The Lawnmower Man
August 20, 2007
A reference to a cult film from 1992, but that’s how I felt today. As part of our shopping spree we bought a strimmer in Inverness to cut back the grass and the weeds. They had grown considerably now the sheep can’t get on the garden part of the plot anymore.
A strimmer is basically like a mechanical scythe: a two stroke engine connected to a disc with nylon wires through a long shaft. The engine makes the disc spin which in turn makes the nylon threads go around. The threads then basically act as cutting knives…
After some testing and figuring out how the thing works, I decided today to go out and have a “day on the field” so to say. First I had to mix up the two stroke fuel, so we went down to Dunvegan and bought a jerry can of unleaded fuel. I mixed this with two stroke engine oil and filled up the little gas tank, pulled the starter cord and… brooommmm… the engine was happily humming away. A smooth start, so to say…
I attached the machine to the supplied harness (otherwise it’s to heavy to operate) and started strimming away. The result was astonishing. What once was a field of almost knee high grass suddenly looked like a really nice lawn. There’s some work to be done: quite a bit of rocks need to be removed and some of the big bumps in the lawn need to be flattened, but the start is there. Also, some areas need additional grass seed.
On the above photo I’m wearing ear muffs to protect my ears from the constant engine sound which is quite bad for your ears. I also wear protective glasses. The nylon threads rotate very fast and every now and then a stone is launched. If that hits an unprotected eye, I’m sure the results will be very bad!
After one day of hard work, the “rough cutting” is done. Tomorrow I’ll be doing the last bits and pieces…
Comments
3 Responses to “The Lawnmower Man”
Got something to say?
-
Latest music...
Hair (1968, Original Broadway recording). Some naughty lyrics for that time!!
An Rathad a Bhatarsaigh, by the Vatersay Boys
Stoere foto!
Wat een werk zeg, zo ‘met de hand’. Maar, heerlijk buiten en het lijkt erop dat het weer wat beter is.
Succes morgen.
Het weer was prima vandaag! Heerlijk zonnetje en niet al te warm. Ben overigens zo stijf als een plank van al dat gezwoeg… tijd voor een “wee dram”!!
Sláinte mhath!