Inventive pupil has the edge

Sam Hewson with his clip-on lawn edger for lawnmowers. Photo by Stephen Jaquiery.
Sam Hewson with his clip-on lawn edger for lawnmowers. Photo by Stephen Jaquiery.

Anyone who has mown a lawn will know how easy it is to get grassed off when you have to mow that strip along the edge.

Sam Hewson has come up with a solution to the age-old problem.

The 14-year-old Otago Boys' High School pupil has invented a clip-on lawn edger for lawnmowers. It will cut the edges as they mow.

Inspiration came as he mowed his grandparents' lawns.

"If there are any structures like paths or gardens, it leaves a small strip of long grass where the two meet.

"I was getting annoyed having to mow the lawn and then get the Weed Eater out to do the edging.

"I thought, why should I mow the lawns and then do the edges when I can do both at once?''

With a small pipe, a pot plant container, some plywood, an electric-drill motor powered by a 12-volt battery, and some plastic clothesline wire for a cutting blade, he created what is essentially a small line trimmer which attaches to a lawn mower.

"And it worked very well.''

So well that Sam's invention recently won the Nidd Realty Youth Innovation Fund prize.

He has received $2000 to help develop a more advanced and robust prototype.

"It's a pretty cool prize. If I hadn't won this, my idea probably just would have died.

Sam now dreams of a knock on the door from a major lawnmower company.

Nidd Realty managing director Joe Nidd said the fund was established last year to support young enterprise in Dunedin, and provide grants to help young entrepreneurs achieve their goals.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz

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