Using AS-Motor tyre sealant is quite simple: Let air out of the tyre or inner-tube and fill “Flat-Stop” through the valve. That’s it. The product has an unlimited shelf life and does not stick or clump. Once filled, the liquid rotates along with the tyre. If a puncture occurs up to 15 millimetres in diameter – from objects such as thorns, branches, or nails – the puncture seals on its own. Air pressure forces millions of Kevlar fibres suspended in propylene glycol into the opening, sealing the puncture within two to three wheel revolutions. This happens so quickly that there is virtually no loss of pressure, which in most cases leaves the operator unaware of the fact that a tyre has been punctured.

“Flat-Stop” is suitable for all agricultural and forestry vehicle tyres that do not exceed a speed of 80 kilometres per hour. It is at least 90% effective on the tread of tubeless tyres and at least 75% effective on tubular tyres. An antifreeze component prevents the sealant from freezing at low temperatures and corrosion protection protects the rim.

The product can be purchased from authorised dealers in a 950-milliliter bottle – sufficient to seal the rear tyre of an AS-Motor Sherpa ride-on mower – or in a 20-liter container. Information on how much puncture protection agent must be filled per tyre is provided on AS-Motor’s webpage, under Products/Accessories. Avoid gradual pressure loss, flat tyres and downtimes for years to come with “Flat-Stop.”

Heating, lumbar support, adjustable side bolsters, massage function and built-in ventilation – the last 20 years have seen a lot of changes in car seat technology. The gain in seating comfort is initially invisible, but becomes noticeable after 300 kilometres of driving. Mobility instead of stiffness, looseness instead of tension, and above all freshness instead of listlessness. The difference is still known especially by the elders among us, thanks to the seats of the VW Golf II and Opel Kadett.

A single mower for all mowing jobs. In the morning, lawns in the city with a top cutting result as a given; after that quickly cutting the flower meadow that has blossomed out, speedy mowing and no clogging of the machine a given as well. In the afternoon, mowing slopes along the access road – easy handling of the machine on 35-degree incline are to be expected – and finally, mowing the access road, with garbage and foreign objects no problem for the machine. Maximum safety for the operator and absolute safety for passers-by against ejected grass cuttings and stones must be guaranteed.

It would be great to have such a machine in your equipment pool. Unfortunately, when designing a mower, a technician faces competing and contradictory challenges. Let’s take a quick look at what he has to take into account when designing a mower.

Nowadays, most machines for mowing lawns or high grass are sickle or flail mowers. Special forms such as spindle, beam, rotary or disc mowers are mainly used on golf courses or in agriculture.

A sickle mower, such as an ordinary lawnmower, uses a fast rotating blade on a vertical shaft. Technically, this is relatively simple to implement. But what happens if this blade hits a hard or immovable foreign object. Very simple – it stops abruptly. According to Isaac Newton, energy is never lost. So where does the kinetic energy go? For example, in a bent blade, a broken crankshaft or a torn-off fan in the engine.

Good rotary mowers have some technical features to protect against expensive engine damage.

In recent years, a large number of so-called “new” mulch lawnmowers have come onto the market. You recognise them immediately by their missing collection bags and the mowing hoods’ round, closed shape.

As a revolutionary new development, these machines are intensively advertised by every manufacturer. There is talk of “intensive mulching”, “micro-shredding” and even “pulverizing” the lawn.

Are these mowers really as new and as good as their marketing promise?

• According to Wikipedia, mulching refers to mowing with simultaneous shredding of the mowed material and covering the soil with fresh organic materials
• Mulching is not a new invention, but a mowing method that has long been used in agriculture and gardening. Various types of mowing systems have been used for a long time
• For decades now, lawn mowers have had so-called “mulching inserts” or “mulching kits” that are inserted into the mowing hood and replace the collection bag

So mulch mowers are not as new as advertised. But this is true: the new generation of mulch mowers has a much cleaner cutting pattern than older models. They are also considerably better than combination mowers with a mulching insert.

• Mulch mowers have a completely round mowing hood (also called mulching bell) without edges, corners or ejection channels
• In the circular shape of the mulching bell, a rotating blade (approx. 2,800 to 3,100 rpm) can create a circular air stream
• Long cut grass is swirled in the air stream for some time
• While the grass cuttings are being swirled, a special mulching blade with several cutting edges located at different heights of the blade can shred the grass blades further and finer
• When the grass particles have become very small and offer the air stream little contact surface, they fall back onto the surface of the lawn
• The rear edge of the mulching bell, or a specially mounted crosspiece at the rear of the mower, then “brushes” the fine mulch particles into the remaining lawn. The clean cut is finished, without a collection bag

Mulching mowers are therefore a clever combination of mower deck, airflow and blade shape

• Deep, circular mulching bell: A constant air flow can develop, and a lot of cuttings can be collected
• Strong air flow in the mulching bell: through extra air wings or a high, angled, bevelled blade shape
• Blades with several cutting edges: up to three cutting edges are common
• Variegated cutting edges: Good blades distribute the cutting edges at a height of 30 to 40mm and thus cut in several levels in the mulch bell
• The mulched cuttings are raked into the lawn: a crossbar or similar element distribute the remaining blades of grass, causing particles to fall to the bottom of the lawn

Anyone who has purchased a good mulching mower will be truly amazed at first use. Simply “mow through” lawns without stopping. No annoying process of emptying of the cuttings onto the compost or trailer. 30% savings on fertilizers and, most importantly: a really clean and even cut as it used to be with a collection lawn mower.

Only one question remains: What are you going to do with the 25% more time you have when compared to the mowing with a catch bag? Probably best to do something useful.