Archive for December, 2009

Landscaping Equipment Tips And Where To Find Them

Unless you plan to hire a professional landscaping company, you will need to have the right equipment in order to produce the results you desire. Whether you are a novice or a professional in the landscaping field, you are going to need to purchase landscaping equipment in order to get the jobs that you want done completed properly. So, just what kind of landscaping equipment do you need to succeed?
There are many different types of landscaping equipment offered, and so it is vital that you take time to learn about these tools in order to be fully satisfied in the end, so that you can get the best value and worth for your money. From the variety of different types of equipment on the marketplace, there are a few fundamental necessities you will have to get started with most landscaping tasks and projects around your house.
The equipment you’ll need depends on the layout of your yard and which elements you have incorporated, or hope to incorporate, into your landscaping. If you have a moderately small lawn, a push mower may be suitable for your needs. But if you have a large lawn, you may need a rider lawn mower. In many case, lawn mower or push mower is almost a given, because even the smallest attempt at a beautiful lawn will require that the grass be cut neatly.
If you intend to add a lot of landscaping elements in your lawn, you may want to consider getting a trimmer for the grass around the elements because most mowers are unable to get close enough to keep the edges tidy. New gardeners often find that some of the most inexpensive and small hand tools are the most useful pieces of landscaping equipment. These hand tools include spades, hoes, clippers, trowels, and cultivators.
Besides the common purchases listed above, there are many other pieces of equipment that you will find useful as well. For instance, appropriate attire is required for landscaping. You may want to find yourself some coveralls and a good pair of gloves for working in the dirt. There are other tools such as long-handled shovels, leaf rakes, bypass pruners, etc. that will come in hand while you work on your landscape as well.
Where to find the landscaping equipment
There are many different locations available that offer landscaping equipment. All of the major home improvement stores offer wide selections of the various types of landscaping equipment. One of the most popular and more well-known options is A to Z Equipment Rentals & Sales. The company is an excellent choice for many reasons. You can lease a piece of landscaping equipment if you only need to use it for a short period of time, or you can buy it if you desire. Also, they are a very old company which has established an incredibly respected reputation over the years and their service is worthy of your business.
A to Z Equipment Rentals & Sales also offer the most complete collection of power landscaping equipment and they have three centrally located stores and a website as well, in order to make your shopping process as easy and convenient as possible. Some of the landscaping equipment that they offer includes that of the following: aerators, blowers, brush clippers, chain saws, earth augers, engines, hedge trimmers, ladders, lawn edgers, lawn tractors, lawn vacs, line trimmers, power rakes, reel motors, rotary mowers, riding mowers, sprayers, stump grinders, tillers, tractors, trenchers, and weed mowers.
Another option is Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse is a lesser known but still worthy company. Thecompany was established in 1914, and since that time continues to look to the future and yet has never forgotten its roots. Rittenhouse earnestly guarantee to continue to deliver that of the highest quality landscaping equipment, parts, and accessories coupled with superior customer service.
Your local hardware store may also be a good selection as well, depending on where you live. If you are an Internet shopper, you can also find many landscaping equipment websites that can ship different types of landscaping equipment right to your door. The choice is really up to.
Regardless of where you actually decide to shop for your landscaping equipment, you should keep in mind that the most important thing is that you should always have fun working on your landscape. Take the proper time and consideration so that you can have the best quality and worth in the end.

Lawn Mower Sharpening and Repair – What You Need to Know

Maintaining a thriving green garden needs proper care and the right equipment on hand. Having the right lawn mower for your landscape’s glory that will cut the grass and not actually rip them up is a must have. If you wish to buy one, the primary thing that you need to consider is your landscape. Do you have a flat lawn or do you own the slope type? In case the work calls for cutting grasses on a slope then you could go with the one that contains high wheels so you won’t find it hard to push it into the hill. On the other hand, if you wish to get rid of the messy job then the cordless or the electric munching lawn mower is the thing for you. After purchasing, review the maintenance schedule and ensure that you are aware of the guidelines when it comes to lawn mower sharpening and repair. A good kind will allow your equipment to last for more than a year while at the same time giving your grass a better cut. When spring time comes, all of the parts must be properly cleaned and maintained. Even the spark plug should be replaced from time to time as to achieve good firing. Ensure the condition of every nuts and bolts and see to it the proper tightness is achieved. In addition, the underside deck calls for proper cleaning all throughout the season in order to get rid of unnecessary dirt and grass; doing this is a great advantage for grasses since it hinders the spread of diseases among them. For you to successfully clean the deck, ensure first that the spark plug is not connected and empty the gas tank first. After then, you can now start to stand the mower in an upward position and spray the equipment with water. Scrub the rest of the grimes then you’re done. In addition, lawn mower repair also calls for checking the air filter and the oil. The later must be cleaned and replaced when needed and you should oil the equipment from time to time. When it comes to lawn mower sharpening, the process should be done after 1 or 2 months varying upon how often you use it. Dong this will benefit you of having nicely cut grasses instead of ripping them up. When sharpening, simply detach the blade and sharpen it with the use of a file. Be extra careful with the blade as to not cut your fingers, don’t allow your kid to do this and never even attempt to do it right in front of them so they would not emulate you later on. You know how harmful it s too play with sharp objects. When the mowing season is over, it is about time that you gear yourself with the proper step of correctly storing the machine until winter time. It is highly recommended to remove the gas and the oil before storing. If each owner would only do the proper care for the mower then they will be ensured of great seasons and years of service.

Bosch Opts for Vitronic’s Inspection Technology!

Bosch is using six VINSPEC automated inspection units from Vitronic to ensure the flawless production of its new piezoelectric actuators. Piezoelectric actuators work in car engine fuel injection systems to reduce fuel consumption, noise, and carbon emissions. They make for clean, efficient running vehicles. What is piezoelectricity? Piezoelectricity is the ability of some materials to generate an electric field in response to applied mechanical stress. This effect is reversible – such materials produce mechanical stress in response to an applied electric field. How do piezoelectric actuators work? A vehicle’s fuel injection system injects pressurised fuel into the engine cylinder through a valve in precise quantities at precise intervals. Traditional injection systems open and close this valve using electromagnets. Bosch’s new actuators use piezoelectricity to control the valve quicker and more accurately than traditional systems, which makes for an efficient engine. Foil printing Bosch’s new actuators consist of stacks of special piezoelectric ceramic foils printed with strip electrodes, and guide marks to ensure accurate stacking. After printing, a robotic gripper deposits foils on a conveyor. Fast line-scan cameras from Vitronic capture high-resolution images of each as they travel along. The first VINSPEC system inspects these images to identify flaws on foils, such as holes, missing print, and bleeding. It also checks the position of the strip electrodes and guide marks. If the foils pass all inspections, they are dried and sent for stacking. Faulty foils are unusable, so VINSPEC immediately discards them. Precise automated stacking Robotic grippers then stack several foils into a block on a positioning table. Accurate stacking is essential to ensure actuators function correctly. By analysing images acquired by its cameras, the second VINSPEC system identifies a foil’s guide marks and calculates its position, before instructing the robotic grippers to stack the foils precisely. Completed stacks are laminated. This causes the foils to harden and form solid blocks. Without using the machine vision system VINSPEC it wouldn’t be possible to produce functional actuators. Raw actuator processing Next, a specially coated saw automatically divides the hardened blocks into bars and then into so-called ‘raw actuators’. Cutting bars into raw actuators is a delicate process. An incorrect cut can interrupt the strip electrodes and render actuators unusable. The third VINSPEC system captures photographic images of foil blocks, measures each bar to the nearest micrometer, and coordinates the saw to product precise cuts. The fourth VINSPEC system inspects the function and quality of the raw actuators before sending them for further processing. Checks include actuator dimensions and electrode position. Only flawless actuators pass to the next production stage. Final production stages Bosch applies a layer of insulation finish and electrical strip contacts to actuators before installing them into the fuel injectors. Finish must be evenly applied and bubble free. Strip contacts require careful soldering and must be clear of finish. Defects lead to short circuits, which render actuators unusable. The fifth and sixth VINSPEC units monitor these processes, and immediately discard faulty actuators. Complete control Operators can observe the inspections on monitors at each VINSPEC station. Graphical user interfaces mean results, live photographic images, and system status reports are all easily accessible, allowing operators to intervene if they detect production discrepancies. All inspection results are stored, allowing Bosch to produce statistical evaluations and optimise its manufacturing processes. For more information visit http://www. vitronic. de

Lawn Mowing

Whenever wandering in the neighborhood, chances are you will find yourself amused at green, fresh and well kept lawns. But simple grass cutting is not all there is in lawn mowing, there are some important points to keep in mind in order to maintain an eye-catching and healthy lawn. Mowing is a general method in grass keeping and the most commonly utilized lawn care operation. The landowner can pay someone to do the lawn mowing or a better alternative is to do his own mowing. In order to care for and maintain a lawn, several factor are to be considered. First in the list is grass height. Grasses are not simply cut if they are tall. A learned, or possibly a normal mower would have to know that grasses, will not survive long enough when cut too short. Because grasses are also plants, in order to survive must undergo photosynthesis, Consequently when sheared too shortly, they are left with insufficient amount of leaves to photosynthesize. While shered at an appropriate altitude, |the grass becomes lenient to environmental stress and immune to weed growth invasion|grasses result to being adjusted and immune to environmental stress andweed growth|the turf develops immunity to stress and weed growth}. Additionally, suitably cut grasses have a stronger root system and better productivity. A height of 2 to 3 inches is desirable for lawns. Grasses are as well stressed when cut at irregularly inappropriate periods. How fast a grass grows determines how frequent they must be cut. It is significant not to incise more than one third of the grass shoot whenever mowing. If the turf has grown excessively for any reason, do not cut the excess all at once for doing so will provide stress and defoliation for the grass. Hence, it is advisable to carry out the trimming more recurrently than common until the desired 3 inches height remains. Clippings are parts of the grass which are cut during mowing. Should there be excessive amount of grass brought about by infrequent mowing , it is then disagreeable if the clippings are just left on the lawn. Although if mowing is done regularly, it is fine to just leave behind the clippings on the ground instead of scraping or bagging to remove them. Not only is leaving the clippings on the ground practical for such scenarios, but is also of the advantage on the health of the grass. How? Nitrogen and other nutrients still present in the clippings return to the soil as they decompose. Mowing should also be done opposite the direction when mowing was previously done. This will make the grass grow at perpendicular angles and minimize horizontal grass orientationThis action provides for the perpendicular growth of the grass. Finally, mowing equipment is also to be mulled over. When buying or shopping for a lawn mower, pick a mower that best suits your mowing necessities. Mower specification must also be known to the shopper}. Rotary and Reel mowers are the two basic types of mowing equipments. The reel mower is thrifty as it comes with no engine. It is manually operated, environment-friendly and ideal for {small lawns|small sized lawns|lawns with lesser space. The rotary mowers, alternatively mainly operate with an engine which can be gas or electricity fueled.

Gas Tankless Water Heaters – Comparing Brands Bosch, Noritz, Rinnai, & Takagi

It’s not easy to choose a new tankless water heater.   I’m going to compare four different brands of gas units, examining the specs and features of Bosch, Reehm, Rinnai, and Takagi units. I’ve made the table below to show what I think are the most important specifications for the tankless water heaters.   These include the maximum Input BTUs, Minimum Flow Rate to turn on the heater, the energy factor, and the temperature rise at a given flow rate. Maximum Input BTUs The maximum input BTUs basically tells you the size of the heater, giving you a way to quickly compare different models.   Most all tankless heaters are around 80% efficient, so any two heaters that have similar input BTU’s will have similar output capabilities.   A water heater with a higher efficiency will deliver a slightly higher flow for a given temperature rise and flow rate. Calculating BTUs A BTU (British thermal unit) is the amount of heat required to heat 1 pound of water 1 degree.   Water weighs about 8. 3 pounds per gallon.   Heating 1 gallon of water 100 degrees would require ((8. 3 pounds x 1 gallon x 100 degrees) / 80% efficiency) = 1,037 BTUs. Heating the water takes time of course, so if we wanted to heat that gallon in one minute the Btu consumption would be (1037 BTU x 60 minutes/hour)= 62,220 BTUs per hour. To heat 2 gallons per minute 100 degrees will require roughly 124,000 BTUs per hour.   3 gallons per minute would be 189,000 BTUs. Minimum Flow Rate The minimum flow rate is important because that is how much flow you need through the heater to turn it on. The problems appear when you want a low-flow of hot water.   If it takes 3/4 gallons per minute of flow to turn on the heater, and the output temperature of the heater is set for 120°, you have to mix colder water with the hot water to get the temperature you want.   Since you have to keep the flow rate high enough to keep the heater turned on, and you have to mix it with cold, you simply cannot get a small flow of hot water.   To make matters worse, if you are trying to take a shower, and you turn down the temperature enough for the heater to kick off, you won’t know it until that slug of cold water hits you a minute or so after you’ve adjusted the valve, depending on how long it takes the water to travel through the pipes to the fixture. Energy Factor The energy factor (EF) tells what a water heater’s overall energy efficiency is. It’s based on the amount of hot water produced per unit of fuel consumed over a typical day. Factors included in the energy factor are:Recovery efficiency – how efficiently the heat from the energy source is transferred to the water Standby losses – the percentage of heat loss per hour from the stored water compared to the heat content of the water (water heaters with storage tanks) Cycling losses – the loss of heat as the water circulates through a water heater tank, and/or inlet and outlet pipes. The higher the energy factor, the more efficient the water heater is. However, higher energy factor values don’t always mean lower annual operating costs, especially when you compare fuel sources. Temperature Rise & Flow Rate The output flow rate is one of the most important factors since it tells you exactly how much hot water the unit can produce. Bosch and Noritz give you the temperature rise at 77° and 75° which are close enough for our comparison on their websites.   Takagi provides graphs which are nice, so I used 75° for Takagi. Rinnai only provides the flow rate at 35°, so to compare Rinnai flow rates you can figure a little less than half of the given values. Tankless Water Heater Costs Where I could find them I listed the lowest prices I could find online.   They may therefore be incorrect.   Keep in mind that installing the heater can be very expensive.   You may need special larger stainless steel venting, and you may have to run a larger gas line as well.   If the location does not have a power outlet you might need to run an electrical circuit since most gas tankless water heaters need power for their controls. Gas Tankless Water Heater Comparison Table Brand/Model          Max             Min.         EF            GPM@             Price                              BTU             GPM                       Temp Rise Bosch                            Bosch 2700ES      199,000       0. 65       0. 82         4. 2   77° F      $1,100Bosch 2400ES      175,000       0. 65       0. 82         3. 8   77° F      $1,050Bosch 1600H        117,000        0. 6        0. 69         2. 4   77° F      $649 Noritz Noritz N-0931M     250,000       0. 5       N/A          5. 6   75° F        $2,399Noritz 841             199,900        0. 5       0. 91         5. 0   75° F       $2,399Noritz N-0751M     199,900       0. 5       0. 83         4. 5   75° F        $1,299Noritz N-0631S     185,000        0. 5       0. 83         3. 8   75° F       $1,029Noritz 531             140,000       0. 5       0. 82         3. 1   75° F        $829 Rinnai Rinnai  R98LSi       237,000       0. 9        N/A*         9. 8  35° FRinnai  R50LSi       150,000       0. 6        0. 82          5. 0  35° F       $679Rinnai  R75LSi       180,000       0. 6        0. 82          7. 5  35° F       $975Rinnai  R94LSi       190,000       0. 6        0. 82          9. 4  35° F  TakagiTakagi T-K Jr.         140,000       0. 5        0. 81          2. 5  75° F       $599Takagi T-K3           199,000      0. 5        0. 84          3. 6  75° F        $800Takagi T-H1           199,000      0. 5        0. 92          4. 8  75° F

How Fast Do Lawn Mower Blades Go?

basic walk behind rotary mower, how fast do the blades spin?

Cordless Lawn Mower – The Hassle Free Mower

Cordless lawn mower serves real purpose in mowing small land areas and plots. Although, a lot of competitors continue to provide comparable functionality, this gardening equipment also gained popularity presenting great features never trailing behind all those state of the art machinery. This is known to be of definitely much lighter weight with easy to handle grip and much easier mowing operation. This is also ideal for small to medium plots of land but never on high hill tops and bigger land areas. You can choose from wide varieties of designs and styles yet, all the more important is the facet of functionality and usefulness. This type of engine is battery operated therefore, you have to make certain that your battery is fully charged or its life span is enough to support your mowing needs. Akin to other mower equipments, the cordless lawn mower is also environmental friendly that does not contribute any hazardous component to the ecosystem.

This manifests its better performance and efficacy when cutting level areas of prairies however, longer usage of the machine will not be as effectual since it is battery operated. But the good thing about this is that it never requires supreme level of keeping it in good condition. Its main feature of being freestyle allows users to eliminate the idea of buying fuel oils as a way of maintaining this tool. Likewise, gone were the usage of plugs and other electric materials to keep it running. Thus, if you would try to rate this machine, this definitely is on the middle of 1 and 2 for it being a good lifetime investment that no longer requires alterations of parts and the machine in general. The cordless lawn mower is also very cost-effective. So if you are worrying of just how much your lawn has grown bigger and you don’t have any financial funds to purchase this gardening tool then you need not look further for this equipment provides all you need.

It comes in an economical price tag with various brands to choose from. If you find it difficult to come up with a good one then you can browse through web pages to see how this type of machine benefited people. Were they satisfied or was this machine able to apply what is expected of it? You would surely to find testimonials of content consumers using this type of equipment. Through this, you will no longer have to guess if this will suit perfectly for your gardening needs. Furthermore, there are a lot of reasons why you should choose the cordless lawn mower as your gardening partner. Let us count the ways: Firstly, this machine offers you with cleaner outcome as it cuts grass finely that you wouldn’t have to do it manually afterwards. Next, is the machine’s light weight capacity that is very much expedient weigh against gas operated gardening tools. You also wouldn’t have to provide high level of maintenance therefore; this definitely suits people with busy lifestyles as they would no longer have to endure hours of cleaning their equipments.

Riding Lawn Mower Review – Is the New Husqvarna Rider R155 AWD the Right Lawn Mower For You?

What factors are important to you when choosing a riding lawn mower? The best lawn mower for your lawn depends on a number of factors including the size of the lawn and the number of obstacles, such as fountains, benches, flower beds etc. If you have a large lawn with many obstacles and uneven grass, then a highly maneuverable riding mower will probably be the most suitable. A riding lawn mower that can cope with slopes, wet grass, and obstacles and also finely dices the cuttings to provide excellent lawn fertilizer is the new Husqvarna Rider R155 AWD and it may be just what you are looking for. The Husqvarna Rider R155 AWD is one of the best lawn mowers for large uneven lawns. It is a well built mower that is designed to be extremely maneuverable, so it is ideal if your lawn has many obstacles like flower beds or trees. The new AWD (all wheel drive) is automatic and loss of traction will force it to engage on all four wheels. The Husqvarna Rider can easily cope with a lawn that is is sloped or when mowing in wet conditions. The maneuverability is further enhanced by the unique articulated steering system which allows the rear pair of wheels to swing in underneath the machine. The result is superior maneuverability with a 4 inch turning radius at full lock. The mower has 3 cutting blades and a front mounted cutting deck. Cutting heights can be set from 1-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches. The front mounted cutting deck gives excellent accessibility into corners and under benches and bushes. The use of 3 blades makes for very efficient cutting and mulching and the removable BioChip, when installed, causes the clippings to be chopped into mulch under the cutting deck before falling onto the lawn and quickly turning into fertiliser. The Husqvarna Rider R155 AWD comes with a pressure lubricated Kohler OHV-engine and wheel weights with ball bearings ensure maximum grip while ensuring minimum stress on the transmission. The blades are engaged automatically when the cutting deck is lowered and all controls are easy to reach from the driver’s seat. The seat itself is reasonably comfortable although some engine vibrations can be felt. the lack of a flat flat floor over the deck may make it harder to mount for less nimble gardeners. Although the Husqvarna Rider R155 AWD is expensive (more than $US9000 for the basic model) it should provide years of excellent service. Slightly cheaper, without the AWD, is the Husqvarna Rider R155G2. A good choice of riding lawn mower that will have your lawn looking professionally finished in minimum time. Advantages * Very maneuverable * Easy to operate * Well designed and built for long life * Excellent mulching ability Disadvantages * Expensive * Awkward to mount * Engine vibrations can be annoying if mowing for long periods Conclusion The Husqvarna Rider R155 AWD is a well built, very maneuverable mower that will make mowing a large, uneven lawn that has obstacles and slopes very easy. The mulching ability is a nice addition but the expensive price tag will put this mower out of the reach of many gardeners. It’s sturdy construction and long life will make it a good mower to look out for in the future as a secondhand bargain.

Bosch tankless water heater

In modern days many people own their own houses and spend their time setting up electric and electronic gadgets to suit their many needs to live a comfortable life. Water heaters are one of the most important gadgets that every home should install because of the climatic conditions in the U. S. Therefore, when choosing a water heater special attention should be paid to check whether it is energy efficient and is able to give you the required amount of hot water that you need. Bosch solar tankless water heaters offer you an average life expectancy of more than 20 years of energy saving service that you and your family would love to acquire. Bosch tankless water heaters are the right choice since they are very efficient in functioning as well as in saving energy while cutting bills exorbitantly. At the end of the year you will notice the amount of savings that you have earned on installing the Bosch Solar tankless water heater. Bosch has many models of tankless water heaters with prices ranging from a low of $613. 83 to a high of $20,000. 00. They function with gas, electricity as well as solar. By going solar you are producing a reduction of 70% in the greenhouse effect that adds to the eco friendly environment that we live in. We are helping tremendously in keeping our environment safe from toxins and disease causing bacteria by opting for the solar heating system. To name a few models of Bosch is only good. Models like 1600PS-NG solar tankless comes with a pilot ignition for pre heated water using natural gas back up. The Pentair Sun Touch Solar Control System is another good model which runs your pump and heater as and when you need it just with a few buttons that will be activated. You can add additional features like lights and automatic cleaners to this model. It is compatible with gas as well as electricity. By choosing the Bosch tankless solar water heater you are making the right choice of tankless water heaters since tankless water heaters have the best features that help you reduce your energy bills by fifty percent.

Bosch Rotak 34 Electric rotary mower

Features unique grass combs that allow you to cut right to the edge. 1400 watt hi-torque ‘powerdrive’ motor offers superb cutting and collection. 34cm width of cut, with high speed steel blade. 10 heights of cut (20-70mm). Lightweight and manouverable, only 10. 5kg. Rear collect grassbox, 40 litres. Cable Length 12m. Manufacturer’s guarantee 2 years parts, 2 years labour.

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