Can anyone recommend a good non powered lawn mower?

[dennis thompson]

It looks like our purchase of a beach home could go through. The lawn is about the size of a postage stamp (makes me very happy) .Can anyone
recommend a good non power mower?
Thanks
Dennis

[Mitchell Andrus]

Coupla goats.
.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Where are you buying - I'll bring some beach chairs and beer.

Forget the chairs, more room for beer - and goats.

Seriously, my uncle has a house in Ortley Beach. I went for a party on a Saturday once. Never again. I asked him how they put up with the traffic. He said they don't move the cars on the weekends.

I've lived in NJ all my 53 years. I've been to the beaches on St Maarten more than I've been "Down the Shore" (New Jersey people know what that means). No interest at all.... too many people from NJ there. Yuk.

I hope you don't find traffic in summer to be a problem.
.

[dennis thompson]

Mitchell
I'm buying in Spring Lake, I'd invite you down but like you said you've lived your whole life in NJ & "too many NJ people yuk":)
Dennis
PS we are almost neighbors, I live in Madison

[Mitchell Andrus]

Mitchell
I'm buying in Spring Lake, I'd invite you down but like you said you've lived your whole life in NJ & "too many NJ people yuk":)
Dennis
PS we are almost neighbors, I live in Madison


They let you keep goats in Madison so bringing them with you to the shore should be a snap.

I've gotten some leads.... NUTS. I think I ruined the surprise.
.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Coupla goats.
.


Thanks a lot, Mitch - more beer on the monitor. I read your goat post before this one.

And - I'm with Ken F - you and I are not friends - don't even think about it.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Thanks a lot, Mitch - more beer on the monitor. I read your goat post before this one.

And - I'm with Ken F - you and I are not friends - don't even think about it.

No, really.... Mills River NC isn't too far from you in GA. I can get a price break at 50.....
.

[Paul Atkins]

I think this is the best value.

[Kent A Bathurst]

No, really.... Mills River NC isn't too far from you in GA. I can get a price break at 50.....
.

Sounds interesting - how many will fit in a flat rate box?

[David G Baker]

Goat meat makes great sausage. :D

[paul cottingham]

Whoever makes the mowers for Lee Valley makes a really nice machine.

[Mitchell Andrus]

All kidding aside....

My uncle in Ortley Beach replaced all of his lawn (postage stamp too) with beach stone or (I'm guessing... river stone?). Looks great, low maintenance.

Maybe better than dealing with any mower at all?
.

[Jack Wilson]

No goat jokes here. Anyway, garage sale, get one of those old two wheel spiral blade push mowers. Spiral blade...hmmm, these guys were the predecessors to the new rage in jointer and planer blade technology.

[Chris Kennedy]

I used a Scotts reel mower at my old place, and it was really nice. You can get them at Home Depot. That being said, I would always consider something sold by Lee Valley . . . .

Cheers,

Chris

[Dan Friedrichs]

I also have the Scotts one. Works fine. Really a lot of advantages over a gas unit if you have a small lawn (start/stop whenever you want, quiet, no need for gas and gas cans, no need to change oil, etc) - and it's just about as much work to push as a gas unit (it's lighter).

That said, the reel-type don't do well with taller grass or stiff weeds. If your lawn is sufficiently small, I'd recommend a good weedwacker.

[Jon Lanier]

Reel mowers can be found in most 'Box' Stores.

[Mike Cruz]

Sorry, double post...

[Mike Cruz]

I'm trying to figure out how you get a "non powered" mower?

It is powered by either gas, electricity, you, or grain/grass (goat reference)... :confused:

Unless you just pay someone else to do it...but then I suppose you could are that it is powered by cash. ;)

[Zach England]

I love push mowers. In my last house I had one and it was great. Unfortunately I don't remember what kind it was. I ripped up what little lawn I had a few years ago, but I almost want to plant some just to have a reason to get a push mower.

[Tim Morton]

http://www.cleanairgardening.com/brill-mower-package-38.html

[Pat Germain]

Whatever kind of manual mower you buy, I would recommend finding a good sharpener for it. When I was in the Navy, I lived in base housing for awhile. They told me I had to keep the lawn mowed and there was no excuse because I could check out a mower for free. "No problem," I thought.

HA! The free mowers were to the old, manual type that Wally & the Beave used. In fact, I think the one I got was the same mower they used. The blades were as dull as Al Gore and would not cut anything. Yet, I've seen them work fairly well when the blades are very sharp.

Have fun!

[Rob Fisher]

Reel mowers are the way to go. No noise. No gas. Just you pushing it. They typically come in a couple of different sizes and when I bought the one I have now (a 20" Scotts) it was cheapest from Amazon. They also sell sharpening kits but it is just valve grinding compound. The instructions can be found online.

Rob

[Mitchell Andrus]

Reel mowers are the way to go. No noise. No gas. Just you pushing it. They typically come in a couple of different sizes and when I bought the one I have now (a 20" Scotts) it was cheapest from Amazon. They also sell sharpening kits but it is just valve grinding compound. The instructions can be found online.

Rob

I've got 2 acres of lawn at the NC house. Even with a rider with a 50" deck it takes almost 3 hours.

You can have your cute little toy pusher mower. I use a MAN'S lawn mower and it burns 5 gallons of fossil fuel every time I cut the lawn. I can still feel the headache from the fumes. Ah..... good times.



<ducking for cover - be gentle, I'm old>
.

[Curt Harms]

but for small lawns a plug in electric mower works pretty well. No gas to store, always starts. Use a heavy enough cord and work out from the outlet. I've cut grass with mine that I surely wouldn't want to tackle with a reel-type push mower, too long & thick. The motor appears to run on 90 volts DC, seems to have a fair bit of torque, hmmmm.......

[Rob Fisher]

No, I completely understand. If I had that much lawn I would get a big 50" walk behind (cause I hate sitting) and run with it.

As it is, I live in an urban area and have a lawn that is literally the size of a postage stamp. I can mow my front and back yard in 10 mins with the 20" reel mower I have. The mower gets stored under the deck and takes up no space in my workshop. :D I also use hand pruning shears to edge the yard, sometimes I use the little electric jobby. The edging takes longer to do than the mowing.

My neighbor has the same size yard and uses a gas mower, I don't understand it at all. It takes him longer to refuel and start his mower than it does to mow his lawn. Plus all the nasty fumes from the hunk of junk he uses, just does not make any sense.

Rob


I've got 2 acres of lawn at the NC house. Even with a rider with a 50" deck it takes almost 3 hours.

You can have your cute little toy pusher mower. I use a MAN'S lawn mower and it burns 5 gallons of fossil fuel every time I cut the lawn. I can still feel the headache from the fumes. Ah..... good times.



<ducking for cover - be gentle, I'm old>
.

[Jerry Thompson]

148248 Heres a good one

[Mike Cruz]

HA! That's great! Wonder how well it works. Love the ingenuity...

But, again, this goes back to my original post...it is still powered...by YOU!

[Dave Lehnert]

http://www.promow.com/products/push_mower.htm