OK, think way back as far as you can and tell me; what type of lawn mower was the first one you ever used? The first one I ever used was a push type reel mower. They were just about perfect for small lawns. No gas needed and a lot lower noise level, although the blades and gears did make a lot of sound. The gears were used to turn the blades (shaped like a horizontal drum) at a high speed and in the proper direction. The energy was acquired by physically pushing the unit so the wheels would turn and drive the gears that turned the blades that cut the grass that. . . .
As I said above, this type of mower was just about perfect for small lawns, but it wore you plumb out to cut a half acre or more. Just before I started school, we moved to a nice place out in the country. Our property snuggled up to the woods, where I spent a huge proportion of my time. My Dad and I found out that it took way too much time and energy to try to keep this new place cut with the old push type reel mowers, and yes they were real mowers, too. My Dad purchased a motorized reel type mower, and it was also self-propelled. All you had to do was hang on and try to get it pointed in the right direction. It was a lot to handle for a small boy, but it was fun. Funny isn’t it, when we were young a lot of things were fun then that turned in to work as we aged some.
Then they came out with the rotary mower. You had to push it, but the blade spun parallel to the ground instead of perpendicular like the reel type. Since the spinning blade was powered by a motor, the pushing part was easier than the old push reel mower because you didn’t have to provide the energy for the blades. It was just so much easier to use and did a great job. Maybe not as good a job as the reel type mower, but considering how much easier it was to handle, my vote was for it. But somehow, I miss the old push reel mower. . .nah. . . What about you?
Gonna be another 100 plus day here today, but you all have a good day today, you hear?
One rv park furnished a lawn mower to cut the grass at your site. I told them I use Roundup on the grass if I take care of it. We agreed I did not want to stay there.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I'm turning into a full-timer is no more yard work. Also, no more house maintainance and NO MORE PROPERTY TAX. Plus a lot of other reasons.
ReplyDeleteYep Barney, I can understand that. But for me it is a way to get some forced exercise. With this drought, there is nothing to cut. You must have dumped your Roundup here. . .
ReplyDeleteMichael, better not stop the "house" maintainance when you go full time or you may be stopped dead in your tracks.
I have played with the reel mowers, and seriously considered buy one of the gang mowers from a golf course and pull it with my JD!! BUT too many twigs, limbs and the like. So I'm committed to my big ole honking JD riding mower
ReplyDeleteYes, as a kid I mowed my Granda's small front yard in town with a push reel mower.
The first mower I ever used was a hoe and I hated it. A full acre of weeds to keep mowed. Next came the reel mower and I wasn't crazy about it either because it was about as much work as hoeing. Self propelled rotary mower or riding mower for me. Of course down here its back to a damn hoe and grubbing hoe if I need to mow something.
ReplyDeleteBen, the JD is the way to go, but we all had to pay our dues.
ReplyDeleteDavid, Hoeing can be pretty tuff. I learned to use a mowing scythe (the kind with the straight handle) and could mow grass as good as a lawn mower no matter how high the grass was.