Thursday, June 05, 2003
Faster, Lawnmower! Kill! Kill!
Dale: I now have a new one, a 6.5 hp Briggs & Stratton-powered Craftsman from Sears. It was on sale, and coincidentally my 17 year old lawnmower went bye-bye last week. Actually, the engine still runs and the blade still cuts. The problem is that the lower handle has disintegrated via metal fatigue. Replacement handle? Sure. Except that the manufacturer went out of business, which makes parts searches a real adventure. The first place I went to last Saturday on HandleQuest had personnel who asked weirdly dramatic questions like: "Are you sure you want to order a new lower handle? Are you sure you want to commit to the expense, which could be upwards of $40?"
These queries came as we stood looking at the twisted disintegrating remnants of the handle, which render the lawnmower both useless and dangerous.
"Wow, $40?! When that will fix it?!? As opposed to spending $300+ on one of your frigging new mowers?!?!? Well, Mensa, that is a puzzler. Let me go home and ponder it for a month...."--I didn't say.
But I should have. Instead, I answered the idiocy with polite Yeses, which proved pointless since they didn't have anything close to the part. The second place I went to actually committed to finding me a part, via microfiches (for real). He called back yesterday. Yes, we have no lower handles for a 17 year old Aircap lawnmower. Still, the effort was impressive. I will have to take some of my business there. Dad has said to bring it back up to him to rig something up. No point in letting functional equipment go, and I could always use a backup.
Off to Sears, though, which had a Sale. I came home with a beaut: a mulcher with oversize rear wheels, a 21 inch deck and a rear bagger. Very, very nice. Fully assembled, which will surely save me some severed digits/limbs.
However, following 10 days of monsoon rains, my lawn is now approaching critical. I will be forced to prep the lawn with the machete if it doesn't dry out by tomorrow. Even the dog's getting a little nervous about leaving the deck anymore.
Dale: I now have a new one, a 6.5 hp Briggs & Stratton-powered Craftsman from Sears. It was on sale, and coincidentally my 17 year old lawnmower went bye-bye last week. Actually, the engine still runs and the blade still cuts. The problem is that the lower handle has disintegrated via metal fatigue. Replacement handle? Sure. Except that the manufacturer went out of business, which makes parts searches a real adventure. The first place I went to last Saturday on HandleQuest had personnel who asked weirdly dramatic questions like: "Are you sure you want to order a new lower handle? Are you sure you want to commit to the expense, which could be upwards of $40?"
These queries came as we stood looking at the twisted disintegrating remnants of the handle, which render the lawnmower both useless and dangerous.
"Wow, $40?! When that will fix it?!? As opposed to spending $300+ on one of your frigging new mowers?!?!? Well, Mensa, that is a puzzler. Let me go home and ponder it for a month...."--I didn't say.
But I should have. Instead, I answered the idiocy with polite Yeses, which proved pointless since they didn't have anything close to the part. The second place I went to actually committed to finding me a part, via microfiches (for real). He called back yesterday. Yes, we have no lower handles for a 17 year old Aircap lawnmower. Still, the effort was impressive. I will have to take some of my business there. Dad has said to bring it back up to him to rig something up. No point in letting functional equipment go, and I could always use a backup.
Off to Sears, though, which had a Sale. I came home with a beaut: a mulcher with oversize rear wheels, a 21 inch deck and a rear bagger. Very, very nice. Fully assembled, which will surely save me some severed digits/limbs.
However, following 10 days of monsoon rains, my lawn is now approaching critical. I will be forced to prep the lawn with the machete if it doesn't dry out by tomorrow. Even the dog's getting a little nervous about leaving the deck anymore.
