The lawn needs to be mowed, so I guess we'd better go buy a mower.

Yard is pretty good size, .38 acre. We're leave-it-on-the-lawn people,
so I guess we want a side discharge mulching situation, instead of a
rear bagger. Or I guess the option of switching? Some mowers seem to
have an easy tool-less change-over, and some not? What's involved with
changing it manually?

Also planning to do a combo of some leaf clean-up and some mulching of
the leaves, as per advice over on the gardening group. We've got woods
at the back, and lots of mature trees, and prefer a more rustic look
rather than the real manicured golf-course type situation. The grass is
going to be long and think, because, believe me, it's not going to get
mowed like clockwork every 5 days like the old guy across the street who
seems to have nothing else to do.

The Mister works full time and is going to school nights and weekends,
so it's likely I'll be doing the bulk of the yardwork for a couple of
years as I am home with the children, who are too small to assist in
such matters.

Engines - I see people here talking about Briggs and Stratton a lot.
Does that mean they're good or bad? Seems like everyone's asking how to
fix theirs, and we are not mechanically inclined in that way.

Here's what I'm looking at - Home Despot has a Toro #20016 for $299.
Large rear wheel self-propelled, etc. 6.5hp and 22in. I've got a $150
giftcard for HD, so this leans me in this direction, but I'm sure I
could come up with $150 of something else. They also have the Honda
mowers up on the site, but no prices. What are they going for, and do I
want one?

Lowes has a Troy-Bilt #183621 for $299. 6.75hp and 21". It's got the B&S
2 start ready start engine.

Sears has a few Craftsman mowers in that hp/in range, running $173-249,
all with B&S engines, I believe. They also have a Husqvarna for $269. I
thought they made sewing machines???

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

-Karen-

"dkhedmo" wrote in message
nk.net...
The lawn needs to be mowed, so I guess we'd better go buy a mower.

Yard is pretty good size, .38 acre. We're leave-it-on-the-lawn people, so
I guess we want a side discharge mulching situation, instead of a rear
bagger. Or I guess the option of switching? Some mowers seem to have an
easy tool-less change-over, and some not? What's involved with changing it
manually?

I've got a Honda with 3 options: Bag, mulch or side discharge. Changing it
is easy and you'll get more specifics when you read your instructions, or
when you get a demo.

Forget the chain stores. Open your yellow pages and find a store that
specializes in these things. You ***MIGHT*** pay more, but two years from
now, you'll feel smarter. You'll be able to get actual service, and the
faces you saw when you bought the mower will probably still be there.

Here's another reason to buy from a specialty shop: You said the grass is
going to be long and thick. AND...is the ground smooth, or is it bumpy like
many yards? If you're pressed for time, you might think you can mow faster.
Think again. With those two obstacles (long grass, bumpy ground), you need
to mow slower unless you have the right mower. Try asking people at the
chain stores which mower will handle these things best and you'll probably
end up with drool on your shoes.

You're probably going to spend more than $299.00.

dkhedmo writes:

The lawn needs to be mowed, so I guess we'd better go buy a mower.

Yard is pretty good size, .38 acre. We're leave-it-on-the-lawn people,
so I guess we want a side discharge mulching situation, instead of a
rear bagger.

Not necessarily. You can have both now. :-) There are mulchers now
that rear-bag as well by way of a rear full width door.

Or I guess the option of switching? Some mowers seem to
have an easy tool-less change-over, and some not? What's involved with
changing it manually?

with the craftsman mower I have, it's very simple. Pull up the back
door, put the bag on. Mulch: Pull bag off, spring loaded rear door
slams shut, voila.

Engines - I see people here talking about Briggs and Stratton a
lot. Does that mean they're good or bad? Seems like everyone's asking
how to fix theirs, and we are not mechanically inclined in that way.

Briggs are more forgiving with non-by-the-book maintenance.

Here's what I'm looking at - Home Despot has a Toro #20016 for
$299. Large rear wheel self-propelled, etc. 6.5hp and 22in.

#21 of 27 rated mowers by consumer reports.

But, Toro Recycler 20041 is a CR Best Buy, #6 rated among self
propelled, at $400. And Toro 20055 Super Recycler however was the #2
mower at $520.

I've got a $150 giftcard for HD, so this leans me in this direction,
but I'm sure I could come up with $150 of something else. They also
have the Honda mowers up on the site, but no prices. What are they
going for, and do I want one?

Hondas are well reviewed but expensive. #1 rates Honda HRX217HXA is
$700.

Lowes has a Troy-Bilt #183621 for $299. 6.75hp and 21". It's got the
B&S 2 start ready start engine.

Sears has a few Craftsman mowers in that hp/in range, running
$173-249, all with B&S engines, I believe. They also have a Husqvarna
for $269. I thought they made sewing machines???

I have a Craftsman mower with the large rear wheels, briggs engine,
and it's been good to me, despite apparently lousy reviews by CR.
It's a push mower though, not self propelled, but everything's flat
here.

--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

Consider a push reel mower. They are cheap and very light weight,
which is a big plus if you have to push it uphill. Since you aren't
going to be bagging anyway, why not? It's good exercise too.

Also planning to do a combo of some leaf clean-up and some mulching of
the leaves, as per advice over on the gardening group. We've got woods
at the back, and lots of mature trees, and prefer a more rustic look
rather than the real manicured golf-course type situation. The grass is
going to be long and think, because, believe me, it's not going to get
mowed like clockwork every 5 days like the old guy across the street who
seems to have nothing else to do.


....much deleted...

Sears has a few Craftsman mowers in that hp/in range, running $173-249,
all with B&S engines, I believe. They also have a Husqvarna for $269. I
thought they made sewing machines???

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.


Only thing I can say is, keep an eye on the wheel-size,
and on how high the deck can be lifted while still safely
mowing. Big wheels roll better on bumpy/littered ground,
and a higher-deck is useful if the grass gets overlong before
you get around to cutting it.

writes:

Consider a push reel mower. They are cheap and very light weight,
which is a big plus if you have to push it uphill. Since you aren't
going to be bagging anyway, why not? It's good exercise too.

For the OP's .38 acre for a person who said they definitely won't be
mowing it every 5 days and who's on time? You've got to be kidding.

And I've actually had a reel mower... in Texas, where it's crabgrass
anyway... on an 1/8 of acre and it worked great. Of course I got
strange looks from the Texan suburbanites who musta though "Yankee
thinks he can cut his grass without burnin oi'l?" I grew up in the
midwest with a hilly half acre with the thick green stuff as a
kid--and the TX postage stamp of dry crabgrass diddn't deserve an
internal combustion engine."

But in Chicagoland now, on quarter acre lots with long fast growing
lush gass, the reel mower is taking up space hanging in the garage.
Unless lawncare is your hobby, with the way grass grows in many parts
of the country a reel mower just isn't practical unless it's behind a
tractor on the golf course.

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

On 29 Sep 2006 13:09:08 -0700, wrote:

Consider a push reel mower. They are cheap and very light weight,
which is a big plus if you have to push it uphill. Since you aren't
going to be bagging anyway, why not? It's good exercise too.

Reel mowers don't work worth crap in tall grass.

"Goedjn" wrote in message
news

Also planning to do a combo of some leaf clean-up and some mulching of
the leaves, as per advice over on the gardening group. We've got woods
at the back, and lots of mature trees, and prefer a more rustic look
rather than the real manicured golf-course type situation. The grass is
going to be long and think, because, believe me, it's not going to get
mowed like clockwork every 5 days like the old guy across the street who
seems to have nothing else to do.


...much deleted...

Sears has a few Craftsman mowers in that hp/in range, running $173-249,
all with B&S engines, I believe. They also have a Husqvarna for $269. I
thought they made sewing machines???

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.


Only thing I can say is, keep an eye on the wheel-size,
and on how high the deck can be lifted while still safely
mowing. Big wheels roll better on bumpy/littered ground,
and a higher-deck is useful if the grass gets overlong before
you get around to cutting it.

Those features also help during times when the grass never seems to get
totally dry for 4 days at a time, but needs mowing.

dkhedmo wrote:
snip
-Karen-

make sure the height adjustment gows up to 2.5 inches

front-wheel drive self-propelled is easier to deal with- you can just
push on the handle a little to turn around or stop for a brief moment

side-discharge is useful because you can take off the mulching blade,
put the normal blade back on, and push the leaves into one spot in the
fall

Try to get a unit where the pull-start mechanism is all metal

D

I bought a Craftsman mulching mower 2 years ago for $170. It's not fancy
-- no bagging system, no throttle control, no self-propelled, etc.. It's
justa simple muclcing mower with a large engine -- Briggs and Stratton 6.5
horsepower. Powers through even thick, wet grass. I only mow every 10
days or so, not every 3 days like the retired dude next door.

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
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I bought a Troy Bilt 5.5 HP large rear wheel from Lowes. It has rear
bag which has a spring loaded door and a chute for side discharge. The
Honda engine is quiet and powerful and it onky cost $239. Craftsman
mowers looked cheaply made. You dont really even need self proplelled
for that size yard. It mulches well and bags well. I love it.

dkhedmo wrote:
The lawn needs to be mowed, so I guess we'd better go buy a mower.

Yard is pretty good size, .38 acre. We're leave-it-on-the-lawn people,
so I guess we want a side discharge mulching situation, instead of a
rear bagger. Or I guess the option of switching? Some mowers seem to
have an easy tool-less change-over, and some not? What's involved with
changing it manually?

Also planning to do a combo of some leaf clean-up and some mulching of
the leaves, as per advice over on the gardening group. We've got woods
at the back, and lots of mature trees, and prefer a more rustic look
rather than the real manicured golf-course type situation. The grass is
going to be long and think, because, believe me, it's not going to get
mowed like clockwork every 5 days like the old guy across the street who
seems to have nothing else to do.

The Mister works full time and is going to school nights and weekends,
so it's likely I'll be doing the bulk of the yardwork for a couple of
years as I am home with the children, who are too small to assist in
such matters.

Engines - I see people here talking about Briggs and Stratton a lot.
Does that mean they're good or bad? Seems like everyone's asking how to
fix theirs, and we are not mechanically inclined in that way.

Here's what I'm looking at - Home Despot has a Toro #20016 for $299.
Large rear wheel self-propelled, etc. 6.5hp and 22in. I've got a $150
giftcard for HD, so this leans me in this direction, but I'm sure I
could come up with $150 of something else. They also have the Honda
mowers up on the site, but no prices. What are they going for, and do I
want one?

Lowes has a Troy-Bilt #183621 for $299. 6.75hp and 21". It's got the B&S
2 start ready start engine.

Sears has a few Craftsman mowers in that hp/in range, running $173-249,
all with B&S engines, I believe. They also have a Husqvarna for $269. I
thought they made sewing machines???

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

-Karen-

Just buy a Toro Personal Pace and be done with it. Absolutely the last
mower you will ever want to own. Be sure to get the aluminum deck models,
their "high-end" line. And dealers are better than chain stores. They are
a bit more expensive than $299, but you will absolutely not regret it.



"dkhedmo" wrote in message
nk.net...
The lawn needs to be mowed, so I guess we'd better go buy a mower.

Yard is pretty good size, .38 acre. We're leave-it-on-the-lawn people, so
I guess we want a side discharge mulching situation, instead of a rear
bagger. Or I guess the option of switching? Some mowers seem to have an
easy tool-less change-over, and some not? What's involved with changing it
manually?

Also planning to do a combo of some leaf clean-up and some mulching of the
leaves, as per advice over on the gardening group. We've got woods at the
back, and lots of mature trees, and prefer a more rustic look rather than
the real manicured golf-course type situation. The grass is going to be
long and think, because, believe me, it's not going to get mowed like
clockwork every 5 days like the old guy across the street who seems to
have nothing else to do.

The Mister works full time and is going to school nights and weekends, so
it's likely I'll be doing the bulk of the yardwork for a couple of years
as I am home with the children, who are too small to assist in such
matters.

Engines - I see people here talking about Briggs and Stratton a lot. Does
that mean they're good or bad? Seems like everyone's asking how to fix
theirs, and we are not mechanically inclined in that way.

Here's what I'm looking at - Home Despot has a Toro #20016 for $299. Large
rear wheel self-propelled, etc. 6.5hp and 22in. I've got a $150 giftcard
for HD, so this leans me in this direction, but I'm sure I could come up
with $150 of something else. They also have the Honda mowers up on the
site, but no prices. What are they going for, and do I want one?

Lowes has a Troy-Bilt #183621 for $299. 6.75hp and 21". It's got the B&S 2
start ready start engine.

Sears has a few Craftsman mowers in that hp/in range, running $173-249,
all with B&S engines, I believe. They also have a Husqvarna for $269. I
thought they made sewing machines???

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

-Karen-

lawnboy silverpro 6.5 2 cycle, runs forever and will pull up a cliff.
Runs better 5 years later than when new. I think the 2 cycles cut
better...faster blade or something. I have thick st augustine.

the new ones look nice for thick wet grass with the big fat wheels,
quick fold handle...but think they're all 4 strokes now and lawnboy was
sold or something???

definently not the quietest mower but they all sound like noise
polution to me.

"shawn" writes:

lawnboy silverpro 6.5 2 cycle, runs forever and will pull up a cliff.
Runs better 5 years later than when new. I think the 2 cycles cut
better...faster blade or something. I have thick st augustine.

the new ones look nice for thick wet grass with the big fat wheels,
quick fold handle...but think they're all 4 strokes now and lawnboy was
sold or something???

definently not the quietest mower but they all sound like noise
polution to me.

Yeah, 2stroke engines are always hella loud, and hella smelly but put
out the most horses for the size/weight. Mixing the fuel is a pain in
the ass though.

--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

Not really. I had repairs to all three Toro Personal Pace mowers.
The wheel design is shabby. First the wheel gears wore out--they were
replaced under warranty. Second, the plastic wheels where they are
attached have cracked where there are ribs. These too under warranty,
but still, at 18 months old, should not do this. I take care of my
tools. But, Toro is a better value-buy than Honda.

On Fri, 29 Sep 2006 23:07:30 -0400, "Unrevealed Source"
wrote:

Just buy a Toro Personal Pace and be done with it. Absolutely the last
mower you will ever want to own. Be sure to get the aluminum deck models,
their "high-end" line. And dealers are better than chain stores. They are
a bit more expensive than $299, but you will absolutely not regret it.



"dkhedmo" wrote in message
ink.net...
The lawn needs to be mowed, so I guess we'd better go buy a mower.

Yard is pretty good size, .38 acre. We're leave-it-on-the-lawn people, so
I guess we want a side discharge mulching situation, instead of a rear
bagger. Or I guess the option of switching? Some mowers seem to have an
easy tool-less change-over, and some not? What's involved with changing it
manually?

Also planning to do a combo of some leaf clean-up and some mulching of the
leaves, as per advice over on the gardening group. We've got woods at the
back, and lots of mature trees, and prefer a more rustic look rather than
the real manicured golf-course type situation. The grass is going to be
long and think, because, believe me, it's not going to get mowed like
clockwork every 5 days like the old guy across the street who seems to
have nothing else to do.

The Mister works full time and is going to school nights and weekends, so
it's likely I'll be doing the bulk of the yardwork for a couple of years
as I am home with the children, who are too small to assist in such
matters.

Engines - I see people here talking about Briggs and Stratton a lot. Does
that mean they're good or bad? Seems like everyone's asking how to fix
theirs, and we are not mechanically inclined in that way.

Here's what I'm looking at - Home Despot has a Toro #20016 for $299. Large
rear wheel self-propelled, etc. 6.5hp and 22in. I've got a $150 giftcard
for HD, so this leans me in this direction, but I'm sure I could come up
with $150 of something else. They also have the Honda mowers up on the
site, but no prices. What are they going for, and do I want one?

Lowes has a Troy-Bilt #183621 for $299. 6.75hp and 21". It's got the B&S 2
start ready start engine.

Sears has a few Craftsman mowers in that hp/in range, running $173-249,
all with B&S engines, I believe. They also have a Husqvarna for $269. I
thought they made sewing machines???

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

-Karen-