@kmccune " My favorite lawn mower was a 2cycle Lawn Boy" . My favorite as well, although ours wasn’t self propelled. My dad bought a LawnBoy when I started high school back in 1955. It was one of the easiest to use mowers I ever operated. The instruction manual showed a complete breakdown of the engine and I “overhauled” the engine a couple of times–piston rings, magneto points, carburetor needle and seat, gaskets and a spark plug. I would break the glaze on the cylinder wall with crocus paper after pulling out the piston, fit new rings on the piston, pull the flywheel and install the points and take the caruburetor apart and put in new gaskets. Before the LawnBoy, we had a RotoHoe where the rototiller would be removed and the engine would power a mower called a RotoCutter. This unit was hard to push, When the cutter wore out, we used the rototiller part and got the LawnBoy. Even so, the RotoCutter was better than the push type reel mower that we had. When I was in elementary school, two of my friends and I had a lawn mowing service. We attached a rope to the front of the reel mower and two pushed while one pulled with the rope. When our parents all got power mowers, the “mowing company” went out of business. One or even two of us couldn’t push the reel mower through the thick Kentucky bluegrass.
Ironically, I don’t like to mow and my wife loves to mow. However, we have a mower that I paid $100 for back in 1988 and there is no way that I am going to let her mess up the mower. (Actually, I keep her away from the mower because she has had two foot surgeries and two rotator cuff surgeries). I would really like to have another lightweight LawnBoy like the one my dad bought in 1955, but they don’t make this model with the magnesium deck and the 2 stroke engine.
I use a garden tractor because of the versatility. I can pull the sweeper, dethatcher, cart, trailer etc. around to where I need it. Plus I’ve got a dozer blade for snow and dirt as needed and has come in handy at times doing landscaping work. Also have a bucket for it when I need to move a lot of dirt. So I couldn’t live without my mower. Use a snow blower mostly in winter but when packed snow builds up, scraping it off with the blade is the easiest way.
Lordy Triedaq,we are in the process of doing a new headquarters and shop for Dominion Power,one of the adjacent land owners is a hoarder,that used to have a lawn mower and small engine repair business,he literally had dozens of lawnboys among other types of mowers around his shop.We had to pick mowers up and toss them out of the way I imagine some of these mowers were still good ,because he would repair them and people wouldnt come pick them up.He has stuff around there you wouldnt believe.Has anyone seen a “Blue grass” magnesium deck mower? I guess it was made by “Belknap”,it had an upright Briggs& Stratton engine and ran a twisted v-belt to drive the blade.-Kevin
We live on the side of a mountain in the woods, so exercise is just an open door away. Everything is twice as hard as it was before living in a development. I didn’t think I had but ten more years when we first moved in doing everything by hand and wheel barrel. Since we started owning full size tractors 16 years ago, we feel we can survive in this area till our middle 70s.
Splitting wood with a maul Is the second best tone up I ever had, first was tae kwan do, one hour of yoga related stretching exercises and 1 hour of workout, I dropped out at brown belt because the next step was full contact no gloves, boots or chest protector, I felt confident but did not want to cripple anyone for a belt.
Ballroom dancing too. Nothing like getting a three minute hug while exercising.
That’s nothin’! I get out in 105 degree weather to mow my grass without any stinkin’ mower. I just get on my hands and knees and crawl across the lawn chewing on the grass as I go. Push mowers are for wussies!
“I just get on my hands and knees and crawl across the lawn chewing on the grass as I go”.
@Whitey–I always heard that grass was to be smoked and not chewed.
They chew tobacco too, don’t they?
Whitey…before (chewing) mowing, do you apply weed control or fertilizer ?
Triedag…I won’t embarrass you college types and ask how you got the idea that grass was better smoked then chewed.
I hear smoking grass will lead to heavier problems, so I “just say no” and eat it instead. I like mine with just the right amount of Scott’s Turf Builder fertilizer because it leaves no aftertaste. Scott’s Weed n’ Feed leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
I might have to stop though. I’ve started running at red objects head first, and I’ve started cheering loudly for the bull whenever I go to bull riding events. The other audience members don’t seem to like it when I celebrate the bull rider getting trampled or knocked unconscious. My fellow audience members me hangin’ when I try to high-five them. Was it somethin’ I said?