Mowing ..

[danzvtil]

I went and had a look today, the heritage has been replaced by the 196 buffalo pro which now has a full width chute. The guy has one arriving in a couple of days, I’m tempted......
Only downside is the handle fold downs aren’t quick release
DFB those victas look solid, I might go back and have a closer look.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

I went and had a look today, the heritage has been replaced by the 196 buffalo pro which now has a full width chute. The guy has one arriving in a couple of days, I’m tempted......
Only downside is the handle fold downs aren’t quick release
DFB those victas look solid, I might go back and have a closer look.

I have had a number of those Victa bases over the years, can highly recommend them. They are really solid unit and have a great design that prevents shoot blockages.

[MITCHAY]

Well if we get the even half the rain we are forecast to have these next few days I might be mowing soon. A lot of green sprigs popping up as a result of me wetting stuff down despite it being so dry.

I hope we get a slow release so it doesn't run off but more importantly is we get it at all. Could be good, could be **** all for all we know. Find out later I guess

[DFB FGXR6]

I'm one of those nut jobs that loves the sound of angry chainsaw. My current chainsaw is a Stihl 009L which was originally bought for firewood collection. This saw looks dinky but has a 45cc engine, large for the physical size of the machine.



The thing is I tend to leave it in the back shed meaning if I'm out on a job and need to cut something larger than my trusty Felco 9's can handle, I have been just getting my folding hand saw out, hardly efficient. The noise of a chainsaw is a big negative in a residential situation, especially with all the work I have been doing on Sundays. After last weeks storm, the penny dropped and I picked up this today -





Using the same battery system as my other tools was a no brainer, with the MSA 140 C being a step up from the MSA 120 C and give a more power and increased battery life per charge.

https://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Produ...adegeraet.aspx

Now I won't be felling trees with this thing any time soon, but for what I need a saw for it will be more than sufficient. Trimming and shaping trees as well as clean ups are what this thing will be perfect for. I also love the easy chain tension system, can be started and stopped easily and I won't be bathed in exhaust fumes at the end of the job.

Currently looking out the window at a Acer Negundo that looks like it could need a prune

[MITCHAY]

We had one good downpour around here but nowhere near the potential forecasts we've had.

Compared to a week ago there's quite a lot of green popping up but still mostly dirt and dead grass. I will have to fire up the mower to cut back where all the run off goes though.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I'm one of those nut jobs that loves the sound of angry chainsaw.

Haha love it
The pride of my shed is an 088 Magnum, we dusted it of a couple of weeks ago to do a big one on the course. Frankly the apprentice was a little intimidated.
Do you watch the Hot saws on Stihl Timbersport?
The new saw looks good, we have an electric pole saw, its magic. It's got near on the grunt of the petrol one but is so much lighter and manoeuvrable which is a massive help to my neck and shoulders that get pretty sore after swinging it around in the air for any length of time.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Haha love it
The pride of my shed is an 088 Magnum, we dusted it of a couple of weeks ago to do a big one on the course. Frankly the apprentice was a little intimidated.
Do you watch the Hot saws on Stihl Timbersport?
The new saw looks good, we have an electric pole saw, its magic. It's got near on the grunt of the petrol one but is so much lighter and manoeuvrable which is a massive help to my neck and shoulders that get pretty sore after swinging it around in the air for any length of time.

Is this the beast in question?



No wonder the apprentice was a little intimidated

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Is this the beast in question?

image

No wonder the apprentice was a little intimidated

That's the one, to be honest it scares me a bit too.

[MITCHAY]

Had another near 60mm yesterday so a over 100mm in the last week. I just went for a drive around and green everywhere. Holy **** what a difference it makes

[.:4:.]

Did the preemptive strike on my lawn yesterday. It went from dead to very much alive with the rains. The grass was pretty moist so no point mowing low yet until it dries out a bit. My tenant mowed high and i did the important edges along the driveway, garden path, retaining wall and fence lines. One section i just slashed with the snipper as it was too long for my tenants poxy mower to not bog down. Once it dries up a bit ill do a proper job. But its almost presentable. Its going to be easy when it dries out. Surprisingly after months sitting my snipper started 1st go. Its a gamble at times when the thing was gifted and the cheapest when bought. So my $28 investment of fuel lines and filter and a spark plug have really payed off. So yeah, once the ground drys out a bit, she should be apples. Its garden bin night tonight and mine is full of a thick grass soup.

[DFB FGXR6]

With high humidity and some rain, I'm having trouble keeping up with the rampant growth of the Kikuyu lawns at the moment.

One weeks growth on this lawn.

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

With high humidity and some rain, I'm having trouble keeping up with the rampant growth of the Kikuyu lawns at the moment.

One weeks growth on this lawn.

image

Grass doesnt listen when you say whos boss. With the drought condidtion mine was dead and yellow, but heavy rains it went from dead to pretty much a foot long and green in a very short period.

[Mechan1k]

I gave mine a shorter cut. And what was hiding underneath that lush green was dead thatch unfortunately. So I have tried to remove some of that and fed the lawn after an aerated. We are expecting a little more rain. But there's heat as well. See how it goes.

[danzvtil]

One of my clients skipped a cut last fortnight as his dad “cut it”. Got there, he did the front but not the back. Kikuyu, last cut a month ago, had rain, was over a foot high with numerous pit bull land mines. The Honda ploughed through though, with me holding my breath the whole time.
My other kik lawns have slowed up a little, as the night time temps in adl have turned autumnal all of a sudden. I dethatched mine at home last week, so it can recover before the cold hits.

[DFB FGXR6]

Today's effort, 5.5 hrs of non stop mowing.

[Mechan1k]

The workhorses

That Ryobi I bought 15 years ago from Bunnings when I first move out to acreage ... has been absolutely thrashed. Relegated to residential use and is overkill for what it is. No maintenance on it whatsoever ... only replaced bump feed head with disc that uses cut lengths of line. Can take out small saplings though Has been a good unit

Masport 4-stroke is about 10 years old ... B&S pulsa-prime 148cc unit.
haven't really had any issues with ... just basic maintenance ... and it loves to chew through carby diaphrams though. I have done it about 4-5 times now. It's been fairly decent for what it is. Its got a quieter life now as well (as it was used at both my in-laws acreage and mine before ... in the fiddly areas where the ride-on could get to ... and long driveway strips, etc. as well.

The thick buffalo gives it a bit of a challenge ... I just slowly make my way through it.

I finally got some time yesterday afternoon to attack my ankle length back buffalo lawn ... lucky its only a small area.

Trimmed ready to mow.


Done ... its still regrowing through that dead area (was larger not long ago)





4 catchers full just to do that section. Shows how thick the grass really was.

This stuff really grows quick ... it'll easily be over an inch longer this afternoon when I get home.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

image

Masport 4-stroke is about 10 years old ... B&S pulsa-prime 148cc unit.
haven't really had any issues with ... just basic maintenance ... and it loves to chew through carby diaphrams though. I have done it about 4-5 times now. It's been fairly decent for what it is. Its got a quieter life now as well (as it was used at both my in-laws acreage and mine before ... in the fiddly areas where the ride-on could get to ... and long driveway strips, etc. as well.

I know they are known for it but I have 20 year old Victa with that engine that has never needed one. Strange.

[Mechan1k]

It's been a strong engine regardless. And really hasn't missed a beat. I can do the diaphragm change with my eyes closed now.

[Work Horse]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

image

The workhorses

No not mine, I have a Stihl whipper and a Honda mower!

Speaking of the latter and part replacement, my Honda HRU196 heritage has wornout wheels, catchers and height adjusters as they do. I always buy Honda mowers because they start first time and the engines go for ever. I make my own repairs to the bits that wear to save money and keep them going.

I was in the mower shop the other week and asked out of interest what a geunine Honda height adjuster cost. $9 for the notched part that attaches to the mower, $11 for a new handle with a new rubber grip.

I couldn't get my money out quick enough, and to think of all the time I have wasted making my own in the shed.

[LG17]

We have had about 125mm of rain this month (200mm for the year) which is over half what we had for all of 2019. The dry, dusty paddocks have turned green and I have had to mow every day for the last week.
It isn't lawn like city folk have but geez it's nice to sit on the verandah and just look at it, especially after what it was. We still need more rain to break the drought. I've been flogging the Husqvarna 2246YTD so much that I broke a "tie rod end." I will have to wait a week or so for new ones to turn up so I just bolted a solid rod for the time being. It doesn't turn very well but at least I can keep on top (just) of the growth around the house paddock.

[MITCHAY]

Such massive difference. Behind the hill that is just up the road from my house, a couple of weeks ago had massive pyro clouds, smoke, and flames. Helos, small planes, 737 and DC10 air tankers running on a loop and now everything is green

Still struggling grow in a few spots in the yard but coming on nicely for the rest.

[danzvtil]

I pulled the trigger on the HRU196 buffalo pro, pick it up sat morning on my way to work.
Specs
GXV Honda motor
Blade brake
Wide chute
Solid catcher

WOOT! Review to follow ��

Tonight I did an oil change on my old one before storing it as a spare.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

I pulled the trigger on the HRU196 buffalo pro, pick it up sat morning on my way to work.
Specs
GXV Honda motor
Blade brake
Wide chute
Solid catcher

WOOT! Review to follow ��

Tonight I did an oil change on my old one before storing it as a spare.

Will be keen to read the review. Would you be able to post an image of the chute?

[MITCHAY]

Well I got the mower off the blocks and was quite surprised about how short I could cut it. Loaded up the bags ready for the tip along with the weeds.

Gone from dead to almost a foot high where the run off is. Had another downpour on Monday and now it's growing in parts it hasn't for ages.

I actually ran out of petrol while cleaning the mower. As far as I remember I have only gone through one 5lt jerry can of petrol since I bought the place in Sept 17. I think I got the mower in Nov so that's a fair stretch

[Rallye Sport]

Perths turn for some rain, 40mm over the last few days, high humidity, temps in the 30's and on top of that our growth retardant has worn off. We're mowing a few mm's off the fairways daily.
It amazes me how alive and responsive turf can be.
Bad news for the greens though, perfect conditions for fungus and disease. Fingers crossed.

[danzvtil]

So, HRU196 BUFFALO PRO review for day 1....

WHAT A BEAST!
Heaps of power, where the GCV would start bouncing off the governor in the heavy stuff, this just powers thru without flinching.
This motor is quieter and revs lower than the other one. Stanford mowers have given me the option of increasing the revs if I think it needs it, apparently the full timers with these machines do it.
I can see how these are built to run all day, just solid.
PROs
Plastic catcher is heavy duty
Blade brake is nice, knowing the blades have stopped when emptying the catcher is good when my clients kids often approach.
Runs quiet
New motor smell
CONS
Freakin heavy! I have to lift up some stairs at one place and there is no cross bar on the handles
Getting used to the extra blade brake lever
Drops grass out of the catcher when walking from the back to the front yard.

Service was great at Stanford mowers, Archie served me, gave a discount without being asked and answered all my questions with no BS.

[DFB FGXR6]

Latest addition to the toy box, Stihl HLA 56.

https://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Produ...adegeraet.aspx



The handle/trigger end of the machine is finger light, the blade section having a bit of heft but balances out nicely once the battery is inserted and is way lighter than the Combi system that this replaces.



Gave it a whirl on my front hedge, very happy with it's performance.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Latest addition to the toy box, Stihl HLA 56.

https://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Produ...adegeraet.aspx

image

The handle/trigger end of the machine is finger light, the blade section having a bit of heft but balances out nicely once the battery is inserted and is way lighter than the Combi system that this replaces.

image

Gave it a whirl on my front hedge, very happy with it's performance.

image

Have you tried it on fine stuff like diosmas or buxus yet? How does it go? I’m finding even though my ozito unit cuts ok, it causes leaf tearing on one jap box hedge I do, really ****ing me of.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

Have you tried it on fine stuff like diosmas or buxus yet? How does it go? I’m finding even though my ozito unit cuts ok, it causes leaf tearing on one jap box hedge I do, really ****ing me of.

I've used my HSA 56 on both Buxus and Diosma, worked quite well. Diosma will always be a challenge though.

[roKWiz]

Are you sure there isn't a van parked under there. Nice work.