If you were designing a lawnmower...

Dear All,

This is an open invitation and request for all of your thoughts and know how relating to gardening and lawnmowers in particular.

I am a final year student of product design engineering living near Glasgow. For my final year project I have decided to take on the challenge of designing a better lawnmower.

The idea is not to make it technically better than those which are currently available for I have seen that there are some very expensive and sophistocated mowers out there, but rather to design something which is easy to use for everyone. It is to be a small mower for the increasing number of small gardens out there these days.

As gardeners, enthusiasts and experts, I would be interested to hear your thoughts on current products (good points and bad), your own experiences (again good and bad) and any general ideas you have for making a light, usable lawnmower for small gardens.

I greatly appreciate any help you could provide and will take on board any information you give,

Thank-you in advance

Andrew.

 

It already exists. Take a look at the eteisia Pro 46 and Pro 51k and see if you can translate some of the features across.

 

Oh for one that will take itself to the compost heap and empty itself!!
I don't mind cutting grass. Its all that business of taking off the grassbox, walking down to the compost heap and back again, restarting the engine.... :(

 

Self adjusting for height of cut.
Self propelled.
Self composting.
Self emptying.
Self starting.
>>>>>>>>----

 

I haven't got one, but I like the idea of those robot mowers that roam arond the garden munching the grass. Are there any solar power ones? That would be great for somebody with a little handkerchief garden, because the problem there is more where do you store the mower?

Personally, I hate the weight and noise of my mower and all the fussing about getting the cable out and the extension lead out and then hauling the mower out of my shed.

On my hover, the grass bucket keeps falling off which is very annoying and the the plastic plug which kept the handle upright broke which is also very annoying, especially since the mower regularly grinds its way through the wire that is currently holding it together.

I think I may be harping after the good old days of the gentle thrum of manual mowers.

 

My pet hate with my mower is that the neck of the grass box is narrower than the box. So although the gress gets blown into the box easily enough, when I go to empty it, the damp grass 'bottlenecks' and won't come out easily.

 

Something that cuts wider than the wheels

 

Best mower I ever had was an ancient thing that was found rusting on an allotment, after oiling up and replacing the chain it was so well balanced it was easy to push big heavy roller on the back kept the lawn really flat and good looking. Since I decided to replace that with a new electric one the lawn has never looked so good.

 

for pure simplicity

get an old shopping trolly and strap a battery powered hendge trimmer on the front. dont worry about straight lines it will go were ever it likes

 

If this mower is to be light, a petrol version is out.

So mains electric or battery?
What about noise considerations? In Europe there are limits on noise so you can't use a noisy mower after 7pm weekdays or after mid afternoon on Saturday.

You need a series motor for power and an induction motor for quietness.

Are you collecting the cuttings or recycling them back into the lawn?
Saves on a grass box and collection system but cutting system is expensive.

 

1. sturdy but foldable handles and easy to reach controls
2. good "balance" no one wants a machine that is a struggle to turn
3. minimum front of machine to blase clearence for getting right into corners
4. wide entrance to grass box. Wet grass will clog in a narrow aperture. Also a grass box that is easy to get on and off but which doesn't fall off! I hate boxes that drop on your shins.
Good height adjustment range. Many lower end market machines i have seen either don't cut low enough or not high enough to cope with that month away reclaiming of the lawn.
5. Good engine/motor obvious really but worht saying.
For smaller machines I prefer push mowers to self propelled but each to their own