lawnmowers

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Here's another in the $300 price range.

Anyone run a mower raged and told yourself you got your monies worth? That's the mower I want.

get the cheapest one out there
properly maintain it

anyone modded their mower to be remotely controlled? some 12V motors, receiver and transmitter kit with ECU's and few Li-Po packs and it should be doable, right?

>>1208729
To be honest, all the different brands look like they were built in the same factory and just given different paint jobs. The engines are easy and cheap to maintain, but most times a throwaway if something major breaks. Which usually doesn't happen if you maintain it.

I got a Honda mower as a housewarming gift. Way more than I would have paid on my own. Ten years later, it has never let me down.

>>1208732
What about a FPV headset for XTREEM MOWING ACTION

>>1208722
Buy by engine, not brand of mower.

Honda engines are wonderful but cost more. Briggs and Stratton are cheap and plentiful and you won't cry as much if you bend a crankshaft trying to mow a surprise boulder.

I run cheap mowers and they last many years because I change the fucking oil. Not hard.

>>1208722
Larger wheels are easier on rough terrain. Make sure it's a design you can tilt back with ease.

>>1208771
Agree with this guy on mantanance but just watch out for shit designs which break with maintenance. Some of the cheap chondas are so cheap air filter housings will break and you won't be able to get parts.

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mmmmm Lawnboy. Been running since 1995, parts still available. Carburetor rebuild kit was literately 3 parts.

Cast deck and self propelled, 2 cycle stank for the WIN

>>1208722
Old masports, back when they had reliable as shit briggs engines. Also honda, but new honda seems to have gone full professional landscaper lately.
Anyways find an old masport, learn how to work on 2 strokes, dont feed it shit, clean it and learn to sharpen blades and it will outlast you.
Im still going with my 95 masport.

>>1208722
The true /diy/ lawn mower is the $20-$100 one you got on Craigslist and fixed yourself because the dingas selling it couldn't get it to start. I have:
1) a 24" self-propelled craftsman I got for $40 because "I think the carb is broken" when the air filter was full of motor oil
2) 3 weed whackers for $35 (total) that all had clogged carb jets + one broken float
3) a two year old 20hp 48" craftsman riding mower for $20 that just needed to have the deck height selector mount welded back on (I think he stepped on it and broke it)

>>1208879
I had a 90s lawnboy 2 stroke, my father bought it used in the late 90s.
Did very little maintenance, if any at all to it. It sat outside in the rain and snow. The safety cable broke twice, the deck was cracked and broken but we rig repaired it.

Only when the blade mount on the shaft broke did we finally put it down.
We could have welded it, but it was in such used and abused shape my father used it as an excuse to buy new. He got his moneys worth out of it.

It still ran when it got thrown in the scrap bin

>>1208731
This.
Sharpening your blades regularly, changing the oil, filter, and spark plugs etc is way more /diy/ than just mowing your lawn like a typical clueless homeowner who doesn't even know blades should be sharpened until he can't figure out why his lawnmower isn't cutting the grass anymore.

>>1209621
>changing spark plugs
Does anyone actually still do this? I mean, this board is full of idiots some times, but really?
I don't care how cheap your plugs are, sand paper and a gapping tool are cheaper, not to mention quicker than a walk down the aisle at the hardware store.

>>1209691
Around once every 5 years or so I will, thats about the lifespan of most plugs, they tend to get brittle after that point. But yea I agree its retarded to replace it if your just not getting a spark.

>>1209621
>>1209691
geez. I do next to zero 'maintenence' on my old school mower and it's been going strong for the 20 years I've been in my house. the mower came with the house so who knows for how many years it was cutting the lawn here before me.
anyway, I add oil when the level drops a bit (have never drained and changed the oil). I might have changed the spark plug once - I don't even remember. I do sharpen the blade every season or if I know I hit something that would put a nice dig in it. I leave gas in it over the winter, no stay-bil or other additives. I've never had trouble starting it at the beginning of the new lawn cutting season. in fact this past spring it started on the first pull of the cord (yes it's an old pull start). you just can't beat (down) and old school Toro! I'm guessing it has to be a late 1970s model. maybe early 1980s... it could use some new rear wheels though, they are worn smooth.
I just laugh when people talk about how much work it is to keep a mower running.

>>1209718
4stroke or 2stroke?

>>1209718
>>1209719
Wait never mind, am retard.

>>1209718
>I just laugh when people talk about how much work it is to keep a mower running.

Well, it's nice that you can neglect your mower and never have an issue, but your laughter is based simply on your luck. I have a mower about as old as yours, and even though I added a fuel shutoff valve so I can run it dry each week, about once a year I have to disassemble the carb and shoot cleaner through all the passageways even though I never see any gunk or anything.

I envy your luck, but that's all it is.

>>1209726
so... 20+ years of "good luck"? I'll take it! (and keep on laughing) even if it does break (carb eventually needs a rebuild) no big deal - it's been 20+ YEARS of no work for cripes sake. at this point I almost EXPECT it to finally need some new gaskets or something!

yeah, I think running your gas tank dry might be causing your carb re-build problems. I had a 2nd mower (also Toro) many years ago I decided I'd do the "right thing" and run it dry at the end of the mowing season. sure as shit the carb was all screwed up next season and wouldn't start. that was the first (and last) time I did the 'run it dry' routine.
it's 4 stroke BTW. I don't add oil to the gas - just gas straight from the gas station pump (same as whats going into the cars). I think its a briggs and stratton motor?

>>1209718
the one odd thing is it won't run (well) with the air filter in - I run it with the air filter compartment box empty - there is a loose fitting lid on it. when I bought the house (the mower was included) the air filter box was empty. I later found the actual filter sitting on a shelf. I cleaned it up and put it in and the mower barely ran. took it back out and then it ran fine again. have left it out ever since (again 20+ years).

>>1209770
>I think running your gas tank dry might be causing your carb re-build problems

Well that's an interesting theory. Maybe I'll give it a try. I started doing it after I once found some jelly looking shit in the carburetor. Maybe my gasoline just sucks.

At any rate we both have mowers running long past their expiration dates, so that's cool.

>>1208722
Robotic mowers are the future anon.

I have a toro recycler self propelled.


It is ok.


I recently got an EGo trimmer , that thing kicks ass. It may make me switch to battery mower if the toro dies.

>>1208722
Bought a Poulan Pro because it has the big wheel in the back, it has a briggs motor, and it had a bag for like $200
The deck is falling apart after 2 years.

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>>1208722
Toro Timemaster.
30" bigmclargehuge pushmower. The personal pace feature is nice even though it needs tweaking sometimes. It's $1000 which will get you the shittiest chinese ride on mower, but it keeps me in shape and doesn't take up as much room and has a sturdy build and tempered parts. I can mulch and bag pretty much everything that's been thrown at it, the twin blades are good for everything just about. Also the back and forward wheels adjust with 2 levers on one side instead of 4 levers on every wheel, the handle also folds into three positions with a spring lever, no dicking around with threaded knobs or wingnuts. And the belt and pulley assembly is on the top underneath a shroud so you don't have to tip it over, everything's serviceable on the top except the blades.

Also my personal tip to everyone with a lawnmower:
Marvel Mystery Oil
Put some in the gas, put 20 percent in the oil change (and do change the fucking oil). When it burns it will lubricate the heads, injectors, sparkplug, carburator all the stuff that gunk builds up on. Non ethanol gas is nice, but expensive in some places. I personally use regular car gas with marvel in it and have never had a problem, it's good for your car too.
Clean the filters every now and then too, replace them every year.

>>1209777

Air filter was probably clogged.

But if it works, no problem.

>>1209831

Just rivet some sheet metal into the approximate shape and you are golden.

The problem with parts for mowers is that the engines tend to outlast everything else. So you'd find a million Briggs ex mower engines with no home for them.

>>1209890
This. 90% of parts you have the impulse to replace are serviceable with cleaning and tweaking. Air intake filters are not one of them.

>>1209770
Could be your carborator is so gummed up that your min and max are permanenly stuck in the goldy locks zone, and all the shit is also protection the gaskets.

>>1209840
Toro Super Recycler if you have a smaller lawn.

>>1209890
the filter itself is a green kind of open cell spongy kind of material. when I found it on the shelf it did have some dirt/gunk in the bottom portion. I cleaned it all out - this spongy material is cleanable. but still made the mower run like crap.
weird b'cuz when I was but a wee lad my dad had a roto-tiller with the same issue - ran fine with the air cleaner assembly completely off. one summer I found the air cleaner assembly for the tiller, cleaned it up, put it on the tiller but the damn thing wouldn't run for shit. took it off again and was immediately back in business.

>>1209926
possible - but ya know the golden DIY rule: if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

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>>1209807
I've seen robotic roomba type mowers in some of the fancier neighborhoods. I've seen companies contracted out by the city using giant remote controlled mowers to mow the slopes along the highways. Sort of like this but bigger.

>>1209987
You need to adjust your carb. It's running too rich.

...does anybody here use a scythe? I've been thinking about buying one, it seems like it's more physically taxing

>>1209988
>golden DIY rule
I always thought it went like "if it aint broke, fix it till it is"

>>1210006
Yea but are they decent mowers or just normie toys?

>>1210059
More of a toy I guess, Like a roomba. It might keep a small lawn short if you run it constantly.

>>1210016
The only benefit they have over a push mower (or a riding/self-propelled mower) is that with a big enough blade you can clear everything from tall grass to thick bushes to corn stalks without changing tools. Not the sort of thing you do more than once or twice a year, very slow, very cumbersome, and your cut will not be uniform. They are nice for clearing ditch before a burn though, so yes people still use them and they're commercially available.

>>1210173
Theyre pretty handy for gorse and clearing a fuck ton of thistles, after youve used the scythe go after the roots with a grubber.

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>>1208722
I mow about 12acres every week with a 53 Ford tractor, and a woods mower from the 70s.
I do preventive maintenance and that's about it. Strap a six pack cooler to the transmission and mow for a few hours after work is quite relaxing.

>>1210197
>12 acres
Why? Is there bushfires or something? Most ive ever to do in a week is 10.

>>1210206
My place
Church lot
Cemetery
Roadside ditches
I'm not forced to do this by any means, I just really like the way it looks.

>>1210016
I've used a scythe, it is not for a short grass though. for a tall grass where you want to keep the cut grass for hay of feeding fresh it is a nice hand tool

>>1210320
>I've used a scythe,

some people call it a scythe. I call it a slingblade. uhh huh.

I've cut many a grass with a slingblade. uhh huh.

lawnmower sure is better.

I use an corded electric lawnmower I bought at home depot years ago. Doesn't need gas or oil, runs quiet and cuts most anything I throw at it. I'm never going back to gas powered.

>>1208722
I have a Kubota. Bought the fucker back in 1993. Never will use a battery powered mower, friggin batteries are expensive and the mowers can't handle rough stuff without bogging down. Might get a corded mower if I ever move some place with a smaller yard.

>>1209923
Depends on the carb. I bodged an newer style air cleaner to a mower when my dad couldn't find a replacement filter. Just had to drill a couple holes so the bolts would fit. Now it uses a foam filter you can just wash out.

>>1208722

Lawn is fucking shit and I hate lawns. I'm in the process of digging up most of my yard so I can have a garden.

Fuck lawns. Sisyphean shit that is put to better use.

Any thoughts on toro riders? Going to look at one that my buddy is selling for 500 on Tuesday. I have a 2 stroke push toro now and it's great.

>>1210367
50th post best post

>>1210016
Dont think of it as a lawn mower, think of it as a really fragile weed wacker. Theyre better then pulling out thistles by hand but theyre certainly not the miracle tools people think they are.

>>1210367
as someone who has both - fuck garden. so much backbreaking work and for what? stuff that can be bought cheaply. "organic" argument is also bullshit, if you don't use chemicals, you don't have a crop or so little it makes even less sense. anyone who tells you something different is a liar.

lawn just needs a mowing and watering during droughts and that can be automated.

>>1208722
Haha I have that exact mower!
It seemed like the best buy at the time, and it's push so I figured there are less parts to break.
Only thing I would do differently the second time around is get the bigger engine, I had no idea mulching was so much more labor intensive for the mower.

>>1208722
Honda's lawnmowers, not just engines but the entire mower tends to be good. They tend to run for a long time, varying between 20-30 years if not poorly maintenanced. Of course there's the downside of poor availability of parts, in many cases when you start to have air suction problems with the seals, you have to make your own. As for why they are better on rough circustamces is due to the crankshaft being short from the bottom seal to the blade, during my career I've only seen a handful of Honda's with a twisted axle. So in conclusion: Honda's go long but they tend to be expensive and a nightmare to repair if parts aren't available.

But then again any briggs&stratton is great too, preferably older models with diaphgram carburetor due to them being extremely easy to fix and maintain.

Too tired to go over eveything but in terms of performance/price ratio, the list goes:
1. Honda 2. B&S (Stiga, viking, husqvarna etc) 3. Kohler (some stiga models)
To be fair the only things you want to keep far away from consideration are the ones that have "shit&go" engines (noname brands).

>>1210834
Oh and in addition: look for Jonsered's plastic body lawnmowers.
They go cheap, don't have useless crap to them, just a simple body with a B&S engine.

>>1210788

Laws are useless shit.

>>1208771
>Honda engines are wonderful but cost more.

Yes. Honda is an engine company that just happens to make other things.

>Briggs and Stratton are cheap and plentiful and you won't cry as much if you bend a crankshaft trying to mow a surprise boulder.

They have a finite life, due to the entire carbeurator mechanism being made of little rubber flappy membrane things. Use a B&S every day, it will need a rebuild in five years. Leave it in the shed and use it exactly once.... it will need a rebuild in five years.

>>1210834
>But then again any briggs&stratton is great too, preferably older models with diaphgram carburetor due to them being extremely easy to fix and maintain.
easy, maybe, but you'll be doing it constantly. Fuckin' hate those things.

>>1208722
A Honda mower will last you 20+ years, my mower was my aunts and she had it since I was a young fella. It is well over 20 years old. You pay more but you cant get a better mower. Like all engines they like to be serviced to last a long time.

>>1209777
You should put one of those boy racer pod filters on it. That would be sweet.

>>1209795
Try to get the fuel without ethanol some carbs don't like it.

>>1209840
Gotta love the mesh type catcher, I hate kicking the plastic one all the time

>>1210197
Did you get up into a tree to take that photo?

>>1210878
>Laws are useless shit.
But without laws there'd be ANARCHY!

>>1210225

3 questions:

Do you sell propane and propane accessories?

Do you tell me whut?

Is that boy right?

>>1211052
no, he's Errol childress

>>1208879
Can confirm, have 2 of these. One aluminum deck and the other steel I believe. No priming needed, most of the time choke isn't either.

>>1211018
Approximately once a year, sometimes withing a longer interval. They're cheap tho.
Depends who you ask, in my opinion it's worth

>Be me
>Get new house in the city
>Fairly small yard since city and flower beds and garden
>Going to get a battery or plug in mower because yard isn't big
>GF's parents buy gas mower as house warming present
>GF can't start it
>I fucking hate mowing and maintaining lawns
>Start to plant clover and slow growing grass so I don't have to mow that cunt 1-2 times a week
>GF's dad comes by one day while I'm out of town and puts down a weed and feed killing all my clover
>Spreads some bullshit mix of fast growing and hot weather grasses down because he's retired and loves fucking working on his yard
>Have to mow the lawn 2 times a week for the whole following summer because it fucking grows like a plague
>This spring it looks like shit because the warm weather grass is totally dormant in a Minnesota spring.

I really need to plant more flowers and vegetables to get rid of that damn lawn.

>>1211433
AstroTurf, nigga.

Looking at a friskars self sharpening reel mower. My dad wants to buy me a battery powered kyobo mower as a housewarming gift for $200 which would be the same price as the friskars. But I figure I'd save money by not spending the electricity on charging the batteries of the one dad wants to get me.

>>1211642
Yes save that 15 cents.

>>1209822
>EGo
I've got the blower, weed wacker, and now the lawn mower. It's quite and has headlights so I can mow at night when it's not 100*

>>1211642
Get a robot mower.

>>1211642

>REEL MOWER

I hope you dont have ANY twigs of ANY size in your lawn.

Or leaves.

Or big weeds.

Or grass thicker than a playing card.

Reel mowers suck, and there is a reason we don't use them anymore.

>>1211642
see >>1211672

reel mowers are only good if you are mowing 0.25 acre and suck ass for anything else

get a nice gas or electric

Got a fucked weed whacker for $2, gonna pick it up in the morning, you lot can talk me through the fix.

>>1208722
electric landscaping tools are fucking dogshit regardless of brand

>>1211017
Carbs cost like $10 for them though and you can find B&S stuff on craigslist all day.

>>1211846
Weed whackers are consumables, honestly. You see them in the trash all the time and its not worth picking them up.

>buying a mower
>not finding one on trash day and fixing it