Now you're cutting with gas
News, Technical ·Sunday May 17, 2009 @ 19:38 EDT (link)
I finally broke down and got a gas mower: a Toro 20333 (from Home Depot, and I was fortunate to buy it during a 10% off sale on Toro power lawn products). I read several reviews and comparisons online; I considered Honda and Craftsman as alternates, but read a few bad reviews about Hondas (such as tipping them causing them to fail, and my yard is slanted in places), and Toros were conveniently on hand at my local Home Depot (Redmond). The lawn and garden guy there (Wendell) was very helpful; the first time I went there their system shows 21 in stock but nary a one to be found (there had been one when I called the day before, but it sold); but they got them in the next day.
I manhandled it down from the shelf (the employee wasn't allowed to help me; maybe store or union rules?), paid, and wheeled it to the car on a trolley; getting it to the car in a cart was easy; getting it in less so. I got it into the trunk as far as I could (it still stuck out a ways). I also considered putting it in the back seat, but even with the seat forward there wasn't space to get it in (2-door). So I went with the back, and used a bungee cord to hold the trunk down. It was pretty solidly in; I wasn't all that worried. Even Novelty Hill and Stephens presented no danger to stability. (Yes, a truck would have been easier. I don't have a truck. Maybe if I move back to the South.)
Putting it together was simple: pull out the handle, pop the blade brake handle into the handle, then remove two knobs from the body, put the handle on, and tighten the knobs. I added the provided oil, and picked up some regular gasoline later on (it appears to take about a quarter gallon, and I had a gallon can I'd bought for a rented pressure washer a few years back).
It started first pull (as advertised—I think they have a guarantee to this effect), and I mowed a path through my lawn, which was 18-22" today (I'd ignored it for a while). Even this new mower had some trouble with that (I was going to bag, but the first strip mowed filled the bag; tried to "recycle" the clippings (mulch) but it kept stalling, so eventually I put on the side discharge chute and all was well (carved up the grass like a knife through butter), although I'll need to rake the several inches of clippings covering the lawn later.
I tried out both the blade brake clutch (BBC) (also called the blade override system, BOS): it disengages the motor from the blades. For the same price I could have gotten an electric starter, but I think I made the right choice: disengaging the blade allows for clearing out grass that would normally require stopping the mower; the mower starts easily; and electric starter systems have a reputation for going kaput.
In short, this mower is insanely great; my electric mowers would have died after hitting the first patch of grass. As Tim Taylor says: "More power!" was needed, and obtained. (Certainly I don't generally expect a mower to be able to cut almost 2' high grass, but it's not normally that high and I still have to make several passes with my electric mower; the rechargeable one can't even do my small lawn before dying, and managing the cord for the other one is no fun at all; I'd rather pay for gas.) Further updates (maintenance etc.) as events warrant.
I finally broke down and got a gas mower: a Toro 20333 (from Home Depot, and I was fortunate to buy it during a 10% off sale on Toro power lawn products). I read several reviews and comparisons online; I considered Honda and Craftsman as alternates, but read a few bad reviews about Hondas (such as tipping them causing them to fail, and my yard is slanted in places), and Toros were conveniently on hand at my local Home Depot (Redmond). The lawn and garden guy there (Wendell) was very helpful; the first time I went there their system shows 21 in stock but nary a one to be found (there had been one when I called the day before, but it sold); but they got them in the next day.
It started first pull (as advertised—I think they have a guarantee to this effect), and I mowed a path through my lawn, which was 18-22" today (I'd ignored it for a while). Even this new mower had some trouble with that (I was going to bag, but the first strip mowed filled the bag; tried to "recycle" the clippings (mulch) but it kept stalling, so eventually I put on the side discharge chute and all was well (carved up the grass like a knife through butter), although I'll need to rake the several inches of clippings covering the lawn later.