I am a first time home owner and thus lawn mowing as a chore came to me with no prior experience. I did a lot of researching to find out which product may be right for my 3 lawns of approx. 2200 Sq. Ft area. Looked at gas as well as electric power equipment and they all looked quite daunting to haul from the store as well as to operate/maintain them. Thus, I chose this simple yet very effective product and decided to give it a try.
It was very easy to assemble and to my surprise, very easy to push and mow the lawn. It takes us less than 30 minutes now to mow the three separate grass areas. So much so that all our family members are keen to take turn and they all enjoy the mowing.
I would have liked the product to have an option for a basket to collect the cut grass. There are no attachments available with the product as well as at any other store. Thus I have no option but to let the cut grass blades go back into the lawn and let it mulch naturally.
All in all, a cheap, simple, effective and easy to operate product which also gives a good workout without polluting the environment.
Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch
วันพุธที่ 25 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2552
Scotts 2000-20 20-InchScotts Reel Review
Great product if you have the right grass. You can't have bumpy, patchy grass like mine. You also have to make sure you cut the grass at least once a week, preferably twice. If you are dedicated to your lawn and keep it perfect, this is a great product.
Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch
Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch
Scotts 2000-20 20-Inchehhh...it's okay
I've used this off and on for one season.
I purchased it mainly for the environmental aspect and also for the opportunity to get a little workout in.
It IS fantastic exercise, IF you stay on top of your lawn (every 3-4 days). If you go several days between mowings though, you are going to feel like you are pushing it through wet cement. You will be cranky and soaked with sweat by the time you finish...unless you give up and grab the power mower to finish the job (but that would be cheating now, wouldn't it?!).
The cut itself is okay, but it's not as neat a cut as a gas mower in good condition will provide.
The handle does flex quite a bit. Scott's needs to work on a sturdier design in that department.
The one thing that is extremely important with the reel mower is that you absolutely have to clean off the blades when finished (I use a cheap, stiff paintbrush) and you absolutely have to spray it with WD-40 BEFORE you start mowing. This makes the cutting process a bit less strenuous.
When you finish your lawn, be sure to grab a protein bar and a quart of water. You're gonna need it!
Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch
I purchased it mainly for the environmental aspect and also for the opportunity to get a little workout in.
It IS fantastic exercise, IF you stay on top of your lawn (every 3-4 days). If you go several days between mowings though, you are going to feel like you are pushing it through wet cement. You will be cranky and soaked with sweat by the time you finish...unless you give up and grab the power mower to finish the job (but that would be cheating now, wouldn't it?!).
The cut itself is okay, but it's not as neat a cut as a gas mower in good condition will provide.
The handle does flex quite a bit. Scott's needs to work on a sturdier design in that department.
The one thing that is extremely important with the reel mower is that you absolutely have to clean off the blades when finished (I use a cheap, stiff paintbrush) and you absolutely have to spray it with WD-40 BEFORE you start mowing. This makes the cutting process a bit less strenuous.
When you finish your lawn, be sure to grab a protein bar and a quart of water. You're gonna need it!
Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch
Scotts 2000-20 20-InchGreat mower, lousy handle
I really like this mower a lot. I have owned a Brill and Sunlawn, but I like the Scotts classic better than either. I do have a 40 year old Scotts Deluxe that is substantially heavier and which I like the best of all. I use the old Scotts Deluxe for mowing my own yard and leave the Scotts classic in my trunk to mow rentals. Here are my pros and cons.
Pros.
1. Heavier than others. That makes it less likely to slip when going over uneven lawn or wet grass. It also has more reel momentum making it cut tall floppy grass and leaves better.
2. Handle comes off easily. There are little clips that hold the handle in, but I do not use them. I just pop the handle on and off, making it easy to store in my trunk and use any time.
3. No gas, much, much lighter and smaller than a gas mower. Of course this is true of all reel mowers, but it is an important point for me. I can leave this in my trunk and not worry about gas fumes or about refilling gas. It is always ready to go. With the handle off, it does not take up too much of my trunk and it is light enough to easily take in and out of my trunk.
4. Durable. You might not think of this with a reel mower, but it saves me nice money in maintenance. I actually mow several rental lawns weekly. With that much mowing I have to take my mower in for maintenance every year. Also I have bent the crankshaft on multiple mowers. The only maintenance on this is sharpening the blade.
5. Easy to sharpen the blade. This mower is made by American Lawn Mower, which means it can use the very easy, very cheap american lawn mower sharpening kit available from amazon and tons of other places for under $20. I like the kit and feel I get a better cut with this mower than I did with the brill or sunlawn models.
6. Quiet. Maybe it is a little louder than the brill, but it is still super quiet. If I feel like mowing in the middle of the night, just because I can, I do and it bothers noone. Now when I use a gas mower, the noise really bothers me.
Cons.
1. Handle is super flexy. They really cheaped out on the handle. The sunlawn and brill models are much stronger. It works and lasted a heavy use season, but it will not last as long as the body.
2. Tough time with weeds. Like all reel mowers, this thing does not like to mow anything that is tall and floppy. This one handles weeds and tall grass much better than average, but you should still try to hold down the weeds and cut weekly if possible. That being said my sister often forgets to mow her weedy lawn for a few weeks, and I am able to mow it with my Scotts classic when her sunlawn would have more difficulty.
Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch
Pros.
1. Heavier than others. That makes it less likely to slip when going over uneven lawn or wet grass. It also has more reel momentum making it cut tall floppy grass and leaves better.
2. Handle comes off easily. There are little clips that hold the handle in, but I do not use them. I just pop the handle on and off, making it easy to store in my trunk and use any time.
3. No gas, much, much lighter and smaller than a gas mower. Of course this is true of all reel mowers, but it is an important point for me. I can leave this in my trunk and not worry about gas fumes or about refilling gas. It is always ready to go. With the handle off, it does not take up too much of my trunk and it is light enough to easily take in and out of my trunk.
4. Durable. You might not think of this with a reel mower, but it saves me nice money in maintenance. I actually mow several rental lawns weekly. With that much mowing I have to take my mower in for maintenance every year. Also I have bent the crankshaft on multiple mowers. The only maintenance on this is sharpening the blade.
5. Easy to sharpen the blade. This mower is made by American Lawn Mower, which means it can use the very easy, very cheap american lawn mower sharpening kit available from amazon and tons of other places for under $20. I like the kit and feel I get a better cut with this mower than I did with the brill or sunlawn models.
6. Quiet. Maybe it is a little louder than the brill, but it is still super quiet. If I feel like mowing in the middle of the night, just because I can, I do and it bothers noone. Now when I use a gas mower, the noise really bothers me.
Cons.
1. Handle is super flexy. They really cheaped out on the handle. The sunlawn and brill models are much stronger. It works and lasted a heavy use season, but it will not last as long as the body.
2. Tough time with weeds. Like all reel mowers, this thing does not like to mow anything that is tall and floppy. This one handles weeds and tall grass much better than average, but you should still try to hold down the weeds and cut weekly if possible. That being said my sister often forgets to mow her weedy lawn for a few weeks, and I am able to mow it with my Scotts classic when her sunlawn would have more difficulty.
Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch
Scotts 2000-20 20-InchCuts grass good, gives high intensity work out
This mower cuts through grass very nice, when properly sharpened and adjusted. It also chokes on a toothpick, so clean up your yard before mowing.
I am likely one of the few knuckleheads who successfully sharpened and adjusted the cutting bar on this machine, it took 3.5 hours...and I hated every minute. I used valve grinding compound and a jury rigged crank. It will take less time, now that I understand the cutting bar action vs. the set screws, which are a complete mystery at first.
The BEST lubricant for the blades is synthetic motor oil, bar none.
Ive tried lithium axle grease, EP moly grease, brake grease, antiseize, WD40, siicone spray, and nothing keeps the blades turning smoother than synthetic oil. It also stays on longer, and most effectively prevents rust on the blade edges,
This thing also takes so much effort to push in heavy grass, it can get you in shape for a decathalon.
Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch
I am likely one of the few knuckleheads who successfully sharpened and adjusted the cutting bar on this machine, it took 3.5 hours...and I hated every minute. I used valve grinding compound and a jury rigged crank. It will take less time, now that I understand the cutting bar action vs. the set screws, which are a complete mystery at first.
The BEST lubricant for the blades is synthetic motor oil, bar none.
Ive tried lithium axle grease, EP moly grease, brake grease, antiseize, WD40, siicone spray, and nothing keeps the blades turning smoother than synthetic oil. It also stays on longer, and most effectively prevents rust on the blade edges,
This thing also takes so much effort to push in heavy grass, it can get you in shape for a decathalon.
Scotts 2000-20 20-Inch
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 8 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2552
How To Take Your Piano Playing To The Next Level
Are you ready to finally learn how to play piano despite years of lessons? If you're like many students of the piano, all your lessons and all your practicing have only gotten you so far. Maybe you've found that you've hit a wall in your piano playing ability, beyond which you just can't seem to get. The following are some helpful tips for taking your piano playing to next level.
* Learn pattern recognition: Every song ever written follows a pattern, a structure of sections and chord progressions. You need only listen to a handful of songs by The Beatles to hear what we mean. To expand your repertoire and build versatility in your ability to pick up nearly any song you hear quickly and easily, learn the patterns with which all songs are composed.
* Play by the numbers: Every song is written in a particular key - one of but 12, to be precise - and every key has it's scales, series' of notes in specific intervals, any of which will sound natural and pleasing to the ear when played in it's respective key. Every scale in every key has its 1-chord, its 2-chord, etc. Instead of straining yourself to memorize how to play various piano chords by rote, learn instead the keys that chords are played in and the scales they're built upon. Then you can quickly and easily figure out how to play any chord in any key on the spot, whether you've memorized that specific chord or not.
* Listen: This tip is about learning to play by ear. The secret to learning to play by ear is simple - just learn the aforementioned 12 musical keys. By doing so, you can easily transpose any song you hear into any key you like. Learning to transpose, then, will take you to the next level of playing piano, which is knowing how to improvise. Many piano players can read and follow piano sheet music, but far fewer can sit down and start playing along spontaneously with any song they hear - and have it sound pleasing to the ear. Of course, if you don't yet know how to read piano sheet music, then you may also want to begin studying that skill as well. But not at the expense of learning the fundamentals of music, which is not in writing but in listening. In musical terms, this is called "ear-training". Learn to recognize the sounds of harmonic and melodic intervals and you're more than halfway to playing them.
* Expose yourself: No, we're not suggesting you run naked down the street. What we're suggesting is that you spend time surrounded by musicians of exceptional quality, professionals and amateurs alike in whose presence you can hear what it sounds like to play how you want to play. The body's muscles have memory far superior to than our brain's conscious recall ability. By simply immersing yourself in an environment where your ear is exposed to the sort of piano playing you aspire to, your body has a far easier time reproducing those sounds on the piano yourself.
Most importantly in your piano playing adventure is to remember to give it a little attention every day. You don't have to practice for hours and hours a day to get good at the piano. You need only devote a small amount of time daily to keep the skills you're learning present in your mind and body. Even just 15 minutes a day keeps your piano playing ability in tune.
Chat online and in real-time with friends and family! Windows Live Messenger
* Learn pattern recognition: Every song ever written follows a pattern, a structure of sections and chord progressions. You need only listen to a handful of songs by The Beatles to hear what we mean. To expand your repertoire and build versatility in your ability to pick up nearly any song you hear quickly and easily, learn the patterns with which all songs are composed.
* Play by the numbers: Every song is written in a particular key - one of but 12, to be precise - and every key has it's scales, series' of notes in specific intervals, any of which will sound natural and pleasing to the ear when played in it's respective key. Every scale in every key has its 1-chord, its 2-chord, etc. Instead of straining yourself to memorize how to play various piano chords by rote, learn instead the keys that chords are played in and the scales they're built upon. Then you can quickly and easily figure out how to play any chord in any key on the spot, whether you've memorized that specific chord or not.
* Listen: This tip is about learning to play by ear. The secret to learning to play by ear is simple - just learn the aforementioned 12 musical keys. By doing so, you can easily transpose any song you hear into any key you like. Learning to transpose, then, will take you to the next level of playing piano, which is knowing how to improvise. Many piano players can read and follow piano sheet music, but far fewer can sit down and start playing along spontaneously with any song they hear - and have it sound pleasing to the ear. Of course, if you don't yet know how to read piano sheet music, then you may also want to begin studying that skill as well. But not at the expense of learning the fundamentals of music, which is not in writing but in listening. In musical terms, this is called "ear-training". Learn to recognize the sounds of harmonic and melodic intervals and you're more than halfway to playing them.
* Expose yourself: No, we're not suggesting you run naked down the street. What we're suggesting is that you spend time surrounded by musicians of exceptional quality, professionals and amateurs alike in whose presence you can hear what it sounds like to play how you want to play. The body's muscles have memory far superior to than our brain's conscious recall ability. By simply immersing yourself in an environment where your ear is exposed to the sort of piano playing you aspire to, your body has a far easier time reproducing those sounds on the piano yourself.
Most importantly in your piano playing adventure is to remember to give it a little attention every day. You don't have to practice for hours and hours a day to get good at the piano. You need only devote a small amount of time daily to keep the skills you're learning present in your mind and body. Even just 15 minutes a day keeps your piano playing ability in tune.
Chat online and in real-time with friends and family! Windows Live Messenger
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 5 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2552
How To Take Care Of Musical Instruments
When children are assigned a musical instrument to play while taking classes in the school band, they are introduced to the equipment in a hands-on method that some are not very happy with. The student will be tasked with carrying the musical instrument with them for several days at a time, and during that time, the musical instrument could be subjected to numerous bumps along the way.
The musical director will spend many days explaining how to play certain notes. A great deal of instruction will go into finger placement and the amount of pressure that is needed to depress the keys correctly. The director will be concerned that some students are not listening because he will view them handling the instrument roughly and know why the instrument does not sound right on specific notes that the band is practicing.
When this type of activity is observed, some music classes will cease. The rest of the day will be spent teaching students on the care and cleaning instructions that will be needed for each instrument. The director will probably explain to the students that taking care of the musical instruments can sometimes be a hassle. The director will also elaborate further to the students that the results of better treatment will be well worth the effort when it comes time to play a concert or practice each day.
Every aspiring musician will be responsible for the care and cleaning of the instrument they play each day. A clean musical instrument can be a joy to play, but a dirty instrument will become difficult to play. Choosing the right time to clean the instrument can be very hard on some kids, because they always seem to have children milling about that makes the cleaning process difficult.
Most children have found that taking the instrument outside to clean works better, but most parents will recommend that the instrument be taken to a professional that works at the local music store. The music store might be where the instrument was purchased and these professionals know every crevice of the instrument and the correct way to use cleaners and other cleaning accessories. A child can learn to clean the instrument properly by watching the artisans work their magic in the store.
Many instruments come with cleaning cloths and solutions that are perfect for a particular instrument. A clarinet player will find items such as cleaning cloths with special weights attached to it. Poles will often serve as cleaning tools that will fit nicely in tubular instruments such as flutes, and brass polishes might be needed if a child has been tasked with cleaning a tuba.
All of the cleaning products for each musical instrument can be found at music shops and other musical instrument retailers, and with a gentle touch and a little effort, musical instruments will always be ready to play because they were maintained in tiptop condition. Repairs can be made to all musical cases because they take the brunt of damage done because the musical instruments have to be carried. A musician can keep musical instruments clean by not storing them in hot spaces and maintaining a cleaning regimen that will ensure that the musical instrument is cleaned and polished each time it is used.
The musical director will spend many days explaining how to play certain notes. A great deal of instruction will go into finger placement and the amount of pressure that is needed to depress the keys correctly. The director will be concerned that some students are not listening because he will view them handling the instrument roughly and know why the instrument does not sound right on specific notes that the band is practicing.
When this type of activity is observed, some music classes will cease. The rest of the day will be spent teaching students on the care and cleaning instructions that will be needed for each instrument. The director will probably explain to the students that taking care of the musical instruments can sometimes be a hassle. The director will also elaborate further to the students that the results of better treatment will be well worth the effort when it comes time to play a concert or practice each day.
Every aspiring musician will be responsible for the care and cleaning of the instrument they play each day. A clean musical instrument can be a joy to play, but a dirty instrument will become difficult to play. Choosing the right time to clean the instrument can be very hard on some kids, because they always seem to have children milling about that makes the cleaning process difficult.
Most children have found that taking the instrument outside to clean works better, but most parents will recommend that the instrument be taken to a professional that works at the local music store. The music store might be where the instrument was purchased and these professionals know every crevice of the instrument and the correct way to use cleaners and other cleaning accessories. A child can learn to clean the instrument properly by watching the artisans work their magic in the store.
Many instruments come with cleaning cloths and solutions that are perfect for a particular instrument. A clarinet player will find items such as cleaning cloths with special weights attached to it. Poles will often serve as cleaning tools that will fit nicely in tubular instruments such as flutes, and brass polishes might be needed if a child has been tasked with cleaning a tuba.
All of the cleaning products for each musical instrument can be found at music shops and other musical instrument retailers, and with a gentle touch and a little effort, musical instruments will always be ready to play because they were maintained in tiptop condition. Repairs can be made to all musical cases because they take the brunt of damage done because the musical instruments have to be carried. A musician can keep musical instruments clean by not storing them in hot spaces and maintaining a cleaning regimen that will ensure that the musical instrument is cleaned and polished each time it is used.
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