The hover mower...
- Thread starter kctyphoon
- Start date
jessesandy
Well-known member
Friend had one growing up.
As I recall, it was kind of prone to tilting over and cutting divots in the grass.
As I recall, it was kind of prone to tilting over and cutting divots in the grass.
mmason7764
Well-known member
The one I saw in operation was also in the UK.
Since that time I have wondered how they get around the problem of the fan blowing the grass flat while trying to cut. Most lawnmower blades have wings to **** air upward at the blade tips to help the grass stand up to be cut.
I ran across this video that gives some hints:
Looks like the design pushes a column of air down in the center of the rotating blade. The airflow at the blade tips would then be lateral (sideways) or some may even be drawn upward (but not too much, as that would counteract the lift they are creating). The blade cutting edges are lower at the tips than the rest of the blade, which may help make the cut in a lower air velocity zone.
The limitations, and thus the lack of popularity of these seem to be:
But actually a very cool idea.
Mark
Since that time I have wondered how they get around the problem of the fan blowing the grass flat while trying to cut. Most lawnmower blades have wings to **** air upward at the blade tips to help the grass stand up to be cut.
I ran across this video that gives some hints:
Looks like the design pushes a column of air down in the center of the rotating blade. The airflow at the blade tips would then be lateral (sideways) or some may even be drawn upward (but not too much, as that would counteract the lift they are creating). The blade cutting edges are lower at the tips than the rest of the blade, which may help make the cut in a lower air velocity zone.
The limitations, and thus the lack of popularity of these seem to be:
- More power required
- less cut width
- uneven cut on the first pass, notice that in the demonstration videos the operator uses a back and forth multi-swipe technique
- one cut height, which is low. Also is probably optimized for thick grass.
But actually a very cool idea.
Mark
JohnDeere1
Banned
I'll keep my JD rider and stihl weed wacker they are nice and effective with my rider I've ran down thick weeds up to my chest and I'm 6'5 it mowes through any and all never bogs it's a 48" w/ 3 blades .
wombat31x
Well-known member
We had one when I was a kid it was called a "Flymo" and had a Briggs & Stratton engine on a well kept lawn it was great but if the grass was very long you had to drag it through you could not push it over long grass.
laser3kw
Well-known member
another question: how do you transport it from place to place? No wheels to roll on. 
another question: how do you transport it from place to place? No wheels to roll on.
They have to be pretty light to hover. It's not like a regular push mower. Just pick it up and haul it where you need it.
SuperCat
Well-known member
Since it has no wheels, I think the movement of the mowing deck might be a bit unpredictable -- if you make a small mistake in mower movement or your foot slips, that could lead to the mower going over your foot, since it can move 360 degrees/any direction at any time. No thanks, that looks like an accident waiting to happen. 
Last edited:
WhiffySpark
Well-known member
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- Oct 22, 2009
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They're popular in wet areas and stupid hills
Chris705
Well-known member
Since it has no wheels, I think the movement of the mowing deck might be a bit unpredictable -- if you make a small mistake in mower movement or or your foot slips, that could lead to the mower going over your foot, since it can move 360 degrees/any direction at any time. No thanks, that looks like an accident waiting to happen.
Ahhh....So that's why the guy in the video is wearing a hard hat to mow!
i love how they market it like its not a 50 year old design.
i think its a nice idea just not hugely useful one. The cut that leaves behind is terrible and 95% of what they advertise it being used for are things that get done with a string trimmer which you already own.
i think its a nice idea just not hugely useful one. The cut that leaves behind is terrible and 95% of what they advertise it being used for are things that get done with a string trimmer which you already own.
I still have a Toro Flymow. I got from my grandfather. They have a fiberglass deck and a 2 stroke engine. The only good use for it was to mow a first cut on a freshly seeded lawn. Probably should get rid of it but sense it was something he liked I will keep it to hang on the wall.
William....
William....
friend of mine had one of those in the early 80's. bought it for a large steep hill he had ....at the time they came in 4 cycle and 2 cycle.....dealer recommended to him the 2 cycle because he had seen the 4 cycle oil starve themselves before
alfazer
Well-known member
They were really popular over here for mowing schools and sports pitches with steep grass gradients around the sides. They used the 2 stroke ones which were lighter and worked at any angle, tied a rope to the handle and just walked back and forth at the top of the hill, gradually letting out more rope until they got to the bottom. The handle folded flat to hang store them on a wall.