How to Assemble a Reel Mower

If you want to mow your lawn without flooding the neighborhood with gas fumes and noise, try a reel mower. Reel mowers are walk-behind mowers with a base made up of two wheels and a set of blades (the reel) in between. The mowers are available in many hardware stores and from online garden supply companies. New reel mowers are sold with the base already assembled, but you will need to put together the handle and attach it to the base.

• 1

  Lay out the pieces for how the handle will be assembled. Your mower will come with about five or six pieces to fit together to make the handle (this varies depending on brand). The smaller, padded piece is the top (where you hold on while mowing). Two to four long pieces make up the sides that run down to the base. The side pieces that are flattened at the end with a hole through them are the lower pieces. Some mowers have a crossbar in the middle for stability.

• 2

  Assemble the handle. Use the bolts that came with your mower to bind together all the handle pieces. Some mowers come with plastic finger-tight fittings to screw onto the end of the bolt to hold it tight, others come with metal washers and nuts. If yours has the plastic nuts, tighten them by twisting with your fingers. If you have metal washers and nuts, slide the washer and nut on and use a wrench to tighten.

• 3

  Attach the handle to the base. Match the holes at the end of your handle over the brads at the inside of the base's wheels. Slide the handle ends over the brads. To secure the handle onto the base, use the attachment rings or bolts that came with your mower.