[geeks] lawn mowing efficiency

[geeks at sunhelp.org]

~ -----Original Message-----
~ From: Bill Bradford [mailto:mrbill at mrbill.net]
~ Sent: Sunday, April 21, 2002 4:43 PM
~ To: geeks at sunhelp.org
~ Subject: [geeks] lawn mowing efficiency
~ 
~ 
~ As I sit here, covered in sweat from just finishing mowing the lawn,
~ I had some thoughts while mowing said lawn.


Actually, I had a good (patentable?) idea once. Years ago (back before law
suits) someone manufactured something called the Flymow. No I Shit You Not,
this mower looked like a regular pusher with a slightly thinner deck. It
used a prop blade or maybe the Bernouli affect to keep the deck two or three
inches off the ground (it had no wheels). It floated across the lawn on a
cushion of air. I have seen one once at a fleamarket, but it wasn't running.

My idea:
1) put a small prop blade at the back of the mower facing the operators
position. Have the air from the prop push the Flymow forward.

2) drive a stake in the middle of your lawn and put a small barrell on it.

3) tie a rope to the barrell

4) tie the other end of the rope to the Flymow and place it at the edge of
your lawn.

5) start it up and let it rip. The rope would wind around the barrell and
slowly pull the Flymow closer and closer to the center in a spiral. When
done, disconnect the rope and clean up the square corners of the yard that
it missed.

6) have a beer and figure out what to do with the rest of the day, since you
aren't wiped out from mowing.

My wife and I had a screaming ROFL session once imagining what a Flymow
would do if the operator tripped and let go. We envisioned this thing taking
off across the neighborhood and ravaging all maner of gardens, pets, lawns,
etc.