EcoRenovator - View Single Post - Ten observations on a full season of push reel lawn mowing

Weed Dog · 06-20-11, 09:45 AM

I bought a Task Force brand 18” reel mower last year from...was it Home Despot?...well, from one of the larger chain stores, and mow my small front and side yards with it. It is lightweight compared to the reel mower I used as a boy, and that lack of mass does have its' disadvantages.

Neil and other posters are right- many reel mowers will not provide as even a cut if the grass is allowed to get too tall.

Set the cutting height too low and that tall, thick grass can provide enough resistance that the main wheels slide, slowing or stopping the blade rotation and of course affecting the evenness of the cut. Wet grass has a similar affect.

Heavier (this often includes older) reel mowers that are well maintained can be less prone to the problem of having the main wheels slide over tall and/or wet grass.

S-F, for what it's worth, there is a bit of a macho factor attached to using a reel mower. Then again, you can look a bit Luddite, too...

06-20-11, 09:45 AM	#38
Weed Dog Lurking Renovator Join Date: May 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Reel Mower Notes I bought a Task Force brand 18” reel mower last year from...was it Home Despot?...well, from one of the larger chain stores, and mow my small front and side yards with it. It is lightweight compared to the reel mower I used as a boy, and that lack of mass does have its' disadvantages. Neil and other posters are right- many reel mowers will not provide as even a cut if the grass is allowed to get too tall. Set the cutting height too low and that tall, thick grass can provide enough resistance that the main wheels slide, slowing or stopping the blade rotation and of course affecting the evenness of the cut. Wet grass has a similar affect. Heavier (this often includes older) reel mowers that are well maintained can be less prone to the problem of having the main wheels slide over tall and/or wet grass. S-F, for what it's worth, there is a bit of a macho factor attached to using a reel mower. Then again, you can look a bit Luddite, too...