The Handyguys Test Husqvarna Tools at their North American R&D facility.

We just got back from visiting Husqvarna and had an adventure playing with power tools and riding the rapids at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. We hacked away at trees (already dead), brush and grass with Husqvarna chain saws, mowers, trimmers and other specialty outdoor products.

Husqvarna provided the proper safety gear for our in-the-field testing. Brian is seen here adjusting  his protective mask with integrated ear protection.  Those are chainsaw chaps covering his Handyguys work pants.  They protect his legs from an out-of-control chainsaw blade. As you can see from the video above, both Brian and Paul have full control of those saws.

The Husqvarna R&D facility was full of outdoor power equipment.  We were fortunate to have the opportunity to see it both in the showroom

and on the field.

Did you know that Husqvarna also makes Poulan, Weedeater and Dixon? You have several colors to choose from!  We did not get a chance to play with these brands in the field…outside everything was Husqvarna orange.

We came away impressed at the power and design of both the residential and commercial product line of Husqvarna. Paul had a blast giving this hover trimmer a workout on the corporate park turf. The hover trimmer does not float like you may expect; it requires some force to move it around. However, it does work on steep hills which is much safer then using a push mower. It is probably not for the typical home owner but rather for the large landscaper or greens keeper.

The hedge trimmers were so powerful, they could cut right through a fence!  Great for escaping from prison…

We plan to share some more information about our favorite Husqvarna tools in a future podcast.  Also, look for the short video we have produced of this visit.

Note: This is a text, photo and youtube only post from the Handyguys. There is no audio podcast.

DISCLOSURE: Husqvarna provided  all travel expenses so that  The Handyguys could give these tools a workout. Please use proper safety gear and follow all instructions when operating any dangerous power or non-powered tools.

Also, we got this cool hat.  Don’t you like the Husqvarna hats?

In this video episode of The Handyguys Podcast we show you some aeration, hauling, bagging and other attachments that can add significant value and utility to your lawn tractor.

We put some John Deere attachments & accessories through a workout in this video:

Aerator

The key thing in using this aerator is to have weight on it. It also helps if your ground is moist.

Bagger

The Deere bagger does a great job picking up the clippings. It’s a little awkward to put on the first time so have a helper. Once you do it a few times it will become much easier.

Cart

We have used the Deere cart for hauling firewood, branches, tools, lumber and many other things. It works well, is lightweight and it wont rust.

Bumper

We put on a bumper on one of our evaluation tractors. The bumper protects the front of the tractor.

Sun Shade

If you are doing a lot of mowing and want to keep the sun off consider a sun shade

Cover

If you are going to store your tractor outside you should cover it. Yeah a tarp will do but a fitted cover will less likely blow away and it looks good.

John Deere has provided The Handyguys the products used in this evaluation. However, the opinions of The Handyguys are entirely our own and we have not been paid to make positive comments.

Yes, The Handyguys are planning to get a lot done on their Honey Do Lists but will also take some time for some fun with their families.

Summer is upon us and the Handyguys are busy working on some new projects. In this episode of the Handyguys Podcast, Brian and Paul provide a preview of things to come in the next few months.

Website Changes – Video

Before we preview our Summer content we want to highlight the changes to our website. We now have video integrated with our audio podcasts. You can subscribe just video or audio or both. We only have three videos posted now but we expect to have several new videos available over the next month or so.  Our videos can be viewed here on the site or through our youtube channel. In addition, you can view them via Apple TV and we hope to have them available on the Roku box as well. If audio is your thing, you will still find our regular weekly audio podcast on our website or via your favorite audio device (iPod, Zune, etc.). If you see anything wrong on the site or have suggestions feel free to let us know.

For the summer we have some exiting news.

For those with larger yards or those who just dream of a yard large enough for a lawn tractor, the Handyguys will be reviewing and discussing the John Deere consumer product line of riding mowers. Specifically, we will provide some video and podcasts on the highly acclaimed LA115 lawn tractor. We will discuss it in relationship of the entire JD consumer line to help perspective customers find the right mower.

For those who do not need a riding mower, you are in luck as well. The Handyguys are working with a leading hardware store to provide some exiting new podcasts and videos. We may even give away some new hardware to those who are short a screw…. I mean screwdriver.

We also have a new Whirlpool/Kenmore/Kitchen-aid dishwasher video for those who still have trouble getting your dishes clean. More videos are on their way so sit back, relax and enjoy your Summer.

Email newsletter

Please fill out out our email subscription form even if you subscribed in the past. If you subscribe now, you will get notices of our new podcasts and we plan to send out occasional special offers and we may create an occasional newsletter just for our email subscribers. Who knows, maybe we can even provide you with a discount on tools from one of our favorite tool vendors.

Handyguys Try Out Some Riding Mowers

The Handyguys are falling behind on the honey do list  because this year’s mowing season is taking all of their free time. Pennsylvania has been hit by lots of rain — making for nice fast growing lawns — but that comes with long hours of mowing.

Handyguy Paul is researching a riding mower to replace his slow walk behind but is undecided as to the best model. Should he get a traditional lawn tractor or one of the zero turn radius models? To help Paul decide, the Handyguys called on John Deere to provide some samples for us to test. Listen to our podcast (Click Play) to hear analysis of these mowers  Also, don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.

Click on the Image to see a larger version of the mowers we tested.

John Deere was kind enough to loan us two models to try out. They didn’t sponsor this show nor did they let us keep the mowers.  Darn!  The two mowers were the Z445 with 54″ high capacity deck, the Zero Turn Radius ZTR model, and the X324 Tractor

So, how did they test these mowers?  The first test was in a field that only gets mowed four or five times a year and has some tall grass and weeds. The second test was a residential property with some hills and a number of different obstacles from trees, deck stairs, flower beds, walks, etc. The third test was a larger residential property, also with some slope in sections but with deck posts to mow around and also flower beds, walks, a play area and so forth.

The Handyguys started in the open field which was a good way to start. The ZTR takes several minutes to get used to the hand controls. To go forward with a ZTR you push both bars forward, to reverse pull both bars back. One forward and the other back and you pivot. You can easily make slight adjustments to your direction or you can also make sharp turns.

Once they got used to the handling of the ZTR, they were moving briskly through the field with no problems.  They noticed that this ZTR was significantly faster than the tractor (not that the Handyguys tried to race these mowers… we would never do that!).

The X324 has a steering wheel and gas pedal (actually two pedals… forward and reverse). This will be familiar to anyone who can drive a car. Its a very natural driving position and takes very little time to become proficient. One interesting feature that the Handyguys quickly appreciated on the X324 tractor was 4 wheel steering. The tractor could cut around a 9″ tree! The four wheel steer made it extremely maneuverable in tight spaces.

Handyguy Paul contends that the tractor is a must have fashion accessory for those living in the “exoburbs”.  He felt a little too much like a landscaper on the ZTR. For Paul, its all about looking cool when you mow your grass! All kidding aside – there are some advantages to a tractor for many people. The tractor supports a wider variety of accessories. Things from snow throwers, shovels, sweepers, baggers, aerators, carts, snow blades, and spreaders can all be attached to a tractor such as the X324. If we were just mowing grass, and had a lot to do, the ZTR is a hands down winner.

You can hear the full discussion by listening to the podcast. Also, if you want to see the mowers in action make sure you check out the video we put up last week.

The Handyguys are taking this week off from our regular podcast to do some independence day celebrating. I hope our non-US fans will understand. So, instead of a podcast The Handyguys decided to play with some new video equipment.

The Handyguys try out a ZTR and a Lawn Tractor style mower to determine the pros and cons of each. This video will give you a preview of what we cover in our next podcast. Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss the show.

The recorded podcast, episode 71, will be online at 5PM Eastern Time on July 9th. All comments on the video are encouraged.