Home > Lawn & Garden > Home Gardening > Equipment > Mowers > Thrown Objects Safety With Rotary Cutters [Image: chain guards on rear] All rotary cutters are inherently dangerous. The thrown object hazard is not fully recognized by everyone, yet it can cause injury, blindness or even death. How To Choose a Lawn/Garden Tractor - Cost and Life Two questions of interest to prospective purchasers are: How much do riding mowers and small tractors in the various classes cost and how long can I expect one to last? Lawnmowers - Mulch, Bag, or Throw [Image: mulching mower] Walk-behind rotary lawnmowers can handle clippings in one of three ways: they can mulch them, bag them or discharge them to the side. Some mowers can do any of the three with minimal adjustment. Any of the three modes can be useful in some situations. Safe Use of Lawnmowers [Image: use of lawnmower on slope] Walk-behind home lawnmowers are covered by safety standards and regulations, but the real responsibility for safety rests with you, the operator.  more articles... Do You Need a Power Lawnmower? [Image: self-propelled lawnmower] If you have a small lawn and are willing to get a little exercise while mowing, a good manual push mower can be a good alternative to a powered mower. Adjusting Finishing Mowers [Image: finishing mower with 4 wheels] Finish (or grooming) mowers typically have (two or) three blades and are designed for quality mowing of turfgrass. They are not designed to cut tall, weedy grass. They have multiple gage wheels and rollers that allow a relatively low cutting height with minimal scalping. Adjusting Mid-Mount Tractor Mowers Mid-mount mowers for lawn, garden, and compact tractors typically have (two or) three blades and are designed for quality mowing of turfgrass. They are not designed to cut tall, weedy grass. They have multiple gage wheels and rollers that allow a relatively low cutting height with minimal scalping. Adjusting Rotary Cutters Many people use a rotary cutter (often referred to by the copyrighted name “Bush Hog”) to cut grass and weeds, but, in too many cases, the implement is not correctly adjusted. This can cause premature wear, poor quality of cut, and an excessive power requirement. How To Choose a Lawn/Garden Tractor - Transmissions [Image: gear transmission] There are three primary transmission systems used in riding mowers and the various classes of mowing tractors. Lawnmower Safety Standards [Image: operator presence control] When you buy a walk-behind lawnmower, you benefit from safety standards and regulations from two sources: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Picking Up Lawn Waste [Image: grass catcher] Maintaining quality turfgrass sometimes requires that lawn waste be picked up. This trash can include leaves, pine needles and grass clippings as well as twigs, seed pods from trees and pine cones. How To Choose a Lawn/Garden Tractor - Engines [Image: vertical shaft engine] One of the factors that most affects both the capability of a lawn/garden tractor, and the price, is the engine. Suspension Systems for Mower Decks on Lawn and Garden Tractors Mid-mount rotary mower decks are common on lawn tractors, garden tractors, subcompact tractors and smaller compact utility tractors. There are two ways that these decks can be mounted, and the mounting method affects adjustment and operation. Mow Like a Pro [Image: rutted turf] Varying your mowing pattern can cause you to spend a little more time mowing, but the result will be a greatly improved appearance in your turfgrass. Click for more information...