Comments on: Things I Hate: Lawnmowers

By: Clayton E. Cramer

Clayton E. Cramer — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:37:34 +0000

If your yard is flat, just get a 100 megawatt CO2 laser, and mount it on a two inch high tripod–then rotate. Problem solved!

By: Arnie

Arnie — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:40:11 +0000

Of that I have no doubt, sir. You are truly blessed!
Still, it is a principle I endeavor to uphold for the sake of respecting marriage.
Thank you both again for this wonderful website!
Sincerely,
Arnie

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:31:21 +0000

She can hold up her own in an argument Arnie. Trust me on this :)

By: Arnie

Arnie — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:28:29 +0000

A note to the curious:
A gentleman never argues with a married woman. It is not his place to criticize, bully, or attempt to disuade another man’s wife. Such behavior is brutish, cowardly, and disrespectful of her, her husband, and their marriage. I hold the highest esteem for the author of this website and his wife. This site features a high level of courtesy and cordiality pervading its posts. I shall not desecrate that record by impertinence towards its creator. I shall keep my place.
Respectfully,
Arnie

By: Ymal Brucker

Ymal Brucker — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:18:05 +0000

A. By a five gallon jug of aviation gas. No additives, no ethanol, won’t go bad.

B. Rig up a simple still. Ethanol has a way different boiling point than Octane or Heptane. You’ll end up with pure gasoline and a little something to make the job easier.

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:36:05 +0000

I got a cheap (on sale, just over $200) Toro in 2002–same one my neighbor had and his was already 4 years old then. Both are still running just fine now. I’ve only changed my oil once and that’s the extent of the maintenance I’ve done. It’s self propelled and you can either bag or shoot the grass out the side. Seems like an excellent value to me. I know you don’t need self propelled, but at this price why not? This looks like the one (if they offer the exact same model; if not, it’s close) that I bought:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100659982&N=528366+90401

By: David

David — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:07:36 +0000

30 years ago I gave a guy who ran a small engine repair shop $25 for a ‘no name brand’ no frills used lawnmower with a 3.5 HP Briggs and Stratton Engine on it. It looked like crap but ran just fine. Since then I have wired and duct taped three different side catcher bags back together before replacing them. I drain the gas, change the oil and sharpen the blade at the beginning of each winter so its ready to go in the spring. I clean the air filter regularly and had to replace the starter rope about 10 years ago.

It starts on the second or third pull everytime.

I paid for my last two years of college with that mower and have been using it every since. My 3000 sq ft of lawn doesn’t care that it is getting mowed with a rusty old piece of crap.

If I every find a improvised explosive devise in my yard I will just park my mower on top of it. I think it could survive anything except a small tactical nuke.

By: Justin

Justin — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:07:27 +0000

You could always go with a automated lawnmowing robot… I haven’t used one yet but I plan on giving them a try (they are a bit pricy though).

http://www.lawnbott.com/

http://www.friendlyrobotics.com/robomow/

By: Homer

Homer — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:50:00 +0000

Bought a Honda HR214 in 1987, and it’s still running, despite being in Florida for the last 17 years where we mow weekly April-Nov and bi-weekly the rest of the time. Smoking a bit on startup now, and had to replace the rear drive tires last year, but (knock on wood) other than regular air filter and oil changes and blade sharpening, it’s run steady.

By: larry weeks

larry weeks — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:46:52 +0000

Years ago I killed a mower and decided to get the very best. Did my research and at the time (1991) found that Toro had the only full pressure oiling system – like your car or truck. Honda may have it now too. Anyhow, $600 seemed like a lot when the neighbor kid offered to mow for $10.00 a time. Like one of the other posters, I haven’t mowed since. It’s now $15 and he’s an adult but still mows 10 yards a week as a part time job. Lot is 99 x 130 and covered by house and garage (2400 sq ft total) and I wouldn’t go back to mowing. As others have said, fix the old mower and keep going rather than buy a new one. On ethanol, my regular gas mileage improvement pays for the 10 cent difference between ethanol and regular. I’m in Iowa and don’t mind supporting the corn farmers, I’m just cheap. I follow one of the Baaken (sp?) Reserve companies and they keep getting new wells doing 200 barrels a day. That’s a pretty slow way to get to those trillions of barrels.