085. How to - Review & Demo (Rake) - Screwfix Electric Lawn Raker & Scarifier FPRS1500 (WR6002-1500)

I’ve created this video because I’m impressed with this garden power machine, so thought it worth sharing. I take looking after my little lawns front & back rather seriously. The back garden lawn shown in this video as you will see, is surrounded by shadow creating fences, hedges & a shed. Apart from during mid-summer, at least half this lawn is in full to light shade for the rest of the year, so growing a lush lawn is a challenge. Previously I owned an ex-display, but end of line Qualcast Raker & Scarifier. I bought it cheap as ‘shop soiled’ from Homebase, but they had lost the Rake attachment, so it only had the Scarifier fitted. What a piece of sh*te, no clearance setting & ploughed the lawn like a Rotavator, so no wonder it wasn’t being made anymore ! So this piece of junk was left out the front for any neighbour to discover or the Rag & Bone Man to find (yet we really do have one with a horse & cart). My recommendation for using a Scarifier to aerate the lawn, it’s fine for a large lawn with a decent straight run up & down, it should be petrol or battery powered, so not limited by the length of a mains Power Cord. For aerating my small postage stamp of a lawn, I use Spiked Clip-on Shoes & walk all over it with the support aid of a Thumb Stick. I therefore needed a new replacement machine with the main emphasis being its raking ability, not scarifying. Some Internet forum searches of the subject soon revealed that Screwfix’s own brand machine was highly regarded and (at the time) only around £70. However, it was the Covid 19 Pandemic Lockdown with all UK stock sold out & no more manufacture for about another year. I checked periodically for stock & eventually they reappeared. Dealers tended not to stock them, so it was an online purchase. At the time of uploading this YouTube video (Sept 2023), they are now retailing at about £80. Starring garden tool : A Screwfix (own brand) – Electric Raker & Scarifier – Model FPRS1500 (order code WR6002-1500) https://www.screwfix.com/ Specification : Power : 1500 W Voltage : 230-240 Vac, 50 Hz Power cord : 10 m long Working width : 32 cm (14 inches) Cutting depth : four height setting positions : #1 = -12mm; #2 = -8mm; #3 = -4mm; #4 = +4mm (clearance). Therefore when wheeling it about & during storage, use position #4 Rotation speed : 3,100 rpm Mass : 10.35 kg (22.82 lb) Propulsion : manual hand push-pull Supplied with : quick change Rake & Scarifier attachments; a Grass Box (28 litre) Also Featuring : • A Stanley – Fatmax range - Express Folding Workbench – Model FMST1-75672 - Suitable for outside use. • A Spear & Jackson – Elements range - Soil Rake. • SB Limited - Multi-purpose Oil – 151 Super (or use the similar 3in1 oil, not WD40) • Electrical Insulation Tape – Colour green. • Dalon – Dust-Off - Compressed Gas Duster Instant Dust Remover aerosol. Date filmed : 2023-05-22 & 23 Venue : My back garden, Hertfordshire, England. Filming : Camera – Sony Xperia 1 II (Mk2) smartphone. Video creation : Software – Microsoft HD Movie Maker PRO. Background sound – my own recording of songbirds – nr the compost heap at Hazeldene Farm, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England.