FIXING A LAWNMOWER

 Fixing a lawnmower can vary depending on the specific issue you're facing. However, here are some general steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially fix common lawnmower problems:

1. Safety first: Before working on your lawnmower, ensure it is turned off and disconnected from any power source. Wear protective gloves and goggles to avoid injury.

2. Identify the problem: Determine what exactly is wrong with your lawnmower. Is it not starting? Is it running rough? Is it vibrating excessively? Identifying the problem will help you narrow down the potential causes.

3. Check the fuel system: If your lawnmower is not starting or running poorly, the fuel system could be the culprit. Check the fuel tank to ensure it has enough clean fuel. Replace the fuel if necessary. Inspect the fuel lines and filter for clogs or damage. Clean or replace them if needed.

4. Inspect the spark plug: A faulty spark plug can cause issues with starting or running the lawnmower. Remove the spark plug and inspect it for signs of damage, such as fouling or excessive wear. Clean or replace the spark plug as necessary.

5. Clean or replace the air filter: A dirty or clogged air filter can restrict airflow and affect the performance of the lawnmower. Remove the air filter and clean it if it is washable. Otherwise, replace it with a new one.

6. Check the blade: If your lawnmower is not cutting properly or making unusual noises, the blade might be damaged or dull. Inspect the blade for any bends, cracks, or excessive wear. Sharpen or replace the blade as needed.

7. Clean the deck: Grass clippings and debris can accumulate underneath the lawnmower deck, affecting its performance. Use a scraper or brush to clean out any built-up debris.

8. Check the drive belt: If your lawnmower has a self-propelled feature and it's not functioning correctly, the drive belt might be worn or broken. Inspect the belt for any signs of damage and replace it if necessary.

9. Consult the user manual: If you're still unable to diagnose or fix the problem, refer to the lawnmower's user manual. It will provide specific troubleshooting steps and instructions for your particular model.

If the issue persists or if you're uncomfortable performing repairs yourself, it's recommended to seek professional assistance from a lawnmower repair shop or a qualified technician.

This is a photo of my neighbors lawn.

Last year he had the pipe break that brings water into the house. So he ended up digging up the lawn to replace the pipe. That was the end of the beautiful lawn. He took very good care of it. This year he put down some new top soil and seeded it. Unfortunately the new grass is not the same color as the original as you can see from the photo. Don't know what he will do now. Maybe he will spray paint it.

That Old Lighter

In the last couple of days we've cut the grass, front & back, whipper snipped and started to clean out the shed. I was merciless in the shed. Getting rid of stuff and still more to do. Some things I have to put on Kijiji.
Did you ever notice in adventure movies where the bad guy is going to burn down something, he always douses it with gas, (he always seems to have some on hand), then lights it by tossing in his lighter. Why do they always use a lighter, have they never heard of matches? And why waste a good lighter? I've also never seen a movie where after he douses with gasoline, he doesn't have a lighter or gas.  It's a movie.

Snow Blower today - Two years ago, I was cutting grass.

Cut the lawn yesterday. Rather than looking like crop circles my son would make, it now looks like it has small runways - for small aliens.

The heavens refrained from raining on us last night as it had for the past two nights, so I just may cut the grass. I cut it last Thursday, so it's due. My son grabbed the other lawn mower last week and started cutting the back yard. Normally, I go across or up and down, but my son is crazy - he went at it like he was making a crop circle.

Lawn Trimmer

 

On Friday Morning, I was out with the grass trimmer before 9 a.m. I heard it was going to rain by 11 a.m. So I got that done and trimmed some of the bushes as well. I have had a Toro trimmer for the past 32 yrs. It still works, except the spool is starting to fall apart and causing problems. We looked on ebay for a replacement, but the shipping costs were too high. It was just as cheap to buy a new one.
My wife's friend said they had two and I could have one. It seems her kids didn't place much value on it. A piece of junk was what they called it. It's a Black and Decker. So I tried it, and it works great. Certainly better than my old one. I just trim around trees and bricks, not do the whole lawn. That's what my neighbor across the street does. I wonder how old it is? I know it is discontinued.

 

Lawn Mowers.

      The next task was to get my lawn mowers ready to go. I have two mowers. One, you press the handle and away she goes. I use that one out front. Hills on the sides of the lawn. It mulches everything. Also has a bag on the back. The other machine is one I put together from three broken mowers. 22" across, so I use it in the back yard.
      Changed the oil in both machines. You take the cover off the top and lay it on its side. I cleaned them both last fall and took out the gas. Filled up with gas and both started on the first pull. I bought the new one at Sears Clearance the year before last. It doesn't have a primer for the gas - you just pull the cord. I would rather have a primer. But, you can get over that. Just take out the spark plug and spray in some carb. cleaner.
      The day after that, I cut the grass out front. Don't need to do the back yet. The new machine has a hose connection. Hook up the hose - turn the mower on and it washes underneath.

The Old Truck

    Well, I didn't see that coming. My neighbor sold his truck, just as I got used to borrowing it. He took it in for a brake job and found out it would cost a $1000., so he bought an SUV. I certainly can't borrow that to haul topsoil. Oh well, at least I had it for the two weeks while he was away. I was able to bring in two loads of topsoil, one load of gravel and the wood for the fence.
    Most of the hard work for the summer is now done. Earlier this week, we painted the fence, and my wife painted the patio. Now its down to cutting the grass every week. Of course, my wife still has that list, and I've having been that anxious to look at it.
    Cut the grass last Monday, a non-rain day. Actually, I need a non-rain day and one or two days to let the grass dry before I cut it. It's raining today and Sunday, so there goes Monday's job.

Cut the Grass

    I cut the lawn yesterday, the second time this year. That's pretty sad with June a couple of days away. But it rained almost every day, and on the other days it was too wet. I just did the front lawn. Had to put the bag on for the grass. Don't want a mess out front. It takes time to drag that bag back and forth. The grass was quite long, so it took a number of trips. After that, it was the whipper-snipper. It's the same one I bought in 74. You would think it would have packed it in by now.

Rubber Hose

    I went to see a friend of mine last week. He lives around the corner. The first thing he said was that his garden hose blew up. I couldn't get my head around that. He said, "yeah. it blew up." Then he explained to me that it was one of those hoses you see on T.V. The one that grows when you put the water in, then shrinks when the water runs out.
    He took me to have a look at it. There it was, a long snake with the side blown out. What it is, is a wire mesh that expands, and inside is a hose like a balloon. Not he thickness of an inner tube, but the thickness of a balloon. A spot on the wire mesh had broken so that the balloon made a bubble at that spot. It kept growing, and then 'Boom,' water everywhere. And that's the saga of the hose that blew up.

Compost

    The area behind my shed is where I do my composting. It's kind of a dangerous spot in the winter, tree roots, holes, uneven, ice, etc.. Last week I decided it was time for a move to the side of the shed where it's easy to get at. First, I built a 4' x 2" wooden container. The one in the back is falling apart. I've had it for a number of years. I sifted the compost from there, filling two garbage cans. My wife will use that for the flower boxes. The container is still half full, so I'll just throw the rest in the gardens.
    A friend of ours gave me a square black composter she didn't want. She said to just come and get it, which was easier said than done. They hadn't used it for five years and it had about a foot of compost inside. Roots had taken it over. I had to rip it all apart.
    When I had it all back together, I put it beside the wooden bin. I have a similar composter, which I put next to that. Each spring, I move all the compost from one bin to the next one. So it takes two years to get compost.
   I talk like I've done all that, but I'm only half finished. Have to work on non-rain days. Did some yesterday, but it started to rain. Can't do much today, I have to go to a "Caregivers Luncheon." Not my thing, but it is what it is. (I seem to be saying that a lot lately.)

Shopping At Sears

Last week I bought a new lawn mower. End of the season, good time to buy. Saw a sale at Sears Clearance Center. 20% off and another 10% off with their card. I knew what I wanter before I got there. 6.5 hp, large rear wheels, rear wheel drive, and rear bag.  It used to be that the grass shot out the side, then it was a bag on the back. Now they come with both.
They had a whole bunch there and I found one I liked. Had everything I wanted plus a hose connection for cleaning under it. That's something new. Good idea. I wonder if I can install one on my other mower. I have two mowers. The other one just shoots out the side. Good for my back yard. Don't need to bag, easy to push, don't need auto drive.
So the original price with tax was $ 575.00. marked down to $196. less 20%, less 10%, no tax. Total price was $160.  So I wheeled it from the store. Used it yesterday, works great.

Want To Get Men Talking? All We Need Is A Case Of Beer And A Washroom.

I'm looking out the window and watching the grass wave their greeting. Any sane person would say it's the wind but I think it's the grass greeting their friendly barber. Come, give us a trim. You wouldn't want passersbys to think you uncaring. Dr. Dolittle had the animals. As Dr.Doless I have the grass. Requires a lot less caring than animals and leaves a lot less munure.

Coffee, you little devil. You have us by the short and curlies. And we love it. The permitted addiction shared by most civilized peoples. Can we use civilized and addiction in the same sentence? I guess we can in this instance since everyone agrees. Coffee praises are sung far and wide as is tea by the English. We are proud of our addiction. Inexpensive, it can be purchased by anyone. Is it the modern version of the Colosseum games? Then they gave them bread, now its coffee.  Bread kept them alive, coffee makes us alive. An addiction with absolutely no reprisals. Anyway, if coffee became a crime, where would Starbucks be doing? Making milkshakes I guess.

Read on my Twitter, "Men's groups gets men talking." Must be a woman who wrote that. Want to get men talking? All we need is a case of beer and a washroom. Why are women so obsessed with getting men in a group and talking? Do they have some kind of crusade or what? Would we have to form a circle and hold hands? Then we would have to sing "Oh Canada" and I'm not sure everyone would know the words. Is it that they want to give us a list of what to talk about? We would want to chose our own topics and would probably talk about women, beer, cars, tools, women, beer and women. Then again, I don't think we need a group for that. During breaks, we could talk about money.

Cut The Grass

May 29, 2010

I said that last Sat. I would cut the grass. But I didn’t. I waited till Monday. That was a mistake. The grass was wet and heavy. Filled up my green bin and the neighbours. Also half a garbage can. Garbage pick-up was in the afternoon. Guess what? He wouldn’t pick up the half-full garbage can. If it was in a plastic bag, he would have taken it. The bag would have been a lot heavier. It all depends on the person. A feeling of importance.

Haven’t done anything all week. Cold, windy and rain most of the time. Today is supposed to be nice and sunny. Time to cut the grass again. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain again. For sure I am not waiting till Monday.

Betty has to go for an eye appointment at 11:00, so that ties the morning up. Very windy again today.