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The Great Big Lawnmower Thread

aoifski

I'd appreciate some advice about lawns and lawn mowers. We have about 1/4 -1/3 an acre of lawn. Top soil was put down when we moved in about 4 years ago, not the best stuff - quite stoney. We raked but did not rotovate it at the time, and then rolled and then sowed a lawn.

It's ok - the surface is a bit rough still and not flat. We have a petrol rotary at the moment and it takes quite a while to cut all this grass. And it grows like wildfire in the spring/summer.

We want to buy new rideon mower and I am all for buying a tractor mower to spin around the lawn in as little time as possible.

My husband has gotten it in his head somehow that he wants this manicured lawn, and wants to buy a petrol powered cylinder mower - the ones used for cricket and golf greens! Believe me our lawn and surface is far from this!

Questions:

To get even surface with manicured lawn would we have to rotovate and completely redo the surface/soil and resow?
Presumably a cylinder mower (self propelled) is totally unsuitable for what we have right now?
Any tractor mower recommendations for a nice cut which will appease my husband?!

Thanks in advance!

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glic83

Stiga Collector woks out at 190 including delivery, but has free oil with it, reviews seem decent, I take it their own brand engines are decent? It's a toss up between this and the one in Woodies with the B&S engine.

red bull

I need a ride on that can pass through a 36 inch garden gate, I thought a mountfield 1530h was the answer but a dealer told me they were only a toy ! Could I have some of your views please

deezell

red bull wrote: »

I need a ride on that can pass through a 36 inch garden gate, I thought a mountfield 1530h was the answer but a dealer told me they were only a toy ! Could I have some of your views please

An 84cm cut mower with a 90cm overall width will squeeze through a 36" (92.44cm) gate. At that cutting width there are toys out there, but also some serious mowers. This castegarden is a good start, at the higher end of 84cm cut mowers.
https://www.agrieuro.co.uk/castelgarden-xdc-140-hd-ride-on-mower-with-hydrostatic-gear-shift-grass-collector-p-10190.html

deezell

red bull wrote: »

I need a ride on that can pass through a 36 inch garden gate, I thought a mountfield 1530h was the answer but a dealer told me they were only a toy ! Could I have some of your views please

The mountfield btw is just a clone of a Castelgarden, with a GGP brand engine. GGP make Castelgarden, Stiga, Alpina, Mountfield. There sre 10 84cm variants on the Agrieuro site of the first three brands.

dar_cool

Changed my mulching only John Deere x110 for a Husqvarna that collects the grass. The difference in the finish is unreal. Don't know why I waited so long to change.

deezell

dar_cool wrote: »

Changed my mulching only John Deere x110 for a Husqvarna that collects the grass. The difference in the finish is unreal. Don't know why I waited so long to change.

Nice new sharp blades make a difference. Blunt blades leave bruised cut ends, and are especially detrimental to good mulching. Are you happy with the Husky? They were getting a few negative vibes here recently, though always considered to be the premium end of the market.

dar_cool

deezell wrote: »

Nice new sharp blades make a difference. Blunt blades leave bruised cut ends, and are especially detrimental to good mulching. Are you happy with the Husky? They were getting a few negative vibes here recently, though always considered to be the premium end of the market.

Yeah I had replaced blades on the John Deere and finish was still poor.
Yes I bought it 2nd hand. It has the Kohler 2 cylinder engine which aren't suppose to be the most reliable unit but it has over 200 hours on it and still going so can't be that bad. Also the hydrostatic units are suppose to be poor enough but this one seems fine. I replaced the deck belt and serviced the engine and it seems 100%. I wouldn't say they are premium but middle of the road. Happy with the purchase though

monkeynuz

red bull wrote: »

I need a ride on that can pass through a 36 inch garden gate, I thought a mountfield 1530h was the answer but a dealer told me they were only a toy ! Could I have some of your views please

Etesia Bahia 80cm cut and a fantastic piece of machinery.

deezell

monkeynuz wrote: »

Etesia Bahia 80cm cut and a fantastic piece of machinery.

€7000?

https://www.ronsmith.co.uk/etesia-bahia-hydro-80-mkhp-professional-ride-on-mower.html

monkeynuz

deezell wrote: »

€7000?

https://www.ronsmith.co.uk/etesia-bahia-hydro-80-mkhp-professional-ride-on-mower.html

That’s the hydro 80, the professional one that I’ve got, the Bahia starts at €5000 ish they have the euro price list on the etesia Uk website

monkeynuz

I think Grillo do an 80cm machine as well

fryup

do the Etesia only come in rear engine body?

monkeynuz

fryup wrote: »

do the Etesia only come in rear engine body?

The 80cm the engine is under the seat they also do they hydro 100 with front engine and that is about €11k

But all very good mowers and collect well in the wet.

monkeynuz

You can also rear eject with the 80cm by just knocking the bottom out of the grass box!

fryup

what makes them so highly regarded?

glic83

glic83 wrote: »

Stiga Collector woks out at 190 including delivery, but has free oil with it, reviews seem decent, I take it their own brand engines are decent? It's a toss up between this and the one in Woodies with the B&S engine.

Just spotted there is a Webb lawnmower with a sanli engine in offer in the co-op for 159 down from 229, is that any good or would one of the other 2 be better?

https://www.coopsuperstores.ie/Garden/Lawnmowers/Petrol-Lawnmowers/Webb-Classic-Push-Petrol-Lawnmower--40cm-1714015

my3cents

glic83 wrote: »

Just spotted there is a Webb lawnmower with a sanli engine in offer in the co-op for 159 down from 229, is that any good or would one of the other 2 be better?

https://www.coopsuperstores.ie/Garden/Lawnmowers/Petrol-Lawnmowers/Webb-Classic-Push-Petrol-Lawnmower--40cm-1714015

Thats essentially the same as the other Lidl/Woodies push mowers we were talking about earlier. It will be a handy machine for a small garden and very handy for doing awakward corners and edges you can't get with a ride on for large gardens.

At that price its a good deal. Ignore the historically good brand name its no better than the Lidl or Woodies brand but the mower is still fine.

glic83

my3cents wrote: »

Thats essentially the same as the other Lidl/Woodies push mowers we were talking about earlier. It will be a handy machine for a small garden and very handy for doing awakward corners and edges you can't get with a ride on for large gardens.

At that price its a good deal. Ignore the historically good brand name its no better than the Lidl or Woodies brand but the mower is still fine.

Yeah it's more the price than anything else 160 for the same thing instead of paying 190/ 200 respectively, I would pay the 190 for the stiga if it's worth it

my3cents

glic83 wrote: »

Yeah it's more the price than anything else 160 for the she thing instead of paying 190/ 200 respectively I would pay the 190 for the stiga if it's worth it

Hard to say essentially they are all very similar chinese made machines with different engine and wheel variation. I've not checked but I'd also guess that the Briggs engine on some of them is also chinese but quality control should be better. If you aren't going to leave your lawn and let it get too long then the engine power isn't an issue.

All have steel decks which if treated well kept clean and dry (painted if necessary) will last. Similarly looking after the engine keeping it clean and dry with regular oil changes (first one normally after a few hours use) will extend the machines life. Wheels can be a week point after a lot of use but you can get replacements.

I can't really recommend one over another. I tend to abuse them not give them a lot of tlc and buy a new one ever 4-5 years. Its just cost me more for ONE spare part for a Honda ride on than I paid for a brand new one of these type of machines.

monkeynuz

fryup wrote: »

what makes them so highly regarded?

The original design of the hydro 100 was fairly radical as it had a very straight through design to the grass bag with no obstructions so they generally have the best wet collection of any ride on mower.

Also they are very well built.

Anything else feel free to ask but also watch some YouTube videos of them.

Berberis

Berberis wrote: »

Have to eventually bite the bullet and get a ride on.
Have a little over a good half acre in the front and another quarter acre out the back and have being walking behind a mower 3hrs a week for past 20 odd yrs.

Was looking at this Stiga Estate 610HW https://www.agrieuro.co.uk/stiga-estate-6102-hw-ride-on-mower-hydrostatic-transmission-grass-collector-mulching-kit-p-10567.html on the Agrieuro site with few extras thrown in, including a small trailer and maintenance kit. for €3262.50

Just thought I'd give some feedback to yee re my order with Agrieuro.

Mower arrived last Friday (was due the Friday before but apparently there was delays in Italy due to Easter festivities)
It was delivered by Johnston's logistics who rang the day before to confirm delivery and driver rang me an hour before he arrived.

Getting it off the pallet wasn't too bad, I basically cut some of the timber lathes from the rear of the pallet and rolled the mower backwards off the pallet.

Had to screw on steering wheel (10 minutes) Screw on Bumper (20 minutes for 4 awkward self tappers) Slide seat on (2 minutes) bolt on the grass catcher bag retaining bar and the Tow bar (10 minutes) and then charge battery. I put the battery on charge once I had the seat attached. Note the battery charger plug is European 2 prong and lucky enough I had an EU to Ire plug adapter.

Most time consuming assembly was the grass catcher bag, Took about an hour. and the free trailer which took approx. 3 hours (close to 100 nuts and bolts in the assembly of the trailer)

Got to use it today and I am well impressed, I used the grass catcher on the front garden (little over half acre) and I had it cut in less than 40 minutes where it used to take me close to 2 hours with the walk behind power mower. Plus the finish looks brilliant. Hasn't looked like that in over ten years.

Use the mulcher on the grass out the back and around the fruit trees and again it was so quick and finish was better than the power mower
.
I should add that I haven't cut the grass for just over two weeks as I was expecting the ride on last week and my motivation for cutting the grass with the walk behind mower was well gone so both front and back grass was a little high to say the least.

The trailer that came with it is very handy. I put one of the 1 ton sand/gravel bags into it and filled it with the grass clippings for moving it off the lawn down to the back. (8 trips needed, so it saved my back from a lot of unnecessary pulling and dragging of the bag)

Should have bought one years ago:):)

49801

Any recommendations for paint for steel deck?
1) Hammerite
2) rust inhibitor primer
3) Expoxy paint

Must be a brush paint (or aerosol)

deezell

49801 wrote: »

Any recommendations for paint for steel deck?
1) Hammerite
2) rust inhibitor primer
3) Expoxy paint

Must be a brush paint (or aerosol)

Brush on red oxide primer or coloured all in one rust paint. Lowe, Rustins, Jonnstons, Hammerite etc. Use a hammer to loosen big rust flakes/deposits if it's in a bad state. A wire brush after. Scrape off blistered pair with obvious rust underneath.

fryup

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

you really need it on one those hoists, to paint it properly

my3cents

fryup wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

you really need it on one those hoists, to paint it properly

Take the deck off?

my3cents

deezell wrote: »

Brush on red oxide primer or coloured all in one rust paint. Lowe, Rustins, Jonnstons, Hammerite etc. Use a hammer to loosen big rust flakes/deposits if it's in a bad state. A wire brush after. Scrape off blistered pair with obvious rust underneath.

For underneath the deck where no one is looking a good Aluminium primer mixed 50/50 with Owtrol is a handy paint over already rusted surfaces once the flaky bits have been removed. Owtrol and Red Oxide also works. The Owtrol gets into existing rust better than paint alone.

Krombopulos Michael

deezell wrote: »

Brush on red oxide primer or coloured all in one rust paint. Lowe, Rustins, Jonnstons, Hammerite etc. Use a hammer to loosen big rust flakes/deposits if it's in a bad state. A wire brush after. Scrape off blistered pair with obvious rust underneath.

Do I need to paint a new mower for preventive maintenance or wait a few years?

fryup

my3cents wrote: »

Take the deck off?

too hard

my3cents

fryup wrote: »

too hard

Depends on the mower. Its a real pain on my Honda but was dead easy one some other mowers I've used including some John Deeres and Snappers.

One of these might help https://www.amazon.co.uk/lifter-Lifting-Device-Garden-Tractor/dp/B00OV5JKLK/

my3cents

Krombopulos Michael wrote: »

Do I need to paint a new mower for preventive maintenance or wait a few years?

No but if you paint it then you have to clean it first. On any mower thats the most important bit. You can touch up any bare metal areas at the same time then after a season or so paint the whole underneath. Nothing to stop you doing that before you even use the mower and some people do. The main deck area isn't normally the problem its that edges of the deck, areas that are in contact with the ground and areas that take the main flow of grass (chute) that need painting and those you can paint as often as you like.