In love with a mower (human powered reel mower)

[Shallah Kali]

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20050610/COLUMN/106100027

Anyway, as I perused the lawn implement section at Home Depot I noticed a kid assembling one of those old-fashioned push mowers without an engine.

"You sell many of those things?" I snickered.

"You'd be surprised," he said, beginning to twist nuts.

SNIP

"Well, I'd like to meet the man who could push one of those things around my yard on a hot summer day," I remarked, and I started checking out a six-horsepower, self-propelled, 23-inch bladed mulcher.

"Yeah," he said. "Guys like you wouldn't like a machine like this."

Why you dirty, little snot-nosed ... "I'll take one!"

I bought a Scott reel mower last year and it is easiest mower I have ever used. I am not physically fit yet it only takes me a bit more effort than walking to use this mower vs. pushing a gas or electric. Also I don't have to struggle yanking the cord and cussing to get it started :P When I talk people into trying it they can't believe how easy it pushes. I had to pry my Mother off it recently she got such a kick out of the modern reel compared to the ones she struggled with as a kid. If you get one be sure to follow directions for lubricating the bearings because it will get hard to push if you don't. A friend of mine has a reel mower that she never maintained properly and as a result it is exhausting to use.

[funflower]

1. I'm with ya' Shallah. I can push my nice, quiet push-reel mower with one

hand. It doesn't break down or run out of gas. I'll never use one of those noisy gas mowers again!

[prole_for_peace]

2. my boyfriend gave me hard time when i bought one

but he used it once and then started using it instead of the gas one.

[carpediem]

3. st augustine - has anyone tried one on

st augustine? I asked about one at the local lowes and was told I wouldn't want to use it on st augustine because it was hard to mow.

[Shallah Kali]

6. I assume that is a type of grass - all I know is it works on my weedy yard

It has very little real grass but has plenty of tough weeds that it goes though slick. The only thing it won't go though is fallen twigs or blackberry bush shoots. Oh that reminds me another benefit of a human powered mower is it does not turn doggie deposits into foul projectiles the way a gas or electric mower does if you miss one before mowing! So poop doesn't hurt but big twigs/small branches must be raked up.

[carpediem]

8. thanks. if it works on tough weeds it should work on St Augustine

St Augustine is a kind of grass used in florida because it stands up to the heat. It reminds me of crab grass.

[Shallah Kali]

10. Info from the makers website says Reels are OK on St. Augstine

here:
http://www.reelin.com/amfact.htm

The 5-blade deluxe/light is the "top of the line." Available in 16- and 18-inch cutting widths, this mower is well equipped for even the toughest grasses like Florida's thick-bladed St. Augustine grass. It works well on all grasses.

The 5-blade full feature mower is the most popular. This model works well in all grasses.

---
The company has a 1800 # as well as email for people who have questions at the bottom of the page here:
http://www.reelin.com/amprod.htm

[fedsron2us]

4. Brill Luxus

The Rolls Royce of reel mowers.

[driver8]

5. I should have bought one of these...I don't know why I didn't.

My yard isn't that big to begin with. Shit...what was I thinking?

[Shallah Kali]

7. Photo of my mower from manufacturer's website- Scott Classic 2000-20

http://www.reelin.com/eighth.htm

I got this because it was nice and wide so I can maker fewer passes across the yard plus my local hardware store had it for $110 with no assembly charge :)

[pstans]

9. I have one

I bought my first house a year ago. It was an estate sale, so there was a lot of stuff just left in it. One of the things was one of these mowers. I used it a couple of times before we got a regular mower. I thought it worked pretty good and was easy to use.