What can I do with old gas in a lawn mower?

Padookahea

I have not used my lawn mower for 2 years, it's been in storage. Now I need to use it. What do I do with the gas that was left in the tank? Can I use it? Can I dilute it with fresh gasoline?

Answer
Gasoline DOES go bad. The compounds in it break down and form a kind of varnish. This can really FU your carburetor. Find the gas line and disconnect it (probably a spring clip or clamp) and drain all of the gas. This should be disposed of properly; hazardous material at your local waste facility. Or you could pour it in your car's gas tank; that small amount in a full tank of fresh gas wouldn't make much of a difference. Use fresh gas and a stabilizer (available at all hardware & home improvement stores). You should probably change the spark plug and air filter while you're at it; they doesn't cost a lot and can keep the mower from starting.

In the future, run any gasoline device dry before putting in storage.

What is the difference between propelled, electric and gas Lawn mower?

lilfinevin

I am looking to purchase a lawn mower with a collector and have no clue what the differenc is in each of the 3 types that seem to be out there.

Answer
Self-Propelled means that there's a mechanism that helps the mower go forward when you push on the handle. It reduces the work you have to do in pushing that SOB all over your lawn...which is nice, but doesn't make it completely without effort, either.

Electric mowers can come in two flavors: Corded, and battery-operated. Legend says that the battery operated ones have come a long way. We had one 10 years ago, and you had to REALLY keep up on your lawn, or the battery-op mower just couldn't hack through the grass, especially in the early summer when it rains a lot and the grass goes insane. Corded ones have plenty of zip and power, you just have to make sure you don't run over the extension cord. We never had a collection bag on ours, so I don't know about that part of it. You also never have trouble starting one up, and you don't have to tinker with stupid stuff like spark plugs or small engine repair. Or gasoline, for that matter. They also tend to be lighter, weight-wise.

Gas lawn mowers are what most people have...these are small engines that run on gas, so you'll have to keep that around. Most of them have collection bags which will need to be emptied two or three times per mowing, even in a small yard like ours. They still require maintenance; my hubby isn't very handy (ok, he's a handyman's idiot), and I know nothing about small engines, so I have to take my mower to someone competent to have the blade sharpened and engine tuned and the whole thing lubed and such.

Ask your neighbors if they know anyone who does lawn mower maintenance and then ask the mower guy if he has mower recommendations. We took ours in and he said, "A Snapper? I never see those things in here!" We took that as a good sign. Hubby was dumb enough to mow wet grass and then not clean out the underside, so it solidified into a concrete mass and the blade wouldn't turn. Don't do that.

Consumer Reports seems to like the following mowers:

Gas-powered push models:
Lawn-Boy 10640
Cub Cadet 11A-18MC

Corded electric push models:
Black & Decker MM875

Cordless electric push models:
Black & Decker CMM1200

Self-Propelled Models:
Toro Recycler 20333
Toro Recycler 20332
Toro Recycler 20330
Craftsman 37435
Lawn-Boy 10641
Craftsman 37624

Good luck!!

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The USA was built by "Immigrants", is not this what made us a Great World Power?

I can only think how much better off we would be with another 100 to 200 even 300 million, Cubans, Mexicans, Haitians and other Africans to enrich our culture and technology even more. Yes the USA is a diverse nation, so we need more diversity..

Answer
Built up of "legal" "immigrants"

What we don't need is more uneducated, dirty, diseased people stealing more jobs.

I am sure the sons and daughters of illegal mexicans will enrich our technology with advanced lawn mowers from there public schoole education over crowding it for the legal students.

Why does my lawnmower use so much oil?

RobbaLoasg

I recently bought a new craftsman lawnmower. Here is the link for it: http://www.sears.com/craftsman-190cc-22inch-front-drive-self-propelled-ez/p-07137041000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

When I got it I put in the recommended amount of the oil that came with the mower, some sort of Craftsman small engine SAE 30, definetely the right oil since it came with the mower. I idled the mower for about 15-20 minutes to break it in, then mowed my lawn without a problem. Next week, again, I mower my lawn without a problem. The following week, I was halfway through mowing my lawn, and the mower seized up. Turns out it had absolutely no oil in it. I just attributed this the the mowers brand new state and figured that this was just a result of the mower breaking itself in. I put in some more oil, took out the spark plug, cycled to oil by turning the blade and cycled the engine, replaced the spark plug, fired it up, and finished. Everything seemed to be fine after that, until this happened again. To prevent this I am now checking the oil every time I use about a quarter tank of gas. This is very annoying and I have absolutely no idea why this is happening. This never happened with my last mower. Any advice or insight you could provide me to help me correct this would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

Answer
Any thing from sears is junk it,s all made in china
buy USA
if its not burning it look for a leak on the bottom side

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How to deal with harassment?

BHL

Ok so there like these 5 guys that always mess when im on the bus going home they go to school with me. they sit next to me and touch my legs and hit me playfully its annoying and when i walk away they say inappropriate comments to me and they do this alot, i tell them to stop but they never listen and my friends don't ever really help idk what to do?

Answer
As far as the touching, that is inappropriate and you have two clear options, either physically dominate them yourself by grabbing their hands any time they do what they do and telling them unwaveringly "Don't touch me," or report this to the bus driver and school administration. I'd personally suggest both as the school admin is SUPPOSED to help you.

The comments you can also mention but keep in mind, these people are fairly dim-witted and they act to get responses out of others. If you pay no heed to these comments, which are only empty , they'll stop. I used to take offense to "your mom" jokes because I was old-school and nobody insults your family. When I started to ignore entirely "your mom" jokes they stopped because they were no longer fun for the other guys.

Remember that some of these guys will never grow out of their habit of trying to draw attention. Eventually they'll try to buy a big expensive SUV, a riding lawnmower, and a house with a white-picket fence just to show off, but in fact they are poorer than beggars because they owe more money on all their property than they could ever make working their entire lives. Foreclosure will steal their prominence. Now, though, they make themselves big boys by making you unhappy so steal their prominence by treating empty words as such and tolerating none of their inappropriate touching. Draw a line in the sand and man up to defend it.

People respect strength. Have the courage to do what you think is right. Good habits developed now will mean a lot in the future.

I need a riding landmower trailer any body no where to get one for cheap.?

guyj45

i need a riding lawnmower trailer any body no where to get one for cheap. because i own a grass cutting bussiness and now i getting a lot of calls and i do not no where to get a trailer for cheap so i can carry my riding lawnmower around any body have any where ez 10 points.

Answer
Check Craigslist! I have had great luck with buying and selling things there. It is free to browse and free to post so people often use it to easily dispose of things they no longer need for a cheap price. Some people as you may imagine always try to get more than they should but you may get lucky and find a great deal from somebody who just does not want the trailer taking up the driveway or yard any longer. I got rid of mine that way! I sold it for next to nothing as I just wanted it gone. Good luck!

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can you put mulching blades on any mower?

eazy

i was wondering why my mower sounded different after i changed a bent blade, it sounded like it was slowing down in thick grass, and i smell a kind of burning smell also in thick grass. i was thinking that i may have replaced the blade with a mulching blade.i checked and it is installed properly, and it seems to cut better now than it did. the mower is a troybuilt pony, anyone have any ideas on this?

Answer
Yes you can put a mulching blade on most any lawn mower. It won't mulch as well as it will on a mulching mower but should work just fine.

what is the proper way to install a mulching blade on a lawn mower?

Brad D

Answer
Underneath!! Just kidding. It depends on if it is a riding mower or push mower. I did this just the other day on my push mower. It took me about 20 minutes once I realized it would be easier to turn it on it's side rather than have my very impatient daughter prop it up for me. Good luck.

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When changing oil on my push mower do I mix gas with the oil?

Ally

Answer
only if it has a 2 stroke engine.

if its a four stroke then oil and gas separate..

edit further info..

victa lawn mowers have 2 stroke and 4 stroke engines

http://www.victa.com.au/index.cfm?p=4B86C609-BE70-43E9-B2E85CDD3741FB52

if its an older VICTA lawnmower could have a 2 stroke engine..

suzuki used to make a first class 2 stroke lawnmower engine

and can recall a 2 stroke with briggs & stratton on the name of it..

only recent history that only 4 strokes in lawn mowers in the U.S.

searching for web site on restoration of mowett sales mustangs?

wilbil1075

mustang lawn mowers were made in Odessa M.O. I need to restore two. Please help with web info or other info avaible.

Answer
Here's a couple links for info and parts.
http://www.victa.com.au/index.cfm?p=384F089B-C3A6-4CE3-9DD1C4E932C64972
http://www.outdoordistributors.com/lawn_mower_parts.html

Your local library will have or can get, lawn mower repair books you can borrow.

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lawn mower problems?

carol k

i have riding lawn mower and starter kicks out and turns motor one turn then stops..i hooked starter to a charger and it will keep running fine so i dont think its the starter..what should i do next

Answer
If the battery test good and all of the connections are good 12 volt source, check the valves in both overhead valve or in block style valve. Meaning, an overhead valve has a head with valves in it that you can take off, push rods, and adjustable rocker arms ( the valves are not contained with in the block). You should also check them on a valve inblock style on some series and brands ( ex. if it is like a k series Kohler they have adjustable tappets in them that have a clearance that needs to be set). I forgot to mention this style of motor contain the valve in the engine block You can tell by the head just being flat and just having spark plug hole and no moving parts in it. If it is a valve in block style or overhead, and all other conditions are met valves set properly,no electrical problems. This could maybe have a compression release problem. There is a spring and a lift pin on the camshaft that releases compression from the piston chamber. It is on the cam shaft and through cintrifigal force allows weights through turning rpm to move a pin and in turn allow the valve to go to the open position allowing compression to leak down and not dead head while starting so it can be turned over easier. After the engine starts the weights fall back in and the release is no longer holding the valve open and the valve tran operates normally. Usually if you put a charger on it will start fine. With this problem the starter has unlimited amperage ( whatever the charger is usually 300-600 amps if it a big one) to turn that motor over. Most mower batterys will carry a lot less cold cranking amps. Just remember that testing your cables can be tricky checking them with an ohm meter is a bad reading because if just one strand of the cable is touching you will get a good reading. Check the draw of the starter with an inductive pickup to see how many amps it is pulling if it is pulling just a few it is cable and connections or starter prob. If it is pulling a lot could be starter problems or it could be a compression problem because the starter is having to work double time to try and turn that motor since the cylinder is building up full compression. I have had the compression release in many cases cause a customer to buy a new starter, cables, and switch when he didn't need em. He put it on and it didn't make a difference. I am into diagnosing not spendin money. Hope I helped you diagnose it and I explained it so you could understand p.s Just dont want you to spend money on something you dont' need!

Why are lawn mowers so expensive?

Taylor

I've been wanting to start a mowing business but I've been having trouble figuring out the prices for mowers. You can buy a nice self propelled 21" mower for $300 but then if you want a 32" mower suddenly the price shoots up to about $1500. Why do lawn mowers cost so much? You can buy a riding lawn mower for the price of a 32".

Answer
Mower manufacturers have mowers they usually sell to home owners, or people that just mow for themselves. Then they have their "commercial" line of mowers, always more expensive. Just know, they all make the grass shorter.
Commercial units are usually built a bit stronger. Maybe a better motor with longer maintenance times, heavier built decks and blades, bigger gas tanks, oil filters to increase longevity. If I was starting out, I would go to craigslist(dot)org. I have always found several mowers, riders, commercial, and push mowers, as well as trimmers, trailers and any other tool you might need. Most people live close to 2 to 4 markets of CL that offer a variety of products.
So, buy used, as you develop the business, you will see and appreciate specific models and brands, then you can splurge on your favorite power tool.

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What is a garden tractor?

Elizibeth

I sm looking to buy a lawn mower that you sit on, picks up leaves/mulches leaves, and cuts grass, but I am not sure what they are called.

Answer
Ok, you have many things to consider when buying a new riding lawn mower. Riding lawnmowers that handle the tasks you described can be organized into many different categories, however, the three which I believe you are refrencing are Lawn Tractors, Lawn&Garden Tractors, and Garden Tractors. All three of these categories describe riding tractors that can pickup/mulch leaves and cut grass. Here are the main differences between the categories that you should know when you are shopping:

Lawn Tractors: Lawn tractors are the smallest machines of the three catergories, they often have single or twin cylinder engines without electronic fuel enjection ranging from 12 to 18 horsepower and mower decks ranging in width from 32 to 42 inches. Lawn tractors may have manual style or shift on the go transmissions, but today most all lawn tractors use hydrostatic transmissions. Lawn tractors are always rear wheel drive with no real differential and all have turf tires. This means lawn tractors have very poor traction. (new model price range: $900 to $4000)

Lawn&Garden Tractors: Lawn and Garden tractors bridge the gap between Lawn tractors and Garden tractors. They nearly always have V-twin cylinder engines without electronic fuel injection ranging from 18 to 25 horsepower and mower decks ranging in width from 42 to 54 inches. Lawn&Garden tractors pretty much always have hydrostatic transmissions and all are real wheel drive. However, unlike lawn tractors, some manufacturrs offer a manual rear locking differential and the choice between turf or agressive tread tires. (new model price range: $1500 to $8000)

Garden Tractors: Garden tractors are the largest of the tracditional "riding mower" categories, but they are not as large as utility tractors. In many cases, they are the same size as Lawn&Garden tractors. Many manufacturers make garden tractors with both gas and diesel engines, ranging from 25 to 36 horsepower. Garden tractors may have decks as large as 72 inches or decks as small as 48 inches. Garden tractors offer the best traction as some are four wheel drive and manny have locking differentials and extensive tire options. (new model price range: $5000 to $15000)

No matter what size tractor you get, I want to make it clear that after working with machinery all my life, you get what you pay for. If you go to home depot or lowes and muy a $1,000 mower, you are going to get a mower that cuts grass, but there will be many plastic components, thin metal components, weak welds, and overall, a weaker structure. If you go to a commercial equipment dealer such as a John Deere dealer, you will pay more, but all of the components will be of higher quality and the machine will last longer.

Personally, I think John Deere has the best riding mowers avaliable today in all three catergories I described- and I mean real John Deere's- not the John Deere mowers that are sold at home depot or lowes- those are just cheap models John Deere built to compete in such stores. Spending a little more on a mower could be a very wise investment.

Craftsman Lawn Tractor Manual?

John

This question is for my dad not me , but the question is , where can i download or atleast view a manual for our "Craftsman Lawn Tractor , 18.0 HP,42" Mower,Electric Start,6 Speed Transaxle" Model # 917.273392 . And please dont tell me to go to craftsman's website cause i'v tried that, and dont say "google it" im looking for a link please, the help would be verry much apreciated so i dont have to order a new one and pay 10 or 15$ .peace

Answer
I have my 25 HP manual and all I see on the back is www.sears.com or a number 1-800-4-My-Home

When you go to www.sears.com look on that page for "parts"
Hit parts and it will take you so you can search with you model number. Get the model number off your tractor.

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Any suggestions for a lawn mower(s) for 3-4 acres to mow?

nc1kcfan

My husband and I are looking into buying a lawn mower/tractor to mow about 3 - 4 acres. We are thinking about either a JD 2210 or JD 4115. Does anyone have a suggestion of any others, especially of lesser cost, but the same quality for the amount of mowing to be done? Also, suggestions on which size of deck and the amount of time it would take to mow this amount would be great. We have a Torro with a 54" deck now, but we are sharing it with my father-in-law and it is becoming a hassle to take back and worth every week or so. Plus, we have to get the bushhog to use too. We use the Torro for yard (about 1.5 acres) and the bushhog for the other acres. That's why we need one that would be great to do it all! ~thanks

Answer
I'd Look at exmark or grasshopper's..., any 42 inch with a hydro riding mower will do 1.5 acres easy though... I'd also think about simplicity/snapper mowers as well. Simplicity owns snapper.

What is the best lawn mower for a 3/4 acre lot?

WIOK

I know they have electric, gas powered and self powered. Which one is best and why?

Answer
depends if you want the exercise if you use a pushing mower a gas is the best a 3/4 acre is fairly big,if you don't desire to push mow a 46 inch cut riding mower is best

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How good is the toro supper bagger?

Garry_Mitc

I am thinking of getting a toro super bagger with Honda 160 engine. The other is a Honda hrx mower. What are your opinions so I can choose the mower? Thanks

Answer
I'd go with recommendations by Consumer Reports. They just came out with their latest reviews of the top lawn mowers for this year and several Toro mowers are on top of the list. The Toro Super Bagger 20192 is one of their top "Recommended" mowers.

2011 Best Lawn Mower Recommendations by Consumer Reports:
http://www.tigerfdn.com/consumer-reports-recommended-lawn-mowers

Some of the Toro mowers mentioned are:

Toro Super Recycler Self-Propelled Mower 20092
Toro Super Bagger 20192
Toro Recycler 20333 (this was on last year's list as a "best buy" also)
Toro Recycler 2033

Should I use 10w-30 or Sae 30 for my Craftsman Riding Mower? Briggs and Straton 500cc?

dude8370

I have the 42" Craftsman Riding tractor (Gray one) 2011 model with the Briggs and Stratton 500cc engine....Not the new 420cc engine not made by B&S. My question is should I be using 10w-30 or Sae 30 in the engine? I've been using Mobil super 10w-30, but after a little reading some are saying use SAE 30. Should I switch over to SAE 30 from 10W-30?

Also any brand I should be using? (i.e. Mobil, Valvoline, Castrol etc.)

I change the spark plug, oil, and air filter every season. There is no oil filter.

Thanks!

Answer
The 10w only means it will still retain its 30 weight viscosity at 10 degrees Fahrenheit, Mobil makes a good oil if your into extended periods between oil changes, if you don't mind paying for it, but as you change your oil every year you'd get the same advantage from just using a straight grade SAE 30 that cost much less, I just use the SAE 30 Castrol myself, and hell I'm a mechanic that wouldn't even think about mowing my lawn when its that cold outside, I'm out in the shop or on the couch drinking beer.

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what is the best self propelled lawn mower under $500?

Q.

Answer
Snapper makes a great self propelled mower. Check out the drive mechanism: solid, with bearings and thick steel. Stay away from the cheaper mowers with the little transmission boxes that power both wheels simultaneously: They last about 2 years. My first snapper went 12 years, mowing an acre lot. The engine gave out. I saved the drive mechanism from the old one as a backup.

How to make $500 into $600 or more in months?

iciegirl

I have around $500 with me and would like to increase it more to maybe $100 in 1 or 2 months time. What should I do? I'm currently unemployed to take care of family.

Answer
Mowing lawns is a good option, you could buy an old lawn mower for under 100 dollars. Mow about 4 lawns per day at around 25 dollars. You make 100 dollars per day, and if you work three days a week. You are making 300 dollars per week, part time. Therefore you make 1,200 in a months time.

You could wash cars, you could charge 20 dollars to wash a car. You should be able to do about 4 cars in two hours. Charge around 20 dollars and you make around 80 dollars per day. If you want to make more money you could detail cars, you make around 125 dollars on average for detailing cars. But it require more work to do, if you choose this route. The best product to get is optimum no rinse and go on the forum called autopia and autogeek.

Next start an office cleaning or window cleaning business, you can get all of the equipment for under 100 dollars.

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how does a riding lawn mower charge its battery?

Paul O'Poo

I have a Dynamark 12hp riding lawn mower that will not charge its battery. I've already changed out the battery for a new one to no avail. What do I do now. I don't see an alternator anywhere. This mower is maybe 7 years old.....Help! I'm getting tired of jumping the mower with my car.

Answer
Basically, there is a stator under the flywheel that produces AC current and then it is changed to DC and goes to the battery. Here is a site that has a video on how to check one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N9EISHD24w God Luck

Would a lawn mower battery work in my truck?

StevenC

My truck battery is dead and the best one we had around was a lawn mower battery.
I've tried it but it wont seen to keep a charge. any ideas?
It would start the truck at times but if it sat over night it wouldn't work in the morning, If looked over everything I can think of but nothing should be pulling power while the truck if off.

Answer
You've got two questions- Would a small battery start a big truck? Probably not, since you need a lot of cranking amps to spin the big truck's motor.

Why does it not start in the morning? Though you believe nothing "should" be using your power, it apparently is. Here are two things you can do. Check the age of the battery. There should be a sticker on top with year and month bubbles which will tell you how old the battery is. If it's an 18-month battery that's five years old, you need a battery. If it's a 60-month battery that's a year old, you *might* need a battery, but you have recourse with the vendor of the battery.

Next, clean both battery terminals well, using the wire brush battery cleaners that your local auto parts store sells for $1.99. Then check for battery draw with this simple test. Loosen the negative battery terminal. As you lift the cable on and off the battery terminal, look for a small spark or listen for a small, staticky noise. If you see or hear something, your car is drawing power, even though you think it's not. You can confirm this by leaving the negative terminal off overnight. Then in the morning, put the terminal back on and try to start the car. If it starts with the battery disconnected overnight, you *do* have a draw somewhere. Locating it will be a bit harder, but not impossible. The usual suspects are the radio or alarm, but it could be anything. You can try to find the culprit by putting an ammeter temporarily inline with the battery and terminal, then pulling one fuse at a time out of the fuse box, but this may take awhile. If you see the small draw disappear when you pull a specific fuse, that'll tell you where to look further.

If you just buy a new battery, you may solve the problem temporarily, but batteries don't like to be discharged, so your new battery might take the overnight draw and still have enough cranking amps in the morning, but you may end up with the same situation if you don't diagnose the reason for the problem. Hope you find the solution. ... Good luck!!

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what size riding lawn mower should I get for my 3.5 acre yard?

Travis A

Answer
Any type of a zero turn mower works great, sort of like an "industry standard". They have a wide deck, hydraulic drive and mowing deck soft comfortable seat, large fuel capacity, either gas or diesel power. No drive belts like what a lawn tractor would have. Check out what 99.9 percent of lawn services use, if they use them they must be reliable.

Does he need a riding lawn mower?

T E

The general rule of thumb is that the lawn size is more than 3/4 acre.

He has a lawn of about 1/2 acre. However, mowing the lawn is getting tiring (although he used to mow the lawn) because he is 62 yrs old, and walking for 1.5 hrs on the lawn will be very tiring, especially in hot days. True, he can hire a landscape company to mow his lawn, but this is expensive. He figures out that the cost of his new riding lawn mower can be paid back in 2 years if he does the mowing himself this summer.

Answer
Of course he needs a riding mower. I'm only 49 and I wouldn't spend an hour and a half mowing the lawn. I have too much other stuff to do in a day.

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Are electric lawn movers as reliable as gasoline lawn mowers?

Maury

I have heard cordless electric mowers are under powered and can not cut heavy grass like St Augustine.

Answer
You will really like a cordless electric lawn mower. But never allow your lawn to get out of control and you will not have a problem. It is definitely nice not having to run out to get gas, or fussing with starting. A cordless electric lawn mower is very quiet, and it will not generate fumes or pollutants. They work best in smaller yards of less than a third acre.

Electric lawn mower help?

brennanpol

I just purchased a Black & Decker cmm1200 cordless mower, which uses a lead acid battery.
I was told that to prolong the life of the battery, I should completely use up the battery, and then only charge it again the night before I use it.
Can someone confirm this, and provide more details?
- thank you

Answer
The reason they tell you to charge it the night before is to keep you from OVER charging, which can severely cut short the life of the battery.

My husband bought an electric lawn mower because we live near the beach and we were thinking 'green'. He loves it, but probably wouldn't if we had a larger lawn because it probably wouldn't mow a yard much larger than ours.

And yes, on the 'use up' the battery, which is also a bit of a pain at times, because if you have half a charge, it's better to use it up, than to recharge it to a full charge. He's had to pause a lawn mow because the charge goes out in the middle.

All in all, tho, it's a clean mow, it works perfectly, and it's much quieter than gas, which is great here at the beach because you don't hear a bunch of people mowing lawns on the weekend;)

We have the Earthwise Mowers - I think it's 20". We got it online at greengardentools

this might have additional information, but you'll probably be just fine by not overcharging and depleting the charge.

http://www.greengardentools.com/pages/Mowing-Tips.html

Hope that helps.

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how much time to cut 1 acre on a riding lawn mower?

Thomas P

Answer
Mowed my acre in 45 mins. on a 50" Cub Cadet.

riding lawn mower?

chris n

How many HP do you guys suggest for a riding mower to cut a 1/2 acre of lawn,the yard has alot of rolling hills with a few fairly steep climbs.I was thinking Husqvarna,what do you think?

Answer
Husqvarna makes the Craftsman mowers. MTD makes Cub, White, Troy-Built, Yard man, Yard Machines, Bolens, and the new Toro tractors. The John Deeres in Lowes and Home Depot are made to last 250 hours and be tossed. That is all the "discount" brands.

If you are looking for a mower go to a dealer, even if its John Deere. The dealer can service the machine after the sale. Most will even deliver for free. They know the machines and the feature that will work for your conditions and situation in your yard. You are going to talk to someone who knows exactly what they are talking about, and not someone who will be in paint tomorrow.

I would recommend a Snapper of a Simplicity. Simplicity has a mower called the Regent that is 18 HP with a 38" deck, and sells for $1999. You are not going to find many machines under 15 HP.
http://www.simplicitymfg.com
http://www.snapper.com

Hope this helps

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What is the ideal mowing deck height for a lawn mower?

Sam N

When i mow my yard and my customers yards i want the best results for them as well as me. I want to know the ideal mowing deck height so the grass isn't too short or too long.

Answer
Honestly, it all depends on what type of grass you are mowing. Bermuda and zoysia can be cut really short. And all others (too many to mention) have other varying heights.

GANG REEL MOWERS??? Does anyone know how well they work?

wanderlust

I just bought a home with five acres of land, most of it native grass/weeds with a nice lawn nearer the house. I went out and ordered a 26HP Craftsman riding mower with a 54 inch mowing deck to get through the thicker stuff first, but then plan on getting a 5 or 7 gang reel mower so I can have a large manicured lawn where the kids can play practically anything they want. There is a 1/4 acre pond which has weeds growing around the periphery and I would like to clean this out when I mow, so some of the gang reels would get wet as I get close to the edge of the pond. Safety is a main concern, if the lawn is well manicured and relatively short, probably with zoysia grass (which is weather and drought resistant) the problems associated with fire ants and snakes will be minimized. I plan on leaving the outer edges of the property "wild" and planting three or four rows or trees, probably pines, for privacy and for the wild animals to have some refuge. Is this overkill? What do you say?

Answer
Gang reel mowers are great! They're also a lot of maintenance!!! To pull a 5 or 7 gang mower you'd need a pretty good size tractor. The reels need to be checked every time you mow -- checking the "cut". They would need to be sharpened a few times a year, especially with zoysia. Once a year this should be done by grinding them, which requires special equipment, usually only owned by golf courses. The other times they can be back-lapped.
Reel mowers give a superior cut. they basically cut like a scissors. this link will show you the cost of a good brand, but not the "top of the line" costing stuff. it is commonly used on golf courses. http://www.rrproducts.com/pdfcatalog/fitsjacobsen/fitsJacFairway.pdf
I would only suggest a three gang unit probably, though a 5 gang would get you finished faster.
What do you consider "relatively short"? Reel mowers are only good for really short heights. I would not use one if not cutting below 1 1/2". Reel mowers will not prevent fire ants.
It would be best to speak to a golf course superintendent about the maintenance of reels.
Like I said, they give a superior cut, but they're much more intensive to maintain.

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Who sells he hand push REEL lawn mowers- specifically the nice aluminum type?

USA

Thanks a lot--- I looked at Lowe's and Wal Mart and saw NONE! :-(

Answer
They actually sell out really fast at most hardware stores.

In our area, Home Depot, True Value and Valu sold them as of last year. We literally had to ask the guy in Valu when they'd come in and have one put aside for us.

Amazon.com has many of them with "super saver" shipping, which means it will come to you.

http://www.amazon.com/Great-States-404-16-16-Inch-Standard/dp/B0007XJQ8M/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1239991184&sr=8-4

does anyone know the value of this antique lawn mower?

casper

I have a vintage Belknap reel type steel push lawn mower from the 1940's, does anyone know how much one would be worth if i decided to sell it? and please only answer if you know what you are talking about or deal in antiques, thank you for your time. have a blessed day

Answer
About $140

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What is the best riding lawn mower for 4 acres?

Tracy

It is for a single home, not for commercial but will need something that lasts
Looking for a specific brand that is reliable, faster, to Bob's point, and not terribly expensive. Also 42".

Answer
I think this would be similar to posting a question like: Which pickup truck is better, Chevy, Ford, or Dodge. You will get just as many answers for each one, all saying that they are BY FAR the best. LOL. People will usually be pretty opinionated on stuff like this.
Also, to get a real accurate suggestion we would need more info. Is it 4 acres of regularly manicured lawn? Is it part field? Will you be using the mower for strictly mowing? Or would you use it for other outdoor chores?
If you are looking for something to strictly mow a 4 acre lawn, the extra money spent on a ZTR mower (zero-turn radius) will be well worth it. There are many to chose from, from John Deere (EZTrak Z445), or from Snapper, and other companies. I have used both JD and Snapper and have had a lot of success with both.
If you are looking for something that is more versatile, that could for example, haul a cart around, push snow with a bucket, dig holes, etc. You should look into some compact Tractors.... John Deere, Kubota, New Holland all offer some good models.

My best suggestion is to go to your local tractor dealer and talk to someone in person. These people are usually very knowledgeable and can answer all your questions and suggest a tractor for your specific needs.

what is the weight of a murray riding mower?

mark b

Answer
Murray lawn mowers are varied product range, which includes Walk-Behind Mowers, Riding Mowers/Tractors and Zero Turn Mowers. The weight would depend on the type of mower you're talking about. A Tractor can range anywhere from 350lbs to 450lbs depending on engine and deck sizes and so on, The ZTR's can range from 600 to 750lbs again depending on the engine and deck sizes. If you the weight of a particular mower we would have to know which one.

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How good is the toro supper bagger?

Garry_Mitc

I am thinking of getting a toro super bagger with Honda 160 engine. The other is a Honda hrx mower. What are your opinions so I can choose the mower? Thanks

Answer
I'd go with recommendations by Consumer Reports. They just came out with their latest reviews of the top lawn mowers for this year and several Toro mowers are on top of the list. The Toro Super Bagger 20192 is one of their top "Recommended" mowers.

2011 Best Lawn Mower Recommendations by Consumer Reports:
http://www.tigerfdn.com/consumer-reports-recommended-lawn-mowers

Some of the Toro mowers mentioned are:

Toro Super Recycler Self-Propelled Mower 20092
Toro Super Bagger 20192
Toro Recycler 20333 (this was on last year's list as a "best buy" also)
Toro Recycler 2033

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What is the best lawn mower for a 3/4 acre lot?

WIOK

I know they have electric, gas powered and self powered. Which one is best and why?

Answer
depends if you want the exercise if you use a pushing mower a gas is the best a 3/4 acre is fairly big,if you don't desire to push mow a 46 inch cut riding mower is best

What is the best riding lawn mower for 4 acres?

Tracy

It is for a single home, not for commercial but will need something that lasts
Looking for a specific brand that is reliable, faster, to Bob's point, and not terribly expensive. Also 42".

Answer
I think this would be similar to posting a question like: Which pickup truck is better, Chevy, Ford, or Dodge. You will get just as many answers for each one, all saying that they are BY FAR the best. LOL. People will usually be pretty opinionated on stuff like this.
Also, to get a real accurate suggestion we would need more info. Is it 4 acres of regularly manicured lawn? Is it part field? Will you be using the mower for strictly mowing? Or would you use it for other outdoor chores?
If you are looking for something to strictly mow a 4 acre lawn, the extra money spent on a ZTR mower (zero-turn radius) will be well worth it. There are many to chose from, from John Deere (EZTrak Z445), or from Snapper, and other companies. I have used both JD and Snapper and have had a lot of success with both.
If you are looking for something that is more versatile, that could for example, haul a cart around, push snow with a bucket, dig holes, etc. You should look into some compact Tractors.... John Deere, Kubota, New Holland all offer some good models.

My best suggestion is to go to your local tractor dealer and talk to someone in person. These people are usually very knowledgeable and can answer all your questions and suggest a tractor for your specific needs.

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Australia: Can anyone recommend a good lawn mower 'edger'?

Peter H

Just a middle-range one, not particularly expensive.
Preferably one you actually use that is good.
Aka a 'whipper snipper' or lawn 'trimmer' or something - I DON'T KNOW... just looking for a good brand name

Answer
I have a "Little Wonder" which were/are put out by MTD; a large Mower etc Dealer. Were made in USA and plenty of parts available if you need but rarely have any trouble. If you need it to cut back edges along paths etc it's the best one I have used, better the VICTA and most other edgers. I have 620ft of edging (in my old language) to do every now and then. Easy to use and a cinch to maintain. If you're looking for a Whipper Snipper go for a "Styll" brand and don't waste your money on the cheaper brands that are available in Bunnings and the like. Talk to a trusted mower repair shop proprietor if you know of one, as they can normally in all honesty, can tell you what brands they recommend and what cheaper brands to stay away from as most aren't repairable etc. Be careful if you're looking for an electric 240vAC one as they are in my mind not worth the bother of having to run out 50ft of lead etc, they are also too dangerous in my mind as an Electrician as you can cut the power lead easily and that adds a risk to life if you don't have an earth leakage circuit breaker or similar to save you from bigger problems, even so these electric ones are in some cases claimed to be "Double Insulated" etc. I personally wouldn't take the risk having seen some of "their" Double Insulated methods.

would a ride on lawn mower (motor) go goood?

bamaka

hey i live in emerald australia,QLD and im making a off road go kart and i want a lot of get up and go like really fast and thee motor and the hardest thing to find im trying to look for a motorbike motor a 250cc 2stoke of 4stoke 2hand and i seen on youtube they where yousing i think a push lawn mower motor or ride on one it was a 8HP om i was just thinkin wat will the = in cc mode and how fast would in go

Answer
A push mower engine would be very difficult to adapt to a go cart because of the vertical crankshaft. A horizontal crankshaft riding mower engine would be your best bet. How fast your machine would go will depend on horsepower, engine speed, the type of drive you provide, size of belt pulleys or chain sprockets and wheels. A typical four stroke horizontal shaft engine rated at 8 hp will be anywhere from a 190 to a bit over 300 cc's depending on it's configuration. You need to decide what make and model of engine you want and get some engineering help from a dealer or a small engine shop nearby.

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Electric lawn mower help?

brennanpol

I just purchased a Black & Decker cmm1200 cordless mower, which uses a lead acid battery.
I was told that to prolong the life of the battery, I should completely use up the battery, and then only charge it again the night before I use it.
Can someone confirm this, and provide more details?
- thank you

Answer
The reason they tell you to charge it the night before is to keep you from OVER charging, which can severely cut short the life of the battery.

My husband bought an electric lawn mower because we live near the beach and we were thinking 'green'. He loves it, but probably wouldn't if we had a larger lawn because it probably wouldn't mow a yard much larger than ours.

And yes, on the 'use up' the battery, which is also a bit of a pain at times, because if you have half a charge, it's better to use it up, than to recharge it to a full charge. He's had to pause a lawn mow because the charge goes out in the middle.

All in all, tho, it's a clean mow, it works perfectly, and it's much quieter than gas, which is great here at the beach because you don't hear a bunch of people mowing lawns on the weekend;)

We have the Earthwise Mowers - I think it's 20". We got it online at greengardentools

this might have additional information, but you'll probably be just fine by not overcharging and depleting the charge.

http://www.greengardentools.com/pages/Mowing-Tips.html

Hope that helps.

How do you use your electric lawn mower?

carolina n

We received a electric lawn mower as a gift (it's a second hand mower) my husband has been using it for several months. The only way he can use it without cutting the electrical cord is pushing and pulling the mower with one hand while pulling, pushing, picking the cord with the other. I think it takes double the time cutting the lawn with this machine....is there a tip that you can give us? maybe something we don't know, like a retractable electrical cord...I don't know....something that you can use to be able to push the machine with both hands

Answer
BTW "The Man": 'Electric' would mean..... electricity. 'Battery-powered' would mean.... battery. DUH.

I have an electric; takes a few uses to get the hang of it. Most have a handle that 'flips' from one side to the other, so that the cord stays on the same side of the mower, and you don't have to walk backward, or drag the mower - both of which can be dangerous. Check your mower to see if it has a hinge at the bottom, where the handle attaches to the mower. If so, then you should also have a lever that will unlock the handle and allow you to flip it over to the other side.

Once you figure that out: start mowing closest to where you've plugged in, and walk away from it; make sure that where the cord plugs into the handle stays closest to the 'plug in' point at your house. Then, as you mow further away, the cord stays on the grass that's already been mowed.

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Can I put regular 10w30 motor oil in my lawn mower?

Ashley

Will it mess up my lawn mower?

Answer
I use Castrol GTX in all my yard tools. The only differences between a $2.50 quart of GTX and $6.95 pint of the correct stuff is price and quality. GTX is less expensive and its a real formulation that will clean better than the "Correct" stuff.

Now if you are mixing it with gasoline for a 2 cycle engine the exact opposite is true. The additives that make GTX good as a motor oil make it very bad as a 2 cycle oil. Stick with straight oil designed for mixing in 2 cycle engines.

is Auto Motor Oil okay for Lawn Mowers?

Bobby Joe

i saw some oil at sears that said '' specially formulated for 4 cycle air cooled engines '' but is any 10w 30 car motor oil all right for a self propelled mower?

Answer
Yeah, specially formulated and specially high priced. My mower has been running on the same oil as I use in my car since I bought it in 1992. Worst thing for your mower is that @#$%&^ ethanol gas we're stuck with now. The alcohol content destroys the seals in the carbs on small engines. And if they go to 15% like they're talking about it will only get worse.

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GANG REEL MOWERS??? Does anyone know how well they work?

wanderlust

I just bought a home with five acres of land, most of it native grass/weeds with a nice lawn nearer the house. I went out and ordered a 26HP Craftsman riding mower with a 54 inch mowing deck to get through the thicker stuff first, but then plan on getting a 5 or 7 gang reel mower so I can have a large manicured lawn where the kids can play practically anything they want. There is a 1/4 acre pond which has weeds growing around the periphery and I would like to clean this out when I mow, so some of the gang reels would get wet as I get close to the edge of the pond. Safety is a main concern, if the lawn is well manicured and relatively short, probably with zoysia grass (which is weather and drought resistant) the problems associated with fire ants and snakes will be minimized. I plan on leaving the outer edges of the property "wild" and planting three or four rows or trees, probably pines, for privacy and for the wild animals to have some refuge. Is this overkill? What do you say?

Answer
Gang reel mowers are great! They're also a lot of maintenance!!! To pull a 5 or 7 gang mower you'd need a pretty good size tractor. The reels need to be checked every time you mow -- checking the "cut". They would need to be sharpened a few times a year, especially with zoysia. Once a year this should be done by grinding them, which requires special equipment, usually only owned by golf courses. The other times they can be back-lapped.
Reel mowers give a superior cut. they basically cut like a scissors. this link will show you the cost of a good brand, but not the "top of the line" costing stuff. it is commonly used on golf courses. http://www.rrproducts.com/pdfcatalog/fitsjacobsen/fitsJacFairway.pdf
I would only suggest a three gang unit probably, though a 5 gang would get you finished faster.
What do you consider "relatively short"? Reel mowers are only good for really short heights. I would not use one if not cutting below 1 1/2". Reel mowers will not prevent fire ants.
It would be best to speak to a golf course superintendent about the maintenance of reels.
Like I said, they give a superior cut, but they're much more intensive to maintain.

I have a MTD Huskee 54" lawn mower that just stop going forward and backwards?

Lonnie

The mower will start up perfectly and the gas/reverse peddle has not lost any tension... any clues why this would happen?
it is a hydrostatic mower... why do you ask?
and where do you check the hydrostatic fluid?
Now the mower will not start up at all. I put a new battery in it a month ago. Odd how it went from not moving forward and backward, to not turning over at all. Tested the battery and it is good. Just a little confused if it is just one thing that can do all of this or is a couple of things.

Answer
Broke drive belt

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Heavy Duty Headphones under $500?

Fay Showal

I've had my Soundlogic Dynabass headphones for over a year and they have great sound, they're the best headphones i've ever owned, but now they're starting to cut out more and more. i think it's time for a new pair, but i don't know what to get. I listen to mostly metal but i also listen to alot of electronic music as well (like dubstep) and then i dabble in some other genres too. the heaviest that i use my headphones is when im doing chores, especially mowing the lawn with a push mower. at first it was mainly when i would stick my ipod into my pocket and then start walking around and start mowing. but now it cuts out anytime. i think there's a loose connection either where the wire meets the headphone, or where the jack goes into the ipod. i know its not my ipod because recently i got some heavy-duty earbuds that aren't cutting out at all. so could somebody tell me where to get good, heavy-duty headphones that would last for a long time for under $500? or should i get another pair of Dynabass headphones? if u have any questions just let me know.
(p.s.) This Is not Fay Showalter asking this question. This is her son, Evan. So don't call me Fay. thnx
so i was gonna go with the v-moda, but i saw that that answer had 2 down votes. y is that? are those headphones not as good as they appear?

Answer
V-MODA crossfade lp's. they're built like tanks

What is the best riding mower?

Adam

My dad and I have been mowing some lawns commercially on the side for the past 7 or 8 years. I have one job that is about 6" to 8" tall when we mow it and it is not like city grass, it's like grass that grows in the country. It is about 5 or 6 acres of that with little trees that try to grow in the grass. That yard takes about 5 or 6 hours of mowing each time. The rest of my yards are in town and a lot smaller. For the jobs I have right now I have been using a 2007 Cub Cadet Tractor mower, 24 horsepower, 50" cut that I bought this year and I works we'll but I bought it used and it already has some problems. I recently narrowed down my selection to a mower with 24+ hp and a 42" + cut zero turn mower under $3,500. It has to be durable and be able to do this job and not fall apart. I was looking at the 2013 Hustler Raptor (23 hp Kawasaki engine, 54" cut with a really strong deck and build for $2,899) and a Bad Boy MZ Magnum (27 hp Briggs and Stratton motor and a 54" deck built also really strong for $3,499) I would much rather have more hp but I heard someone say that the Kawasaki motor runs so much better, but is it as powerful as the 27 hp Briggs and Stratton motor? Any suggestions on other ztr mowers and and answer to this question of which one would be better for my job(s) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Answer
That cub is a hard mower to beat. I think I would look and see how much to repair it first.

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What type of lawn mower is the best?

Is cub cadet a good lawn mower? or are there better ones? i currently have a cub cadet with a 46in cut..is it good to have bigger cut like 50in? and what are some accesories for it.

Answer
How long does it take to cut your lawn?
How much free time do you have?
What's your budget?
If it were to take more than 45 minutes to an hour that would require a larger mower unless you like mowing.

I own a Toro, set it on mulch and don't see so much as a clump of cut grass.
I never bag and you couldn't tell the difference.
I used to own a Craftsman and what a pain that thing was.
The mulch setting might as well have been called the
"you'll have to make 2-3 passes to get what you missed and still bag" setting.
What a piece of mechanical crap that mower was.

best zero radius lawn mower?

Blake

just looking in to buying one and would like to know what is the best.

Answer
"Toro" Zero turn "Z" series mowers...
http://www.toro.com/home/zeroturn/index.html

...$Billy Ray$

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How to make $500 into $600 or more in months?

iciegirl

I have around $500 with me and would like to increase it more to maybe $100 in 1 or 2 months time. What should I do? I'm currently unemployed to take care of family.

Answer
Mowing lawns is a good option, you could buy an old lawn mower for under 100 dollars. Mow about 4 lawns per day at around 25 dollars. You make 100 dollars per day, and if you work three days a week. You are making 300 dollars per week, part time. Therefore you make 1,200 in a months time.

You could wash cars, you could charge 20 dollars to wash a car. You should be able to do about 4 cars in two hours. Charge around 20 dollars and you make around 80 dollars per day. If you want to make more money you could detail cars, you make around 125 dollars on average for detailing cars. But it require more work to do, if you choose this route. The best product to get is optimum no rinse and go on the forum called autopia and autogeek.

Next start an office cleaning or window cleaning business, you can get all of the equipment for under 100 dollars.

What is a good starter mower for a small lawn buisness?

TheDeco

I am starting a local lawn mowing business 20-30 yards and am wondering what kind/type of mower will i need to get.
I am starting a local lawn mowing business 20-30 yards and am wondering what kind/type of mower will i need to get. I am 16 and am looking to by a truck too. For the lawn mower price range up to $1200. For the truck up to $8000. Also if i were to charge per sq. ft. what is a good unit price?

Answer
If you are planning on starting a lawn business, I assume you plan on making this a long term venture? If this is so, purchasing "cheap" equipment is a No No! If your gonna commit time and effort into doing a good job for your clients, you need to have at least a mid-priced, commercial grade mower, one that will last more than the 2 months you will get by purchasing a cheaper one. 20 - 30 yards a week is alot of wear and tear on the engine, power drive, cables, and pull string as well as the blade shaft. One week of this wear and tear mowing is as much as the normal homeowner would put on a mower in a "years" time. To keep from having to fix this cheaper mower when it breaks down you need a good one. If the mower isn't cutting, you aren't making any money, and not to mention having to deal with a few irate clients complaining that their lawns are looking scraggly and unmowed because you couldn't mow it that week. You need to at least spend $375.00 - $500.00 smackers on a semi-commercial mower. There are many brands that carry heavier built mowers and these include, Honda, Toro, and Snapper. These 3 are my only choices. Check out each brand and make sure you get one with at least 3.5 horsepower with 4.0 - 5.0 being even better yet. Make sure that you get one with a "rear" wheel power drive. The front wheel drives really suck and are hard to keep straight when putting "stripes" and "designs" on the turf. Mowing the tree wells (circle around base of trees) is more difficult as well. Always bag the clippings when mowing. The customer is paying for a clean, manicured yard and that is just what you should provide. Get a quality lawn edger as well. A sharp edge on the walkways and driveway gives that added clean cut appearance after you have left the property. And make sure to blow or sweep off the concrete walks, driveway, and patios of the spent clippings that have been thrown out from under the deck before leaving (this needs to be done lastly). And when you get the mower be sure that it is a 4 cycle engine (straight gas, no mix) it makes for faster and easier work not having to mix oil and gas all the time. Hope this has been helpful and good luck on your new venture. You will get a great sense of accomplishment from this type of work, not to mention a whole bunch of knowledge about turf, trees & shrubs, diseases, and insects. The best part is the $money$ that can be made if you get good at it...

...Added Info: You don't want to charge by the sq.ft. for your services. It's better to charge by each individual property. Naturally, the bigger the square footage of turf, the more you will charge (time is money). The local economy and the type of neighborhoods you will be working in will have alot to do with your price range. Naturally, higher class homes will bring in more cashflow. A standard price would be $100.00 a month for edging, mowing, and blowing off of the property. Tell the customer that you will spend 1 hr a week doing the work, 4 times a month, which comes out to to 4 hrs total work time. Which means that you are working at a $25.00 an hour rate, which is pretty good money for a 16 yr old. This of course, is for an average size yard with around 2,000 sq. ft. of turf. If its less or more you can adjust the price accordingly (up or down).

...$Billy Ray$

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