Ok, so I fired my landscaper...LOL. I only had one because we had just moved in and I had way too much shit to do around the house that I didn't have time to do it on the weekends. Plus I didn't have a mower. I wanted to wait when they went on clearance to buy one, which they have.
I'm about to buy this one from sears for $215.99. It's a floor model, already assembled.
Having owned a couple of Craftsman, here is what I can tell you...You can not kill the B&S Engine. The wheels will fall off, the bag will get holes and the deck will rust. The Clutch cable will break as will the mechanism for the throttle.
Good luck
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02 Altima SE
91 MR2
04 Honda Oddy (POS)
Originally Posted by 240_alty[Only Registered Users Can See LinksClick Here To Register]
Craftsman will last for the rest of you and your kid's life
I know you're talking about lawnmowers, but I just wanted to say that the same goes for their tools. I'm not a tool snob and I use mostly Craftsman tools, and I have used the same socket and wrench set for six years on multiple suspension tweakings, two engine swaps, an auto-to-manual swap and multiple other fixes.
I don't see any real reason why people would buy Snap-On, Matco or Mac Tools for the ridiculous prices they charge compared to Craftsman (who still has a life-time warranty on their stuff) unless it's just to be pretensious and "leet".
By the way, I have a Craftsman shop vac, and it's a monster! Still going strong.
If you have a lot of lawn I would go with a self propelled mower.
I have a Honda engined mower and that thing is absolutely perfect. Starts first pull every time with no priming bulb nonsense.
The one thing I really like about it is the ability to turn the gas off to the carb.
I run the carb dry after every use just in case I don't get around to dragging the mower out the following weekend.
I don't want any varnish building up in the float bowl or jets.
When you store it for the winter make sure to drain the gas so it doesn't go back on you.
This newer gas is utter crap in about a month and will start to break down and separate out.
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Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude. -Alexis de Tocqueville
Originally Posted by Red Lion[Only Registered Users Can See LinksClick Here To Register]
I know you're talking about lawnmowers, but I just wanted to say that the same goes for their tools. I'm not a tool snob and I use mostly Craftsman tools, and I have used the same socket and wrench set for six years on multiple suspension tweakings, two engine swaps, an auto-to-manual swap and multiple other fixes.
I don't see any real reason why people would buy Snap-On, Matco or Mac Tools for the ridiculous prices they charge compared to Craftsman (who still has a life-time warranty on their stuff) unless it's just to be pretensious and "leet".
By the way, I have a Craftsman shop vac, and it's a monster! Still going strong.
Amen, bro.
I'm by no means a pro mechanic (especially next to you) or contractor but pretty much all the tools I use are craftsmanl including my snowblower. My snowblower is 21 years old and still starts with less than 5 pulls (i should get an electric starter, though).
Sears is probably one of the easiest places to deal with for post-sales; any issues with anything bought there were solved with one phone call or one visit. I've returned tools (not power tools, but sockets, ratchets, pliers, etc.) on many occasions (many due to me fucking them up) and they were exchanged with no questions, or receipts, asked.
The most "high-end" tools i have are my Makita power tools and my Campbell Hausfeld (sp?) compressor and tool kit. No need for snap-on or cub-cadet here; and I have about 1/2 of an acre of lawn to mow.
Make sure you get one that is self-propelled. The one you listed, it doesn't say if it is or not. You will hate yourself later if you get one that isn't.
Also, more important than the mower, IMO, is the trimmer you get. I paid $200 for an Echo from Home Depot, and it has been awesome!
I would also recommend a self propelled. You don't always have to use the drive system if the grass is short enough to mow faster, and on those really hot days it will be nice to allow the machine to do the pulling.
There are front wheel drive and rear wheel drive. If you have hills you want the RWD. Since your yard is mostly flat, the FWD will work great. Plus, it's nice if you want to stop walking for a sec you can tip the front wheels off the ground so the thing isn't pulling at you. That said, the on-off drive switches for the newer self propelled mowers are probably more sophisticated than what I use (it's a pain to turn the drive on and off, so I like being able to tip the drive wheels off the ground).
You might even want to consider a small lawn tractor with a 38" deck. I only say that because I'm considering one for my 6000 sq ft lawn just to get it done faster. Depends on how you feel about it. I cut the grass at my mom's too so I want to minimize the amount of time I'm mowing. Don't forget that you'll probably be doing this almost weekly, so after a while you just want to get the shits done quick. Plus, I get my exercise at the gym, and would rather expend my energy there than cutting the grass.
I dunno about B&S motors, I think they used to be alot better. I know that given the choice I'd rather have a Kohler, Kawasaki, or Honda motor before a Briggs or Tecumseh, jmo. But overall B&S and Tecumseh are probably just fine.
I definitely don't have enough lawn to warrant a tractor. I think it would take me longer to set it up than actually cutting the lawn...lol.
I'll look into the self propelled ones and see what price they are. Question, can you mow backwards with a self propelled? My yard has a lot of turns and bends that I am almost forced to go backwards at some point. Also, there's a fence on all 4 sides of my house and it will make it hard to turn.
If you have a lot of obstacles then make sure you get a FWD and rear bag mower.
My current mower is the first one I've owned that is self propelled and I wouldn't go back to a regular push mower.
Remember to change the oil in the mower regularly, just like your car, and make sure you check the blade at the beginning of every mowing season. If the blade is badly damaged replace it, but if it's just a little dull then take it off and sharpen it.
Most garden centers sell a small device that you can use to make sure the blade is still balanced once you sharpen it. You can use a flat metal file to sharpen the blade.
Damn it. I have to go out and buy a mower for my yard. I guess nowsthe best time since theyre all on sale. Got some gift cards to sears too. Father in law already took care of my weedeater (or trimmer for you other folks).
I kind of like the non propelled versions. Go at your own speed, turn on a dime, etc. Not like it's that hard to walk behind the mower if your grass is kept in check. My yard is small, so a $200 is just fine by me. Though I do prefer Honda engines, but craftsman's warranty should take care of those issues.
Ok, so I'm leaning towards the push motors because self propelled adds about $50-$75 to the cost of the mower. Honestly, I don't think I'll need it with the amount of lawn I have and the fact that everything is mostly flat. Plus I've used push mowers in the past and they are not too tough to maneuver. My total property is 80x100 which is less than 1/4 acre. The front has a side walk and the back has a lot of trees, bushes and shrubs that take up space. I also have a deck and a patio in the backyard.
Carfreak, how often do you change the oil? I would guess once a season? Any other maintenance items I need to be aware of?
Since I live in Calif and we never really have an off season for lawn mowing I change mine about twice a year.
If you live where you have real winters with snow and stuff I'd change the oil before you put it away for the winter.
That way the oil doesn't have the acids left over from combustion sitting in the crankcase all winter.
I got a self propelled mainly because my yard is decent sized and the front is St. Augustine which is a bitch to push a mower through.
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