Redirecting Grass Discharge
 

My stepfather had a tiff with a spinning saw blade and now I will be helping around his house for a while. He's very particular about not throwing grass clippings into the neighboring yards. To control the discharge, he has a flattened cardboard box that is folded over (to give it rigidity) and he simply holds it over the discharge chute while he's going along the property lines.

I have done this in the past for him, and although it's annoying, it isn't too bad and it works as long as you can hold it in the right place. I should add that it's only around the neighboring yards where he does this. Everywhere else he wants it blown how the tractor defaults. Well I tried last weekend when part of the grass wasn't completely dry and I got the cardboard wet and floppy and I got frustrated really quick! I decided to find a better way. I've got a few ideas in mind, but figured I'd ask you all. Do any of you temporarily alter your discharge, and how do you do it? It has to be something I can easily put on and off from the seat.

Using cardboard to deflect grass discharge is not only dangerous, but like t.v. set on wedding night......unnecessary. Make a practice of 2 courtesy swipes (3 if you want). These are two passes that you make with the grass deflector facing inward toward your own lawn. Then, when you make a your pass with the deflector facing outward from your lawn you will have 2 widths of your deck in your lawn to discharge over, the grass that deflects will be (or mostly be) in your own lawn. Especially, if you cut the grass often, then the small clippings will not be a problem at all. I've done this for years and I believe I saw this in some guide (by IH?) on how to mow your yard properly.

Cub Cadet 123

How about mowing in the opposite direction, and blowing the clippings in YOUR yard.

:bigthink:

Someone should tell the folks that mow cemeteries that!!

I know I could mow the other way, and I do just that in the back of the house, but on the sides of the house you're either throwing grass into the neighbor's yard or into his flower bed, which he also doesn't want.

The box he's been using is about 2.5 feet long. You hold it up near your waste and the length of it extends down in front of the chute. Like I said, it's nothing I'm looking forward to attempting again.

What model machine? How about a mulching cover? They slip on and off pretty easily

The some commercial zero turns have a door has a remote handle on to open and close.

Have you spoke to the neighbour ? maybe it is not a big problem
Oz

Not sure the model, but it's a small Craftsman rider.
Yes, I was thinking of something like this video shows, except with zip ties and a scrap piece of metal for a loosely hanging flap mounted on the end of the plastic chute (not mounted to the deck). I don't need it to lock on and block all of the discharge, I just want to deflect it down/backwards for about 30 seconds while mowing either side of the house.
If it was my neighbor, they'd be receiving my grass clippings! But I'm not going to tell my old man how his lawn should be mowed.

Chances are it has a high Vac deck. You can mulch with it. You could put mulch blades on it and mulch cover. Leave it on in all the grass and see nearly zero grass clippings anywhere.