Patio Chair and Chaise Sling Repair and Sling Replacement

Slings on patio chairs, recliners, chaises and ottomans can all wear out over time due to sun damage and hard use. Some of the best-made patio furniture needs slings replaced about every eight to ten years. Since it is so much cheaper to replace the slings than to purchase new patio furniture, sling replacement and sling repair is a necessary procedure. Even replacing the slings on one patio chair can be a daunting job requiring a lot of muscle and force to get the slings tight enough on the chair.

Replacement slings should be made from durable, quality fabrics that can withstand outdoor elements. The last thing you want is someone falling through the sling on your patio chair. The best slings are made from high strength vinyl coated polyester that is UV protected. Fabric styles and colors can be matched to high-end patio furniture manufacturers names like Brown Jordan, Winston, Homecrest, Woodard, Telescope, Mallin, Lyon Shaw, Innova, Meadowcraft, Medallion, Molla, Carter Grandle, Crown Leisure, Superior, and Tropitone, giving your patio furniture a new look and a new life for 2010.

If you are replacing slings, it is likely you are doing an entire set of patio furniture. If this is the case, you can choose brand new colors in solids, stripes, floral or other patterns for your patio chair slings, recliner slings, or ottoman slings. Your pool, patio, or lawn furniture can be completely recovered for much less than it would cost to replace with similar quality patio furniture. If you don�t want to try to tackle this job yourself, look for a company that provides complete restoration, repair, or refurbishing of patio, pool, lawn, porch, and deck furniture. Companies like this can usually also refinish wrought iron parts that have rusted or corroded, or need to be recoated. These companies will pick up your old patio furniture, re-strap, re-lace and repair it so that it looks new, and return it back to your country club, back yard or outdoor area. Sling repair costs for a single chair can run between $100 and $150 depending on what needs to be repaired or replaced. This is very inexpensive compared to replacing a Brown Jordan patio chair that retails for around $600.

Author: Sue McCrossin

Repower Equipment: Is your Lawn Mower Ready for Summer?

Summer is almost here. You can already smell fresh mowed grass of neighborhood laws and here the kids running through sprinklers. It is time for all of us to get geared up for the long mowing season ahead. With the price of fuel continuing to climb higher, an aging lawn mower engine that is declining in power or fuel efficiency may not be worth the time and energy to use this summer. Yet the cost of a new lawn mower or lawn tractor may not be in your budget this year. Plus, we hear every day about the importance of being green these days and tossing your old lawn mower into the trash heap is not in line with reducing waste and protecting the environment.

� A spanking new emissions-certified engine for a high green-rating for your Toro lawn mower or Toro Lawn tractor that is more important than todayThroughout the purchasing process, don't forget to check the riding lawn mower�s parts. You should ask if they have replaceable parts, and extra capabilities. After you find any lawn mowers you like, be sure to also ask the dealer if they offers no cost repair service or if they sell parts like the blades and also the mower's motor.Getting your yard ready for a robotic lawn mowerIt's advisable to buy from a dealer who offers free online lawn evaluations. www.LawnBotts.com offers a satisfaction guarantee behind robotic lawn mower we recommend for your yard. We offer free unlimited support, years of experience and expertise to all our customers.Last but not least, it is important to buy from a dealer who is knowledgeable about robotic lawn mowers. An uninformed dealer can give poor advice, which could ultimately lead to your dissatisfaction with a robotic lawn mower.What does your lawn require?Maintenance is very simple for robotic lawn mowers. There is no need to empty bags or clean up grass clippings because they are mulchers. Most manufactures recommend replacing the blade(s) once a year. Robotic lawn mowers are electric lawn mowers, which translate into no gas, oil or spark plugs to replace.Robotic lawn mower models differ in how long they take to recharge and how long they can mow before needing a charge. Charge times can vary from 2.5 hours to upward 24 hours depending on the model you choose. With recharge times in mind, remember that robotic lawnmowers will take longer to mow your yard than a human would. Therefore, if you have a large lawn, it could take a few consecutive runs to cover the whole area. Since the robot is doing all the work, consecutive runs are effortless on your part, but you want to choose a model that can keep your lawn looking its best without falling behind during peak growing seasons.� Higher end robot lawn mowers can detect how quickly your lawn is growing and will adjust its schedule to according to when the lawn needs to be mowed. This feature can be useful during droughts or fast growing seasons.The size and type of the blade are also important factors which you ought to think about. For those that will probably be mowing in narrow paths, a cutter with a smaller width could be more appropriate. However, you might benefit more with wide cutters simply because they are able to save you additional time when cutting the lawn. But needless to say, it will really depend on your needs and preferences. Just bear in mind that the larger the cutter the more space it can cover.Run times for robotic lawn mowers can vary from 90 minutes to 7 hours before needing to recharge. Some higher end models like the LawnBott LB3550 can mow up to 15 hours per day with a recharge period in between.There are a few robotic lawn mower choices out there with prices ranging from about $1,299 to $4,200 so you'll need to consider what features your lawn require and what features you want.

Ben Anton, 2007

Author: Ben Anton

How to Buy a Robotic Lawn Mower - Save Money & Free Some Time

Thinking about buying a robotic lawn mower to free up some time and save money? Here are some things to consider:

� If your robotic lawn mower requires perimeter wire, plan your install. A good dealer will offer to illustrate a customized installation plan free of charge. It's best to have an idea of where to lay perimeter wire in order to gain the best efficiency out of the lawn mower. Installation for most yards can be very simple while others may require special wiring tricks. Expect to set aside the most part of a day to peg down the perimeter wire.� Although most robotic lawn mower's bump sensors can detect objects over 4 inches high, you would want to remove small toys, strings, hose pipes, lightweight objects and other objects lying around on the lawn just as you would with any lawn mowerFinally, storage is an additional important consideration that should by no means be overlooked. You need to find an area where you are able to easily and safely maintain your riding mower. Then, get its specific measurements and buy the mower which will perfectly fit inside your storage place. Other characteristics that you probably should also factor in are the seat comfort, available legroom, ease of control and repairs and maintenance. If you are looking for additional information on riding mowers, visit http://ridinglawnmowersforsale.org.� Some robotic lawn mowers are big and heavy while others are small and light weight. It's important to consider weight and size of the mower in case you need to ship it for repairs or servicing. Depending on which model you choose, weight can range from 21 pounds to 85 pounds. For example the LawnBott LB3210 weighs only 21 pounds while the Robomower RL1000 weighs around 85 pounds.� Most fully automated robotic lawn mowers utilize a rain sensor to automatically pause mowing sessions until the lawn dries outRepowering your lawn mower or lawn tractor using repower kits for equipment made by Toro, Cushman, or Jacobsen can be the best preparation you need for the upcoming long lawn or golf course mowing season. The kits made for Toro lawn mowers and Toro lawn tractors are perfect examples of how small engine repower kits work and benefit lawn equipment owners.Ben Anton, 2007Repower kits designed for Toro lawn mowers and lawn tractors have several features and added bonuses. The features and bonuses of these repower kits make them a great deal when so much else seems to be rising in price. What can you expect with the purchase of a Toro lawn mower or lawn tractor engine repower kit? The same great benefits you do with all repower kits available.Another big deciding factor for which robotic lawn mower to buy is how it can handle hills. Some robot lawnmowers are designed to mow relatively flat lawns while others can be upgraded to handle steep hills. For example, the LawnBott LB3500 robotic lawn mower can mow hills up to 30 degrees with add on spiked wheels. This particular model utilizes an on board compass to keep it on course as it navigates hilly terrains.The time to prep your lawn mower or lawn tractor, whether it is a Toro, Cushman or Jacobsen model, for the long summer mowing season is now. Small engine and engine repairs to lawn mowers and lawn tractors can extend the life and use of the mowers for many more years to come. Whether you are keeping your personal landscaping immaculate or caring for the quality of your community golf course, it is important to ensure that an aging mower does not become an unreliable fuel waster.Now that you've decided to purchase a robotic lawn mower, it's time to prepare the yard.� The support of a worldwide network of authorized dealers and distributors, for support where and when you need it.Another thing to keep in mind is replacement part cost. Some robotic lawn mowers (like LawnBott) claim to have a life expectancy of about 8 to 10 years before major repairs are needed. Higher end robot lawn mowers generally have better quality, longer lasting parts, which also means higher upfront and replacement part cost. On the flip side, lower cost robotic lawnmowers use cheaper parts, which may result in more frequent repair needs that could end up costing more to upkeep than higher end models. With that said, robotic lawn mower maintenance cost will almost always fall well below the cost to upkeep and maintain traditional lawn mowers or paying a lawn service.Many robotic lawn mowers completely automate lawn mowing by working on a time and day schedule. The lawnmower will automatically leave its charging station; mow the lawn, and then dock when it's done. Lower end robotic mowers will require you to bring it indoors to charge.Other important features and points to consider:How large is your lawn?For those who have a few obstacles to cut around, a gear driven riding mower is a superb choice. This will give a constant, steady pace to mow the yard. If you have plenty of obstacles in your yard, you need to pick an automatic transmission riding mower which will permit you to speed up or slow down with out clutching. An automatic mower is easier to drive.Maintenance and replacement partsThe costs of lawn mower small engine repair and lawn tractor engine repairs can add up quickly if you are not careful about where you get your parts for making those repairs. Make sure you purchase parts from a reputable dealer and that those parts are high quality and dependable. Ask if your dealer has some sort of technical support as well so that if you have a question about the kit install or how your engine is working, you can get the answers easily and quickly.First of all, you should evaluate your lawn. Your yard does not have to be a perfect "postage stamp" lawn in order to get good results. In fact, most robotic lawn mowers are designed to manage odd shaped lawns and all different grass types. Robot lawn mowers can maneuver around obstacles like pools, trees, flower beds, poles, mailboxes and even playground equipment.Look throughout the off-season. Most mowers are used during the spring and summer time so they do not sell all that well in the fall and winter seasons - making these the very best seasons for purchasing a brand new mower.� Simple, routine maintenance of Toro repowered lawn mowers and lawn tractors. Who doesn�t like the sound of that? Less time maintaining, more time mowing� 2 year manufacturers warranty on every repower kit� Advanced technology like, full pressure lubrication, hydraulic valve lifters, overhead valves, and fuel efficient poweringMost robotic lawn mowers come with a 2-year warranty with varying warranties on the battery. Some warranties include pickup and return shipping cost depending on which model you choose.

It's advisable to buy from a dealer who offers free online lawn evaluations. www.LawnBotts.com offers a satisfaction guarantee behind robotic lawn mower we recommend for your yard. We offer free unlimited support, years of experience and expertise to all our customers.

Author: Clint D.

How To Pick The Best Riding Lawn Mower

For home owners with sizable yards that are overwhelmed and fed up with doing typical lawn mowing utilizing a push mower, it truly is time to consider a riding lawn mower. These lawn machines can certainly make quick work of your normal lawn mowing. Nonetheless, as with any big investment, purchasing a riding lawn mower may be a intimidating task. That�s why I have assembled together this write-up to assist you in making the best choice considering that the incorrect choice can be incredibly expensive.

When evaluating your requirements you'll want to look at a number of different items. You'll want to look at the dimensions of your yard, the landscape inside of your lawn, the quantity of obstacles inside your yard, the layout of your yard in addition to your total spending budget. All items will play an important role in picking the perfect riding lawn mower.� Fill in big holes. Some robotic lawn mowers have problems with "lawn potholes."  LawnBotts.com suggest filling in holes with topsoil or sand as neededDo you have a hilly lawn or is it relatively flat?� Complete and understandable installation instructions for easy installing� To spend much less money on dependable, Toro replacement parts and engines than you would spend purchasing them new

Finally, storage is an additional important consideration that should by no means be overlooked. You need to find an area where you are able to easily and safely maintain your riding mower. Then, get its specific measurements and buy the mower which will perfectly fit inside your storage place. Other characteristics that you probably should also factor in are the seat comfort, available legroom, ease of control and repairs and maintenance. If you are looking for additional information on riding mowers, visit http://ridinglawnmowersforsale.org.

Author: Ted Davis

Country Clipper dealer helps Shriners Hospitals for Children

Jeff (a.k.a. "Griff") and Barbara Griffin, owners of Griff's Small Engine, LLC, Clayton, N.C., recently donated a Country Clipper zero-turn lawn mower to the Amran Ragtops, a unit of the Shriners organization, to help raise more than $8,000 for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Raffle tickets were sold by the Amran Ragtops at numerous locations and at Griff's Small Engine. The winning raffle ticket belonged to Herbert Guthrie, DDS (retired), Zebulon, N.C., who was very excited to have won the mower, but expressed helping such a worthy cause was his major motivation for purchasing a ticket.

For the past 12 years, Griff and his staff have been repairing, servicing, and selling outdoor power equipment. The Country Clipper zero-turn mower is just one of the major brands of outdoor power equipment available at Griff's Small Engine, LLC, located at 380 Watkins Road in Clayton, N.C. The Amran Shriners temple is located at 11101 Creedmoor Road in Raleigh, N.C.

Measure twice and cut once. Thought-provoking comments, a little satire and wit, and sometimes a challenge or two from an anonymous distributor

Every afternoon on the way home, I see a sign or two along the way that reads: "I buy, sell, trade, and repair lawn mowers." And right beside the sign will be a couple of push or self-propelled lawn mowers and occasionally a riding mower. A few years ago, I didn't see any such signs. Now, I see them everywhere. I guess they are "signs of the time."

Of course, the largest category of stuff we all own is: hybrid. They do more than one thing. Clothing (stationary) includes a zipper (mechanical). A food processor (mechanical) requires power (electrical).An African impala can jump to a height of more than 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. It's a remarkable feat to observe--so effortless and graceful, a real defense mechanism necessary for survival on the predator-filled savannas.So fixing hybrid things is simply a matter of understanding what it does and figuring out whether the problem is stationary, mechanical, or electrical. That quickly narrows down the repair job. For example, troubleshooting a lawnmower means looking at the handles and case as stationary; the wheels, engine, blade, and controls as mechanical; and the starter and ignition system as electrical. If the engine runs, but the mower won't move, check the controls or the wheels. You can break down any household thing to its systems, then components, to figure out what's wrong with it and how to fix it.One of the best compliments I can give when writing a reference letter is that the person takes initiative.There are four kinds of things in your home: stuff that is supposed to move (mechanical), stuff that isn't supposed to move (stationary), electrical stuff, and, finally, stuff that does more than one thing (such as electro-mechanical). For example, a windup alarm clock is a mechanical thing -- it's supposed to move gears and hands. If components don't move, it's broken. What all of these mechanical things have in common is that they technically are "machines." That is, they convert one form of energy into another. A hand tool, for example, converts your energy into strength to turn a bolt or cut a board. Knowing what it is supposed to do is the first step in fixing it. A mechanical clock stores your energy in a spring and slowly releases it to turn the clock hands.Lubricants decrease friction between moving parts, and are a vital part of fixing things. Many lubricants are petroleum based. Thin lubricants are called oils and thicker lubricants are greases. Here are the most popular household lubricants and what they work best on:Do you know who is making most of Sears' OPE equipment for the 2010 model year? It's not Husqvarna, which has had most of Sears' business for many years. It's now MTD. Even though Sears uses many different suppliers for various portions of its OPE business, think about the effects of this change on your own parts and service business now that MTD is making a great majority of Sears' riders, push and self-propelled mowers.Don't worry if you weren't born knowing how to take initiative--it can be learned. In fact, a lot of us learn it the hard way, getting stuck in a rut and trying to dig our way out. At some point, frustration sets in and we decide to take charge of the situation. That's when good things happen.Contact the Anonymous Distributor at anonymous.distributor@gmail.com or read his blog at www.anonymousdistributor.blogspot.com.Troubleshooting mechanical things is a little more difficult than troubleshooting stationary things because you may have to take something apart. However, if you know what your broken item is supposed to do, you probably can figure out what needs fixing. For example, a windup alarm clock may run very slowly, not keeping the correct time--and making you late for work. Rather than toss it and get another one, carefully open it up and see if there's anything (a loose screw, dust) keeping a mechanism from turning as designed. Or the item just may need a small amount of lubricant to reduce resistance between moving parts.* Silicone is an organic compound that is highly resistant to wear, heat, and water; it makes a great lubricant.Many humans share these characteristics. They thrive in familiar territory, doing what they know is safe and comfortable, but they won't take any risks for fear of failure. They would rather watch opportunities pass them by than jump over the wall.Do you take risks in your business, or do you stick with what you know is safe and comfortable? Do you try to understand what the consequences might be before you act? Remember the old adage: "Measure twice and cut once." We know that really does reduce risk.

Contact the Anonymous Distributor at anonymous.distributor@gmail.com or read his blog at www.anonymousdistributor.blogspot.com.

When To Replace a Piece of Equipment

Keeping vehicles and equipment too long can add to excessive downtime, and ultimately reduce their potential trade-in value.

I smile now when I think about that transition from being a son and a teenager to becoming a friend and a business partner with my Dad. Thank goodness my Dad was patient and forgiving. Thank goodness many teenagers turn into responsible adults. My Dad was my mentor, my teacher and my friend. I miss him every day.GreenIndustryPros.com/ OnlineFeatures (posted February 2011)

GreenIndustryPros.com/ OnlineFeatures (posted February 2011)

Outsmarting Broken Stuff

To fix anything in you home, you first need to know what it is supposed to do. That makes sense.

Back in the 1980s and '90s, my Dad used to say that he believed 1/3 of our parts business was generated by old mowers that one neighbor sold or gave away to another. The new owner would then be willing to invest $100 or $200 toward fixing it up, putting a new seat on it, or having the engine tuned up and the belts and blades replaced. I used to chuckle every time he said that, and he said it often. But I think his statement is still very valid.* Penetrating oil lubricates as well as reduces and cleans corrosion from metal parts.Translation: the willingness to at least try, to take a risk, to give it your absolute best shot. When I recommend someone in those terms, a light goes on for the prospective employer.But put these magnificent creatures in an enclosure in a zoo surrounded by just a three-foot wall, and they will not jump over the wall--if they cannot see where their feet will land. They will be killed rather than risk the unknown.* Graphite powder and spray is a fine powder lubricant (sometimes in a base of light oil) for lubricating locks, bearings, and other very small parts.Initiative is not a promise of perfect results. Sometimes, it results in failure. Sometimes, it results in a satisfactory but not remarkable outcome. Other times, the effort ends in a great success.* Lithium grease is a petroleum-based grease with lithium powder in it to enhance lubrication of larger moving parts such as automotive gears.The upside is that hopefully these real "shade-tree mechanics" are buying parts and engines from some of our customers--authorized service centers and contracted OPE dealers just like you. Long term, putting these recycled mowers back in use, creates future parts and service business for us all.* Silicon spray is a multipurpose product that lubricates, waterproofs, and reduces corrosion.An employee who can step up to the plate three runs down in the bottom of the ninth with bases loaded and two outs, and envision a grand slam instead of a pop fly is the kind of player I want on my team. That employee will wait for just the right pitch and send it over the fence.Maximizing Trade-in Value. Emmett says that keeping equipment too long will accentuate downtime and affect performance, something that can be avoided by trading in equipment every few years. "Many of our (professional) customers rotate equipment every three years," he relates. "Assuming they put on an average of 600 hours of mowing a year, they would be replacing the mower before that first large engine repair bill."

What about all the new gadgets coming on the market every day? Most really aren't new; they are new-and-improved versions of things that have been around for many years. For example, the new DVD/CD players are simply hybrid gadgets that use electricity to do mechanical things. Think of household things by their basic function and you can easily troubleshoot and fix them. You can outsmart broken stuff -- and save some money.

Author: Dan Ramsey

Lawn Mower Care

(Family Features) Regular lawn mower maintenance is vital to keeping this tool running well. These tips from the experts at TruGreen will help you take care of the workhorse of lawn care.

SOURCE Consumer Reports* Some technologies are finicky. Refrigerators with icemakers are twice as likely to break down as those without. The device's complicated design and the extreme environment it must operate in explains the high failure rate. Among laundry appliances, front loading washers are more repair-prone than top-loaders. The large rubber gasket that forms a watertight seal around the door is the common culprit. Mold is another issue. Manufacturers recommend periodically cleaning the gasket with a bleach solution and keep the door ajar after each use to allow ventilation.Using a lawnmower to chop up the leaves is an inexpensive solution, because then you are using equipment you already have. Replace the blade with a mulching blade if it's available for your mower. Spread the leaves out over the grass and then go over it with the mower. The mixture of green clippings and brown leaves work together to break down into mulch faster. If the leaves are not too thick, they will dissolve into the turf on their own. This will reduce the need for commercial fertilizers. Try to do this at least once a week during the leaf falling period.Tip 1 - Using the Lawnmower"Should I repair or replace it; how much is the repair likely to cost; what will a new one cost. These are many of the questions that go through a consumer's mind when a major product breaks," says Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, deputy home and yard editor at Consumer Reports. "Being armed with the right answers can save people thousands of dollars on appliances and gear."Even with the right equipment, leaf shredding can be a big job. The equipment can be expensive, so think about how much dedication you want to give this DIY project over the years before investing in the equipment. You might want to weigh the above against hiring a professional.The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for advertising or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports is published by Consumers Union, an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. We accept no advertising and pay for all the products we test. We are not beholden to any commercial interest. Our income is derived from the sale of Consumer Reports, ConsumerReports.org and our other publications and information products, services, fees, and noncommercial contributions and grants. Our Ratings and reports are intended solely for the use of our readers. Neither the Ratings nor the reports may be used in advertising or for any other commercial purpose without our permission. Consumers Union will take all steps open to it to prevent commercial use of its materials, its name, or the name of Consumer Reports.If the lawn mower is not enough machine to shred all the leaves on your property, then you may have to consider purchasing dedicated machines for the job. A combination of a good leaf blower and small leaf shredder might handle the job. This will work out if you are able to blow all the leaves to one corner of the yard where they can then be shredded and then be distributed to the mulch pile and other needed areas of the yard.If the yard has a lot of obstructions, then a leaf vacuum should be considered. This dedicated piece of equipment has a larger bag than a lawnmower and is more suited for the task. The collected leaf matter can then be spread to where ever needed.To ensure all consumers are well equipped to avoid lemons, check Consumer Reports August issue for the "What Breaks, What Doesn't" list of temperamental products and of some of the most and least reliable brands, and then use the "Repair-or-Replace Timeline" charts to find out which products to fix and which aren't worth the effort and expense. Here's what else Consumer Reports' survey found:* Some products are harder to repair.Consumer Reports' survey indicates that repairs of gas cooktops, built-in refrigerators, and home-theater systems can also be frustrating because they take an inordinately long time or cost a lot, or because the item requires further service calls. Dryers, electric cooktops, and digital cameras have the highest success and satisfaction rates.Common Bermuda grass - 1.0 to 1.5 St. Augustine grass, Bahia grass - 3.0 to 3.5 Zoysia grass - 1.0 Rye grass, blue grass, fine fescue - 2.5 to 3.0 Tall fescues - 2.5 to 3.0

Wendy MacDonald wmacdonald@familyfeatures.com 1-888-824-3337 ext. 235 http://editors.familyfeatures.com

Tips For Leaf Shedding Operation

What to do with all the leaves, is the most nagging question for homeowners at the end of the fall. If you simply leave them on your lawn, they can cause die back over the winter. For a heavily wooded lot, raking is going to be too grueling and time consuming a task for most homeowners. Composting can be an option, but may take up too much space in a small yard.

AUGUST 2011Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1561617If you constantly have a lot of big twigs and branches accumulate on your lawn every year with no convenient place to toss them, then you should consider getting a home chipper in addition to the leaf vacuum. Go to a good lawn equipment or home store to find the help needed to make the right decision on a chipper and other equipment for your unique situation.Wendy MacDonald wmacdonald@familyfeatures.com 1-888-824-3337 ext. 235 http://editors.familyfeatures.comMost municipalities ban burning, and require leaves for hauling to be bagged in the large lawn refuse paper bags. This can very time consuming.* Brand reliability varies by product. Manufacturers often have strengths and weakness in different product categories. GE, for example, has made very reliable cooking appliances, but its refrigerators with icemakers have been repair-prone. John Deere's lawn tractors have been very reliable, but its self propelled lawn mowers have been significantly more repair-prone than other brands. And LG has made reliable plasma TVs and clothes dryers, but not reliable side-by-side refrigerators.Drain the gas and disconnect the spark plug. Clamp a piece of wood to the deck to keep the blade from turning. Turn the blade bolt counter clockwise to remove it. If there is resistance, apply some penetrating oil, wait 15 minutes and try again. Remove the blade and mark the bottom side so you can put it back on correctly. Clamp the blade in a bench vise and sharpen with a 10-inch mill file. Use long strokes and work from the center outward. Use the same number of strokes on each side and keep the same angle. Balance the blade on a balance tool -- it's an inexpensive pyramid-shaped tool that can be found in most hardware stores. If one side of the blade hangs lower than the other, grind off excess metal from the end of the blade -- not from the part just sharpened. Reinstall blade.Tip 4 - Be Careful about the Use of the Leaf VacuumThe full report on repairing or replacing appliances, electronics, lawn equipment, and home exercise gear, appears in the August issue of Consumer Reports and online at www.ConsumerReports.org.* The 50-percent rule still stands.Consumer Reports recommends that a replacement should be purchased if the repair will cost more than half the price of the new product. Replacing electronic gear might be less costly than most people think because prices are steadily dropping in some categories. Major appliances, on the other hand, are getting more expensive and they usually have long service lives, which is why Consumer Reports generally recommends holding onto them longer than electronics.Tip 2 - Getting Serious about Leaf Grinding Equipment* Extended warranties don't deliver. Based on Consumer Reports' survey, appliances usually don't break during the extended-warranty period, normally after the standard warranty has expired, but within two to three years of purchase. Even when breakdowns occur in that time the median repair cost isn't much more than the median price of a warranty. And if a product doesn't break the extended warranty is just a waste of money. A computer might be an exception, especially if you travel frequently and take the device along for the ride. Make sure the warranty covers accidental damage and extended tech support."Letting grass grow tall and then removing more than 1/3 of the leaf blade is called scalping and can damage the lawn," said Ben Hamza, Ph.D., director of technical operations at TruGreen. "Be careful not to mow grass extremely low as you can damage the lawn by cutting into the crowns of the plants."Though consumer goods have become more complex and contain more electronics than a decade ago, the 33 products featured in the survey aren't failing more frequently. But when things go wrong, they tend to go horribly wrong. Consumer Reports National Research Center found that more than half of the products that did break stopped working altogether, and another 30 percent still worked, but poorly.

Even with the right equipment, leaf shredding can be a big job. The equipment can be expensive, so think about how much dedication you want to give this DIY project over the years before investing in the equipment. You might want to weigh the above against hiring a professional.

Author: Max Sheppard

Consumer Reports Finds Side-By-Side Refrigerators, Computers, and Lawn Tractors Most Repair-Prone Products

More than 27,000 Consumers Relay Their Experiences with Failing Products in Latest Survey; Plus, Most and Least Reliable Brands from the Recent Product Reliability Survey

Tip 6 - Hire a ProfessionalTruGreen professionals recommend that you measure the grass plants after mowing a very small area, then adjust your mower as necessary. Optimal mowing height varies by type of grass. Experts suggest the following mowing heights, in inches:To sharpen a blade:Empty the gas tank and disconnect the spark plug wire. It's possible for the mower to start on its own when the blade gets turned, which can result in serious injury. Rinse mower completely with a water hose from above. Aiming the hose at the side of the mower might get water into the air filter. Wash the outside with sudsy water and sponge. Rinse. Turn the mower on its side and clean off any built-up grass with your hands or a putty knife. Wash the underside with soapy water, then gently rinse. Let mower dry completely (about an hour).As with any power equipment, be sure to read the manual carefully before operating the leaf vacuum. Find out how big of a twig the leaf vacuum can handle. Before operating, make sure you clear the lawn of branches, larger twigs and anything else which can get jammed in the blades. Be sure to have your equipment professionally maintained unless you are well versed in small engine and equipment repair.* Computers break - a lot. Around one in three laptops and desktops break by their fourth year. Many computer breakdowns are due to malicious software (malware) or hard drive failure. Installing antivirus software on a computer is the best defense against malware. To be safe, always shut down the device before traveling even a short distance.Leaf shredding is a great option and can help you save money on mulch in the spring. Shredded leaves will break down into mulch faster than whole leaves and are less likely to blow back around the yard, causing a new mess.Maintaining your lawn mower is essential to a lush, green lawn and complements the customized professional lawn, tree and shrub care services TruGreen provides. Taking these simple measures will make mowing easier and help your lawn look great. Learn more at www.TruGreen.com .If you don't have the time or the inclination to sharpen the blade yourself, pack up your mower (or carefully remove the mower blade) and take it to a repair shop or home improvement store. For the do-it yourselfer, take a look at these general tips -- for safety, always consult the owner's manual for instructions specific to your machine.For the ambitious lawn owner, the bagged clippings and leaf mulch can be used to level out low spots in the lawn. In the Spring you can add a light layer of soil to those spots then plant grass seed, covered by the compost produced over the Winter.When you reinstall the mower blade, make sure you place it at the proper mowing height.YONKERS, N.Y., July 5, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- What do side-by-side refrigerators, laptop computers, and zero-turn-radius riding mowers have in common? They're among the most repair-prone products consumers can buy, according to Consumer Reports' most recent Product Reliability Survey. And in Consumer Reports' separate Repair or Replace Survey, 27,404 subscribers reported about the troubles they had with 53,218 broken appliances, electronics, lawn equipment and more.Tip 5 - Taking it a Step Further

SOURCE Consumer Reports