What's on Your Mind Thread - 2024

[maggie101]

This makes me glad I live in an apartment!

 

[Purrfect Meow]

I don't think we are quite there yet with some battery products. I have a battery vacuum that is wonderful, but then I don't have carpets. I have battery weed eaters and leaf blowers that both work well.

I found my battery snow blower frustrating and bought a new Toro gas. Now I am doing the whole neighborhoods drive ways. I am sure I will get over that by this winter, but then my neighbors will be all pissed off with me.

Some things work well with batteries, some not so much. Ever seen a lithium fire, its impossible to put out. I hope they develop a new battery technology in the not so distant future.

 

[NY cat man]

That's unfortunate. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that batteries aren't better for the environment. The human and environment cost to source the lithium for them is just as bad if not worse than gas?

I was perfectly fine with our gas mower- it's only four years old and runs well, but Michele is concerned that if something happens to me, she won't be able to operate it, especially the starting part.

I have a small snowblower that operates on two 24V batteries. It does okay but lighter snows but struggles with heavier. I have considered a battery lawnmower but my yard is pretty big. I wouldn’t want to have to buy another set just to get the whole lawn done.

This one takes two 40 volt batteries, and on our small lot, it only drains one of them by 50%, and this was heavy, wet grass that I was cutting. Still, when you consider that something like 80% of the cost is wrapped up in the batteries..........

 

[Kwik]

I was feeling better- or at least more human- today, and it wasn't raining, and the grass needed cutting, so I decided to give our new lawn mower it's first real workout. Michele decided to 'go green' with a battery-powered one, so after checking the ratings, we got a Greenworks 21" self propelled model from Lowe's, because they give a 10% veteran's discount. I got the thing home, unpacked it, read the instructions, went to charge the batteries......... and neither would accept a charge. Several phone calls, and several days, later, I had 2 functioning batteries- but lousy weather. So, to sum up: yes it's quieter than gas; it seems to cut well enough; there is enough charge to do the whole lawn with power to spare; the only downside is that since I compost the clippings, the dinky little catch bag needs to be emptied more often that the one on the gas mower. And the batteries? $308 each when and if they need replacement. Ouch.

Glad you're feeling human again!lol

Sounds like a really nice mower and plenty for what you've got to do only using 50% charge- I'd imagine it'd be a long time before those batteries need replacing

 

[MoochNNoodles]

We just got a kobalt brand battery mower so DS can start helping DH with the grass. We have other kobalt tools and I believe DH said the batteries are interchangeable. The price wasn’t better on gas i guess.

Its past time for him to help age wise but we aren’t ready to turn him loose with the riding mower. Plus there are a few areas its hard to get the riding mower in. We have 1/2 an acre so hopefully it will be ok. Or it’ll have to be done in sections.

So far DS is exited. We found him reading the manual

Lari You know we all love you but I’m gonna have to take your word for it with that show because I’m still dealing with ear worms from my kid’s shows that they’ve since forgotten!!

 

[NY cat man]

Prior to this mower, my exposure to cordless tools has been with a couple of Milwaukee 18 volt drill/drivers. The only difference between them is that one has a hammer drill feature for drilling concrete or stone, but the same battery works in both of them. My trimmer/edger/tiller/leaf blower powerhead, though is a Stihl gas unit. It's only 2 years old, and I ain't getting rid of that any time soon. Same with my chainsaw- another Stihl product.

 

[susanm9006]

Prior to this mower, my exposure to cordless tools has been with a couple of Milwaukee 18 volt drill/drivers. The only difference between them is that one has a hammer drill feature for drilling concrete or stone, but the same battery works in both of them. My trimmer/edger/tiller/leaf blower powerhead, though is a Stihl gas unit. It's only 2 years old, and I ain't getting rid of that any time soon. Same with my chainsaw- another Stihl product.

I have a bunch of Ryobi 18v tools. The reciprocal saw is one of the best of those - wonderful for doing pruning and branch trimming as well as other sawing. And I bought an awesome 21V battery operated leaf blower this spring. Came with an extra battery for $85 and it is super powerful.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Someday, if PCH comes to my door, or I win some obscenely large lottery, I'll be buying a home, and either looking at hiring someone to do my lawn, OR buying one of those robot mowers. Kinda like a big Roomba, but with blades. You program them pretty much the same way, I'm told.

 

[susanm9006]

Someday, if PCH comes to my door, or I win some obscenely large lottery, I'll be buying a home, and either looking at hiring someone to do my lawn, OR buying one of those robot mowers. Kinda like a big Roomba, but with blades. You program them pretty much the same way, I'm told.

I hired someone to mow my lawn last year but they drove me crazy because I never knew when they would show up, never on the same day so the lawn was either too long or didn’t need mowing yet. Doing it myself this year and we will see how it goes.

 

[Purrfect Meow]

Most of my tools are cordless as well, but I remember the days of corded tools since I still have mine but don't regret losing the cord. I can't tell you how many times I have been in some tight spot, under a car, in a crawl space, in an attic only to find I need 6 more inches of cord. I know its out there I just have to pull a little only to find it unplugged at the connector (even though I tied a knot in it). I am glad my minister wasn't around that day! Cordless tools, let me at them. Off course I have been in the situation where I have one more hole to drill, everything is lined up perfectly and no battery power. Sometimes you just have to laugh.

 

[Purrfect Meow]

Someday, if PCH comes to my door, or I win some obscenely large lottery, I'll be buying a home, and either looking at hiring someone to do my lawn, OR buying one of those robot mowers. Kinda like a big Roomba, but with blades. You program them pretty much the same way, I'm told.

I just had to comment, robot mowers work great if you don't have anything abnormal in your lawn, like the odd sprinkler head that is a tag too high or where the raccoons were digging for grubs. Maybe the new ones have better sensors, but the one I saw had the owner turning the air blue after each use. Maybe it was his tension release for the day....

 

[susanm9006]

Most of my tools are cordless as well, but I remember the days of corded tools since I still have mine but don't regret losing the cord. I can't tell you how many times I have been in some tight spot, under a car, in a crawl space, in an attic only to find I need 6 more inches of cord. I know its out there I just have to pull a little only to find it unplugged at the connector (even though I tied a knot in it). I am glad my minister wasn't around that day! Cordless tools, let me at them. Off course I have been in the situation where I have one more hole to drill, everything is lined up perfectly and no battery power. Sometimes you just have to laugh.

So true for me with corded yard tools. Not just a matter of needing longer cords but also not having an outlet nearby to plug them into. And then there are cutting cords. I think I have cut thru an extension cord at least three times while trimming hedges. Now it’s pretty much all cordless and I have a half a dozen batteries so I can always have one I can pop in if I run low.

 

[Purrfect Meow]

So true for me with corded yard tools. Not just a matter of needing longer cords but also not having an outlet nearby to plug them into. And then there are cutting cords. I think I have cut thru an extension cord at least three times while trimming hedges. Now it’s pretty much all cordless and I have a half a dozen batteries so I can always have one I can pop in if I run low.

I just stopped laughing after I "saw" your reply. Many years ago I had just bought my first lighted extension. I could finally tell if I had power. I am out with my power saw making a cat house for the stray in the neighbourhood that sleeps on my deck in the winter (Covered deck with a box full of work rags in the corner) and as soon as I start to cut through the first 2X4 my saw abruptly stops. I check it nothing wrong, check the cord, no its ok, check back further at my lighted cord and its no longer lit. So I pull on the cord and about the middle of the brand new cord its cut neatly in half. It got lost in all the wood I had out that day and a piece of cord was right under the 2X4 I was cutting to make the cat house. After all it was 0 that day and I was working rather quickly in the cold.

Oh well, it was for the best I guess as I put out the cat trap instead and trapped the big girl and she lived inside for another 10 years, never venturing out again. She would go to the door and look out but if you started to close it she would run upstairs and sit in her big comfy chair in front of the fire and purr as she looked out the window at the snow coming down.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

DH has had a variety of tools; inside and out. Sometimes the cords just get in the way too much. I figure make him as happy as possible while he’s doing his projects!

If I came into some extra regular money I would for sure get a lawn service. And regular pedicures. Maybe someone to deep clean bathrooms and cabinets every month pr two.

 

[game misconduct]

taking graycie to get her yearly vaccines and a nail trim tommorrow no breakfast or water for her until after all that. hopefully she doesnt pick up on gf anxiety

 

[NY cat man]

Way back when I was a kid- we're talking early '50s- our parents got an electric lawn mower. The housing was cast aluminum, and looked like a UFO from some sci-fi movie, and the cord weighed almost as much as I did. I don't remember how many patches of tape were on it from my older brother running over the cord, but the blue flashes when he did were impressive.

 

[NY cat man]

DH has had a variety of tools; inside and out. Sometimes the cords just get in the way too much. I figure make him as happy as possible while he’s doing his projects!

If I came into some extra regular money I would for sure get a lawn service. And regular pedicures. Maybe someone to deep clean bathrooms and cabinets every month pr two.

One of our neighbors has a lawn service do hers, and she also has the lawn sprayed once a month. The downside is that I have noticed a significant dropoff in the number of butterflies since that was started. Whether the two are connected, I can't say for sure. I used to have lots of Monarchs and Swallowtails come to the gardens, but never saw either last year; only a couple of Red Admirals and Cabbage Whites.