Residential Use: Power Reel Mowers

[Duper]

Hello All,

I'm new to this Forum and was wondering how you all would rank power reel mowers - ~20" models. What's the best of the beasts? (For an approx. 1/4 acre lot of St. Augustine grass btw...)

Tru-Cut, McLane, etc...?

1. ?
2. ?
3. ?
4. ?
5. ?

Thanks and have a good one!

-Duper

[quiet]

You may want to see a demonstration of reel mower on St. Augustine before you buy. You won't get the cut quality you're looking for trying to cut a thick bladed grass like St. Augustine with a reel, and at least here in TX, we cut St. Augustine at a minimum of 3", usually more.

Reels are great for thin bladed, closely mowed turf, but St. Augustine? I'd recommend you find a good rotary mower and keep the blades sharp.

[Rustic Goat]

Reel mower, why?

[grasschaser]

I agree with St. Aug I would recomend a good rotory mower. Is there a reason you want to use a reel mower?

[Duper]

I heard Reels were the best at cutting anything, especially for St. Aug. actually.
7 blades against a cutting surface vs 2 rotating on an axis in mid-air...??? Even sounds better. I also heard they last longer (granted w/ a little more maintenance).

hmm...

Please correct me if I've heard wrong or am missing something obvious!

Thanks!

[Duper]

Don't believe everything you read on the internet.... just thought I'd save you guys the time of having to say it, :p but I found some sites talking about Mowing St. Augustine grass:

This is from a 'professor of plant pathology at UCR':

http://ohric.ucdavis.edu/Newsltr/CTC/ctcv22_3.pdf

Acceptable mowing heights for St. Augustinegrass
range from 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches. Mowing closer than 3/4 of
an inch will lead to a thin open turf while mowing about
1 1/2 inches will produce a rapid thatch accumulation. A
reel mower will give a smoother more even surface than
will a rotary.

This is from a SOD company:

http://www.pacificearth.com/cont/aug.html

"MOWING: Sunclipse [St. Augustine] should be mowed within two weeks of installation. Thereafter, a weekly mowing with a reel mower and grass catcher attachment is recommended. It should be mowed at 1"- 1 1/2". In shade situations, 1 1/2" is recommended. Avoid scalping."

These guys say rotory OR reel for St. Aug:

http://www.oldriversod.com/Revision/grasses.htm

These guys say rotory:

http://www.laughinghousefarms.com/grasses.htm

Definitely looks like there's a debate (or at least a difference in opinion)... but I think I'm leaning toward the opinion of the nerd in my first listing...

On the other hand, I doubt he's mowed as many lawns as you guys have!

Let's hear it? maybe we need another thread altogether to decide if St. Aug is cut better w/ a reel or rotory mower!!

BUT for THIS thread, and back to the original topic at hand, what are the best power reel mowers out there (21" and under please)?!?

[Rustic Goat]

Originally posted by Duper
I heard Reels were the best at cutting anything, especially for St. Aug. actually.
7 blades against a cutting surface vs 2 rotating on an axis in mid-air...??? Even sounds better. I also heard they last longer (granted w/ a little more maintenance).
hmm...
Please correct me if I've heard wrong or am missing something obvious!
Thanks!

Never mind any debate about reels & St. Aug. Don't know the credentials/experience of those suggesting such. Plus you're looking at MORE than a little more maintenance.
Reels are great for certain grasses and certain turf conditions, golf courses come to mind. But good old everyday mowing, rotary.
Deal with reality.

[Scott]

I don't think I've ever seen St. A (floratam, Palmetto, Raleigh) mowed under 2.5 inches let alone 3/4. Your type might be different but from what I've learned over the years 3 inches on St. A is standard and healthier.

Down here in the SE, St. A has been know to grow up to an inch a day(extreme cases). Now if you're cutting it with a rotary w/mulching blades, it's cut over and over. Reel type mowers don't offer that, it's clip and toss on the lawn or clip and in a catch. If you didn't use a catch, I would tend to think it would look like crap.

Just cause you have several blades doesn't mean it's gonna use seven blades to cut a single blade of grass. I think the seven blades are there for proper mowing coverage purposes.

Then again I could be wrong overall since I don't run reels.

Where's Dean/Ebony (indmowing) when ya need em?

[Duper]

As I just posted in my other thread, you're all correct - I ran a reel vs rotory on St. Augies today and the rotory won hands down.

(Tru-Cut P20 vs TORO 20038 if anyone cares).

Thanks,

Duper

[Scott]

can you show us some close up pictures?
what was the time difference?

[Duper]

duplicate post:

uhh... err....

that would've been a good idea if I had thought of it at the time!!!

Sorry Scott (& everyone), that would have required too much thinking ahead on my part. Mowed the whole lawn over again w/ the TORO soon after and returned the Reel Mower. ...sigh... so much for being scientific about it.