasmom, is it the Gardena rechargeable mower that you have?

I better make sure I give these pushers a shove or two before we make a decision.

Thank you for the head's up! :)

.....off to lift some weights ;)

[Tulirose]

Aren't the blades of those type of mowers suppose to be self-sharpening?

I don't suppose you would be able to leave the grass clippings on the lawn with this one -- no mulching feature. So, not only will one have to push and push hard, but one will have to rake, rake, rake!

[DebºoºS]

We had pushmower but gave it away because we never used it. We got a small gas mower for the areas and edges the tractor doesn't get to. It's hard enough for me to push the gas mower around I can't imagine having to push it around without power and then rake it, yikes.

[Snowwark]

Reel mowers work best when you cut your grass frequently. If you let it get too long, you'd have to get out the old electric/gas lawnmower, (which we'd keep...just in case).

The top pic shows the grass catcher attachment on, but it's beneficial to leave some lawn clippings on your grass.

A good quality reel mower shouldn't need sharpening more than once a year, unless it's been damaged by a rock or hard root.

Remember, we have a very small lawn to maintain. :)

[Mmketeer]

Hi,

I use mine all the time for most of the same reasons you mentioned, but also because it's good excercise! My yard is only about 20 by 40 not counting all the gardening areas and walk way we have so it's not an over whelming area to mow. Plus, I can have my dogs still out running around with no fear of them getting hurt from flying objects or running in front of the mower while I am using it.

I really like mine it cuts the grass beautifully as long you keep the blades sharpened it's not hard to push or use.

Mmketeer

[Snowwark]

Welcome , Mmketeer! :)

I appreciate your input! :)

I'm beginning to think that if we go ahead and purchase a reel mower, I better have DH take a video of me doing the grass. That way all of you Buds can decide if I'm having to push too hard, sweating too much, taking too long.....perhaps a F&G Bud vote on whether we should return it while we still can. ;) ;) :)

[Mmketeer]

Hi Snowwark,

Thanks, nice to be here! :) I am game for a vote.....lol!

PS
I really liked the battery operated model you mentioned on your first post. I could go for an upgrade on mine for that one! <BG>

Mmketeer

[Dodie]

Originally posted by DixieDreamer
Yes, I do. It is gathering dust in the pumphouse. The blades must be sharpened frequently to work properly and even with our postage stamp size lawn.. it was a HUGE effort to get the lawn mowed. We used it for one year and then bought another gas powered mower... which is running beautifully and was worth every last cent! :)

Ditto! We have a small yard. We bought a Craftsman version a couple of years ago, thinking that I could use it since I'm afraid of the gas powered push mower:rolleyes:

It's *HARD* to push through the grass. It takes a LOT (I mean a LOT) of effort just to make the rounds. If you don't mow every 5 days or so, the grass is just too tall to make it any easier.

You also have to sharpen the blades a LOT.

We don't use it anymore.:rolleyes:

[Snowwark]

Hi Dodie! :) Wow...this is getting interesting....the good, the bad, and the totally confused (that would be me! ;))

What to do, what to do.......:cool:

[Snowwark]

Well guess what DH brought home last night.......lol...:)

Ta da!!! :)

http://worldzone.net/anime/snwark//gardenamower.jpg

Yes he did!

I tried it out (just a little bit), and it's light and so much quieter than our old mower. I'll have to give it a good workout before I really know how much I like it.

*Rechargeable feature provides cordless freedom of movement
*Designed for the smaller lawn
*Includes 12 volt rechargeable battery
*Will operate for approximately 40 minutes on a full charge
*14" (35 cm) cutting path
*Easy cutting height adjustment


He hadn't mentioned getting one in quite a while, I thought he had forgotten all about it! :)

[amid chaos]

Now THAT looks interesting....might have to check it out.

[SideshowBob]

SSB blamed his pneumonia years back on cutting the grass... breathing in all that "dust and grass flecks" here in dry FL... so justified getting someone else to do it... haha! :)

I do remember back home, using one of these... sumpin' that could be in an Indian Jones movie, if a lot bigger! ;)

[Snowwark]

Big grass back home, eh SSB? ;) :)

I thought I would add a touch of "Canadianism" to my reply...lol..;) :)

Eh? :)

[Snowwark]

Okay, I've had all summer to try out the reel, push mower, and, I don't particularly like it. It isn't hard to push, but I find the start feature awkward. If you look at the pic above, you'll see a button and a handle. You have to push the button and pull up the handle at the same time or it won't start. It's a safety feature, but a little fussy to manage, it's rather stiff. I also didn't realize, that you always have to go forward, that it doesn't cut when you pull it back, so no "going over" areas that way.

At first DH insisted I use it, but after half a dozen times, I'd pull out the old electric lawn mower when he wasn't home, and use that. :p Now he doesn't comment, he's just glad to have the grass done!

DH likes it, so we've reached a compromise. He uses it on the front lawn, and I use Old Faithful on the back lawn. :)

:)