# Vintage Lawnmowers, Stationary Engines, and olde Mechanical Tech



## Drago (25 May 2021)

Yes, this is a thing. People buy, restore and collect vintage lawn mowers, motorised or otherwise.

As mentioned elsewhere, I have three Suffolk Iron Foundry mowers coming my way in the coming days, and the plan is to make 2 good ones, get them running, and give them a thorough resto.

Does anyone else on here partake?


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## Phaeton (25 May 2021)

Used to have an old Suffolk Punch lawnmower must be 30 odd years ago, but as I now have no grass it has long gone.


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## T4tomo (25 May 2021)

Phaeton said:


> Used to have an old Suffolk Punch lawnmower must be 30 odd years ago, but as I now have no grass it has long gone.


Isn't that a type of Horse, although I guess it would have kept the grass short anyway? Hope you fed it something else in the absence of grass.


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## tyred (25 May 2021)

I probably would if I had a lawn but I live in an apartment.

Old lawnmowers have a character all of their own.


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## Phaeton (25 May 2021)

T4tomo said:


> Isn't that a type of Horse


It is as well as a mover, I find petrol movers very annoying now, especially on a Sunday when operated by somebody who is retired, WTF can't they mow their lawn on a different day.


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## Once a Wheeler (25 May 2021)

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-defining-image-of-the-year-2020.269848/


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## tyred (25 May 2021)

I've always found the sound of a single cylinder Briggs and Stratton very relaxing and it's one of the quintessential sounds of summer for me.


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## neil_merseyside (25 May 2021)

Some very odd looking old lawnmowers around. I've seen a couple that are effectively a hedge trimmer on wheels, as in twin reciprocating saws at ground level, both a manual and powered version. I suppose they might be the original grass cutter machines that cylinder mowers are in fact 'new'.


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## Bazzer (25 May 2021)

I have my late Dad's Suffolk Colt in the shed, which is in need of restoration. Although I suspect a hard decision will need to be made as to whether common sense overrides the emotional link, particularly as second hand values are soft.
There is also the attraction of simply plugging in my current electric mower and cutting the lawn, rather than storing then checking fuel, priming the carburettor and pulling the starter cord and all being well followed by ignition. Both will give me stripes, but one at a much easier cost.


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## Drago (25 May 2021)

Ahm its 2 x Suffolk Colts and a Punch that I've been given. The Punch looks to be essentially a widened version of the Colt.


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## sleuthey (25 May 2021)

I did up a few as a teenager for the cash and something to tinker with prior to having motor bikes. Both Colts and Punches. I used to manage to get the flywheels off without using a puller. It was quite rare to find them with their original grass boxes though due to rust.

oh, I don’t know whether it’s available on catch up, but James May did a re-assembler program about these exact mowers.


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## sleuthey (25 May 2021)

Drago said:


> Ahm its 2 x Suffolk Colts and a Punch that I've been given. The Punch looks to be essentially a widened version of the Colt.


Which makes sense given the Suffolk Punch is the most massive of the 4 breads of heavy horse.


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## sleuthey (25 May 2021)

Bazzer said:


> rather than storing then checking fuel, priming the carburettor and pulling the starter cord and all being well followed by ignition. Both will give me stripes, but one at a much easier cost.


that’s all part of the fun!! And the smoke, chugging and smell of petrol


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## Profpointy (25 May 2021)

Related to the question, the British Lawnmower Museum in a back street in Southport is strangely fascinating and well worth a visit. Probably not worth a special trip, but if you find yourself in the area its a lot more intriguing than you'd think


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## raleighnut (26 May 2021)

Atco anyone



View: https://youtu.be/52FK1v6lErQ


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## Drago (26 May 2021)

Aye, ince ive finished the Suffolk's I may tey and find an Atco.


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## plantfit (26 May 2021)

My Suffolk Iron Foundry engine mounted on a wooden block, the mower was completely rusted through but I saved the engine, complete strip down and re build, starts first time and runs as sweet as a nut


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## welsh dragon (26 May 2021)

My vintage lawn mower is called Mr WD


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## T4tomo (26 May 2021)

I used to cut our local cricket club pitch with Atco's, The big one had a little seat on wheels or rollers so you rode around behind it as you cut the outfield. Also a small walk behind for precision mowing on the square. Quite satisfying producing a good track to play on.

here is me in 1986...


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## Phaeton (26 May 2021)

Just needs an engine


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## Drago (26 May 2021)

plantfit said:


> My Suffolk Iron Foundry engine mounted on a wooden block, the mower was completely rusted through but I saved the engine, complete strip down and re build, starts first time and runs as sweet as a nut
> View attachment 590713
> 
> 
> View attachment 590714


Whwt is that wheeled beauty in the background?


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## tyred (26 May 2021)

Funnily enough, while driving this evening, I followed an Avensis with some sort of really old and large cylinder mower sticking out of the boot.


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## Speicher (27 May 2021)

Drago said:


> Whwt is that wheeled beauty in the background?



Are you saying you don't know what a @Phaeton looks like? 

He is fast and dangerous!


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## Drago (27 May 2021)

tyred said:


> Funnily enough, while driving this evening, I followed an Avensis with some sort of really old and large cylinder mower sticking out of the boot.


The driver had probably reversed over his neighbour while he was doing the lawn.


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## Tail End Charlie (27 May 2021)

plantfit said:


> My Suffolk Iron Foundry engine mounted on a wooden block, the mower was completely rusted through but I saved the engine, complete strip down and re build, starts first time and runs as sweet as a nut
> View attachment 590713
> 
> 
> View attachment 590714


Is that a Lister D in the background?


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## Tail End Charlie (27 May 2021)

Here's my Suffolk Punch which I had until a year ago, when I needed the space so gave it away. It cut beautifully and I loved the sound of it putting away, so much so that I'd sometimes just leave it running for a while, whilst I had a sit down. Clever arrangement with the centrifugal clutch, which you could easily disengage when doing tight corners.
I'd second the museum at Southport, very interesting.
In a similar vein I do find stationary engines fascinating, love the various powered things, like water pumps, logging saws etc. Always look out for them at local shows. Brings to mind a different age.


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## Profpointy (27 May 2021)

raleighnut said:


> Atco anyone
> 
> 
> 
> View: https://youtu.be/52FK1v6lErQ




'kinell, that's Alan Millyard isn't it? Give him a couple of months and he'll have upgraded it with a Merlin engine


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## Drago (27 May 2021)

Ive met Millyard through a friend of mine. He repairs nuclear reactors for a living, so his stuff with bikes is a bit of light relief for him.


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## Andrew1971 (27 May 2021)

I have an atco lawnmower. 14inch cut powered by a Villiers midget engine. Kick start with a grass box.
Andrew


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## JhnBssll (27 May 2021)

Interesting - These machines are all very familiar to me since Bosch Lawn & Garden was still trading as Atco-Qualcast Ltd when I started working for them around 14 years ago  I still work on the site in Stowmarket that started life as Suffolk Iron Foundry in 1920 before becoming part of the Qualcast group including Suffolk Lawnmowers. Eventually it became Atco-Qualcast and was bought by the Bosch group in '96. We continued to build machines under the ATCO and Qualcast brands until about a decade ago; we even still had the original cylinder grinding machines in the factory, or at least the "Triggers broom" thereof  One of my first jobs when I started was to recreate all of the Atco Royale and Club components and assemblies in 3D CAD and create new drawings to replace the old microfiche versions - it turns out this was done to make the brand and designs easier to sell as Bosch wanted to follow an 'electric-only' path for garden tools. The brand and the designs went to different buyers so you can no longer buy a Royale mower with an ATCO badge but to my knowledge they still exist. Sadly the plant ceased production on 31st December 2019 but we still design most of the garden products including lawnmowers and robotic mowers on the original site


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## ericmark (31 May 2021)

I remember being asked to repair a lawn mower engine, needed new bearing etc, and when I presented the bill, I was told he could get a new engine for less.

Mainly worked on tractor mounted, back in late 70's, today I watch them drive the tractor on to a railway wagon and this





is how it is used. Tyres last for years.


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## plantfit (3 Jun 2021)

Tail End Charlie said:


> Is that a Lister D in the background?


No, it's a diesel ST1 of 1960 vintage, it used to run a beet cleaner until it died but after a bit of work I managed to bring it back to life, the trolley I made myself specifically for an ST1, I do have a Lister D reverse rotation (from 1950) that used to run a farm elevator, again completely dead when I got it but it runs sweet as a nut now, I sometime run them both together and with them running at 800 rpm each they make a lovely sound, the Suffolk Iron Foundry runs at 2500 rpm


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## ericmark (4 Jun 2021)

I remember being called to a Lister D, the guy using it said the head gasket had gone, but seemed to be running as sweat as a nut, he said he knew it had gone he could taste it in his tea.


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## Drago (4 Jun 2021)

Ive altered the thread title to widen to conversation into these other excellent areas of discussion.

As regular followers of my ramblings know ive not been well, but I'm hoping to head over tomorrow to collect the first one or two of these mowers and start work.


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## Tail End Charlie (5 Jun 2021)

Each year there's an engine rally near me - the Thousand Engine rally, where all sorts of machinery turn up, stationary engines, classic cars, motorbikes, milk churners, wurlitzers etc. In the days leading up to the show you regularly come across a traction engine being driven on the road to get to it. It's a great day out. Here are some photos I've taken over the years.

A fine selection of chainsaws





Imagine your milk being delivered on this.






Don't tell Greta!





I love the versatility of stationary engines, you see them rigged up to all manner of things, waterpumps, logging saws, sheep shearing things, threshers, the list is endless.


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## Tail End Charlie (5 Jun 2021)

In a similar vein, there's the"Festival of Light" held at Ashover in Derbyshire. All sorts of lamps there, my favourites are the old pressured paraffin lamps, Tilley, Bialaddin etc. In the evening they are all lit up and it's magical!
Here's an indication of the type of thing on show, I think they are works of art.





One year a chap had his Rolls Royce Merlin engine there (as you do doesn't everyone have one in their garage?) and which he fired up, what a sound!

I have a few lamps and enjoy fettling them up. I've got around 20 lamps and my intention is to get as many up running as I can, great for BBQs etc, very atmospheric. I've got four running at the moment, but even the ones which are too far gone can be made into none working pieces of interest. The floodlight is something I've been after for a while and one came up locally so I snaffled it up.
From this 






To this


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## Randomnerd (5 Jun 2021)

Well done one and all for saving all this great kit. Wonder what forums of the future will be peering at? “Does anyone have a robotic mower from the early 21st century? I like the way their motors hum...”. Cant see it somehow.

I have an oily collection of every chainsaw I’ve ever owned from 1991 to the present day. Around forty machines, some very big, some tiny. Some that caught fire while felling big trees on hot days - yes, that was a fault with Johnsered machines, and I kept them to remind me. One or two crushed by forwarders. One is entirely flattened to a two inch slab, backed over on a stump by me, on a tracked Drott. But thirty or so still working.

When time allows, I give myself the rare and orgiastic treat of lighting up the big Stihl 088, bought from a chap in Wantage who did a lot of clearing work in the eighties storms. I fire it up, which takes Dragoesque arms, and give it half a tank at half bore, then run it through some firewood at full tilt. It runs a four foot bar, which when on 14000 rpm is throwing chain at the tip at about 180 mph. For an engine that doesnt propel you, it really propels you.

Or pull the Husqvarna 3210 into life alongside, and compare the German gutteral glug against the Swedish sing-song whine. Its like listening to a Bach cello work, only far more beautiful. The Husky is bored out to around 126 cc from 121 or nearly 9 horse power, and will run a meagre 42 inch bar. 

Latest power saw i got cannot be tuned with a screwdriver. Has to be taken in to the Muppet Show - my nearest agricultural dealers now the good saw lads are all closed down, and put on a black box. They know nothing about the machines workings - a bloke in Sweden gets the data and presses some buttons. You wait to hear the news, like waiting at the vets. It’s either okay or new carb £200 please. Progress is bonkers.


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## ericmark (5 Jun 2021)

Carbide lamp great to warm your hands with.


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## Profpointy (5 Jun 2021)

ericmark said:


> Carbide lamp great to warm your hands with.



I never liked the naked flame near the rope I was abseiling on ! But as you say, they did give warmth and even companionship when sat around freezing your bollocks off waiting your turn on the rope; less companionable when they played up and wouldn't light though


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## ericmark (5 Jun 2021)

Profpointy said:


> I never liked the naked flame near the rope I was abseiling on ! But as you say, they did give warmth and even companionship when sat around freezing your bollocks off waiting your turn on the rope; less companionable when they played up and wouldn't light though


Never had my own, so never lit one, but did warm hands on friends.


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## Profpointy (5 Jun 2021)

ericmark said:


> Never had my own, so never lit one, but did warm hands on friends.



fnarr fnarr


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## Drago (5 Jun 2021)

Well, picked up the first mower today. The engine is free and turns, and ivd already separated the engine from the deck before becoming too fatiqued to carry on...for now.


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## Tail End Charlie (5 Jun 2021)

We need pictures Drago. They are really easy to work on and spares are still plentiful. Should give you lots of happy fettling time.

The Anson Engine museum in Poynton Cheshire is also a great day out. Loads of interesting machines, some of which get fired up each day. Fascinating to follow the development of machines, I was particularly struck by the 6 stroke engine, which was made to get round the patent on the diesel as the info card shows. There was also an engine from a WW1 tank which I believe they have now got running. 

I think this was the 6 stroke engine.






And the info board explaining the reasoning behind it. 







I think it's fascinating the way that sometimes engineers/ inventors go down technological dead ends, in cycling there's the development of the penny farthing before the safety bicycle was developed.


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## Tail End Charlie (5 Jun 2021)

Randomnerd said:


> Well done one and all for saving all this great kit. Wonder what forums of the future will be peering at? “Does anyone have a robotic mower from the early 21st century? I like the way their motors hum...”. Cant see it somehow.
> 
> I have an oily collection of every chainsaw I’ve ever owned from 1991 to the present day. Around forty machines, some very big, some tiny. Some that caught fire while felling big trees on hot days - yes, that was a fault with Johnsered machines, and I kept them to remind me. One or two crushed by forwarders. One is entirely flattened to a two inch slab, backed over on a stump by me, on a tracked Drott. But thirty or so still working.
> 
> ...


40!! Wow, you must win something on here for that.


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## Ming the Merciless (5 Jun 2021)

@Drago is turning into the man from this advert.


View: https://youtu.be/nv1VQ7uSC-s


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## Drago (5 Jun 2021)

Ask, and ye shall receive...











I think this one is from 1968.


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## ericmark (5 Jun 2021)

I had forgotten about the air governor, very common back then.


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## Drago (5 Jun 2021)

Ok, flywheel nut off (I spotted the reverse thread  ) but it won't budge. Time to improvise some kind of puller.


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## stephec (5 Jun 2021)

welsh dragon said:


> My vintage lawn mower is called Mr WD


I suppose he must enjoy the peace and quiet. 😂


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## Badger_Boom (6 Jun 2021)

My dad had a dalliance with stationary engines in the early 80s. They were all Listers: a couple D Types, a Junior, and some bonkers single cylinder diesel that we transported from my grandfather’s market garden near Edinburgh to Yorkshire in the back of our Fiesta (with my mother, brother, me and our luggage!).


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## welsh dragon (6 Jun 2021)

stephec said:


> I suppose he must enjoy the peace and quiet. 😂



You sarky thing. He loves my company mainly because I tell him he does.


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## stephec (6 Jun 2021)

welsh dragon said:


> You sarky thing. He loves my company mainly because I tell him he does.


He's probably too scared of the dungeon to argue. 🤣


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## welsh dragon (6 Jun 2021)

stephec said:


> He's probably too scared of the dungeon to argue. 🤣




Ad I always say. Keep them on they're toes.


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## byegad (6 Jun 2021)

Bazzer said:


> I have my late Dad's Suffolk Colt in the shed, which is in need of restoration. Although I suspect a hard decision will need to be made as to whether common sense overrides the emotional link, particularly as second hand values are soft.
> There is also the attraction of simply plugging in my current electric mower and cutting the lawn, rather than storing then checking fuel, priming the carburettor and pulling the starter cord and all being well followed by ignition. Both will give me stripes, but one at a much easier cost.


Plug in? How quaint.
The gardener uses a rechargeable mower to keep the grounds trim. Of course the deer park looks after itself and we have a few acres under hay for winter fodder.


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## Drago (6 Jun 2021)

Engine prepped and ready for a jetwash prior to dismantling. I'll do that tuesday when I'm cleaning the car. Some of the tin ware rubbed down and prepped in red oxide primer.


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## Drago (27 Jun 2021)

A bitnof a hiatus on this while I fit a new garage roof.


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## ericmark (27 Jun 2021)

The thing is, when I was repairing these things they were still being used, the county council I worked for tended to hang on to old gear, and some of it was very clever. 

Wish I had pictures, the overloader was one, it was used to load wagons with salt, screw, buckets, and conveyor reversed tractor into salt pile and it loaded the gritter in front of it, over the top of the tractor.

But to see old stuff restored often better in the small events, at the local Heritage railway often we have a small event, and being small one can chat to the people who have done the work, this

is an example, they seemed such a good idea, they could get the trailer into the same space as a horse and cart, and had an automatic coupling no winding up the handle, so big question was why did they stop being used?

It seems due to new laws which required brakes on all wheels, the front wheel was not braked. Most were scrapped, and then people restored them, but because no longer have original log book, they can't be taken on the public road, so have to be moved on low loaders, so rarely seen.

The engine was very small

so maximum speed rather low, around 20 MPH I think, but in the days where branch lines went everywhere these were ample to take goods from rail head to final destination.

It seems laws have caused so much change, but I can't remember a single bike with only one wheel braked. 

Villiers engines were really well made, but then came the Briggs and Stratton engine, designed to be throw away, aluminium bores, and aluminium bearings by time one bit had worn out, rest was also worn out, so when you stripped one everything needed changing. And they were so cheap you could not repair one for less than a new engine cost.

We have had the same with bikes of course, my mountain bike was bought for me by my late mother, so I have kept it, but to repair it when things go wrong costs more than whole bike cost, so although when a wheel went on the bike my son gave me I bought a new one at around £60 when it goes on a £75 bike it gets silly.


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## tyred (28 Jun 2021)

I think I stumbled on lawn mower heaven yesterday where all the old mowers go when there time is up. There must be a few hundred of the things, old and newish. This is only one pile.


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## Tail End Charlie (10 Nov 2021)

I bought a Hayterette a while ago, it'll be perfect for the job I have in mind (rough mowing long grass in a paddock). It was a non runner, so got it cheap. 
I still haven't got it running, there's a good spark, timing is not adjustable and petrol seems to be getting through. There didn't seem to be much compression (tested by the hi tech way of putting my finger over the spark plug hole). So I took the head off and the exhaust valve gives a little jump on the compression stroke, hence no compression. Will have to dismantle further, but I'm blowed if I can find the 7/16 UNF bolt I need (and which I bought specially earlier in the year).


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## Tail End Charlie (10 Nov 2021)

Ideally I'd have liked the 5 HP version (cast iron bore) but this one came up close by at a good price.


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## Drago (10 Nov 2021)

I must update you chaps on the status of the Suffolk Super Colt. Ill endeavpur to find the vox brownie tomorrow and post the results up here.


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## Badger_Boom (11 Nov 2021)

Drago said:


> I must update you chaps on the status of the Suffolk Super Colt. Ill endeavpur to find the vox brownie tomorrow and post the results up here.


Is the Vox Brownie a contemporary of the Fender Tweed Deluxe?


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## Tail End Charlie (18 Nov 2021)

Tail End Charlie said:


> I bought a Hayterette a while ago, it'll be perfect for the job I have in mind (rough mowing long grass in a paddock). It was a non runner, so got it cheap.
> I still haven't got it running, there's a good spark, timing is not adjustable and petrol seems to be getting through. There didn't seem to be much compression (tested by the hi tech way of putting my finger over the spark plug hole). So I took the head off and the exhaust valve gives a little jump on the compression stroke, hence no compression. Will have to dismantle further, but I'm blowed if I can find the 7/16 UNF bolt I need (and which I bought specially earlier in the year).


Curiouser and curiouser. Apparently the exhaust valve is supposed to give a little jump at low revs, it's to help when starting. Anyhows, I stripped it down, re ground the valves and generally cleaned it up, put it back together and it still doesn't start. Grrr. I'll get there in the end.


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## Tail End Charlie (18 Nov 2021)

Meanwhile, a 5 HP non running Hayterette has come up for sale near me. Decisions, decisions.


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## rogerzilla (18 May 2022)

On the subject of stationary engines, I hsve a replacement boiler to fit to a Mamod SE3 twin cylinder engine. Then I'm going to try to drive an old SA Dynohub from it. It should have enough power if I drive the large part of the hub shell from the flywheel pulley, allowing the engine to run fast enough.


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## newts (18 May 2022)

rogerzilla said:


> On the subject of stationary engines, I hsve a replacement boiler to fit to a Mamod SE3 twin cylinder engine. Then I'm going to try to drive an old SA Dynohub from it. It should have enough power if I drive the large part of the hub shell from the flywheel pulley, allowing the engine to run fast enough.



I'd like to see this when it's up & running. A Bowman 101 would be my choice to drive a small dynamo, it has a 1lb brass flywheel.


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## rogerzilla (18 May 2022)

People have tried to run bottle dynamos from the single cylinder ones and failed, but a bottle needs to be driven at very high speed, so you get no torque multiplication. A Dynohub only wants about 100rpm. It may be that it only works without an electrical load, or with a lower load than the expected 2W or so.


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## ericmark (24 May 2022)

rogerzilla said:


> A Dynohub only wants about 100rpm. It may be that it only works without an electrical load, or with a lower load than the expected 2W or so.



Seen used as a wind charger in the wheel with insulation tape around selected spokes to form the blades, problem is 6 volt, but two 6 volt batteries with a centre tap does work, each half wave rectified, never tried a transformer but would guess it would work?


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