Showing posts with label lawn care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lawn care. Show all posts

3/26/2011

Precision Products PLR1836 18-by-36-Inch Lawn Roller Review

Precision Products PLR1836 18-by-36 inch Lawn Roller
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Today I am reviewing the Precision Products 18 * 36 Lawn Roller. I bought this a few months back because I needed something to repair the damage done to my yard due to undergrown moles. If you are somebody like me who takes pride in their lawn, then you would understand my frustrations when you wake up in the morning to find your yard turned into a battlefied.

I decided sometime ago that it was time to sign up to the army faction against mole infestations. Little did I know that I would be up against a little varment who would make my life hell trying to take it out! Seriously, I have tried shooting water down the tunnles, mole traps, and mole bombs. In WWII, that last one would have been effective, but these little varments are tricky little critters I tell ya.

FYI, as it turns out, the ultimate weapon against the moles are the grubs. The moles like to eat the grubs, so the simple solution is to lay down a insect killer. If you kill the grubs, you get rid of the moles! Once I started using this secret weapon, the moles began to dissapear and would show up in the neighbors vegitable garden. HAHA, take that you sneaky little varments, oh yeah, my neighbor really loves me.......NOT

So, I got rid of the beasty moles right, but I am left with a problem. My used to be level and even lawn has now become an uneven mess. Another contributing factor to your lawn being uneven is the frost and dethaws we have each winter. What you want to fix this issue is one of these handy dandy lawn rollers. Keep in mind that this model is for towing behind tractors, NOT FOR PUSHING.

I own a Husqvara 23HP V-Twin with a hydrostatic drive and some people think that the hydrostatic drive transmitions are not strong enough to pull all the weight of a fully filled roller. After experiancing the use of my lawn roller, they could not be more wrong. When fully filled with water, the roller will weigh roughly 400 pounds. Yes the site claims 331 pounds but every other brand of same sise roller states 400 pounds. Simple math, a gallon of water weighs 10 pounds. So, take 40 gallons of water times 10 and you get 400.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this is a polly roller, hence it is plastic. So when this roller is fully filled, you really don't want to role over concrete too much as this will scratch up the roller and possibly damage it. Incase you are wondering, the roller only weighs 50 pounds when empty, so it is easy to put in storage with both hands.

I found that assembly was super easy and all parts were there. All you need is some simple tools to put this together. Such as a pair of pliers and a socket wrench or open ended wrenches. And don't worry about weather or not the roller will fit your tractor, its designed to be universal and will fit any tractor with a standard hitch. And yes, it does come with its own hitch pin if you do not have one.

Now, one thing you want to keep in mind when using a lawn roller, is that you can do a better job when the lawn is wet. You don't want it to be soaking wet where your just going to fall into mud, but you do want it wet. So following this technique, and moving no faster then 3MPH, I was able to role my lawn and it came out pretty darn level. And some spots which were really bad, I had to go over twice.

Main thing to remember here is that this is not a steem roller, so please don't expect it to smooth out tractor or truck ruts. Again, this is a roller to smooth out the bumps and uneven land caused by the moles from hell. And for its intended purpose, I think it does really well. I do want to point out however that it uses a expansion plug to plug the water filler hole in the roller. As such, if you do not tighten the wing nut enough, it could fall out of the hole as it did for me, keep it tight, just don't overtighten it is all.

Another thing I should mention is, knowing the sise of this thing, don't expect it to get through a small fence gate, its 36 inches long, it won't make it through unless you have a double gate. But if this is not a problem for you, then by all means pick this model because I find that the larger the roller is, the more weight it can put down to the ground, and the faster you get the job done.

I have a lawncare service and I also got this attachment so that I can role other people's lawns. If I ever felt that the durability of this attachment would not hold up under such conditions, I would not use it for such. So in other words, I feel that the framing is strong enough and the roller is strong, what more can you ask for such a good price?

Don't get me wrong, any proffesional can spend 250 bucks for a 24 * 48 steel lawn roller to get the job done, but if you feel that a 18 * 36 roller can meet your needs just fine without spending the higher price tag, you would be a fool not to do it.

In conclusion, I have not really had any problems with this roller itself besides learning that you can't just tighten the expansion plug snug. I felt that this roller was able to do all that I was asking of it and was well worth the money. Just don't forget that you can't take really tight turns with it, be gradual. And that its better to role when the yard is wet.

Furthermore, this roller could also be used after seeding in a new lawn, or rolling an area of dirt to get it level. And if you have tractor or truck ruts in your yard, don't expect this roller to help you, you would need a steem roller. This attachment is your best bang for buck, what more could you ask for? For I am a happy customer and would buy again!

PS: I won the battle against the little varments and I am a retired general.

Date Purchased: 05/08/09
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Where Purchased: Amazon
Recomended: YES

Click Here to see more reviews about: Precision Products PLR1836 18-by-36 Inch Lawn Roller

Product Description:
The Precision Products PLR1824 lawn roller is a handy item for smoothing uneven ground from moles or frost heaving, packing down newly laid sod, smoothing dirt, or other rolling needs that require the heaviest weights. The poly roller drum measures 18-by-36 inches, holds 40 gallons-a hefty 331 pounds-and attaches to most trailers or tractors with a universal hitch. Fill roller with water or sand; the drum is designed to resist dents, scratches, and rust. The roller is covered by a 90-day limited warranty.--Jeffrey Dalto

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11/21/2010

Lawn Boy 89906 Staggered Wheel Lawn Mower Bag Kit Review

Lawn Boy 89906 Staggered Wheel Lawn Mower Bag Kit
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I installed this bag kit on an older Lawn Boy Gold series stagger wheeled mower. The mower was originally set up as a mulcher, so it is equipped with a lawn boy high lift blade. The bag kit was easy to install, but I did have to loosen the two guide bolts in order to mount the chute. The instructions said that it was unnecessary, but it made the install much much easier, and has no impact on safety. As with other baggers, the grass must be dry in order for this system to be effective. It can clog quickly under damp conditions. I have found that if I walk the yard prior to mowing, and my boots become damp, then it's too wet. Once you start mowing the position of the bag never gets in the way of trimming, or other wise working around close objects such asshrubs. The only time that it can begin to get in the way is when starting the mower. The brackets are quite close to the pull rope at the top of the handle. This has never been a problem for me, it's just close enough for it to become a concern in my mind. Emptying the bagger is a breeze. It simply lifts off, opens wide, closes easily, and sits back on. no clips, straps or anything. It is very well designed in that manner. The mower when equipped with the high lift blade leaves nothing behind. It also does a very good job of cutting the grass very finely. This product produces a professional cut with minimal effort. I highly recommend this product, and would purchase another lawn boy product.

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Product Description:
The Lawn-Boy bag kit has a 2.5-bushel capacity (3.1-cubic-feet) bag and attaches easily without any tools. The bag is resistant to rotting and mildew, and is specifically designed for all Lawn-Boy 21-inch staggered wheel mowers (except high wheel models, and 2000 Lawn-Boy mowers).

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10/05/2010

American Lawn Mower 1815-18 18-Inch Reel Mower Review

American Lawn Mower 1815-18 18 inch Reel Mower
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This item is not for everyone.If you have a relatively small, healthy yard that is free from debris then it will probably work for you.I am not a connoisseur of grass, but the variety I have has very slender, fine blades, and tends to flatten very easily (when walked upon, etc.).This is not a problem for a power mower, because the circular action of the blades works as a vacuum to pull the grass up before it is cut.The push-reel mower does not have that advantage, and grass that is not standing tall can easily escape the blade.Therefore, one pass does not yield an even cut, so it is usually necessary to repeat every pass from a different direction to get satisfactory results.For that reason, this item would not be very practical for a large yard.If your grass is of a thicker variety, as I think you may find more of in the south, then the mower would probably work more efficiently.
If you have large trees in your yard, you may want to consider the effects of the fallen leaves or twigs-this mower will not handle them as a power mower does.A small twig can stop it in its tracks...
There are several ways in which this item compares very favorably with a power mower.For instance, the maintenance is much less demanding-no tune-ups, refueling, oil changes, or fouled spark plugs, etc.Also it is considerably lighter and smaller than most gasoline mowers, and therefore much more easily stored.The operation is not silent, but is certainly much quieter than a gasoline engine.I find it easier to persuade myself to get out and mow-it seems less of a chore.And while the environmental consequences may be marginal, I'm sure there are those that find satisfaction in the fact that they may be making a difference in that arena, no matter how small...
The cost is not outrageous, but I might expect to pay a little less for what I got.The construction is sturdy enough, and the assembly was not much trouble (although my mower contained a defective part, I contacted the manufacturer and they shipped a replacement part very quickly).The grip on the handle does not take prolonged stress well, but otherwise I have had no problems.
Ultimately, I am satisfied with the mower.It does a pretty good job for what I need, but I can certainly see how its limitations might make it the wrong choice for some.Weigh the pros and cons carefully...

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Product Description:
The business end of this hand pushed reel mower is solid, sharp, and easy to use, with five heat-treated, knife-sharp tempered alloy steel blades that can be adjusted for varying grass heights from 1/2 to 2-1/4 inches. With its 10-inch wheels, radial tires, 18-inch cutting width, and 2-inch welded shrub bar, this mower should enable you to cross whatever terrain and reach whatever hard-to-access rogue patches of grass you desire. Plus, the soft foam cushion on the handlebar is a nice -- and much appreciated -- touch. However, assembly can be a headache, even though the only tool you need is a wrench. The instructions could be clearer, and the handle parts could fit together better. This product is backed by a limited 2-year warranty.

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