Lawnmower History

It is hard to imagine doing the gardening without the lawnmower. Lawnmowers are common place nowadays, but where did they originate from? The lawnmower was invented around 1930 by a British engineer called Edwin Beard Budding, who was from Gloucestershire, England.
Budding's invention began when he noticed how a machine in a cloth mill used a cutting cylinder, which was mounted on a bench to trim cloth. Budding being an engineer could see how the same principle could be applied to cutting grass and set about designing a machine that could utilise similar principles.
Budding decided to form a partnership with another engineer called John Ferrabee and they made mowers in a factory in Stroud. Budding and Ferrabee then decided that they would license other manufacturers to build mowers, which became a shrewd idea.
This early mower was designed with a cutting cylinder in front of a larger rear roller. A gear mechanism was used to transmit power to the front cutting cylinder and were not to dissimilar to the human powered lawn mowers of today.
In 1859 Thomas Green, invented the chain driven mower. The benefit of using the chain driven mower over the geared mower was the fact that the machine was lighter and more quiet, however, they did cost more. After some years, a further innovation came about with the sidewheel machines, which had a wheel either side of the cutting cylinder. The benefit to this style of mower was the fact that they were light and relatively cheap, which made them popular world wide.
Over the years various manufacturers began to appear, one of the more famous ones being Ransomes Automation, which were a British company, who developed chain and geared mowers. In Around 1902, Ransomes introduced a petrol engine mower which led the market until the First World War. The company is still a leading producer of mowers to this day.
After the First World War, there was a growth in the production of lawn mowers. More people were moving to the suburbs, which had homes with small gardens. During this period companies such as Atco and Qualcast began to become successful and still producing lawn mowers to this day.
Over the years there have been further developments with the mower, such as the invention of the rotary hover mower and the large sit on mowers that are used to tend for larger turfed areas. Although many of the original manufacturers may have disappeared, some of the companies still trade, which has helped the lawnmowers become a common site in most garden sheds.

MTD Lawnmower

If you own a home or if you opted to cut the grass for an apartment to get a cut in your rent, you know that the job is a stressful one. Or, at least it has been stressful up to this day and age of advanced technology. The strain and back pain of cutting the grass has been alleviated but, advanced technology has not yet answered the question of "do I have to do it today?"
Cutting grass is an easy task when you decide what kind of lawnmower you want to buy and use. You have a choice of a push power lawnmower or electric or gas powered lawnmowers. Again you have a choice of the push power lawnmower or one you can sit on. The latter would depend upon how much grass you have to mow. Whatever your choice, the MTD lawnmower could be your choice.
The MTD lawnmower can be had with a side-discharge push lawnmower that has three positions for height adjustment, a strong engine and long life wheels to assist you to easily maneuver the lawnmower. Another MTD lawnmower is the chipper and shredder which can handle branches that are up to two inches in diameter. It shreds grass and chips twigs for mulch. It has a drop down chipper chute which allows you to rake grass and leaves in to it.
Perhaps the most favored MTD lawnmower is the 2 in 1 push mower. It has the ability to change nine height settings and has a back bag into which leaves and grass can be mulched. All of the MTD lawn products are listed as MTD Yard Machines.
The company which makes the MTD lawnmower is a reputable company which has been in business for approximately thirty six years. Their lawnmower designs are attractive and easy to use. In addition, if you have to replace parts for the lawnmower they are readily available wherever lawn mower parts are sold. If purchasing an MTD Lawnmower you are probably getting the most efficient and technologically advanced machine on the market.

Some Helpful Tips For Selecting the Right Lawn Mower

Choosing the right mower for your yard can be a hard choice to make if you don't know what to look for. There are so many different sizes and many different brands that can turn an easy job into a headache. But it doesn't have to be. You only have to know what you want. The first thing you need to notice is how large your yard is. You don't want to buy something that is too small and will take you all day. Getting the right size mower for your yard is one of the most important tips. If you have a yard that is small and is perhaps terraced with a few steps, you want to be looking for something more light weight and easy to move. However, if you are looking for something to help you manage a large piece of land, then commercial lawn mowers will come in handy.
The next thing you want to consider is how much work you actually want to do. Do you want to do most of the work with your arms by pushing the mower, and collect all the clippings and fallen leaves by hand? Or would you like your mower to do most of the work? There are great mowers that will do fantastically on doing both of these jobs at the same time, and cut the amount of time you spend on the job.
Another consideration is how you would want to store your new mower. If you don't have a lot of space then buying a large riding lawn mower is not the thing for you. If your space is limited, look for something smaller and a mower that can be easily stored. There are many mowers that have a fold-able handle and are light weight making it easy to store in small places. Likewise, if you have the convenience of a large shed or some other way of taking care of your mower, and you have a large lawn, then perhaps getting a large riding lawn mower would be more practical for your yard.
Whatever type of yard you have, you can always find something that is right for you. You just need to know what to look for. So take notice of the size of your yard, how much work you want to do and how much storage space is available to you. Taking note of these few things will help you in finding that perfect mower that you will be happy with for years to come.
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Chainsaw Maintenance and Safety

A chainsaw is an indispensable tool for any serious home handy person. Unfortunately, surprisingly few people know all they need to do in order to maintain their chainsaw safely! There are two main parts of the chainsaw that you should pay regular attention to - the chain blade and the engine or motor. There is a fair amount of information available online about how to sharpen the teeth of a chainsaw chain blade, but a basic overview is that you use a round file of the appropriate size to restore the cutting edge on each tooth. File guides are available that help you hold the file at the right angle, so fortunately it is pretty hard to get it wrong.
The other part of maintaining a chain gauge that is more often overlooked is the condition of the depth gauges. Depth gauges are the raised 'tooth' that trails behind the cutting edge of the chainsaw blade. These are responsible for the depth of the cut of each tooth, and if these are not the correct height the chain blade can stick in the cut, with dangerous results. A specific tool is used to measure the distance between the cutting tooth and the depth gauge, which is measured in fractions of an inch. Settings can vary between models of saw, so consult the manual to find the right details for your own saw.
Your chain blade should be sharpened after every use, with just a few light strokes of the file. Depth gauges should be checked and adjusted if required after a few sessions with the chainsaw. To adjust a depth gauge, you use your depth gauge guide tool to get the file to cut at the right depth, and simply file down the tooth as required.
It's important to adjust each depth gauge evenly, so you should turn the chain blade and check every tooth before using the chainsaw next. Including this simple step in your maintenance program will help to ensure continued safe use of your chainsaw!

Chainsaw sharpeners come in a range of models, either electric or manually operated. These make sharpening a chain blade much easier, and are a worthwhile addition to your tool box!

DIY Tree Cutters - Horror Stories Revealed

It's approaching the summer season in Manchester. People are making the most of their time in the sun with BBQ's and other garden-related activities.
However, if you think that now is the time to do a spot of landscaping with the chain saw then think again.
The number of people admitted to hospital has been increasing steadily in correlation with the prices of chainsaws decreasing.
Jon, a local tree surgeon says:
"We have had numerous accidents caused by members of the public thinking they can fell a tree with what they see on TV and a cheap chainsaw. The reality is completely different. If you don't call a professional to do the job then you can risk damage to your (or worse the neighbor's) property".
We had Jon tell us his worst story and he recalled a time a group of lads thought it be a good idea to get rid of the old tree at the end of the garden in Chorlton, Manchester.
"They figured that if you cut a 'V' in the direction you want the tree to fall, it will inevitably fall in that direction. Unfortunately what most people fail to take into account is the significance of the weight of the branches. They didn't and as a result the tree fell into the main road and crushed a parked car!"
As Jon points out, luckily the car was empty at the time but it caused thousands of pounds worth of damages as well as shutting down the road for the day.
"It may cost a little extra but call out the experts. They are there not just to fell trees but also to do a professional analysis of the risks involved in cutting the tree."
If in doubt ring your local council first for assistance before carrying out work on large trees.

The Most Adventurous Jobs

The majority of the jobs on the market these days are the dependable, yet monotonous day in and day out desk jobs. However, for those audacious and venturesome types, there are careers out there that are everything except monotonous, but still just as dependable as well as lucrative. Examples of these intriguing and adventurous professions include military work, Alaskan fishing, guiding hunters, as well as a career as an Arborist.
A military career is not only exciting and constantly varied work, it is also an exceptionally rewarding career with countless benefits for those in service as well as their families. From the land-based Army, to the sea-based Navy and air-based Air Force, a career in the military is sure to offer one exhilarating experiences day in and day out as they are required to be clued in, alert, and always ready to think on their toes. The U.S. Army and the Army Reserve are the foundation of the United States' military land operations, however, a more technically minded individual would presumably be more attracted to a career in the US Navy or the US Air Force, both notorious for their forward thinking technological equipment and machinery.
One interested in employment in one of the most profitable and risky jobs available should consider a vocation of fishing in Alaska. Obtaining a career as an Alaska fisherman is not always an easy task, as current crewmembers rarely leave their positions. Nevertheless, one who does secure a job on a fishing crew is sure to understand just how lucrative a career in fishing and crew work can be. With wages based upon a share and/or percentage of harvest/catch earnings ranging from 1.5-10% for newcomers. Bear in mind that anyone looking into these careers is advised to obtain a signed contract/work agreement concerning pay and job responsibilities before heading out to sea.
An individual who is already interested in game hunting should be pleased to know that they can get paid to hunt every day if they were to choose the unique career of a hunting guide. Hunting guides are generally trained through schools and/or programs which help those interested in guiding to learn the principal environments where the game is to be found, as well as training in protection of those they are to lead in case something goes amiss in the wilderness. The compensation for work as a hunting guide, unfortunately, is not its main appeal, however, if one truly is a hunting enthusiast the possibility of hunting as a career is a job perk within itself.
An Arborist, or a tree surgeon, is yet another professional option for those looking for an adventurous career, which is far from monotonous desk work. An arborist's responsibilities include the management and maintenance of various plantlife, as well as focusing on the health and safety of individual trees and/or wooded areas. Requiring certification, those interested in this one of a kind profession must first pass a somewhat difficult written exam, alongside three years minimum of field experience. One interested in arboriculture and is interested in the care and preservation of nature should definitely examine further a career as an Arborist.

Chainsaw Maintenance - What You Need to Know

Owning a chainsaw is a wonderful thing. You now have the ability to lop off unsightly dead branches with ease, size chunks of firewood, and recreate scenes from Texas Chainsaw Massacre at will. However with great power comes great responsibility. Maintaining your chainsaw is an essential task, but luckily you can learn to do so quickly. Sharpening your chainsaw blade and carrying out regular maintenance will greatly extend the working life of your saw - and it will cut better too.
Safety gear is important when carrying out maintenance on a sharp tool - leather gloves and some eye protection are the advisable minimum standard. You will also want your chainsaw sharpening tool of choice, a hook or hooked piece of wire for cleaning the chain bar groove, screwdriver and socket to remove the chainsaw cover, and the manual for your chainsaw.
Your daily maintenance routine should consist of checking the oil and petrol are topped up, or checking power cords for any sign of wear if you have an electric chainsaw. Also, check that the chain blade is properly tensioned.
Every few uses, you will want to use your sharpening tool to keep each tooth on your blade properly sharp. A good indication that you have a blunt blade is if the saw starts producing sawdust instead of even small chips. If you have a petrol driven chainsaw, checking the fuel filters regularly is advised.
Although you can sharpen your own chainsaw easily enough, field sharpening is only intended to keep an edge on the cutting tooth. Once your tooth becomes more seriously worn, it should be sharpened by a professional who will be able to restore the correct cutting angle.

There are many models of chainsaw sharpener on the market. Purists will use a round file of the appropriate gauge for the tooth, with or without a file guide. Electric sharpeners also exist which can make your life easier, but at the expense of some degree of portability.

Identifying the Best Tree Removal Services

A good tree removal service provider offers a complete service: trimming, pruning, removal, stump removal, land clearing, and even emergency clean up. They are also aware on how to properly address needs of trees or tree care. They would suggest clients to refrain tree topping and offer other alternatives. It is very important to hire services of knowledgeable contractors to lessen the chance of accidents and damages.

Tree removal is strenuous and dangerous work. It is important to use the latest and state-of-the-art tools and equipment. The best services also include 'round the clock services in cases of disasters. But before deciding on which service contractor to get, one must identify the reason of the tree removal service. Some of the most common tree problems are dead trees and branches, fungus growths and leaning trees.

Problem diagnosis will ensure the type of service needed. To get a good tree removal service provider, it is important to check on the following concerns:

• Contractors must have a Tree Care Industry Certification or International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) proof. They should be arborists with knowledge on arboriculture.
• Price estimates or quotes if not a written contract of the service offered including time frame based on ANSI A300 standards. The American National Standards Institute set qualified standards on tree removal and also on safe work practices.
• Provide proof of insurance to workers and cover damages to property and better yet call the insurance company for verification
• Ask for references from friends or neighbors on their past tree removal services.
• Determine the need for city or government permits.

One should beware on the following situations/cases which lead to violation:

• Requesting payments in advance
• The use of climbing spikes which damages the tree
• Lion's tailing practices

Behind the Scenes at TEP Conferences

Imagine coming across a fascinating book on earthworms by an American entomologist, phoning him up, and bingo, you've got a conference on tree health and soil ecology.

That's what I do for a living these days, as well as working as an interpreter and translator. It is bound to happen at some point when you've got an arboriculturist for a father and a botanist for a mother. When I was growing up, trees and plants were almost all anyone talked about. My earliest memory is of bilberry bushes at about eye-height. It may not be a real memory but one suggested by a tatty black-and-white photo of a naked infant me covered in dark juice stains.

As a child born into a happy hippy household based in rural Aberdeenshire and later in the West Country, I was climbing trees practically before I could walk - usually to escape my elder brother. My childhood memories smell of wood and wood smoke, both from fires and from the grownups around me: sculptors, wood carvers, sociologists with a chainsaw (my Dad). My memories of him are mostly of two feet sticking out either from the canopy of a tree or else from under our constantly sick Land Rover. When we could get at the rest of him, we had a great time picking the sawdust out of his ears and belly button as he lay in an exhausted heap after a long day doing what people did back then with dead elm trees if they suddenly found themselves with a family to feed.

Later, I dedicatedly ignored all things botanical and arboricultural and studied fine art and modern languages, working as a conference interpreter and translator in Spain, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, France ... However, much as I love my little language business, it was inevitable that I would gravitate back to trees. And here was the perfect means: Treework Environmental Practice conference series.

What started out as seminars for local authorities really took off when the Arboricultural Association went out on a limb to endorse TEP's principle consultant Neville Fay's vision of turning the seminars into powerful events capable of influencing national policy. I feel privileged to have been part of such an enterprise and we are forever grateful to the AA for its backing and belief in this innovative process. We're also very grateful to the Institute for Chartered Foresters and others for their continued support.

Arboricultural practice - what to do in what circumstances - is at the heart of the series. But the series is directly influenced and informed by the science behind arboriculture, as well as the art of observing trees and what is natural versus what is imposed by people. What is natural - ecology and environment - increasingly influences practice, but so do the hard legalistic implications that drive management for public safety within the context of environmental law.

Through organising the conferences I've discovered that arboriculture is peopled by passionate, highly committed, deeply concerned professionals. It's a population that's widening as arboriculture extends its net into the world of the corporations and utilities, as well as the concerned public. Behind the scenes, the science influencing arboricultural practice blurs into new areas of soil science, ecology, climate, risk, to name but a few fields of research.

In the TEP seminars and conference series we are given a magical capacity to speak with, meet and learn from researchers and practitioners who often go on to become dedicated colleagues. As a consequence of these relationships we have been instrumental in contributing to new organisations such as the National Tree Safety Group and the current urban canopy cover and soils initiatives. We also have the opportunity to forge professional links with organisations such as the Forestry Commission, the RSA (Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce), the Linnean Society and the Town & Country Planning Association.

We have built up highly fruitful relationships with academic departments, such as Middlesex University's Centre for Decision Analysis and Risk Management (DARM) which has been deeply involved in all three TEP conferences on risk management. After the third of these, led by the Forestry Commission, the risk debate became a national issue following the formation of the National Tree Safety Group, in which the Arboricultural Association played a key role. The risk profession's contribution to arboriculture and the breadth of stakeholder involvement are helping to protect the UK from descending into a highly litigious culture around trees such as can be seen in the US. In a separate new initiative we are working with Coventry University on a conference on trees and conflict resolution.

Similarly, last year with Barrell Tree Consultancy we held a conference based on the University of Manchester's research concerning using trees to climate-proof our cities. The vision here was to use the conference as a vehicle to optimise national policy on urban canopy cover. We recognised that arborists have a key contribution to ensuring that large trees are planned for and retained in urban environments. A year on, we are working with the Forestry Commission in stage two of this highly successful initiative. This will be our 15th conference. It will be held this November and is to be chaired by the Forestry Commission's Director General, Tim Rollinson. It will focus on existing and emerging policies and on how to make urban canopy cover part of the wider climate adaptation movement. Speakers include Professor John Handley OBE, the country's leading expert on urban regeneration, and, we hope, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.

This is how we work: each conference starts with an idea - for example, trees and human survival. We explore the important issues behind the idea, look at where we can get sound and solid knowledge about it, track down the field's leading thinkers and most influential people, and over several months persuade them to come and speak at the conference, as well as write a paper for it. For example, the latest conference idea came from an unusual paper on olive trees in Palestine in the Arboricultural Journal. The concept of trees meaning human survival struck a chord with TEP, which maintains close links with Tree Aid, founded by Neville in 1987 as a response to the famine in Africa. We decided to extend the concept to look at trees and conflict resolution and at projects growing fruit trees instead of opium poppies in Afghanistan. It also gave us the opportunity to work more closely with Dr Mark Johnston of Myerscough College who is writing a book on trees and the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The breadth of Mark's knowledge is reflected in his recent Award of Merit, the highest honour from the International Society of Arboriculture. The conference will be held at the RSA, London, on 3 November.

It is the process of putting together a conference that, either by chance or through the sheer challenge of doing it, places us in the privileged position of having an overview of the influences in and around the tree profession and industry.

One of the biggest influences on what happens to the nation's treed ecosystems comes from the utility companies: the cable and pipe layers, the road diggers, the rail track owners. For 2010 we are planning a conference with Dealga O'Callaghan at Central Networks (part of energy company E-On), exploring how arboriculture can work with the utilities to establish sound conservation arboriculture principles and practices at a nationwide level.

The conferences give us the chance to explore areas one wouldn't otherwise have time to investigate. We can pursue lines of enquiry on behalf of others who are busy working within commercial or organisational practices. We know, for example, that there are people out there working on evapotranspiration. Hydrology is fundamental to trees, but we don't have much time to explore it. So water and trees is a theme for 2010.

I'm constantly surprised by how much I've learnt about trees and arboriculture through organising these conferences and I am happy to have come back to trees after some years away. The organising is always a steep learning curve and there's a lot to do. Hardest of all is accepting that you can't do everything yourself and you can't get anyone else to do it for you either. However, apparently there are no problems, only solutions, so to solve this challenge I'm learning ventriloquism and cross-dressing for those moments when a Mini Me just isn't enough. And the future looks ... all I can see is trees.