The Hardware Man - Lawns, Mowers and Things
- Editor
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Howdy folks,
Here we are at the end of April, and the lawn season is in full swing. As a guy that has always had his side hustle in the mowing business, it is an optimistic time of year. If only we got paid by all the quotes we did. But as experience tells us, if you win all your bids, your prices are too low.
Equipment is one thing that always needs maintenance. That is, if you want to keep it working properly. In a perfect world, we clean the mower after each use, sharpen blades and change oil monthly, and because of that, nothing breaks. Ha. Ha. Ha. After something broke, I once told my dad that the only way to keep it from breaking is simply not to use it. But as farmers and contractors know, we use our equipment and expect it to last. I have noticed that an investment in commercial grade tools usually has the ability for easier repair and maintenance. Low cost, cheap tools end up being disposable.
My first job was at a hardware store for a summer, but my main work the following years was at a golf course. Specifically, a vegetable farm transformed into a golf course by an ambitious farmer. That would be Strawberry Ridge Golf Course in Harmony, PA, for those keeping score at home. Tim McNulty is one of the people I blame for who I am today. He taught me a lot about fixing equipment, troubleshooting problems and turf maintenance. Like any old farmer, nothing is broken for long if it can be welded. And, if you build it, they will come. Strawberry Ridge of Dreams, forever. That’s a great golf course, by the way.
Welding only works on certain things. Usually, the right parts are required first. We have a growing selection of standard parts, ranging from spark plugs to air filters and belts for your mower. But there is a pretty wide variety of specifications, and for that, we use Stens to supply those parts. Like Amazon, we can get you product in a few days but with the advice to go with it.
I had to replace a backpack blower after we lost one off a truck last year. I had my natural sticker shock, as I shopped for a new Stihl BR800x at my local hardware store. Not my store. T&M Hardware in Harmony. I decided to defer until this year and bought a Milwaukee backpack blower kit to try. With 4 – 12.0Ah batteries, it promised an hour of run time on full throttle. Since I had purchased a Milwaukee string trimmer last year for my wife (at her request), I figured we may as well try it all to see how it performs in the field with regular commercial use.
A few weeks into the mowing season, I like the battery units, within reason. Knowing their limitations of battery life, we run the blower with two batteries at a time instead of four. The weight saving is nice and it’s less stressful to know you have a second battery set ready. Squeeze and go is a huge advantage as is the noise level compared to gas engines.
Understanding and accepting the balance of power versus battery life helps manage expectations when comparing to gas engines. Officially, the battery units should not be exposed to moisture, aka rain. In my landscaping world, that will happen. Thankfully, no damage was done when it rained. In short, we are using the Milwaukee tools as a first option but keeping our gas units on the truck for backup.
Happy Anniversary to my bride of 18 years this week.
Daniel Karns and his wife own Clintonville Hardware & Rental along with other businesses. Join the discussion by contacting him at info@clintonvillehardware.com.
