Lawn Mower Design - Who in your family cuts the grass?

Hi All,
I�m currently a student studying industrial design, for my major project I am hoping to redesign the lawn mower to make it easier to use and more manoeuvrable.

To help me design it I�m looking in to the average user. Any replies of the person in your household that cuts the grass would be much appreciated, all the info I need would be age, sex and height.

Additionally, any problems that you have with your current lawnmowers, however trivial please let me know, especially if its problems with its manoeuvrability. With enough insights from real gardens like yourselves I may be able to revolutionize the modern day lawn mower.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Tom
My Design Profolio

 

I am 61, female. 5'2".
The most aggravating thing about most mowers is that they don't cut right to the edge. It would be great to have a tiny mower up to about 6" wide- not a strimmer, it needs to rest on wheels on the ground.
What I would really like is a robot mower. I'd like a robot vacuum cleaner too. :D

 

i agree with Liz a mower that cuts to the edge would be a great advantage

 

That's the thing Tom..a blade cut wider than the wheels!
http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=000074;p=1#000000

 

Another female here, Tom! I use a petrol mower, and a flymo one (also petrol) Currently, to cope with having to cut grass while still wet, and often very long, I have to use a combination of shears, strimmer, flymo, rake and then finally pick-up mower. So - obviously I'd love a mower that could combine some of these things.... bit of a task, that! They're also a bit heavy....

Really, my main problem is that my pick-up mower doesn't like to pick up damp grass, so I have to empty and clear it constantly - if there's anything you can invent that would cope with that problem, I'd be a happy gardener!

 

I have three lawn mowers, but the one I use most often is an black and decker rotary which copes with wet and long grass. The only drawback to it is the handle comes away from the machine when lifting, and the screws holding the blade to the engine need to tightened on occasions or they come out. And of course its shears for the edge of the lawn.

The other two - one a stipe making grass picking up rotary, but it doesn't like wet grass - and a push qualcast panther - that does not go up to the edge of the lawn cos of the wheels and therefore is rarely out of the shed.

 

I agree with wanting one thats cuts right to te edge of the lawn without scalping it!! Must confess that I no longer mow the grass, I pay my eye candy gardening helper to do it!!! The petrol mower I have is too hard to start with that string pully thing(technichal term that)and far too heavy and unwieldy for someone of 5ft3" to push up and down a steep sloping garden. It doesn't like damp grass - leaving it in clumps everywhere and giving a very uneven cut.
Mowing surely is the gardening equivalent of ironing!?!

 

That string-pully-thing is not designed for female height and strength. It needs to be lower and shorter, Tom - have a look at the heights given by the women - and I'm 5'5. I've got the knack of starting my ones, but it took a lot of effort to get started on it. You can get self-starting ones - but they're expensive.

 

They're also impossible to turn in a tight space at the end of rows if you're only small,especially on a slope. I've always thought they should make them with those spinny front wheels like babies buggies have.

 

I agree with Windy and Dendy - I can only start opur petrol mower by luck :rolleyes: And its also not too good on manouverability (sp)!
I am 49, female and 5ft1"

 

Where are the guys on this thread????

Anyone else getting the impression that it's us women who do all the work?? :D :D

 

:D :D in order that my wife didnt work to hard with the mower i bought her a self propelled one,only to watch her go staight thru the gazebo,forgot to take her hand of the control,even our dog takes cover when shes mowing :D :D

 

Sorry Mrs Macleaf, but that is the funniest thing Ive read for a while! :D :D

 

Thanks for all your input so far every one, so many suggestions my creative side is in overdrive!

Those that have commented without adding details of age sex and height of the person that cuts the grass please do as I need this to work out the anthropometrics.

Keep the posts coming!

 

:D :D :D
Good job you didn't buy her a ride-on Macleaf!! :D :D