Remember the FLYMO

[Tom Wesenberg]

I remember seeing these lawn mowers advertised on TV back in the 60's. I bought one at a garage sale years ago, and they do work as advertised, though not as well as a mower with wheels. It is kind of neat though how they float on a cushion of air.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960-Vintage...oAAOSwB3tZoOQJ

[pAAt]

The blades must have been flip flopped for down draft, which would push the grass down instead of lifting it up ? Can't tell by the picture, but installed incorrectly you could use it for some kind of dirt leveler !

[Mitch]

Tom u need to buy that,, don't let it get away!!

[Tom Wesenberg]

The blade pulls the grass upwards, but the blower fan above the blade sucks air from above the deck and sends it to the perimeter on the bottom of the deck. Here's a picture of the gas one built in the 60's with a Power Products engine, like the one I own.

Also, here's a link to a modern electric one from Germany, which I wasn't aware of until today.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Flymo-Electr...oAAOSw5cNYiuT2

Flymo.jpg

[Mitch]

Okay so in the end what was the design flaw of why they never stayed in production?

[Big hammer]

How would you adjust the cutting height? Maybe it was ahead of its time as the original mulching mower, I don't see a discharge opening

[Tom Wesenberg]

Okay so in the end what was the design flaw of why they never stayed in production?

I'm not sure. Maybe because it needed a fairly flat surface to float over, so lumpy ground from moles and gophers weren't good for it. There was no height adjustment, and they were a little slower than a wheeled mower because you had to go back and forth a couple times to cut all the grass. Still, it did work, and was a novelty.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Here's a wheeled Flymo that I didn't know they made.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Flymo-Lawnmo...wAAOSwY3BZMevo