I've seen ads for this type of mower years ago. I believe that Husqvarna sold one painted up in their color scheme. One of the selling points was they could trim grass right along the waters edge of a pond or lake. No wheels to sink down into the mud.
Not sure how much this gets said, but your photography and pacing (through descriptions and editing) are excellent. Thank you so much for sharing your work.
We had one in 1980 and 81. It was hard to learn to control it at first as a 12 year old tasked with cutting the grass. Eventually it made the mowing much easier than a wheeled mower on our sloped yard. Glad to see it in action at the end!
Great video! Big scratch in the bore doesn't seem to affect it at all! Just thinking of all the people that binned this mower when all they needed was a tiny little washer on the fuel tank to get it working.
@@dustinschings7042 I think they mean that going over the edge of the sidewalk will cause it to lose its cushion, as the gap between the grass and concrete would let all the lifting air out.
So glad to have found a restoration channel that isn't afraid to talk on camera! You are in the tiny minority of non-mute restoration youtubers. Subscribed!
I had both a 2cycle and a 4 cycle. I'm not fond of 2cycles but it floated better because of the higher rpms. The 4 cycle you had to run wide open(I actually opened it up and put the rpms on the 4cycle above the recommended rpms so it would "float" better. It was hard on it, but as you implied those older 4cycles were pretty indestructible. Mine did burn oil and smoked a bit because of hard use, also when I acquired mine the cooling fins were clogged which didn't help it any. The overheating of the engines As you know causes a motor to wear down much faster. As usual you did a great job on this video
Man I can only imagine the conversation when the neighbors first saw this thing. As always amazing video so relaxing having you walk us through the process of a restoration. Thanks for the video I needed this
In 88' I worked for a gas station outfit called Pester Derby, across from the Firestone plant in Des Moines, Iowa. The ditch out front was prone to holding water and had some fairly steep sides so I'd mow it using the Flymo. Every time I brought it over it'd stop traffic as people got out to look at it. Still have it, but I haven't been able to get it to start.
@@yourseatatthetable so Iv never used one, but I have it in my head that it just glides super smooth, or was it pushing a lead weight across the grass? I seriously must know the answer.
@@mykeg2401 I found them to be quite easy to push although they can be a bit tricky. When the salesman came by to show it to my dad it was late November and there was a light frost on the ground. The back yard is sloped, and dad let go of it. The mower started to pivot slowly and head down hill on it's own. It also floated on water as more than once I was that ditch with half a foot or more of water in the bottom, mowing the grass. One of the reasons dad bought it, aside from the curiosity factor, was that these things are great on steep slopes. You can swing it back and forth with a bit of effort and mow in an arc. The brochure (which I don't think I kept after dad passed) showed how you could tie a rope to the handle and mow long slopes from the top. It's light, too. Fold up the handle and you can carry it one handed like a suitcase. A common misconception is that it "flies", which isn't true. On the Flymo there's a blower thing just above the blade. Air gets sucked in through a filter and hose attached to the handle and 'lifts' the deck, like a hovercraft. So the clearance off the ground is quite low. I used to show off by standing and swinging the mower one handed in a circle around me on a flat surface like pavement or gravel.
I just Googled and apparently Husqvarna still manufactures and sells Flymo's. They didn't catch on in the mid west as best I know, but I had heard that the were popular in Europe and both the NE and NW states because they'll mow wet grass fairly well and handle the steeper hills, etc.
@@yourseatatthetable that is so cool! Thanks for answering that burning question for me. these mowers are just so interesting. I noticed that arc you were talking about the video. I could see this little guy being useful for an in between cut. They just don’t make cool stuff like this anymore.
I've owned a Flymo with a two stroke Tecumseh once with the air filter snorkel going up the handlebars. I liked it but the only complaints I have about it is it is awkward to move with no wheels, even with the lighter two stroke engine. The 2stroke muffler cooks the deck & cracked around the engine mount & I had to reinforce with jb-weld, metal sheets, wire pins & rivets & heat shield. A four stroke would be a bit more tricky to move because they don't like to be tipped sideways or upside down as the oil will drain in to the carb or out the breather. There is also a chance of flipping it on un evan/steep ground or by swinging it too fast, just be careful. Another sketchy thing is mine didn't have an engine kill release safety leaver on the handle bar or a "Deadman switch" to shut it off absent of an operator, I've seen video's of someone using one for a shuffleboard puck in there garage, yikes. One other flaw is the thrust generated for it to hover also flattens the grass. to change the cutting height, the blade has to be shimmed up or down. Novel machine, anyways CHEERS......
Personally, I don't think there is much use for safety switches like that, but perhaps they are a little more applicable for this particular style of mower if there is a risk of it tipping over. It would still be better to have an 'upright' switch/safety but that might be hard to implement and/or unreliable
@@rolls_8798 I've never had mine tip over, probably less likely then wheeled mowers would on a steep slope. No, what they'll do is get away from you if you let go of the handle. slide down hill easily, even spin slowly, and can (it's happened to my dad once back in the day) drift out over water like a pond, and then your forced to wade in after it.
They were sold as ideal for the sides of ditches. The commercial (might be one out there on YT) showed it being swung left and right by a person standing at the top of the ditch
@@ianpegge9967 Actually they work pretty well. At my workplace we use it to cut the slopes around the Clubhouse where you would not wanna use a handmower
I used to use one of those hovercraft mowers at a Swanky Hotel in New hampshire. They were great for mowing the steep hills between the parking lots, just swing it back and forth as you walk down the hill, not so great for the flat areas. FYI, those foam air filters are supposed to have oil in them. Just pour some clean engine oil on it and squeeze out as much as you can.
@@theguy9208 you thin the oil so it gets through the foam easier, then the fuel evaporates. You don't worry about the oil being degraded because you just want it to catch dirt, not run in an engine. Keep in mind that even factory manuals say use gasoline to clean the filter foam when it's dirty
Had a store brand mower with a Briggs engine of that style when I was a kid. Despite it not getting the best of care it ran flawlessly. I hated mowing, especially that mower, and was always dismayed the thing would start on the second or third pull so I couldn't claim "mower won't run". Outlived the mower deck by a couple decades at least.
You did a great job taking the engine apart and cleaning it up and getting it back together . That's great how that thing mows grass, I had seen them on TV before, but never in person . I would love to have one . Thanks for the video and see you later . Take care and stay safe . 🤗👍💫
I used a Flymo when I was in 6th grade to mow our steep hills. It is very light and effective for hills, especially since it goes side to side. In my older age, I chose to have a flat property.
Fantastic video! I used to have a 2 stroke flymo L47 pilot, really powerful and easily glided over the tall grass, even in the wet, I have only seen a few Allen hover mowers. As always, keep up the amazing work👍
My husband told me what he was watching and I told him no way, that’s not a thing lol He sent me the link. Pretty neat, I’ve never heard of or seen these before. Thanks for the really informative video
Nice mower. I picked up a mint condition like new Flymo at auction for $20 a few years back. Took it home and hung it on the wall in the barn after briefly verifying it works. One of these days, probably after I'm dead, it will sell for thousands of dollars! 🙂
Love your work. The 2 stroke Flymos were around 50 years ago and it is a great pity they are not still available. We used to lower them with a rope down a slope that was too steep to stand. Anything that high speed blade touched was instantly vaporized.
We found that the Flymo was great on the lawn in NZ but when we moved to Queensland it struggled with the rougher terrain. NZ was very green and soft soil where QLD was dry and dusty. Great machine tho and very reliable.
Put some 1/4 and 3/8" nuts in the tank and shake shake shake when cleaning it out. Brush off the intake screen before assembling to tank. Leading edge of blade should be 1/16" flat. Great Fix, thanks. Safety Toed Boots recommended!
We used these Flymo's in Florida for mowing between trees and plants that were on the edge of lakes or retention ponds in some large office parks. (They did quite a number on snakes!). The easiest way to get it across the parking lot or down the street was to leave it running. It was hard to push it straight, so you'd walk with it and let it circle you as you walked. Just let it go behind you, reach back and switch hands on the handle, and then let it circle around in front of you. The engine torque would make it do that. It wasn't very noticeable on grass, but on flat asphalt, it wanted to go. If you just let go of it, DON'T! lol I saw a guy try it and it was a bitch to catch it. (Like catching a helicopter). They were good on wet, steep hills. Stand above it and swing it back and forth in a big arc.
my dad had one of these back in the day and loved it , we started cutting grass for neighbors then and he bought a" flymo contractor " wich was a larger version that had a set of transport wheels which you could fold up when mowing , it was excellent for doing steep banks etc .
I worked at a golf course many moons ago and we used these to cut steep canal banks. We would tie ropes on the handles and swing them like a pendulum to cut the lower parts of the embankments. Great memories! Fly on Flymo !
i work at a county park in austin and we have one of these ive just never used it yet (honda), i had never heard of it until i got the job a year ago and hearing that its all the way from the 80's like wtf? very interesting mower.
I've never seen a Hover mower, is that just something across the pond? You learn something new everyday, just shows to go you never get too old to learn something new! Cool mate, rock on 🤘!
I've seen them in a few European countries, usually Flymo (I think that was or is a Husqvarna brand). Surprisingly, you can still get new ones and they're surprisingly cheap (less than 100 pounds in the UK). They were never massively popular but you'd one them every once in a while.
I too have the Flymo version with the Tecumseh 2 stroke engine and the breather tube up on the handle bars. I believe mine is from the late 1960's or early 1970's as it belonged to my neighbor when I was a child. It has been hanging on the wall in my garage for close to 20 years. It does start and run but you have to have it full throttle for it to hover. It seems like it would be a great idea but it is hard to mow in a straight line or tell where you have mowed when the grass isn't too tall. There's no wheel marks in the yard to gauge your last pass. Using it swinging side to side is a job because inertia requires some effort to stop a swing and change directions. Therefore I found it to be quite hard on my back. But for mowing banks it does pretty well and it does mulch the grass up pretty well. You've given me the urge to go fetch it down and see if it will start after all these years. Your videos are great and very well done. I am glad I have found your channel. Cheers.
I've always used an old school bench grinder for sharpening my mower blades, never thought to use an angle grinder, gonna have to try that one out.. edit: also should thank the algorithm for putting this video in front of me on a lazy Sunday with nothing to do. I normally watch at least 3 videos before I sub but this one video earned mine.
We had a lawnmower with that same Briggs engine growing up. It ran for 20+ years with absolutely no maintenance and it was ran totally out of oil many many times. They are bullet proof engines.
we knew ours needed oil when it would stall out and freeze up. cool her down and top off the oil and ready for a few more years of deffered maintenence and use.
@@mrpbright yep! that is exactly what we did! I'm not proud of it but as a kid I didnt know better lol the replacement Kholer mower only lasted 3 years.
I remember when these came out. I wanted my parents to get one so badly. You could only get them mail order, if I remember right. Kind of like the ads for "Troy Built" rototillers. We never got one. I think we had a Craftsman for nearly the entire time I lived at home. Same mower. And it wasn't self propelled either. The first self propelled more I ever used was the one I bought in about 2000 when I bought my first house. I still have it.
Man I must say you go very in depth before starting this I’ve drug old Kohler powered tractors home thrown points at em dump and hose down the carb and go right to starting it pretty neat to see it done your way
I kept the Flymow that my dad bought new back in the early 80's. It hasn't started in over 20 years since it's been in storage mostly. It was the only yard tool my dad had that survived the garage fire in 84' because I had it in the trunk of my car. The thing looks in pretty good condition but I couldn't get it to start the last time I tried a couple of years ago.
Thank you very very much for another awesome video. Your photography, commentary and content are excellent. I also have been enjoying your channel. ❤🇨🇦
The FlyMo. We used to use these on a golf course in VA in the early 90s. They were great for embankments. I think one of the guys messed up his foot with one. Anyhow. Great piece of gear, wish I had one now.
This thing surprisingly make pretty good passes and looks neat! Very good for hard to reach areas I’d imagine so that way less use of a weed eater, I’d love to have one especially for soft wet ground areas
If memory serves me, I first saw hover mowers in the late 60's on golf course's on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I used to see a rope, but usually with a pole attached to handle, mow height adjustable, to mow side hills around greens and bunkers.
I love your videos man I respect all the attention you put into these machines keep it up you’re doing a great job! I can’t wait for the next video to come out. You remind me of “my mechanics”
the majority of these machines were used by professional groundskeeping maintenance departments ie ; golf course , local parks , etc... pretty sure they were never intended for the average residential consumer 😇❤️
Electric hover mowers were somewhat popular for small gardens back in the 80s and 90s round here, fairly small, lightweight and easy to maneuver when running because they can go sideways and turn on the spot. I liked the Flymo I got for free as a kid but it was extremely worn so I eventually retired it. Putting the massive weight of a petrol engine on a hover mower kinda seems to defeat the object.
I can see why that design is prone to grass build up. Not enough "freeboard". Mowers with wheels have enough ground clearance so most of the cut grass stays under the mower deck. That side ways mowing is pretty neat though, makes short work of mowing the lawn. Good video. El Mirage, Arizona USA
Top Videos gleichbleibende Lautstärke viel Geklapper und Geräusche und eine ruhige Ausstrahlung schaue ich mir gerne an wenn ich das Baby ins Bett bringe. Schläft super ein und ich bekomme Lust auf Schrauben und werkeln 😎
Why do I not see these everywhere? I'm sure there's a good reason, but not having to work around wheels would be awesome. This is one of the most retro-future things I've ever seen lol
Back in the mid-90s I found an electric Flymo in a small-town electrician's scrap bin because the motor cover was broken. A local farmer replaced the cover with an aluminium pot and I used the mower for around 15 years. Replacing a plastic cover over mains electrics with a non-earthed metal one is a big no-no of course but who knows that as a kid? Rifling through the scrap was an amazing part of my summer holiday experience back then. You could find all sorts of rare things, including a Grundig V2000 VCR (might have been repairable with enough knowledge and motivation, not so much for someone paid by the hour) and a massive 1950s chest freezer, an amazing bit of mid-century modern design, white with teal accents and lots of chrome. The Flymo was the only thing I ever took home though.
"this is a hover mower, I'm sure you've seen them before" Yeah, in science fiction! They must be nearly unheard of in the USA. Learned something new today. Lol.
Oh my, we had one of them on the farm in the 80's, remember the bright yellow deck and Allen logo :D I HATED using it to mow the lawns, had a mind of it's own.
It was a Swedish invention originally but was massive in UK in the 70s and 80s. As someone said above, these things are excellent for hillsides and banks because you can simply stand at the top of the bank and swing them from side to side.
Not sure if you knew this Dag but those foam air filters are supposed to be soaked in motor oil when new and periodically re-oiled after so many hours of use. It helps them to trap fine particulates in the air.
I remember having a warped tank top like this one 30 years back and having to cut a thicker piece of glass that would fit between the bosses sticking up from the tank, taping on a piece of sand paper on the glass, then sanding tank top till nearly flat once again. A real pain but it worked!
For the folks watching this section... The fuel diaphragm with also acts as the gasket/seal between the tank and the carb, in an inexpensive part. With the amount of oil in this situation, it is preferred to replace the part. The cost of the part is worth the added reliability. Also though your eyes may not see any punctured or tears in the diaphragm, it should be noted any tiny hold will effect the engine performance. Just replace this part rather than cleaning and reusing it. If you are doing this for a customer... they will thank you for it later.
I used one at the golf course I worked at for five years. Took a little practice, but delivered a magnificent result. Edit: We called it the FLY MOWER.
I remember these when I was a kid! Looks like it's a lot of fun to use. One thing though, does it cut the grass lower in the spot that you start it? I just imagine it stalling a few times and mowing crop circles in your yard lol.
I've never seen this machine before in the US. Wish we had them because I'd paint it pink and model it after a certain movies hover board. This is a neat machine and I'm shocked it ran so well and even did taller grass.
![Hovering Lawn Mower [Restoration]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zGM6Dh3V-FM/mqdefault.jpg)
i never seen a hover mower not even heard of it very enjoyable to watch thank you for this great video
Yup me neither
Same here, the algorithms hittin good today
Sames
Same
I've seen ads for this type of mower years ago. I believe that Husqvarna sold one painted up in their color scheme. One of the selling points was they could trim grass right along the waters edge of a pond or lake. No wheels to sink down into the mud.
Not sure how much this gets said, but your photography and pacing (through descriptions and editing) are excellent. Thank you so much for sharing your work.
Agreed. Love the methodical and professional approach to troubleshooting.
This comment made me watch the video thank you son
I’m pretty sure this has nothing to do with photography
@@stargamer7576 he is using a photography tool In a creative manner?
Cum se repara demarou la acest tip de motor. Mulțumesc frumos
It's 1am and I just watched a video about a lawnmower and I have work in the morning. Bravo Sir! No Regrets!!
We had one in 1980 and 81. It was hard to learn to control it at first as a 12 year old tasked with cutting the grass. Eventually it made the mowing much easier than a wheeled mower on our sloped yard. Glad to see it in action at the end!
Great video! Big scratch in the bore doesn't seem to affect it at all! Just thinking of all the people that binned this mower when all they needed was a tiny little washer on the fuel tank to get it working.
It can't even mow near a small sidewalk. It is pure bin liner
@@MushookieMan Cannot mow near a small sidewalk? What do you mean?
@@dustinschings7042 I think they mean that going over the edge of the sidewalk will cause it to lose its cushion, as the gap between the grass and concrete would let all the lifting air out.
@@MushookieMan weedwacker🤡
So glad to have found a restoration channel that isn't afraid to talk on camera! You are in the tiny minority of non-mute restoration youtubers. Subscribed!
I had both a 2cycle and a 4 cycle. I'm not fond of 2cycles but it floated better because of the higher rpms. The 4 cycle you had to run wide open(I actually opened it up and put the rpms on the 4cycle above the recommended rpms so it would "float" better. It was hard on it, but as you implied those older 4cycles were pretty indestructible. Mine did burn oil and smoked a bit because of hard use, also when I acquired mine the cooling fins were clogged which didn't help it any. The overheating of the engines As you know causes a motor to wear down much faster. As usual you did a great job on this video
Man I can only imagine the conversation when the neighbors first saw this thing. As always amazing video so relaxing having you walk us through the process of a restoration. Thanks for the video I needed this
In 88' I worked for a gas station outfit called Pester Derby, across from the Firestone plant in Des Moines, Iowa. The ditch out front was prone to holding water and had some fairly steep sides so I'd mow it using the Flymo. Every time I brought it over it'd stop traffic as people got out to look at it. Still have it, but I haven't been able to get it to start.
@@yourseatatthetable so Iv never used one, but I have it in my head that it just glides super smooth, or was it pushing a lead weight across the grass? I seriously must know the answer.
@@mykeg2401 I found them to be quite easy to push although they can be a bit tricky. When the salesman came by to show it to my dad it was late November and there was a light frost on the ground. The back yard is sloped, and dad let go of it. The mower started to pivot slowly and head down hill on it's own. It also floated on water as more than once I was that ditch with half a foot or more of water in the bottom, mowing the grass. One of the reasons dad bought it, aside from the curiosity factor, was that these things are great on steep slopes. You can swing it back and forth with a bit of effort and mow in an arc. The brochure (which I don't think I kept after dad passed) showed how you could tie a rope to the handle and mow long slopes from the top. It's light, too. Fold up the handle and you can carry it one handed like a suitcase. A common misconception is that it "flies", which isn't true. On the Flymo there's a blower thing just above the blade. Air gets sucked in through a filter and hose attached to the handle and 'lifts' the deck, like a hovercraft. So the clearance off the ground is quite low. I used to show off by standing and swinging the mower one handed in a circle around me on a flat surface like pavement or gravel.
I just Googled and apparently Husqvarna still manufactures and sells Flymo's. They didn't catch on in the mid west as best I know, but I had heard that the were popular in Europe and both the NE and NW states because they'll mow wet grass fairly well and handle the steeper hills, etc.
@@yourseatatthetable that is so cool! Thanks for answering that burning question for me. these mowers are just so interesting. I noticed that arc you were talking about the video. I could see this little guy being useful for an in between cut. They just don’t make cool stuff like this anymore.
For some strange reason when you cut the grass at the end, it was the most satisfying cut I've seen you do. Great job as always.
This was the most oddly satisfying lawn mower I have ever seen used I can't help but think it had to be fun to use.
Of course now we have radio-controlled robot mowers in that you can mow the grass while lying in your hammock.
I'm very impressed on how good it cut it looked almost effortless to move around very cool
I wonder if this design was actually revolutionary. Maybe it had its flaws considering its not mainstream
@@Spazzterz323 probably just fuel inefficient, also it could have problems on steeper slopes. Otherwise it seems perfect
I've owned a Flymo with a two stroke Tecumseh once with the air filter snorkel going up the handlebars. I liked it but the only complaints I have about it is it is awkward to move with no wheels, even with the lighter two stroke engine. The 2stroke muffler cooks the deck & cracked around the engine mount & I had to reinforce with jb-weld, metal sheets, wire pins & rivets & heat shield. A four stroke would be a bit more tricky to move because they don't like to be tipped sideways or upside down as the oil will drain in to the carb or out the breather. There is also a chance of flipping it on un evan/steep ground or by swinging it too fast, just be careful. Another sketchy thing is mine didn't have an engine kill release safety leaver on the handle bar or a "Deadman switch" to shut it off absent of an operator, I've seen video's of someone using one for a shuffleboard puck in there garage, yikes. One other flaw is the thrust generated for it to hover also flattens the grass. to change the cutting height, the blade has to be shimmed up or down. Novel machine, anyways CHEERS......
Still got the one my dad bought in the 80's. It was in storage for over 20 years and wouldn't start the last time I tried.
Worked on one of those in my auto shop class a few months ago. Absolute nightmare to work on but beautiful when it gets going
Air cleaner is supposed to have a teaspoon of motor oil added then squeeze the filter to disperse it evenly across the foam.
Personally, I don't think there is much use for safety switches like that, but perhaps they are a little more applicable for this particular style of mower if there is a risk of it tipping over. It would still be better to have an 'upright' switch/safety but that might be hard to implement and/or unreliable
@@rolls_8798 I've never had mine tip over, probably less likely then wheeled mowers would on a steep slope. No, what they'll do is get away from you if you let go of the handle. slide down hill easily, even spin slowly, and can (it's happened to my dad once back in the day) drift out over water like a pond, and then your forced to wade in after it.
I've never heard of a "hover mower" until this video. I wonder how it does on inclines? Thx for the content. Very well done.
They were sold as ideal for the sides of ditches. The commercial (might be one out there on YT) showed it being swung left and right by a person standing at the top of the ditch
Perfectly fine, only edges are a problem. I used mine in a yard that pretty much sloped every which way and never had any issues.
seems like it would lead to an uneven cut in general.
@@forthwithtx5852 not sure I'd want to run a four stroke on the side of a ditch.
@@ianpegge9967 Actually they work pretty well. At my workplace we use it to cut the slopes around the Clubhouse where you would not wanna use a handmower
I used to use one of those hovercraft mowers at a Swanky Hotel in New hampshire. They were great for mowing the steep hills between the parking lots, just swing it back and forth as you walk down the hill, not so great for the flat areas.
FYI, those foam air filters are supposed to have oil in them. Just pour some clean engine oil on it and squeeze out as much as you can.
50 50 oil and petrol. Makes it a bit easier to get the oil in
@@tortron adding gas will degrade the foam and thin the oil... Its better to do as the first person posted, pour oil on and squeeze out the excess
@@theguy9208 you thin the oil so it gets through the foam easier, then the fuel evaporates. You don't worry about the oil being degraded because you just want it to catch dirt, not run in an engine. Keep in mind that even factory manuals say use gasoline to clean the filter foam when it's dirty
We don't have anything like that across the pond. I have never seen a machine like this before. This was very interesting. Thank you for doing this.
Had a store brand mower with a Briggs engine of that style when I was a kid. Despite it not getting the best of care it ran flawlessly. I hated mowing, especially that mower, and was always dismayed the thing would start on the second or third pull so I couldn't claim "mower won't run". Outlived the mower deck by a couple decades at least.
The fact that this thing actually works is astounding! I wonder why the hovering design never seems to have taken off.
You did a great job taking the engine apart and cleaning it up and getting it back together . That's great how that thing mows grass, I had seen them on TV before, but never in person . I would love to have one .
Thanks for the video and see you later . Take care and stay safe .
🤗👍💫
I used a Flymo when I was in 6th grade to mow our steep hills. It is very light and effective for hills, especially since it goes side to side. In my older age, I chose to have a flat property.
I appreciate your narration very much. Reminds me of when I wasn't bored at school
You do superb work. Very precise and easily understood as well as very good camera angles.
Fantastic video! I used to have a 2 stroke flymo L47 pilot, really powerful and easily glided over the tall grass, even in the wet, I have only seen a few Allen hover mowers. As always, keep up the amazing work👍
Excellent!! Engine has plenty of power for this application, great video all round 👍
The quality of the voice-over and videography is amazing.Brilliant
Nice fix it and unusual to see a 4 stroke! Thanks as always for sharing
I thought this title was clickbait. I'm very happy it isn't! Never seen a hover mower before, very cool.
Excellent work!
Very likely the most graceful mower we've seen you operate.
My husband told me what he was watching and I told him no way, that’s not a thing lol He sent me the link. Pretty neat, I’ve never heard of or seen these before. Thanks for the really informative video
Nice mower. I picked up a mint condition like new Flymo at auction for $20 a few years back. Took it home and hung it on the wall in the barn after briefly verifying it works. One of these days, probably after I'm dead, it will sell for thousands of dollars! 🙂
Love your work. The 2 stroke Flymos were around 50 years ago and it is a great pity they are not still available. We used to lower them with a rope down a slope that was too steep to stand. Anything that high speed blade touched was instantly vaporized.
We found that the Flymo was great on the lawn in NZ but when we moved to Queensland it struggled with the rougher terrain. NZ was very green and soft soil where QLD was dry and dusty. Great machine tho and very reliable.
Put some 1/4 and 3/8" nuts in the tank and shake shake shake when cleaning it out. Brush off the intake screen before assembling to tank. Leading edge of blade should be 1/16" flat. Great Fix, thanks. Safety Toed Boots recommended!
You are not only a great restorer, but also a great narrator.
This seems brilliant! There have to be several good reasons why I've never heard of these, and why they don't still make them, but I want one!
i need one of these in my life..... what a simple piece of engineering... well done again
We used these Flymo's in Florida for mowing between trees and plants that were on the edge of lakes or retention ponds in some large office parks. (They did quite a number on snakes!). The easiest way to get it across the parking lot or down the street was to leave it running. It was hard to push it straight, so you'd walk with it and let it circle you as you walked. Just let it go behind you, reach back and switch hands on the handle, and then let it circle around in front of you. The engine torque would make it do that. It wasn't very noticeable on grass, but on flat asphalt, it wanted to go. If you just let go of it, DON'T! lol I saw a guy try it and it was a bitch to catch it. (Like catching a helicopter). They were good on wet, steep hills. Stand above it and swing it back and forth in a big arc.
my dad had one of these back in the day and loved it , we started cutting grass for neighbors then and he bought a" flymo contractor " wich was a larger version that had a set of transport wheels which you could fold up when mowing , it was excellent for doing steep banks etc .
I worked at a golf course many moons ago and we used these to cut steep canal banks. We would tie ropes on the handles and swing them like a pendulum to cut the lower parts of the embankments. Great memories! Fly on Flymo !
I've never seen nor heard of this type of mower.
It's pretty cool.
Thank you doin this video
i work at a county park in austin and we have one of these ive just never used it yet (honda), i had never heard of it until i got the job a year ago and hearing that its all the way from the 80's like wtf? very interesting mower.
Good job as usual my friend...In Australia these type of mowers (Toro) retail for between $1.100...$1400 AUD.
I've never seen a Hover mower, is that just something across the pond? You learn something new everyday, just shows to go you never get too old to learn something new! Cool mate, rock on 🤘!
I've seen them in a few European countries, usually Flymo (I think that was or is a Husqvarna brand). Surprisingly, you can still get new ones and they're surprisingly cheap (less than 100 pounds in the UK). They were never massively popular but you'd one them every once in a while.
Never saw one either..
"ok as you saw, it doesnt work" for some reason that cracked me up, the british accent and perfectly calm demeanor is just fantastic.
I too have the Flymo version with the Tecumseh 2 stroke engine and the breather tube up on the handle bars. I believe mine is from the late 1960's or early 1970's as it belonged to my neighbor when I was a child. It has been hanging on the wall in my garage for close to 20 years. It does start and run but you have to have it full throttle for it to hover. It seems like it would be a great idea but it is hard to mow in a straight line or tell where you have mowed when the grass isn't too tall. There's no wheel marks in the yard to gauge your last pass. Using it swinging side to side is a job because inertia requires some effort to stop a swing and change directions. Therefore I found it to be quite hard on my back. But for mowing banks it does pretty well and it does mulch the grass up pretty well. You've given me the urge to go fetch it down and see if it will start after all these years. Your videos are great and very well done. I am glad I have found your channel. Cheers.
I've always used an old school bench grinder for sharpening my mower blades, never thought to use an angle grinder, gonna have to try that one out.. edit: also should thank the algorithm for putting this video in front of me on a lazy Sunday with nothing to do. I normally watch at least 3 videos before I sub but this one video earned mine.
Wow dont see many people actually use the vacuum why working on something to keep the work space clean. Awesome job sir!!!
Great video dagger ..I'm restoring my grandpa's Ford 8N tractor and I know how the pain feels
Great job! I love how you explain everything that you are doing..
We had a lawnmower with that same Briggs engine growing up. It ran for 20+ years with absolutely no maintenance and it was ran totally out of oil many many times.
They are bullet proof engines.
we knew ours needed oil when it would stall out and freeze up. cool her down and top off the oil and ready for a few more years of deffered maintenence and use.
@@mrpbright yep! that is exactly what we did! I'm not proud of it but as a kid I didnt know better lol
the replacement Kholer mower only lasted 3 years.
The fact that it doesn’t bog down is amazing. They sure don’t make anything like they used to
I remember when these came out. I wanted my parents to get one so badly. You could only get them mail order, if I remember right. Kind of like the ads for "Troy Built" rototillers. We never got one. I think we had a Craftsman for nearly the entire time I lived at home. Same mower. And it wasn't self propelled either. The first self propelled more I ever used was the one I bought in about 2000 when I bought my first house. I still have it.
"This is a hover mower, you've probably seen one before"
Ummmm... No, but that looks super cool and I want one now.
I live in Canada and I have never seen one of these before. :). Great video and good job.
Man I must say you go very in depth before starting this I’ve drug old Kohler powered tractors home thrown points at em dump and hose down the carb and go right to starting it pretty neat to see it done your way
I kept the Flymow that my dad bought new back in the early 80's. It hasn't started in over 20 years since it's been in storage mostly. It was the only yard tool my dad had that survived the garage fire in 84' because I had it in the trunk of my car. The thing looks in pretty good condition but I couldn't get it to start the last time I tried a couple of years ago.
Maybe time to try again!!
Hi recently I have been fixing a flymo after watching your restoration videos. It is a 2 stroke and runs now.
Thank you very very much for another awesome video. Your photography, commentary and content are excellent. I also have been enjoying your channel. ❤🇨🇦
The FlyMo. We used to use these on a golf course in VA in the early 90s. They were great for embankments. I think one of the guys messed up his foot with one. Anyhow. Great piece of gear, wish I had one now.
This thing surprisingly make pretty good passes and looks neat! Very good for hard to reach areas I’d imagine so that way less use of a weed eater, I’d love to have one especially for soft wet ground areas
If memory serves me, I first saw hover mowers in the late 60's on golf course's on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I used to see a rope, but usually with a pole attached to handle, mow height adjustable, to mow side hills around greens and bunkers.
Just found your channel today, instant subscribe. Wonderful voice! Great content. Will probably learn a thing or two.
I love your videos man I respect all the attention you put into these machines keep it up you’re doing a great job! I can’t wait for the next video to come out. You remind me of “my mechanics”
My uncle Stumpy always raved about his Hover Mower.
the majority of these machines were used by professional groundskeeping maintenance departments
ie ; golf course , local parks , etc... pretty sure they were never intended for the average residential consumer
😇❤️
Electric hover mowers were somewhat popular for small gardens back in the 80s and 90s round here, fairly small, lightweight and easy to maneuver when running because they can go sideways and turn on the spot. I liked the Flymo I got for free as a kid but it was extremely worn so I eventually retired it. Putting the massive weight of a petrol engine on a hover mower kinda seems to defeat the object.
Another nice video and cool machine. “Choke-a-matic” sounds like a golf putter😉
Very cool project. That is awesome you got it running again.
I love watching these kinds of videos. Thank you!
Great video and content. I look forward to seeing your new restoration videos, thanks.👍🏻👌🏻
I can see why that design is prone to grass build up. Not enough "freeboard". Mowers with wheels have enough ground clearance so most of the cut grass stays under the mower deck. That side ways mowing is pretty neat though, makes short work of mowing the lawn. Good video.
El Mirage, Arizona USA
You convey to me the amazement of these ancient machines.
Top Videos gleichbleibende Lautstärke viel Geklapper und Geräusche und eine ruhige Ausstrahlung schaue ich mir gerne an wenn ich das Baby ins Bett bringe. Schläft super ein und ich bekomme Lust auf Schrauben und werkeln 😎
Of all the years of mowing, I can't even process this hover mower. And it's from the 80s mind blown
Awesome. Briggs are always super easy to fix. Extremely easy
It cleaned up pretty good man & it seems to work great. Cheers mate
Why do I not see these everywhere? I'm sure there's a good reason, but not having to work around wheels would be awesome. This is one of the most retro-future things I've ever seen lol
Late 90s I was visiting England. The neighbor next to where I was staying had an electric hover mower... found it fascinating back then .
Back in the mid-90s I found an electric Flymo in a small-town electrician's scrap bin because the motor cover was broken. A local farmer replaced the cover with an aluminium pot and I used the mower for around 15 years. Replacing a plastic cover over mains electrics with a non-earthed metal one is a big no-no of course but who knows that as a kid?
Rifling through the scrap was an amazing part of my summer holiday experience back then. You could find all sorts of rare things, including a Grundig V2000 VCR (might have been repairable with enough knowledge and motivation, not so much for someone paid by the hour) and a massive 1950s chest freezer, an amazing bit of mid-century modern design, white with teal accents and lots of chrome. The Flymo was the only thing I ever took home though.
I love how it glides on the surface. Wish my mower could go side-to-side
"this is a hover mower, I'm sure you've seen them before"
Yeah, in science fiction! They must be nearly unheard of in the USA. Learned something new today. Lol.
Why did this concept die out!?! These mowers are definitely superior.
Oh my, we had one of them on the farm in the 80's, remember the bright yellow deck and Allen logo :D I HATED using it to mow the lawns, had a mind of it's own.
One of the reasons that hover mowers had for advantage was the fact that they did well on hill sides using the pendulum affect with a rope.
It was a Swedish invention originally but was massive in UK in the 70s and 80s. As someone said above, these things are excellent for hillsides and banks because you can simply stand at the top of the bank and swing them from side to side.
Not sure if you knew this Dag but those foam air filters are supposed to be soaked in motor oil when new and periodically re-oiled after so many hours of use. It helps them to trap fine particulates in the air.
Thanks! Yes I knew
Never heard of a hover mower before so that made this twice as interesting!
Wow!!! Crazy crazy machine!!
Great job!!! Appreciate it!!
I love how you can do fs and then do this you are so hard working
Imagine one of these upgraded with a brushless motor and a LiFePo battery...
🤪
Great job on this grimey one!
👍👍👍
What a cool machine. I only saw the flymo here in Australia and it ran off 240v. Never knew there was a 4 stroke or 2 stroke version.
Oh great, now something else I need in my collection !
Awesome video! i have always wondered what these looked like. Love You videos and your attention to the details. keep up the Awesome work. :)
Back in the early 80's, it would have been nice to have a parts washer to clean things up when I was working as a small engine mechanic.
I had no idea this kind of mower existed. Great video.
Just wanted to say thank y'all ☺️ for being y'all
Daggerwin? Is this you? Edit: I see it is! wow man...you are a person of many talents!
Way cooler than a regular mower and more convenient I'd love to have one.
I remember having a warped tank top like this one 30 years back and having to cut a thicker piece of glass that would fit between the bosses sticking up from the tank, taping on a piece of sand paper on the glass, then sanding tank top till nearly flat once again. A real pain but it worked!
The mower I learned to cut grass with as a child had that exact Briggs and Stratton motor on it. It's been a long long time since I saw that motor.
For the folks watching this section... The fuel diaphragm with also acts as the gasket/seal between the tank and the carb, in an inexpensive part. With the amount of oil in this situation, it is preferred to replace the part. The cost of the part is worth the added reliability. Also though your eyes may not see any punctured or tears in the diaphragm, it should be noted any tiny hold will effect the engine performance. Just replace this part rather than cleaning and reusing it. If you are doing this for a customer... they will thank you for it later.
I used one at the golf course I worked at for five years. Took a little practice, but delivered a magnificent result.
Edit: We called it the FLY MOWER.
I remember these when I was a kid! Looks like it's a lot of fun to use. One thing though, does it cut the grass lower in the spot that you start it? I just imagine it stalling a few times and mowing crop circles in your yard lol.
I've never seen this machine before in the US. Wish we had them because I'd paint it pink and model it after a certain movies hover board. This is a neat machine and I'm shocked it ran so well and even did taller grass.
They were in the US for a while but product safety groups did them in. Rumor has it anyway. I do remember commercials for them.
Lived in NY most my life.. I'm 50.. I'm in Minnesota now and I've never heard of nor seen one of these..