Walk behind Mow Faster

[Two-Stroke]

...

mods i did to my push mowers:
- increased driving wheel diameter (glued strips of rubber from old tire around drive wheels) - increased speed;
- shortened handle, so you can turn mover around 180 on the spot with one hand - "short throw" (it's self-propelled, you don't need long handle and walk around whole mower just to turn it..)

Clever ideas -- I like the second one particularly.

 

[slowermower]

Hi, I'm writing from Australia having just purchased a second hand 22" Dwyer Felton reel mower. Great cond (~6 yrs old) and equipped with ?4hp Kawasaki motor. Problem is I've never owned or used a reel mower before and I'm looking for some tips. Despite being a commercial machine I really only want to use it on my lawn at home ?wintergreen ?couch aiming for that bowling green like finish?! Problems:
(1) doesn't cut even slightly long (2-3") lawn, motor just stalls as the blades can't turn. Maybe the previous owner had the cut set too low, but eventually I'm aiming for the low cut look and this machine is a real hassle to adjust the height on.
(2) bloody heavy and I'm struggling to move it around my yard (~2000sqm) when it's not actually cutting, usually resulting in me restarting it and driving it everywhere, which is a bit of a nuisance over driveways, gravel etc, and probably harmful to the machine
(3) single lever-arm clutch which takes a bit of getting used to and a leap of faith the first time you engage the engine and it takes off at 100 miles per hour. If it gets away from you I'm not sure what will stop it as there's no emergency shut-off or auto-release. Thankfully, this seems to be getting better with practice.
(4) was told from the previous owner that the blades need sharpening, however, it seems to cut ok and many forums suggest these machines are self-sharpening so maybe it's not necessary. How often would you suggest getting my mower professionally serviced, as I can't afford to have it live in the shop?
Kind regards

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

WELCOME TO LMF!
People take their mowers into the shop a different amount of times....some only maybe once or twice a year to get the blades sharpened (if no other problems occur). There are many factors that determine how often you will need to sharpen your blades--including the amount you mow and if you hit a lot of sticks. It is good to do regular maintenance more often though; like cleaning the air filter, changing oil, etc.
Maybe you could post some pictures of your mower.
:welcome:

 

[KennyV]

That IS a great mowing machine, none better...
But you will Not be able to get the type of cut you want, or that it was designed to do, If you are going much above 1 inch...
As to sharpening, take a close look at the rotating blades, if they are showing any rounding, especially the leading edge, you will have to grind them true, lathe works best. Once all are true, they will self sharpen, you can use valve grinding compound to lapp them in, it will help speed the process, just be sure the bed knife is true, and watch the leading edge of the blades...
....being as how your only mowing about a half acre, You should have no problems keeping it sharp for 10 years or so, before you need to true on a lathe again...
There is not much you can do about the speed... those mowers were designed to cover a Lot of ground FAST...
If you read from the Start of this thread you would be familiar with "Lizard" He was one of the early members to these forums, one of Your countrymen... And a very knowledgeable fellow, especially about your mower & the type of greens you are after... (Sure do miss that guy)... This particular thread was started by him along with several other Interesting ones..... :smile:KennyV

 

[Two-Stroke]

This is one of the greatest threads ever. Even though I have no interest in either that type of mower (reel) or the super-groomed lawn that can be achieved with a reel mower, I still loved learning all that stuff.

It's too bad that "lizard" doesn't post here anymore.