Author Topic: Robot mowers  (Read 12120 times)

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Robot mowers
« on: 02 June, 2019, 05:03:50 pm »
We have two large expanses of lawn and neither the time nor the inclination to look after them* so I’m seriously considering investing in a robot mower - possibly two, one for the front lawn and one for the rear.

Anyone in yacf land have one? Any advice or recommendations? Any pitfalls I should be aware of?

I haven’t researched the subject in any depth yet, so I am a complete noob on this subject.





*apart from anything else, it’s time that could be better spent on the bike.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #1 on: 02 June, 2019, 05:41:19 pm »
Electric sheep instead?

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #2 on: 02 June, 2019, 05:43:36 pm »
I have considered getting a sheep (or goat) but I don't know how the dog would take to it. Also that would also require the front garden to be fenced in.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Vince

  • Can't climb; won't climb
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #3 on: 02 June, 2019, 06:04:36 pm »
I think your front lawn would need some sort of boundary to stop the mower straying (or being rustled).

Says he who know nothing either.
216km from Marsh Gibbon


PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #5 on: 03 June, 2019, 06:38:29 am »
I have considered getting a sheep (or goat) but I don't know how the dog would take to it. Also that would also require the front garden to be fenced in.

As you’re essentially talking about an agricultural version of a Roomba and you have a dog you may want to read this https://www.boredpanda.com/robot-vacuum-cleaner-spreads-dog-shit-everywhere/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic ;D

Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #6 on: 03 June, 2019, 07:20:27 am »
My friend has what was a paddock at the back of their house that they have turned into a garden. He was mowing it with a lawn tractor and a gang mower but the gang mower needed lots of work and he got a robot mower instead.
I think there are wires buried round the perimeter of the lawn to define the robots range.  Its self charging and just comes out of its own accord and seems to mow in random patterns (obviously they aren't as it does the whole paddock but they certainly aren't straight up and down).
It does an amazing job but it wasn't cheap. It cost several thousand pounds I believe. It didn't come from B&Q or a garden centre the guys a farmer so I suspect he got it from an agricultural machinery dealer.

If you want I can find out what make it was.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #7 on: 03 June, 2019, 07:42:13 am »
I have considered getting a sheep (or goat) but I don't know how the dog would take to it. Also that would also require the front garden to be fenced in.

As you’re essentially talking about an agricultural version of a Roomba and you have a dog you may want to read this https://www.boredpanda.com/robot-vacuum-cleaner-spreads-dog-shit-everywhere/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic ;D

That is truly horrifying! ;D
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #8 on: 03 June, 2019, 07:49:33 am »
I think there are wires buried round the perimeter of the lawn to define the robots range.  Its self charging and just comes out of its own accord

Yes, I’ve read about the wires - it would be interesting to know how easy they are to install and/or move if necessary.

The coming out of its own accord thing is the principal attraction of a robot mower*. Not sure I want to pay several thousands for one though - I’ve seen them for as little as £300, though I presume it’s a case of you get what you pay for, and garden size/complexity will be a factor (we have slopes in our garden so I’d need to know it could cope with those, which I suspect the cheaper ones couldn’t).

Quote
If you want I can find out what make it was.

It would certainly be worth knowing good brands to investigate, even if I don’t go for the top of the range!



*I’m currently using a Flymo that does a really shit job - I’m sure it would do a better job if I had the time to get out there twice a week, rather than once every couple of weeks...
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #9 on: 03 June, 2019, 07:53:45 am »
You can built your own!
http://deepsouthrobotics.com/2017/03/30/hello-world/
https://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/awesome-community-project-lwn-with-navio2-running-ros

At least that's what I would do :D

“we do not recommend that you build your own robot unless you are willing to take full responsibility for ensuring that your robot does not harm anyone.”

Probably best for everyone that I don’t go down that route!
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #10 on: 03 June, 2019, 07:56:22 am »
Yes, I’ve read about the wires - it would be interesting to know how easy they are to install and/or move if necessary.

The coming out of its own accord thing is the principal attraction of a robot mower*. Not sure I want to pay several thousands for one though - I’ve seen them for as little as £300, though I presume it’s a case of you get what you pay for, and garden size/complexity will be a factor (we have slopes in our garden so I’d need to know it could cope with those, which I suspect the cheaper ones couldn’t).

Quote
If you want I can find out what make it was.

It would certainly be worth knowing good brands to investigate, even if I don’t go for the top of the range!


His paddock has a quite steep bank in it and it copes fine. I'll find out the make and how hard it was to setup the thing.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #11 on: 03 June, 2019, 08:16:40 am »
I have considered getting a sheep (or goat) but I don't know how the dog would take to it. Also that would also require the front garden to be fenced in.

As you’re essentially talking about an agricultural version of a Roomba and you have a dog you may want to read this https://www.boredpanda.com/robot-vacuum-cleaner-spreads-dog-shit-everywhere/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic ;D

That is truly horrifying! ;D


Well as it's fairly obvious that I can't contribute helpfully to this thread the least I can do is to try to be entertaining.

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #12 on: 03 June, 2019, 08:43:15 am »
I don't own one but I have seen them being used in big gardens in Belgium. They do a pretty terrific job to be fair.
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #13 on: 03 June, 2019, 06:17:47 pm »
Geese?  Difficult to keep off the beds, though.  We only let ours onto the lawn in winter time, when the grass in the paddock is short.

Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #14 on: 03 June, 2019, 07:51:01 pm »
Geese?  Difficult to keep off the beds, though.  We only let ours onto the lawn in winter time, when the grass in the paddock is short.

Have you seen how much shit they leave behind?

Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #15 on: 03 June, 2019, 08:05:13 pm »
Geese?  Difficult to keep off the beds, though.  We only let ours onto the lawn in winter time, when the grass in the paddock is short.

Have you seen how much shit they leave behind?
For anyone who goes swimming in the ponds on Hampstead Heath, if they're not actually afloat, they are walking around with 100 year old goose shit between their toes.
Mmmmm....

ETA  - The above are a precis of the words of the late Barry Mason.

Chris S

Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #16 on: 03 June, 2019, 08:05:49 pm »
We looked at getting one as a thru-the-window companion for our Roomba, but having seen just how much £££ lawn-roombas are, we decided against it; buying me beer and a hover-mower was MUCH cheaper.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #17 on: 03 June, 2019, 08:07:11 pm »
We have two large expanses of lawn and neither the time nor the inclination to look after them

GAMI.

Seriously. Contract a local grass-cutting company to come in every other week or whatever.

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #18 on: 03 June, 2019, 08:42:40 pm »
If we had a great BFO lawn I'd totally be having goats.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #19 on: 03 June, 2019, 10:15:51 pm »
Seriously. Contract a local grass-cutting company to come in every other week or whatever.

If we had someone coming in often enough to keep it all tidy, it would work out a fair bit more expensive than a robot mower.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #20 on: 03 June, 2019, 10:30:24 pm »
Seriously. Contract a local grass-cutting company to come in every other week or whatever.

If we had someone coming in often enough to keep it all tidy, it would work out a fair bit more expensive than a robot mower.
There is an audaxer of my acquaintance, notp, who is a gardener by profession. He says the lawn mowing he does he charges virtually nothing for. That's not just a tradesman's complaint, he's happy to charge enough for other services. However, I think the reason he charges very little for lawns is because most people who don't mow their own are old people living alone for whom it's almost a social service; the chat is as important as the lawn. So even if you were in the area, you might get charged full commercial whack.  ;)

Anyway, I think if it were my garden, I'd maybe keep just one lawn mown and let the other one grow. Call it a meadow if you need to justify it.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #21 on: 03 June, 2019, 10:34:08 pm »
I used to charge approx £12/hour as a youngerun doing lawns (own mower supplied), which now I think about it was annoyingly close to what I often make on deliveroo now. Though at least I don't have to commit to hours with clients, reschedule for rain, and so on any more. And spend the time and energy getting to the premises (never more than a few streets away, but still...).
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

Chris S

Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #22 on: 03 June, 2019, 10:45:29 pm »
More than one homestead on our very new estate (it was pasture, four years ago) has opted for astro-turf. Y'know, it doesn't look that bad!

Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #23 on: 04 June, 2019, 10:32:29 am »
A friend of mine retired early (fireman). He does gardening jobs for extra cash. He mows the grass for all the pubs in about a five mile radius (that's only about 4) and they pay him in pub meals and beer. I don't think he and his wife have paid for a Sunday roast for about five years.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Robot mowers
« Reply #24 on: 04 June, 2019, 10:13:24 pm »
It cost several thousand pounds I believe. It didn't come from B&Q or a garden centre the guys a farmer so I suspect he got it from an agricultural machinery dealer.

Something along these lines?

Robo mowers

Cost range from £500 to £15,000, though the most expensive model does come with a lovely body kit and some rather snazzy wheels (oh and of secondary importance it can manage gardens of nearly 5 acres)  ;D