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• PRO

  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd February 1, 2013 at 9:04pm

  I wouldn't use one of these even as a back up. I wouldn't spend a thing on fixing it.
  
  You are better off looking on somewhere like ebay for a 2nd hand Etesia Pro46.
  
  Nick
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  james@progardensolutions.co.uk February 1, 2013 at 9:51pm

  Thanks for the reply Nick, i dont have the inclination to spend much on it at all as i know it has been well maintained over its life and has been garaged during this time. It may though require cleaning up and a play around with it to get it going. As a freeby i cant complain. Are they really of no use? http://progardensolutions.co.uk
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  Paul McNulty February 1, 2013 at 10:23pm

  I've got one I keep as a machine for getting in to gardens with poor access. Working on my own I don't want to be trying to carry a 50KG Honda Pro through a terraced house that's just had new carpets laid for the tenants, or through a side-access with sharp turns I can't manouver it around.

  It's a 16" domestic machine, so isn't any use on larger lawns and won't last five minutes in regular commercial use, but as a freebie it's worth keeping (mine was a gift from a guy who could no longer cut his own lawn, always worth being good to customers as you never know what they've got in their sheds!).
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  Sue/Bayleaf's Traditional February 2, 2013 at 2:11pm

  I have 2, they're great for smaller lawns (but hate the wet) and if you look after it it will last you years. I regularly service it i.e. sharpen the blade and power wash it off. The oldest one is 20 years old and still good as a back up. I think it's the old adage if you look after your tools they will look after you. Also spares are really cheep on ebay.
  Sue
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  james@progardensolutions.co.uk February 2, 2013 at 2:52pm

  Hi Sue, thanks for for the great input here its nice to have a positive response for the little machine's. I'm very pleased to announce that after a total of 30 mins work on the Harrior this morning it is now running well and seem's to have suffered no ill effects from standing for the last 2-3 years.
  I used it to mow a small part of the gardens here to see how it cut, and i did notice it wasnt to keen on the wet grass but as the blade is positivly blunt i shall have to hold judgement untill i resolve that. great input, thank you all.
  http://www.progardensolutions.co.uk
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  Andrew O'Brien February 2, 2013 at 8:19pm

  Another vote for the Harrier, it's not a pro machine but it's not the flimsiest by far, mine just keeps on going, is manoeuvrable and build quality is reasonable. Obviously the chute is small and clogs when wet (remove lead, clear chute, replace lead...becomes second nature!). And hey, yours was FREE, which surely is the main point here! Look after it well and it'll be a handy back up for the smaller lawn.
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  Geoff Norfolk February 2, 2013 at 8:29pm

  When I first started working for myself, I used to use an old Suffolk Punch 18" cylinder mower..... gave a lovely cut though if you hit stones, it caused problems. Now this was really a domestic use mower but with a little tlc, used it for several years with no problems. The Harrier may well be intended for domestic use but if you give it that bit of extra attention I'm sure it'll do you proud.
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  james@progardensolutions.co.uk February 2, 2013 at 10:36pm

  Evening Andrew, im really pleased to hear that on the whole the Harrier has been been good to you.I truely am encouraged that despite a few issues it still has the potential to be a useful piece of kit. And yes indeed Free! Funnily enough Geoff i have 5 of those Suffolk Punches in my garage, my father became somewhat of a colletor of them unfortunatly not so much of a restorer ;)

  http://www.progardensolutions.co.uk