Had no idea such a thing existed

[wavinwayne]

This contraption is advertised as a "Hover Lawn Mower". I stumbled across it on amazon.com. I can't quite visualize how it would work.
Hover Lawn Mower

 

[greenaccord02]

They used to make ones like this many years ago - I didn't know they were still being made.

 

[expat]

Very popular in the UK often known as a 'Flymo'. I remember cutting a steep slop, it was nice to be able to swing the mower from side to side like a pendulum.

 

[Jim 5]

When I was a teenager, my friend's dad had one of these. It was called a "Flymo". It had what looked like a shop-vac hose coming up to the controls on the handlebars. At the end of the hose was a big valve or bleed valve. Based upon how much air you let bleed through the valve, the height of the cut would change.

It was a royal pain to use especially where the lawn was sloped. it also mulches only and left big piles of grass on the lawn with no way of dealing with it.

There's a reason why few have heard of these.

 

[Johnny]

For $800, I want wheels on my mower.

 

[Jim 5]

It's a deck with no wheels and a specific blade. I can't imagine paying $200 for that, let alone $800. That's a total burn in my mind.

 

[wavinwayne]

FWIW, the price seems ridiculous to me, too. I can't imagine who the target customer is for this thing.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
For $800, I want wheels on my mower.

... and a cup holder for my beer!

 

[Nayov]

It's essentially a giant weed whacker. Look at the pic and it shows the bottom.

 

[crazycrak]

Lol ya the beer holder would be nice I bet that thing would be loud and it doesnt have much for a blade

 

[greenaccord02]

+1 for the wheels and beer holder. For $800 it better have power steering.

 

[HM12460]

i wonder what kind of oil they use in it?

 

[wvrailroader]

There is also another downside to no wheels on these things. I have seen them used on a level yard and the lack of wheels also means it is very hard to keep on a straight path. Each row kind of weaves back and forth somewhat, making it look like the operator may have been intoxicated. I had a neighbor who had one of these years ago and it was always funny to see the crooked lines in the yard from this mower.

 

[yeehaw1960]

A guy is bringing one over this weekend to work on. I'll get the "hover" experience.

 

[Shannow]

They were big down here, but in electric.

Neighbour had one, but his technique wasn't to use it to make runways, but walk along the yard, swinging it in an arc. Made about 4 mower wide passes.

Grass looked neat and tidy.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: expat
Very popular in the UK often known as a 'Flymo'. I remember cutting a steep slop, it was nice to be able to swing the mower from side to side like a pendulum.


They were in the States as well around the late 1960s to early 1970s. Flymo was the first AFAIK. Eastman Industries currently makes the "Hovermower" and a bunch of other really heavy-duty stuff: http://www.hovermower.com/

Joel

 

[Jeff3126]

They're no good. I worked at a golf course and used them to mow around the sand traps. We went to using weedeaters.

 

[JTK]

Like any mower, it depends on it's application. I'm sure there's applications where the "Flymo" does it's job well.

Joel

 

[Shannow]

Resurecting a thread...

Bought my mother one for Christmas, after my father passed away (she couldn't get the briggs to work, and I can understand why, as Dad didn't get why it didn't work either and tried a few "tricks")...besides and 4' 11", she doesn't have much leverage to move a mower.

Electric flymow, used only in the back yard.

Grass is thickenning up as it mulches the residue better than the previous mower, and it suits hers style of observing where she missed and flicking it over there well.

 

[Nayov]

Apparently, they can operate at harsh angles without burning out due to lack of lube.

vid (don't worry...comments disabled, so its sanitary for tender eyes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plHVt6gqQg8

But I wonder how easyily they swing out of control.