My lawnmower is falling to pieces
By Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
Manchester, England
July 3, 2016 11:22am CST
The grass in my rear garden was so tall and dense that cutting it in one attempt was impossible. Just a small area was sufficient to fill my garden waste recycle bin, so I have had to cut sections and wait for the bin to be emptied before continuing.
So far I have filled 4 bins, so the grass from the first section is already due to be redone. With just one final area to go, today I decided to complete the task. This would then allow me to completely tidy up the whole area on my return from Majorca.
Just to make life a little more annoying, one of the arms of the lawnmower came out of the socket as I was mowing. It seems that the screw which holds it firm has worked loose, so I am unlikely to find it now.
Since I have no screws of appropriate size I shall to remove the other and take it to the store to find a match.
Fortunately the job was almost finished, so I removed the remainder by hand. Of course ripping up grass by hand is not a easy as using a lawnmower.
15 people like this
16 responses
@LadyDuck (502343)
• Italy
3 Jul 16
This would have been a good day to mow the grass, but it's Sunday and we cannot operate the mowers on Sundays (
). I hope that tomorrow it will be sunny and not too hot. Last year one of the screw worked loose and fall in the grass. You cannot believe it, I found the screw.
). I hope that tomorrow it will be sunny and not too hot. Last year one of the screw worked loose and fall in the grass. You cannot believe it, I found the screw.3 people like this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
7 Jul 16
I suppose the manual, naming the size of all the replacement parts is long gone.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
7 Jul 16
@Jeanniemaries All that I can recollect having seen is a small assembly diagram.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
7 Jul 16
@Asylum I gave away my mower but I'm sure the manual is buried somewhere.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23998)
• United Kingdom
3 Jul 16
Well those who live on vast sprawling estates have to maintain their rolling acreage somehow. It looks like you have no alternative but to get a goat now or maybe invest in a ride on mower! I do hope you have mowed the lawns and left stripes. It simply won't do to let the side down! 
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
3 Jul 16
@garymarsh6 Sadly my gardener is myself and I am a very lazy worker these days. I blame this on the recent Brexit vote, which seems to be the cause of everything else.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23998)
• United Kingdom
3 Jul 16
@Asylum I don't suppose your estate manager or gardener is working today? I guess as a reasonable boss you gave them the weekend orf!
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
7 Jul 16
I rip up enough weeds by hand that I wouldn't want to try it on the lawn itself. I imagine that wasn't too pleasant of a task.
I've purchased two bags of dirt for starting seeds and hoped to get working on that this weekend. Now with the stitches I had yesterday and even though it's bandages up quite well, I really shouldn't be working on that until next week. But maybe I'll be weeding again some of tomorrow. If I wait too much longer the seeds won't have enough time to germinate. I've probably already waited too long as it is.
Did you already take the other 'arm' of the lawnmower down to try to find the appropriate sized screw?
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
7 Jul 16
@MarshaMusselman A new screw is the only possible option and I have no intention of taking my lawnmower there to be adjusted.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
7 Jul 16
@Asylum Well good luck with that. Around here one of the popular stores has screws of every size, but recently when I took something in to match in stead of selling me a screw they adjusted the item a little which allowed it to work correctly. I don't remember what it was, but they didn't charge me for it. Course, yours won't get by without another screw.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
4 Jul 16
Yikes. Everything falls apart as it ages, as do we.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
5 Jul 16
@Asylum Good, those parts are easily replaced, as is the mower. One day they will figure out how to scrape the inside of our cheeks and grow a new organ from our own DNA. This would be a serious improvement on what is done now. There would be no issue of rejection or other problems.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
5 Jul 16
@ElizabethWallace I could do with a fresh body, not just a few parts.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Jul 16
You need a thrasher. What are those called? Is it time for a new lawnmower for next year?
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230351)
• Chile
3 Jul 16
I have found that lawnmowers have a short life. Once upon a time, a black&decker mower could last a lifetime. Not anymore. The brand was sold and mowers and just about everything are now disposable. 
I´m afraid that we are becoming disposable too.
I´m afraid that we are becoming disposable too.1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
3 Jul 16
@marguicha That actually makes them more expensive than the ones that did last because they have to be replaced at some time.
@marguicha (230351)
• Chile
3 Jul 16
@Asylum Yes. I used to have gadgets that lasted a life time. Not anymore. I don´t want to say anything, but now all brands say made by the PRC somewhere. They are not as expensive, but they don´t last.
. I used to have gadgets that lasted a life time. Not anymore. I don´t want to say anything, but now all brands say made by the PRC somewhere. They are not as expensive, but they don´t last.1 person likes this
@allknowing (153544)
• India
4 Jul 16
I think it is compulsory in your country to have lawns around. Would you have had it if there was no such rule?
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
3 Jul 16
sounds a tough job - glad you only had a little left to do by hand - hope you get a new mower before the grass needs attention again
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
3 Jul 16
@Asylum sounds straight forward enough
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
3 Jul 16
@arthurchappell It should be because the screw simply worked loose and came out, thus being lost at some point.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381960)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jul 16
I wouldn't fancy ripping up too much by hand. We must have thousands upon thousands of screws in the shed but it seems we can never one of the particular size we want. When do you leave for Majorca? I might have missed a post or two.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
4 Jul 16
Today is Monday in England and I will be heading for the airport late tonight. My flight is 6 AM, so I shall set out tonight and arrive at the airport around midnight. The check in desk will probably open around 4 AM, so it will not be a long night.
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14556)
• United States
4 Jul 16
Well that stinks, doesn't it? It could have at least waited until the last blade of grass had been cut! My mother, while in her 80s, used to go outside and sit on her lawn with hand clippers in hand. She would get every weed in the lawn by hand. It took her hours but she didn't care. Neighbors would come by and stop and chat and she would just keep going. I'm very surprised she didn't cut the whole lawn like that! lol
1 person likes this
