Ever see a HOVER lawnmower?? -pics-

[CaptaiN_JacK]

Well, look what I found! A pre-1970 (I think) model of the Flymo push lawnmower. It's in pretty rough shape, but I should be able to restore it by the end of summer, as long as I can find the right parts. The black cylinder on the handle holds an air filter which is supposed to be connected to something on the engine with a long, flexible tube, which I couldn't find (easily replaceable though).

Company website: http://www.flymo.co.uk/

Pictures!

[FactsOfLife]

had one of these a long time ago and turned it into a remote control flying mower.

only problem was the ignition would occasionally scramble the radio freek and make the thing go nuts.

[SlartyBartFast]

Only really good use for a Flymo is to cut grass on large hills.

Two ropes attached to the handle bar (one to each side) and swing the mower back and forth while lowering the mower down the hill.

[wanna-b-ballin']

wait, it hovers?
so its effortless to push? thats awsome!

[Cow hunter]

looks as if the one in the pic needs a new airbag on the bottom.... not going to float on metal...

[Pyroboy597]

That confused me as well.. there is no sheath or skirt around the bottom

[-Tab]

So, how well do they do the job?

[bofh]

looks as if the one in the pic needs a new airbag on the bottom.... not going to float on metal...

From what I remember, (A friend had one in the 80's) they didn't have skirts, and they worked pretty well. It was more of a curiosity, since they had to mow 4 acres, and that's riding mower size.

I never figured out how they adjust the cutting height.

[Vex]

I never figured out how they adjust the cutting height.

Sarcasm, hopefully...?

[bofh]

Sarcasm, hopefully...?

Nope, I don't see a height adjuster. I always assumed that it couldn't.

[MarkM]

They couldn't be adjusted for the height of the cut and were intended for ease of use but came into their own on slopes, they are also very dangerous as many people had injuries from the metal blade, they leave a sort of mulch after they cut so you had to rake after you cut...later versions sucked the cut grass into a collector. The advertising line was " it's less bover with a Hover"
The one pictured is basically complete though the ones we used were electric not petrol so I would question if that is actually a Flymo branded version pictured.

[CaptaiN_JacK]

It originally had a Flymo sticker on the front. I remember clearly because I searched the internet for Flymo right after I found it. The first versions of the hover mower were petrol, and the first electric model came out around 1970.

[Vex]

Nope, I don't see a height adjuster. I always assumed that it couldn't.

If it hovers, can't you just adjust the height by pushing down or pulling up on it?

[MarkM]

If it hovers, can't you just adjust the height by pushing down or pulling up on it?

Not really as it hovers at a set height so you start it up and let it do it's thing, start pushing or lifting and then it can go out of control and the accidents happen, you simply apply pressure to guide the direction, in a similar way to how floor buffer is controlled.

It originally had a Flymo sticker on the front. I remember clearly because I searched the internet for Flymo right after I found it. The first versions of the hover mower were petrol, and the first electric model came out around 1970.

Yes it appears you are correct but your model looks NOT to be a real Flymo though

http://www.oldlawnmowerclub.co.uk/moms/mom70-flymo.htm

http://www.oldlawnmowerclub.co.uk/mowhist.htm

[Surestick]

I remember the adds... I always thought Black & Decker made an electric one in the late 80's early 90's.
IIRC one issue they had was due to the fact they push air out instead of sucking it in they didn't work too well if the grass was too long as it would get flattened by the air & not get cut.

I always wanted to try one. I remember when my dad was buying a new lawnmower once & those were out I was pressuring him to buy one of those cause they looked cool. "But Dad, if you get a hover mower you won,t have to bug me to mow the grass all the time"!