# Lawn size for manual reel mower?



## dslab (Oct 18, 2017)

My front lawn is Tifway 419 and around 2700 sq ft. I'm considering getting an old school manual push reel type mower to do that 2,700 sq ft at a nice low cut.

I don't have a lot of free time (family with young children), so wondering if others would think 2,700 sq ft is a little too big size area to try to keep it looking good?

I know it's a preference, but I'm wondering if I would wear myself out haha


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## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

MNuel reel mowers are great. 
I used one for a long time. 
3000 square foot of lawn will take you about an hour to do. 
Why so long. Because if your lawn is already thick and healthy. The Manuel real mower will float on top of the grass and cause a washboard effect. It will look like waves in a pond when you drop a pebble in it. 
You have to double cut In The opposite direction to help minimize this. However then you will get smaller waves in that direction. 
You said the answer to your own question. You don't have a lot of free time. If you don't stay on top of your mowing then you will never be able to push it. The higher the height of cut the harder to push. I survived because I cut my lawn at 1/2 inch every 3 days never skipping 
If you are still interested then amazon has a great States mower that 18 inch and can cut down to 1/2 inch. $100


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## dslab (Oct 18, 2017)

Thanks for your input @Tellycoleman - appreciate the information. I can get my hands on brand new Fiskers Reel Mower for $50! So I thought I might give the front yard a try - but from your feedback and other things I'm reading by 2,700 sq ft area, which also has some gentle slope as well, might be too much to tackle every couple days!


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## douglasbb (Feb 10, 2017)

I've got 5,000 sq. ft. and did 2 seasons with the Fiskars reel before buying a used McClane. 2,700 is definitely doable with the fiskars, especially if it is flat and level.


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## fp_911 (Apr 10, 2017)

dslab said:


> Thanks for your input @Tellycoleman - appreciate the information. I can get my hands on brand new Fiskers Reel Mower for $50! So I thought I might give the front yard a try - but from your feedback and other things I'm reading by 2,700 sq ft area, which also has some gentle slope as well, might be too much to tackle every couple days!


You might have better luck but I sold my Fiskers because it couldn't mow the Bermuda properly. I got a really bad washboarding effect and no matter what I did it would not go away.

I really wanted to make it work as I loved the concept of a workout while mowing and how quiet the whole process was.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

I have a fiskars reel mower. I used it for about three months on 1600 sq ft of grass until it got crazy hot out. I was having to cut every day to keep it short enough to still be able to push it and it only went down to 1" which wasn't the look I wanted for my yard. It took me about 20 minutes at a time but I was mowing every day a different direction. I gave up and got a CalTrimmer. You can get used reel mowers cheap on Craigslist. Mine is a 1985 and runs well. I got a reel roller for it to. It's not perfect but it really beats mowing manually. I just didn't have the time and the heat in summer was brutal. I do miss the workout for my legs though. I was looking good for a while there.


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## smurg (May 30, 2018)

Get an Earthwise 7-blade manual. I manual reel cut my 5k sq ft and it takes about an hour with some parts double cut (where I get washboarding & the smaller front yard). Washboarding was a lot worse with my previous 4-blade.

With limited time, I'd look into a PGR like T-nex 1AQ as well.


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## Paul (Jul 17, 2017)

I cut 5500 sq ft @ 0.7" with no PGR with a manual McLane greens mower. It can be done, but there is a level of commitment needed.


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## Gksdudrms (Jun 23, 2018)

Would verticutting help with the washboarding at all? And would it help to achieve a lower HOC? Turf has gotten so thick now that I am also experiencing the manual reel floating which prevents me from achieving the lower height as well as resulting in some serious washboarding. Thinking behind this is that thinning the turf out a bit may help?


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

@Gksdudrms It's a combo of things, not enough rotations per second and not enough blades. All of these are just a limit of a manual mower. You can get manual mowers with more blades. I think there's an amish made one...what's it called...The Mascot. It's a 6 blade. I was told this gets a better and lower cut than other manual mowers. You could try verticutting but you're going to keep ending up with the same problem as your grass grows with a manual mower and a low HOC.


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## Gksdudrms (Jun 23, 2018)

@Bermuda_Newbie Wow. Just looked up the Mascots and they are pricey for a manual push reel! I think all the points you mentioned are definitely true and something I'll have to work around until I can get myself an actual gas-powered reel. Hopefully next year...


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## MsTin (Sep 5, 2017)

I really want to find a way to add a motor to my Fiskars manual reel. I've seen several videos and other posts that are interested in doing it. I just don't think that I have the mental fortitude to do it. If anyone on this forum that is near the DFW area is wanting to play around with the idea. They are more than welcome to experiment on my manual mower. I of course would want it back but they would be able to take it for measurements and play with it to see if they would be able to wire one in. I am currently not using it to clip my lawn.


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## Cjames1603 (Jul 25, 2018)

Well this year is almost over so I would recommend taking the 50 bucks and started a reel envelope. I have used a manual as my first reel and if you let it get away from you just 1 time you are going to get a bad taste in your mouth for a reel and possibly for yard work and when going overboard for the best lawn in your hood isn't fun anymore.......well you know. Also I would say trying to thin the turf to be able to cut with a reel is counter intuitive. Don't we all want it thicker and thicker and thicker???????


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## ericmtlf (Sep 13, 2018)

fp_911 said:


> dslab said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for your input @Tellycoleman - appreciate the information. I can get my hands on brand new Fiskers Reel Mower for $50! So I thought I might give the front yard a try - but from your feedback and other things I'm reading by 2,700 sq ft area, which also has some gentle slope as well, might be too much to tackle every couple days!
> ...


I have one as well and get the same problem with washboarding. Trick is to so it in multiple directions and often. Here in South Carolina that only lasts until mid June because it gets too hot to keep it up.


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