Robot Lawn Mowers

[Newfie]

snip.......I just like to relax and smoke a cigar while the yard work gets done!

Gotta love that scenario!!!

[WOXOF]

That's funny.

http://www.friendlyrobotics.com/videos/robomow/

Thanks, but I just bought a Husqvarna lawn tractor. I pick it up Saturday. How much does that RL1000 run? I have a 3/4 acre lot. As slow as that thing is going, it would take it 2 days to cut my yard. What keeps someone from stealing it?

I can still drive the tactor with one hand and hold the cigar in the other. It also comes with a cup holder. It doesn't get any more redneck than that. My wife thinks I look silly on the little tractor smoking a cigar. She's probably right, but it's "quiet" time for me where my thoughts can wonder.

[digger5280]

That is pretty cool. I have been thinking of getting one of the robot vacuums for all the hardwood in our house. That would be great to come home and have a bunch of the chores already finished.

[Monk]

That is pretty cool. I have been thinking of getting one of the robot vacuums for all the hardwood in our house. That would be great to come home and have a bunch of the chores already finished.

My cousin has one of those for his vacuuming. He loves it! And it works great too. Not sure who the manufacturer is on his one.

-W.

[SuperChuck]

Something about a robot lawn mower that gives me the willies. As safe as it may be, I can't shake the idea of it losing its little mind and attacking the little girl next door sci-fi style. :)

[Monk]

Something about a robot lawn mower that gives me the willies. As safe as it may be, I can't shake the idea of it losing its little mind and attacking the little girl next door sci-fi style. :)

Now I totally want one!

-W.

[Shelby07]

Something about a robot lawn mower that gives me the willies. As safe as it may be, I can't shake the idea of it losing its little mind and attacking the little girl next door sci-fi style. :)

Doesn't bother me, as long as it don't mess with the cigar or martini!!

EDITED: Oh yeah, forgot the dog. Don't mess with the dog!

[WhiteWidow]

My cousin has one of those for his vacuuming. He loves it! And it works great too. Not sure who the manufacturer is on his one.

-W.

I really want one of those Roomba vaccuums too. But the gf doesn't think it will actually pick anything up. Can anyone say if one of these has passed the female test?

[Kenyth]

This probably isn't the best solution if you have kids or pets. I'm not so concerned about kids getiing their hands and feet whacked (though it is something to think about) as I am about the unavoidable wayward toy causing irreperable damage to an expensive mower. Not to mention little Sally's distress as she watches Robo-Mow turn her prized barbie collection into plastic mulch in one fell swoop.



I'd also have nightmares about the little electronic fence going bad and the mower cruising across the street into the neighbor kid's play area. Call me a control freak, but I don't have so much confidence in AI just yet to give it sole control of a potentially harmful/deadly tool in an uncontrolled environment. A fence would easily remedy that I guess.

[Shelby07]

This probably isn't the best solution if you have kids or pets. I'm not so concerned about kids getiing their hands and feet whacked (though it is something to think about) as I am about the unavoidable wayward toy causing irreperable damage to an expensive mower. Not to mention little Sally's distress as she watches Robo-Mow turn her prized barbie collection into plastic mulch in one fell swoop.



I'd also have nightmares about the little electronic fence going bad and the mower cruising across the street into the neighbor kid's play area. Call me a control freak, but I don't have so much confidence in AI just yet to give it sole control of a potentially harmful/deadly tool in an uncontrolled environment. A fence would easily remedy that I guess.

Well, the mover just takes the place of a regular push mower, so just like now you have to pick up junk in the yard. The mower is actually much safer than a regular mower as the blades are more in the center and are recessed further. Bumpers all around immediately reverse or stop the mower if it runs into anything more than about 6" high. As for running away, set up requires laying a wire around the yard parimeter and the robot will shut down immediately if it is not within the confines of the wire.

One solution to ease your fears about little Sally's doll collection would be to pick the junk up from the yard and start it when you go to bed (Yes, it is that quiet. I have cut my grass in the middle of the night.) Next morning you've got the best looking yard in the neighborhood!

[digger5280]

Check out this link. The site reviews the various versions of Roomba vacuums.

http://www.roombareview.com/reviews/

[Monk]

I really want one of those Roomba vaccuums too. But the gf doesn't think it will actually pick anything up. Can anyone say if one of these has passed the female test?

Well, I went to his place for his housewarming... and lets just say his places haven't always been the cleanest.... but it looked awesome.... Seemed to do a great job..
My wife even commented that it was our next vacuum
-W.

[Shelby07]

That's funny.

http://www.friendlyrobotics.com/videos/robomow/

Thanks, but I just bought a Husqvarna lawn tractor. I pick it up Saturday. How much does that RL1000 run? I have a 3/4 acre lot. As slow as that thing is going, it would take it 2 days to cut my yard. What keeps someone from stealing it?

I can still drive the tactor with one hand and hold the cigar in the other. It also comes with a cup holder. It doesn't get any more redneck than that. My wife thinks I look silly on the little tractor smoking a cigar. She's probably right, but it's "quiet" time for me where my thoughts can wonder.

Th RL1000 retails for about $1900, but you can get them cheaper. I paid about $1500 for it 3 years ago and I would imagine they've come down somewhat since then (don't know, don't care!). It's suposed to do about 1/2 acre and runs about 2 1/2 hours on a charge, so you don't have to rush thru the cigar and you can finish the whole pitcher of martinis. You can set up zones so you can have it restart and finish larger areas when the battery recharges. Or you can just get an additional battery. It has a theft lock on it so it's virtually useless unless you know the code to get it started.

(Hmmm,,, sittin' on a tractor chompin' on a cigar or stretched out on a lawn chair leisurely smoking a cigar and sipping a martini... oh well, whatever floats your boat! )

Now before you go shootin' off about how expensive it is, I was paying a service $32/cut once a wek and I still had to cut it one time in between. Now I cut it 3 times a week, so I figure I'm saving about $100/week. Pays for itself in one season!

(Don't start shooting holes in my dillusional fantasy! It's worth it... yeah... really... and it might even have sold the wife on the idea if I had one (a wife, not an idea.))