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Thread: Hapiness is a petrol lawnmower

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  1. #1
    Grand Master Velorum's Avatar
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    Hapiness is a petrol lawnmower

    Previous Mrs V's imposed an outright ban on anything but electric lawnmowers. Noisy, smelly things they said. Oh how well I recall the awful job of mowing the 130ft lawn we had when I lived in Reading 20 years ago with little more than a small flymo and numerous extension cables joined together. I should have recognised this as a sign that all would not end well on the marriage front in both cases.

    The current Mrs V is different. Looking out over our jungle of a back lawn I suggested that we buy a petrol one. She thought that this was a great idea - much better than messing about with cables and she said that she loved the smell of a the petrol engine. Oh, 'deep joy' as the good professor would say.

    Last week I picked up this Mountfield mulching model with a 4 stroke Briggs & Stratton engine



    Newly serviced including a sharpened blade, I picked it up for £100 from eBay.

    It made short work of the over grown lawn:



    So good to hear the noise of the engine and smell the exhaust (don't tell extinction rebellion please) and what a joy not to have to tangle with electric cables and mess around with clippings. Lovely. Looking forward to the grass growing so I can get out and use it again.

  2. #2
    Grand Master mart broad's Avatar
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    Can only agree i personally hate electric cables/cords and also have a petrol mower but if pushed my previous cordless Bosch was far better than either option and returned many years of sterling service just to mean to pay the price for a new one.

  3. #3
    Is that your only lawn? Mower looks like overkill TBH!

    Quote Originally Posted by mart broad View Post
    Can only agree i personally hate electric cables/cords and also have a petrol mower but if pushed my previous cordless Bosch was far better than either option and returned many years of sterling service just to mean to pay the price for a new one.
    Agree about cordless Bosch, mine's been excellent.

  4. #4
    Grand Master Velorum's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kingstepper View Post
    Is that your only lawn? Mower looks like overkill TBH!
    Well I have a very small one at the front....

    Yes, you are quite correct - its is a bit over the top. However, I just fancied one.

    When I see the woman next door later on today I am going to ask her if she would like me to mow her lawn so that I can get to use it a bit more.

  5. #5
    Grand Master Velorum's Avatar
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    I was kind of hoping that this might become a lawnmower version of the Petrus's cabrio thread

  6. #6
    Master
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    We've had a petrol mower for years - too much grass for an electric one. What I discovered today is that our mower runs much better on super unleaded !

    Pete

  7. #7
    Grand Master mart broad's Avatar
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    “When I see the woman next door later on today I am going to ask her if she would like me to mow her lawn so that I can get to use it a bit more.”

    Makes a change from etchings

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Velorum View Post
    Well I have a very small one at the front....

    Yes, you are quite correct - its is a bit over the top. However, I just fancied one.

    When I see the woman next door later on today I am going to ask her if she would like me to mow her lawn so that I can get to use it a bit more.

    Based on the "boys room" posts I wondered where the mowing the woman next doors lawn bit was going...

    Petrol mowers are cool if our lawn were bigger I'd want some big '50's Atco or something, they're just beasts !

  9. #9
    Master
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    When I see the woman next door later on today I am going to ask her if she would like me to mow her lawn so that I can get to use it a bit more.[/QUOTE]

    I'd be very careful how you phrase that offer 

  10. #10
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Velorum View Post
    When I see the woman next door later on today I am going to ask her if she would like me to mow her lawn so that I can get to use it a bit more.

    That may be a contender for "Euphemism of the Month" for May. Don't get carried away and ask if you can trim her bush . . .
    F.T.F.A.

  11. #11
    Grand Master Velorum's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by magirus View Post
    That may be a contender for "Euphemism of the Month" for May. Don't get carried away and ask if you can trim her bush . . .
    As I was working from home yesterday I thought that it would be the ideal opportunity to catch her round the back and see if she would like me to sort things out for her.

    Unfortunately, by the time I had finished work telephone calls she had asked the chap round the corner to not only give her front and back lawns a seeing to but also trim her rather wild looking hedge. Shame, I had been looking forward to deploying my Mountfield on her unkempt undergrowth.

  12. #12
    I'm in the process of developing a terrible lawn into a decent one and once that's done I quite fancy a petrol mower, but it will definitely be a cylinder cutter. Far better results IME than a rotary.

    R
    Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.

  13. #13
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Velorum View Post
    As I was working from home yesterday I thought that it would be the ideal opportunity to catch her round the back and see if she would like me to sort things out for her.

    Unfortunately, by the time I had finished work telephone calls she had asked the chap round the corner to not only give her front and back lawns a seeing to but also trim her rather wild looking hedge. Shame, I had been looking forward to deploying my Mountfield on her unkempt undergrowth.

    I hope that chap didn't overdo the hedge trimming. As we both know, taking too much off can be aesthetically ruinous. Then again, I suppose if he made a poor stab at it you and the Mountfield may yet be invited round to sort her out properly.
    F.T.F.A.

  14. #14
    Agreed, there's something wonderful about the smell of newly cut grass and petrol.

    Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

  15. #15
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    My wife used to mow this whole area with a little Honda mower, but following a riding accident and a badly broken shoulder, it was obvious it was going to be a bit much to mow it from now on... Best £400 quid I’ve spent...

    Enter an old Hayter ride on...V twin (sounds like a Ducati) 20 HP twin blades... makes the job a breeze..








  16. #16
    Petrol all the way for me too. Lawn mowing is enough of a chore without messing about with cables.
    Don't forget to use additive in your petrol can. I was wondering why my mower was such a pain to get started after the winter lay up until I realised it was the inevitable half a can of stale fuel left over from the previous summer that was the problem. One bottle of additive later and starts every time without drama!

  17. #17
    Grand Master Velorum's Avatar
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    Hadnt thought of that! What additive to you use?

  18. #18
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    Maybe when the thing wórks....

    Over here there is a lót of ´weeds´ to cut. I use a petrol engined weed mower on a harness strap; no not electric and if the resident female objects to that, shé can do it.

    Problem is that the thing is dreadfully unreliable; back for repair under warranty third time. I cannot open/repair it myself as that infringes warranty conditions. Meanwhile cutting by hand with a sickle. That makes me ... well... not happy. So the resident female helps. Oh mán what horror. She has allergies so is dressed like woman-in-black, overheats, needs double dosage of ant-histamins, is in a FOUL mood ánd doses off when not.

    Concerning bad starting; run it dry. You know by experience how long it takes so plan useage accordingly.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Velorum View Post
    Hadnt thought of that! What additive to you use?
    Not sure of its composition but it’s made by Briggs and Stratton. Got it off Amazon.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Velorum View Post
    Hadnt thought of that! What additive to you use?

    From experience these are the best.....

    https://mitox.co.uk/index.php/produc...ngle-pack.html

    https://mitox.co.uk/index.php/produc...ser-236ml.html

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by ODP View Post
    Petrol all the way for me too. Lawn mowing is enough of a chore without messing about with cables.
    Don't forget to use additive in your petrol can. I was wondering why my mower was such a pain to get started after the winter lay up until I realised it was the inevitable half a can of stale fuel left over from the previous summer that was the problem. One bottle of additive later and starts every time without drama!

    Trick I've found with all petrol implements that are left not used for a few months i.e. the stale petrol problem - things were better in the old leaded petrol days. Put a tiny dribble of new petrol onto the air filter or a few drops directly into the carb. Starts immediately then and will run fine on the old petrol. Works a treat.

  22. #22
    I believe a freshly-filled full petrol can allows the petrol to be stored for up to 12 months. However, once it has been re-opened the volatility degrades and has probably only 3 months left before it becomes problematical.

    R
    Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.

  23. #23
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    Due to a load of pm's on pistonheads I scribbled out a bit of a guide last year on lawn tractors, I'll copy and paste it here incase it helps anyone. I did mean to do one on other garden machinery but haven't got round to it yet.






    Ok so we import and distribute garden machinery. A couple of members that know what I do and have asked me for advice suggested I put a post up to assist anyone looking a new ride on as the weather picks up.

    What size of tractor do I need. Theres no absolute answer to this, the smallest 25" machine will cut 2 acres, if you have the time. Generally standard domestic 'tractor' shape machines start at 30" and go to 50", with 40" being the most popular.

    I would look at engine brand and size as well, obviously the big names ie Briggs, Honda and Kawasaki are the ones to look for. Loncin are up and coming and doing very well. On the smaller 30-33" machines 350cc is ample, 36" and above I tend to recommend one of the bigger units. 500cc minimum but also a V-twin cylinder if possible. Similar to a v8 in a car, these are more relaxed, lower reving and generally under less pressure. They also have an oil pump/filter so are more suitable for slopes.

    How is the grass collected. Theres 3 main ways, straight up between the back wheels, up a pipe on the side or it is a mulch machine which I'll look at later.
    The side pipe machines are very often discounted due to their poorer performance in wet grass, but they have 2 big advantages that are often overlooked. The bins on the back can be lifted off and tipped over a fence/into a trailer or they can be lined with bin liners.
    Generally tho the straight thru collection is the most popular due to its more compact nature and its wet performance.

    Mulch machines generally are either out front machines or zero turns. We do well with both but make sure you buy the correct machine, the front decks leave a lovely smooth fine finish and are very manoeuvrable, the zero turns are faster, generally come with a fabricated deck and are more robust but do not leave as good a finish. They suit people who have a large area, but not all set out as fine lawns, they will handle longer rougher grass and can also side discharge. Also if you choose to mulch you need to cut more often.

    Brand. Generally it is good to go with something that has a dealer near you for servicing and parts for when the worst happens and you catch a tree root or break a belt. GGP would be one of the biggest uk brands, imagine very loosely vw/seat/skoda/audi. Mountfield, Stiga, Atco, Alpina, Castelgarden etc are all manufactured by GGP in Italy (33" machine and a couple of others are Chinese made). The are different colours and slightly different spec eg Stiga would be considered the Audi of the group hence gets led lights etc. They are a solid choice and have good parts back up.

    Countax are still made in the uk, I liken them to Bristol, made in an aircraft hanger by a small workforce, expensive, latest ones not as well built as their reputation would suggest but have followers that will buy literally nothing else. We sell a few, they need a very good pdi before they go out, but customers are generally happy with them.

    Husqvarna are generally spot on, reasonable price and performance. Ford/Vauxhall. Good parts availability. Some build issues the last couple of years but they are on top of it now. Market leaders on front decks and robots. Stopping making tractors from next year.

    John Deere, well made machine but the biggest complaint is poor in even damp conditions. May not be an issue to those in the south but up around Scotland it could be a factor. Can be improved with high lift blades and some other mods.

    Ariens, UK's fastest growing zero turn machine and a solid choice if you want a zero turn. Go for the ikon range tho as you get the fabricated deck as standard along with a twin cylinder kawasaki for less than £500 more than the standard zoom.

    Alko, probably my top choice. Made in Austria, superb in damp/wet conditions, even the 36" comes on a 656cc v twin briggs and they are very well put together. They also have an offset deck with no timing belt which is a good thing, timing belts keep the blades in check but if you hit a root and knock the timing out it has to be reset which is tricky at home. With Alko I tend to think Volvo.

    When buying a machine the dealers wont have a massive margin, under £500 is the norm so do not be expecting loads off, but ask for some extras, does it come with a mulch plug? Battery charger for the winter? Cover? Tow kit for small trailers/aerators/scarifiers etc? Generally these are low cost to the dealer and can be worked into the deal. Some are offering finance, some various length of warranty etc. Also check if the dealer collects it for servicing, can be an issue for those with no trailer, I know dealers who charge £3 per mile.

    Hopefully this was useful to someone, any questions just ask.

  24. #24
    ^^^ Very useful, thanks.

    PM on it's way to you shortly.

    R
    Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.

  25. #25
    Grand Master Mr Curta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Enoch View Post
    That Hayter looks just the business. Hello Charlie, hello Rosie!

  26. #26
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    You can all keep your noisy, unreliable, polar bear killing stinky petrol lawn mowers. My bosh leccy is awesome. Press the button and it goes let go and it stops, every time every year. My garden is waaay bigger than yours op also. No treks to the petrol station, pulling my arm out, buying oil, services......na thanks.

  27. #27
    Master Skier's Avatar
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    I'll just leave this here - and run away! . I recognise that this is way OTT for the OPs lawn area.


  28. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Enoch View Post
    My wife used to mow this whole area with a little Honda mower, but following a riding accident and a badly broken shoulder, it was obvious it was going to be a bit much to mow it from now on... Best £400 quid I’ve spent...

    Enter an old Hayter ride on...V twin (sounds like a Ducati) 20 HP twin blades... makes the job a breeze..






    It's certainly made a good job of your sheep !!


  29. #29
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    While everyone is in shed mode, does anyone use a petrol cylinder mower? I'm thinking of getting one as my petrol rotary is getting a bit creaky. Any recommendations?
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  30. #30
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    I love a good mower...currently using a 17'' cylinder. Beautiful stripes, and much nicer to use than a rotary (my Hayter 48 Pro).


  31. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by oldoakknives View Post
    While everyone is in shed mode, does anyone use a petrol cylinder mower? I'm thinking of getting one as my petrol rotary is getting a bit creaky. Any recommendations?


    Allett. Still made in England. We stock the 14, 17 and 20 inch ones with the Kawasaki engine. Pm me if your interested I'll do a good deal.

    https://www.allett.co.uk/mowers/home...ington-petrol/

  32. #32
    Craftsman TAG0001's Avatar
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    A diesel lawn mower for me every time over electric

    IMG_9294.JPG


    Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

  33. #33
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Velorum View Post
    Previous Mrs V's imposed an outright ban on anything but electric lawnmowers. Noisy, smelly things they said. Oh how well I recall the awful job of mowing the 130ft lawn we had when I lived in Reading 20 years ago with little more than a small flymo and numerous extension cables joined together. I should have recognised this as a sign that all would not end well on the marriage front in both cases.

    The current Mrs V is different. Looking out over our jungle of a back lawn I suggested that we buy a petrol one. She thought that this was a great idea - much better than messing about with cables and she said that she loved the smell of a the petrol engine. Oh, 'deep joy' as the good professor would say.

    Last week I picked up this Mountfield mulching model with a 4 stroke Briggs & Stratton engine



    Newly serviced including a sharpened blade, I picked it up for £100 from eBay.

    It made short work of the over grown lawn:



    So good to hear the noise of the engine and smell the exhaust (don't tell extinction rebellion please) and what a joy not to have to tangle with electric cables and mess around with clippings. Lovely. Looking forward to the grass growing so I can get out and use it again.

    Ah yes, deep joy indeed. Went all petrolobe, and now lovely popping and revloders to achieve the smoothy lawnscapery.
    Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.

  34. #34
    Master j0hnbarker's Avatar
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    Couldn’t agree more.

    I have a 1960s Suffolk Super Colt that I bought off a guy on eBay who restores them.

    It was used for a strip of grass in front of my old house. I just enjoyed starting it and servicing it each year TBH.

    I also fitted it with a K&N air filter (they don’t do them small enough unless you use one of their crank breather filters). Looks like Max Power c.1995.

  35. #35
    I wouldn’t entertain my wife’s opinion on lawn mowers unless she was going to mow the lawn - which she isn’t.

    Honda izy petrol is what I use. Solid reliable and starts first pull every time even first use after winter.

    However next year will look into the Gardena robot mowers .

  36. #36
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    LOL

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