Lawnmower - fix or replace ?

[Profpointy]

I would totally be tempted to patch it up, as mentioned above with a few options, some sheet metal and a pop rivet or 30
A good opportunity to learn some skills!

^this. Patching with bit of biscuit tin should be within anyone's skill level, providing it's just a few holes. It's not as if you have to preserve the elegant lines of an e-type jag's wing.

One hint, if drilling sheet metal never, ever hold the sheet in your hands. If the drill sticks, which is very likely, you'll slice your hand very badly.

 

[Salar]

Interesting,

I've an Izy, just needs a new plug and spark plug cap. Too heavy for the wife and a bit of a lump on the slopes even for me, so it's not getting used, might give it a service and put it on fleabay.

We went for a battery rechargable mower and strimmer a few weeks ago, I was reluctant at first not thinking it would have much poke as we have a big garden with some slopes.

In fairness if you take it easy it does the job on a full charge and is so light I can whizz around the garden a lot quicker than the petrol mower.

Also the wife can use it

 

[pubrunner]

Y

You need "the man down the road who fixes everything", used to be me for a fair few years!.

Shame you don't know anyone local with a mig welder, would be a £30/40 beer money job..

I used to know plenty of such people when I lived in the pub; but sadly, most of them seem to have died off - I trust that our beer wasn't responsible.

 

[Dave 123]

You need to speak to the Head Gardener... @Dave 123. The first thing he'll probably do is tell you to get a cylinder mower...

@pubrunner - May I suggest purchasing a cylinder mower?

As @User9609 says, it pays to clean it. Our rotary mower gets cleaned after every use.

I've never changed a deck, but if it costs £100 and the engine is still good then that's got to be better than an electric one I'd have thought.

 

[Salad Dodger]

I would opt for fixing it.

 

[Crackle]

Disassemble it, preferably on the kitchen table then start buying parts off ebay but never get around to fitting them. eventually Mrs Pubby will get fed up and bin the lot and you can buy a new one; job done.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

[QUOTE 4793143, member: 9609"]It pays to clean them properly at the end of the season and give them a lick of paint- this one is over 30 years old[/QUOTE]

I'd happily pay £100 or more to avoid 30 years of cleaning and painting lawnmowers at the end of a season. I sling mine in the garage never knowing if that was the last cut or if there are more to come. Do you work full time, out of interest?

 

[Globalti]

I avoided the rust problem by buying a plastic, mains-powered rotary mower, which is fine if you've a small lawn. It gets almost zero maintenance and just keeps coming back for more, year after year. Occasionally I remove the blade and sharpen it with an angle grinder. It behaves impeccably except when it decides to chuck out a stone, which smacks into my patio doors causing the glass to shatter into ten million pieces.

 

[Electric_Andy]

Dammit, wrote a whole piece on metal and pop rivets but I see was beaten to it! Yes, patch it up. Wickes do galvanized metal sheets for £5.50.

It's like shaving; a petrol mower goes through first time like a good quality razor blade. With electric it tends to skim over half of it meaning you have to go over it in a circular or linear fashion. Petrol also makes much better stripes as they cut better and tend to be heaver.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I sold my 13 year old Honda Izy for £8 less than I paid brand new, but I do look after my kit. Scrape the grass off every clip as it just holds water and corrosives in the rotting muck. You will be surprised at the current prices. They come from France btw.

You have a tough decision, but to give you a clue, quite a few manufacturers mount Honda engines onto their decks which are secondary in priority to the actual engine. I bet it starts first time every spring, every year. They beat Briggs & Stratton hands down. And if you have to start a cold engine every day like I do, you will vouch for Honda without blinking an eye.

All my new big, industrial mowers have plastic decks. Streets ahead of steel or alloy decks.

Forget electric. I'd rather have piles.

 

[classic33]

This kind of thing . . . ?

View attachment 351427

More this

 

[pubrunner]

. . . And if you have to start a cold engine every day like I do, you will vouch for Honda without blinking an eye.

Yes, mine has always started fine with no problems.

All my new big, industrial mowers have plastic decks. Streets ahead of steel or alloy decks.

Sadly, I can only find a steel replacement deck for my mower, but as already suggested, I'll put some protective paint on it beforehand.

 

[keithmac]

Perhaps using the dishwasher to clean bits of it?

You can also use the oven to dry freshly painted parts ;-).

 

[Leaway2]

The engine will go forever so it would be a shame to scrap it just for a bit of corrosion.

A bit of mild steel plate and some rivets could be an option for repairing the tub depending on how far gone it is?.

Or self tappers.

 

[keithmac]

This just came through the door, worth saving yours at that price..