Stihl 6 Series Petrol Lawn Mower 

The mower I would recommend for someone starting in the business is the Stihl 446 vc, it does a good job, only £500.More important if you working from your car, light to lift and the mono handle so easy to fold down. Great video again Rob, thank you.

Yes, Rob, you can't beat sharpening/servicing you own kit😀. You don't realise how bad things are until you sharpen/service, then run it for the first time, it's like night and day. I recently got an old Jonsered hedge cutter out, that was hardly running, which I bought about 15 years ago, which was second hand then. I did wonder if the rings had gone, but after a compression test, which was fine, so I spent a good half day stripping/cleaning the carb, New spark plug, fuel pipe, fuel filter clean, blade sharpen, gearbox regrease and good general clean. Now runs like a dream, which is very satisfying as I had it down for scrap and going on EBay for spares/repair!!

Glad the Stihl mower is performing well for you Rob. 👍

Great catch up this week , will be sharping blades 💪🏽🇬🇧👍🏽

Grass still growing like mad with us down in Gloucester will still be mowing for at least another month.

Bit of thread lock on the blade bolt for piece of mind, but I’ve never known one to come loose even without it. I use two torque settings when spannering - “tight” and “f***ing tight”. For blade bolts I always use setting two, f***ing tight. You say you use a blade balancer, which is great, it’s amazing how many vibrations you can cut out by balancing the blade correctly! I now service and fix all my own machinery. Saves me a fortune, get the fix done quicker, I know it’s done properly and I get the satisfaction of doing it myself! Nice kit collection you’re building up there! My two main mowers are Honda HR194s from the 1980s, but with more modern Honda engines on. These were the best mowers ever made! Keep up the good work and videos. Thanks!

It's always the ones you least expect. Pack of 10 Guinness the other day🍻 It's nice to be appreciated. Plastic box is best for wet grass, good airflow.

We have a couple of Stihl mowers specifically for the wet weather as, like you, we've found them to be excellent in the wet. We have the RM 545VR with a roller and the 4 wheeled RM 448VC. Really happy with both of them. Yes they don't give quite as good a finish as our Hayter PRO but we wouldn't be without them. All the best 👍

Variable speed mowers are the way to go for me, cant stand fixed speed these days. Good stuff on sharpening your own blades mate, an absolute must in my opinion. 👍

Biscuits, chocolates and the odd bottle. I really appreciate the time and effort that "some" people go to, to say thanks. Also, I don't look down on the people who don't get me something at the end of the year. I do make a mental note though! As for mowers, Masport with a roller. Absolutely built proof. Ask any Australian, if you know any, about them. I now got about three weeks winter work so I'll eventually put my feet up after Xmas. Thanks for your time in making the vids Rob.

Iam from the USA nice to meet you I had my eye on the sthil for a while they are just arriving in our market out my way. The commercial sthil looks nice and I have a commercial masport and I love the commercial masport. Love the bagging on that mower. Thanks for the video

I've got 5 mowers, but rotate them depending on the conditions and the gardens, I always take 2 with me, if it's dry I take the Hayter 41pro which is absolutely useless in the wet, if it's wet I take the Viking 545VR the plastic box and body helps, and I always take the cordless Bosch 43Li roller mower which is better then the Hayter, it comes in handy for those small gardens and where there's difficult access because it's so light. The other two mowers are a Weibang and an Honda IZY, I don't use those often because of the tram line finish they leave on the lawns. It's always nice to be appreciated now and then, keep up the good work

Brilliant video Rob. Good info on the Stihl. Look forward to your review on which ever rear roller mower you go for. I had a look at the 21” rear roller Stihl looks fantastic, very heavy though. Enjoy the wine you deserve it. It does feel good when you are appreciated by people.

I've had about £50 so far in tips. May be not a lot for some. But I'm over the moon. Just a fiver here. 10 there. But it's the thought that counts. It's pee'd down all day here in the pool of life (Liverpool) so no grass cutting today for me. I had hoped to finish for the season today. But it's looking like mid week next week now. Can't wait to be able to put my feet up for a bit!!

I’ve just started out, I got the 448 VC great bit of kit for the price!

What a great tip to maintain high standard of workmanship 🙏

Good video cheers Rob enjoy your wine👍

You are the man my friend.👍👍

Good work Rob

Top class that mower Rob

When it comes to tipping i think some people find it awkward or embarassing sometimes therefore they prefer just to pay the right amount to avoid that,its not always that they are tight. Some people genuinely just won't give it a secong thought. I get tipped the odd fiver or tenner. One of my old boys gives me a bottle of whiskey every year,another a bottle of wine. One of my lovely ladies gave me a box of chocolates and a kiss. But i always find that the nicest tip is when they either say or drop it into a text message at the end of the season is that they are thankful for all the hard work. That means a lot to me and makes me feel appreciated for what i've done for them. I do give my customers time though. It can't be helped as most i've been going to 10/15 years+ . You can't help forming a relationship and a friendship. Not great for business though as all those 10 minute chats add up in a day 🤔

Good honest review rob

Honda hrh536 pro roller might suit you, weighty but has honda build quality, used to get 8/10 years out of the wheeled version. Pretty much all Etesia with us at the moment but still have the Honda's. Nice wine, they're the customers to have... we've had a few wine and chocolate days lately too👍

Great video Rob! I've been sharpening my blades every week for years! Lol I have to with my old mowers! & On my window cleaning round I still get Christmas tips! 👍👍👍

John Deere R54rkb Had one for a few years now. NEGATIVE: Pricey, quite heavy and the drive belt can need replacing every 12/15 months, but the belt is only £7. POSITIVE: Variable speed, HOC from 15-75mm, very good collection, superb finish. Overall a good mower. We’ve took on a toro time master this last year. Twin blade, 30” cut gets through some grass. Optional rear striping kit to improve presentation, can mulch or side discharge too. Might be a bit wide for some garden gates and lowest height of cut is 1”. Keep up the good work mate 👍

Great Video Rob When I start cutting will start with the Headland . Then go up and down. STIHL love them too . Got one my shelf and it does a cracking job. And for Customers I totally get you they can chat with you oh yeah the last court they don’t even say thank you kiss me arse and nothing 😂😂 Strange world we live in my friend

Hi rob another great job 👏 Here i use honda 536 c its excellent all season mower but i dont think there is a roller version The problem with rollermowers is the grass shoot is very small and get clogged all the time, hence they dont like long or wet grass, so for me i stick to 4 wheels, all my clients are ok with this When you starting to move to electric? Im geared up with strimmer, hedge cutters and pole prunner All the best from sunny 🇬🇬

Hi Rob I have the 650t and have found that since I picked up the rpm it's not so good in the wet as it was...I also found the same with my hayter once the rpm was increased which intern increases the speed it doesn't pickup quite as good in the wet ...I think slow is best in the wet and speed is good in the dry ....thumbs up mate take care

your like part of the family with some punters & some you don't even get a cuppa it's just the way it is . they all pay the wages 👍

Thanks for another top video Rob much appreciated. Have you looked at the weibang legacy 56pro? Pricey but on my wish list. Sam at Jayrock lawn care does a review on it. My Honda hrx476 rear roller rubbish in the wet and so slow but does leave a great finish on a dry day. All the best Rob. Barry.

Great video Rob, i always sharpen and service my own gear now, saves so much money over the year doing it yourself!

Great content and always interesting. Just to put your mind at rest, if a blade comes loose or comes off it will always go down to ground and stops. Also with a disk grinder use a flappy wheel to sharpen, takes less metal off and allows the blade to last

You know what I really miss? Still Elastostart handles.

Nice job Rob, enjoyed the video. Rarely receive a tip, but I am north of the border ! 👍

Great vedio & Great channel 👍, think the Stihl mower would soot me, as I live in the west of Ireland where it's for ever raining, so a mower that would cut in the wet would tick the box, Also saw a earlier vedio you done when you purchased it, Do you do any scarifying & Aireating, Hope you keep the channel going for the winter 😎👍

Anyone else had issues with a leaking fuel tank after about 3 to 4 months hard work. Apart from that the rm545vr is a pretty good mower

Hey Rob. Try this to get a stripe roller. Use a rubber mudflap or a car mat cut it down and mount it to the back of your cutting deck! That's basicly how my Toro 22" self proppelled works, and it gives me great stripes everytime! Or you could just buy a Torro 22" Personal Pace, as you push down on the bar it goes faster. Steve. Upper Cuts Lawn Care Tasmania.

Nice video mate. Happy late Halloween.

Good evening Rob hope you didn't get to blown away in the North East, I've received delivery of the stihl rm 650 v , based on your recommendation and other you tube gardeners that have purchased them , it's the first 4 wheeler I've owned, I've always had hayter pros , but the last 2019 one I had has been a nightmare in the wet and underpowered so that's up for sale , I give the stihl it's first run on a big property I maintain only part of the lawn, I usually mow 95 % with a ride on , so far fairly impressed with the stihl with the box and the mulching plug which I found very good , just wondered do you still have yours ? , now iam the hunt for a decent rear roller mower 16 to 19 inch , take care look forward to your you tube blogs , its been a refreshing revelation to old hands like me

Il be looking a new mower start of nxt season il take a look at stihl..we need all help we can get with wet grass here in Belfast...yes the izy is slower than a week in jail when u first buy..quick tweek of guvnor sorts that..yes some really nice customers every year which I truly appreciate. Do u get cotton buds out after every cut Rob your machines are cleaner than mine on the day they were bought ..lol

Hi Rob, Thanks for another informative video. I know you weren't a fan of the Izzy but did that give a better finish than the Sthil?. Cheers.

A few sharpening tips - if the blade has a flat edge (ie. it doesn't twist) then you can make yourself a very simple sharpening jig using a piece of wood cut off at the correct angle (30-35 degrees) which you'll rest the blade against and either a diamond stone or some wet and dry paper glued to a tile. Then it's as easy as running it back and forth until it's sharp (don't forget to give the flat side a quick tickle on the abrasive). This is of course a maintenance sharpening rather than a reprofiling as you might need to do if you've taken a chunk out of the edge. On the subject of reprofiling, if you've ever noticed the paint being worn off beyond the sharpened edge closer to the centre then try grinding the cutting edge further down the blade so it reaches the point where the paint is being damaged (be accurate with measurements and alway check the balance before use), you might find that the mower is suddenly able to plow through stuff it would have got bogged down on before. Not all blades work perfectly with all mowers but they can all be adjusted to improve things. Have a practice on an old blade, it's nothing to be frightened of as long as long as you keep it balanced

Need to sell the client a lawn renovation treatment Rob 😉

I've got a masport , so far it's the best mower I've had

Sharp blade and a clean deck makes all the difference. 545vr is great nice and light fast great for a lot of small gardens. Have had Stihl RM655RS 21 since the summer am undecided on it my mono handle kept coming loose nut falling off getting lost how's your handle been? As for the variable speed it just always on full on both machines 99% of the time. the 655rs lays some nice stripes but possibly does not make sense for the cost outlay of the business. I just picked up a wheeled hrx21 second hand £150 bargain, with the mulching blades your right they have a great cut have had it out the last couple of weeks as the roller on the stihl squash all the worm casts. By the way Battery tools all the way for blowers trimmers and hedges you wont get your petrol gear out.

Hi Rob mate would you have any information on how good echo tools are I recently purchased a echo pb 2620 blower and find it great I'm looking to get more echo gear but looking for info. Regards

Like how it opens at the top, on the rear can be annoying to get out and goes everywhere. Lol

Don't forget 130% capital allowance deduction might be applicable on a new mower - check with your accountant! Nice to see you out of the van. You could do a vid on how you sharpened your blades? Have a great weekend. It's nice to be thanked but some people are too wrapped up in their own busy life.

Just got this same model, happy with it so far. Are you still using it now ? Also what height setting do you usually operate at ?

Great News Rob ! Sharpen my blade every week. better for you and the grass ! rock the mower over if your not happy give it a tickle . Have you bought the Stihl KM Pole Pruner yet ? that will help you out .

Hi Rob, I noticed your not sing the 525bx blower any more, did it pack up? Mines just gone up the swanny after a year. Good content mate, Cheers.

Hi Rob. Iv recently bought the 21 inch version also with the kohlrabi engine. I find that the cut is very very high. Cutting alot of my jobs on a 1. Is yours the same? Thanks

Have you looked at Etesia mowers, I hear good reports about them for wet weather.

Hi rob, hope you're doing well mate! I'm thinking about getting a sthil RM545VR mower as my main one for now! What do think, is that a reasonable option? I'm just starting out, and although I definitely don't want to buy crap. I don't really want to spend over a grand either. Cheers Rob 👍

How you getting on with the E10 fuel issue? Thanks.

What mower would you recommend that cuts long/ish grass and can tackle wet grass too? Any advice would.be much appreciated amateur here. Thank you maxwell another good vid

How long does the battery last Rob? How many batteries do you own for this mower?

Another good video Rob. Is this mower still going OK? I'm looking to upgrade I think and this mower keeps getting a mention. I'm not in the position to be spending £1000+ yet so £500/600 is more my range at the moment

Hi Rob my local dealer has this mower for sale I’m thinking of buying it and wanted to know your thoughts? Do you still have it? Would you recommend it? I’ve used Weibang over the last 4 years and fancy something different.

Dude get yourself an impact wrench bade off and on with ease. I'd say sharpen once a month unless it's gets a rough time .. £750😯😯😯😯 😂 mines a £75 rover lawnmower commercial grade 20yrs old and still doing it's thing 👍😀🍻

i use a cobra with honda engine four gears is exelent but no use in wet .i use old huskvana for wet .

Blade balancing is simple just a nail in fence 😂

I like my etesia mowers oldies but will cut anything put infront of them.

Rob you've missed a bit of grass 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Would really recommend the Weibang Legacy 48 pro bbc 3 speed pro gearbox. 19inch so can do large and small lawns and it bags amazingly only thing is it’s really heavy check out my Chanel I have done a review

we go out as a team of 2. I do the beds my mate cuts the grass. Roller mowers give a much more professional looking cut. we have customers that want us to go over the grass to get the stripes even when the grass in not growing! Mainly we use a hayter 56 roller but we have just got a stihl roller the same size. the hayter does a much nicer job but when the grass is wet the sthil does not clog up like the hayter does. both have niggly faults the chain gard for the roller on the hayter is plastic and breaks on a regular basis. the bolts on the sthil handle come undone and get lost. If you are happy with your stihl I would go with a roller stihl as the controls etv will all work the same I find the customers in smaller houses give you tea and cake and a drink at christmas and the mansions you get nothing

Apologies for the long comment but I always used a Mountfield sp 505r with a Honda engine and was excellent, so this year bought the new model. It goes well but the height adjuster has not been built correctly, supposed to be 13mm to 65mm, unfortunately it goes from 50mm top height to about minus 20mm! Which means I can only use 3 heights out of 8. Mountfield and Stiga have fobbed me off at every turn. Was in the shop with one of their certified mechanics for about 10 weeks and absolutely nothing was done! £900 down the swanny! Never touch their products again 😠!!!! Rant over. Should have just bought a Stihl instead, cheeper too! 🤔

All mowers speed can be adjusted by the governor arm I run a Izy and thats all I did to speed it up but dont forget they run them slower for a reason "better cut" these companies do nothing for nothing and Honda being Honda spend millions developing their equipment for us to come along and tell them they got it wrong when infact they did not get it wrong at all !!

Anything plastic won't last long.just buy a new blade every 6 to 8 weeks.keep one as a back up incase of damage.sharpening blades always makes them not quite as good as there were.