Author Topic: Badass lawn mowing  (Read 3997 times)

higginst

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Badass lawn mowing
« on: June 20, 2013, 05:21:56 PM »
I have to say, I've always felt a little badass that I haven't given into the temptation to buy a gas or electric mower to mow our (admittedly quite small) lawn.  We have a reel-type mower that was given to me by my brother-in-law 4 years ago when he got sick of using it. Well, the handle finally did the thing the so often do and was bending at the bottom and constantly slipping off. This had been going on forever but it was so bad, I couldn't use the mower any more.  I really wanted to buy a new one...maybe I'd upgrade to electric...or even gas.

I know MMM had welded one that someone was throwing away, but I don't have a welder or the skills. However, I did have piece of pipe that was big enough to fit around the weakened part of the handle. I cut the pipe to length, slipped it over, used some self-tapping screws to attach it to the handle in a couple places and voila: satisfactory operation. 

I felt very bad-ass mowing the very tough weedy-grasses that make up the lawn with a me-powered mower I had repaired!

binkley

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Re: Badass lawn mowing
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2013, 05:43:10 PM »
I have to say I feel more badass by having low-water, low-maintenance native plants instead of a lawn.

Joet

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Re: Badass lawn mowing
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2013, 06:04:12 PM »

velocistar237

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Re: Badass lawn mowing
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2013, 07:23:33 PM »
I have to say maybe if you had your own herd of goats that mowed your lawn and then milked them and sold the milk and become FI it would be more badass.

shusherstache

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Re: Badass lawn mowing
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2013, 09:01:41 PM »
Tennis grip tape works beautifully on reel mower handles, if you catch it before it's completely deteriorated.

George_PA

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Re: Badass lawn mowing
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2013, 11:05:59 PM »
yeah that was definitely a smart move to fix the handle;

I have to admit I have no idea how a self-tapping screw works or what it is but if the handle breaks again. Another way to fix it without welding is to put the other larger piece of pipe on top of the old part and drill holes through both pieces, you could then probably run bolts through the holes and make it sturdy;

higginst

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Re: Badass lawn mowing
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2013, 01:51:33 PM »
I have to say I feel more badass by having low-water, low-maintenance native plants instead of a lawn.

I think your "low-water" plants would drown where I live, but congrats!  My wife wants that too, but I like the way a lawn looks better.

Love the one upper pic!

Unfortunately, no livestock allowed where I live, so goats are out. That would be totally kick ass though! We used to have goats when I was a kid.

Tennis grip tape works beautifully on reel mower handles, if you catch it before it's completely deteriorated.

Great tip, I'll keep it in mind. The foam on my handle is still in pretty good shape for now.

yeah that was definitely a smart move to fix the handle;

I have to admit I have no idea how a self-tapping screw works or what it is but if the handle breaks again. Another way to fix it without welding is to put the other larger piece of pipe on top of the old part and drill holes through both pieces, you could then probably run bolts through the holes and make it sturdy;

Self-tapping screws are some of my favourite maintenance supplies.  The have a little drill point on the tip that drills through the metal to make a pilot hole for the rest of the screw. Soooo handy for so many repairs.  I actually wanted to use nuts and bolts, but didn't have the right ones on hand. When this repair fails, I'll probably do that.