Mowing ..

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

I’m not on Faceache. The only social media I do is a couple of car forums.

Happy to hear of any “spots” per the units suggested by DFB.

Don't do facebook either but some sites like marketplace were listed as public allowing non facers to search for stuff. Quite a few sellers will still list a contact number. You can pick up a reasonably priced ride on mower this way.
Tractors are out of the cheap equation though, to many reseller in this game.

Reckon you could stick one of the smaller 10-12ft used pantec on your block which would allow you to lock and store a mower and necessary gear needed.

Basically what I did after buying land.

[Citroënbender]

These seem to have a modestly good rap. I realise the seller is a trader.

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/1294186452

With a 500mm cut, after deducting the un-mowable areas (dams, shack etc) it would be an 18km walk to cut it all with this.

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

These seem to have a modestly good rap. I realise the seller is a trader.

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/1294186452

With a 500mm cut, after deducting the un-mowable areas (dams, shack etc) it would be an 18km walk to cut it all with this.

What would you do after lunch?

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

With a 500mm cut, after deducting the un-mowable areas (dams, shack etc) it would be an 18km walk to cut it all with this.

I still use a walk behind Pope I bought years ago to cut an acre. The ride-on project would make me feel a little guilty.

[mad2]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

I still use a walk behind Pope I bought years ago to cut an acre. The ride-on project would make me feel a little guilty.

years ago we had a ride on .......... for mowing a house block - front yard [narrow nature strip, front of house was also narrow & short altho split level & a larger side lawn to fence halfway down block - long block]. dunno why he bought it .. but he did ... mowed the school oval next door a coupla times with it

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by mad2

years ago we had a ride on .......... for mowing a house block - front yard [narrow nature strip, front of house was also narrow & short altho split level & a larger side lawn to fence halfway down block - long block]. dunno why he bought it .. but he did ... mowed the school oval next door a coupla times with it

I figure by the time I mow around all the trees I might as well keep going with the pushy.
Considering most of large gums now have granite block edged garden beds surrounding them. Certainly solved the non existent grass at their bases and looks kind of perdy.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

These seem to have a modestly good rap. I realise the seller is a trader.

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/1294186452

With a 500mm cut, after deducting the un-mowable areas (dams, shack etc) it would be an 18km walk to cut it all with this.

Those MTD's were made for the American market. The engine is a US made Briggs so should be ok if it's not smoking. Going from the engine cowling and decals, that particular engine would have been made in the early to mid 90's, although it has a later plastic air filter cover.

I would really want to see the discharge shoot, I suspect it might be pretty small. Also note the single bar blade. If you are cutting rough stuff, the chance of bending your crankshaft from hitting debris is higher than for swing back blades.

This one is a smaller cut but has a pretty powerful engine -
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/lake...wer/1295320759

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/dand...ute/1295246877

Or go old school -
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/nort...ine/1295642059

[five 7]

Goats ftw but CB I'd gift you a rideon, but the shipping would be a killer I do have surplus 1 king cat and a Husky

[Citroënbender]

There was a goat to mow, taken there because at its prior lodgings (near Beckom) a member of the local footy team would do bad things in the dark. It was later stolen from my paddock.

DFB - thanks for the inside scoop. The MTD is least out of my way (about 120km detour), that’s part of the appeal. I’d seen those others, the newer one at Conjola was the most tempting.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

There was a goat to mow, taken there because at its prior lodgings (near Beckom) a member of the local footy team would do bad things in the dark. It was later stolen from my paddock.

DFB - thanks for the inside scoop. The MTD is least out of my way (about 120km detour), that’s part of the appeal. I’d seen those others, the newer one at Conjola was the most tempting.

That newer Mastercut is pretty good value, they are $799 brand new.

https://www.victa.com/au/en_au/produ...60-725exi.html

[DFB FGXR6]

Oil Change day, as well as an impromptu blade change.

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showth...23#post6713623

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Oil Change day, as well as an impromptu blade change.

Penrite, the good stuff.

[Citroënbender]

Gloves, for outdoor work. I’m still struggling to find anything that fits snugly (Velcro cuffed) and is both breathable/tough. Suggestions? The “Mechanix” ones I had three years ago were brilliant, nothing has come close since then.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Gloves, for outdoor work. I’m still struggling to find anything that fits snugly (Velcro cuffed) and is both breathable/tough. Suggestions? The “Mechanix” ones I had three years ago were brilliant, nothing has come close since then.

I wouldn't go past Ironclad, being in Syd you'd find them easier to get than I do

If you cant find something among their range you don't need gloves

https://ironclad.com

Aust distributors http://www.brightonbest.com.au/the_r...roncladAU.html

[Citroënbender]

Typical, you can’t get the serious ones in pink. Plenty of range in there, to the point of it being confusing.

Really wanted to pick up something tomorrow, but looks like an order-in is likely.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Typical, you can’t get the serious ones in pink. Plenty of range in there, to the point of it being confusing.

Really wanted to pick up something tomorrow, but looks like an order-in is likely.

I found that the 'Ranchworx' or 'Cowboy' are a good house/garden glove....unfortunately not in pink though.

Sydney tools carry about half a dozen of the more common types.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Typical, you can’t get the serious ones in pink. Plenty of range in there, to the point of it being confusing.

Really wanted to pick up something tomorrow, but looks like an order-in is likely.

My bro being involved with motorcross teams years ago gave me a couple of pairs of Honda mechanic gloves they use.
I have found them brilliant for my gardenning and any other use I feel the need using them.
The MXStore have a heap to chose from.......
https://www.mxstore.com.au/p/100-x-M...yABEgIHEfD_BwE

[Citroënbender]

These were the good ones, just the right balance of fit and protection.

The ones they now sell as the “Original” model have changed to synthetic leather. :-/

Brighter colours are good; easy to see in leaf litter.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

These were the good ones, just the right balance of fit and protection.

image image image

The ones they now sell as the “Original” model have changed to synthetic leather. :-/

Brighter colours are good; easy to see in leaf litter.

For outdoor stuff you can not go past pig skin riggers. They sell them in bulk down at Hiway truck parts at Moorebank. 10 pair work out to around 5-7 bucks each.
Most truck part or steel suppliers sell them in bulk.
The cheaper ones (sold at you know where) have stitching down between the fore finger and thumb which will always pull apart.

[DFB FGXR6]

The telltale sign of a dying engine.............



And no, that is not a two-stroke! This is the Atom edger at work, powered by a 31cc Honda GX31 4-stroke. While it has done a fair amount of work, a staff member ran the poor thing low on oil a few times, it has smoked ever since. Keep in mind these tiny little 4-strokes hold only 100ml of oil, so running it low is really running low! It's on it's last legs now, it smokes at idle and smokes ever more under throttle.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

The telltale sign of a dying engine.............

image

And no, that is not a two-stroke! This is the Atom edger at work, powered by a 31cc Honda GX31 4-stroke. While it has done a fair amount of work, a staff member ran the poor thing low on oil a few times, it has smoked ever since. Keep in mind these tiny little 4-strokes hold only 100ml of oil, so running it low is really running low! It's on it's last legs now, it smokes at idle and smokes ever more under throttle.

Shame that, those Atom edgers are great little machines, it'd be worth fixing, the newer ones aren't made as sturdy, little things like plastic lugs in the height adjuster.
Quality control is down too, our latest one turned up with the fuel draw and return line around the wrong way. It'd run to about 3/4 of a tank and shut down. Didn't take long to work it out but annoying all the same...

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Shame that, those Atom edgers are great little machines, it'd be worth fixing, the newer ones aren't made as sturdy, little things like plastic lugs in the height adjuster.
Quality control is down too, our latest one turned up with the fuel draw and return line around the wrong way. It'd run to about 3/4 of a tank and shut down. Didn't take long to work it out but annoying all the same...

That's a shame, they are the best edger available. I actually mentioned replacing the engine but was told it would best just replaced. I also heard something rattling in the transfer case, so it needs too much work.

What engine do you have on yours? I actually recommended getting the 48cc Mitsubishi 2-stroke version to remove the oil change/top up factor.

https://atomindustries.com/product/5...48cc-2-stroke/

https://atomindustries.com/product-c...y/lawn-edgers/

Anyone ever use one of those evil looking and sounding Victa Tilt-A-Cut's?

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

That's a shame, they are the best edger available. I actually mentioned replacing the engine but was told it would best just replaced. I also heard something rattling in the transfer case, so it needs too much work.

What engine do you have on yours? I actually recommended getting the 48cc Mitsubishi 2-stroke version to remove the oil change/top up factor.

Anyone ever use one of those evil looking and sounding Victa Tilt-A-Cut's?

We went from the four stroke to the two stroke. Apparently they were having problems sourcing the four stroke and being a scheduled change over we had to take what we were given.
I was neither here nor there on it but the two stroke does make sense given thats what all of our other hand tools are, keeping the pre-starts and fueling the same.

Funny you mention the Victa, I pulled this from the back of the garden shed, for disposal, last weekend.



It was a hand me down from the Father in law. The Mrs says she was terrified of it as a child and after hearing that two stroke howl I can see why
Other than being loud and cumbersome it actually doesn't do a bad job.
I was going to take it into work as parts or for an apprentice to pull apart on a rainy day but after looking on gumtree I see people asking a couple of hundred bucks for them. The Escort build is keeping me pretty poor at the moment, I might list it any see if theres any takers.

[John 13]

[QUOTE=DFB FGXR6;6715116]That's a shame, they are the best edger available. I actually mentioned replacing the engine but was told it would best just replaced. I also heard something rattling in the transfer case, so it needs too much work.

What engine do you have on yours? I actually recommended getting the 48cc Mitsubishi 2-stroke version to remove the oil change/top up factor.

A friend recently gave me a similar machine fitted with a B & S motor. For what ever reason it is locked up, probably not ceased in the traditional sense, but due to corrosion etc. It had never been used for at least 10 years.
It is one of those engines where the carburettor is mounted directly on top of the fuel tank. Fortunately I checked the fuel tank first and it is full of rust. If it had been an engine with a conventional gravity feed fuel system I may have investigated the main issue further. Now it's bound for the tip.

[John 13]

[QUOTE=DFB FGXR6;6712188]The Kohler I had was on a Rover. It copped a beating but I never liked that engine. From new it burnt oil, was often harder to start than it should have been and was a noisy engine (the muffler on them is too small). The 173cc Kohler was also weaker than the smaller 163cc Honda that replaced it and just always seemed to lack the grunt/torque to get through the rougher stuff.

As much as it pains me to say this, I would also avoid the two-stroke machines. They have a lot of grunt but are finicky bastards to keep running over time.

Absolutely agree with your views/experience re. two stroke engines. Is it just me who sees a remarkable similarity between the Honda motor you pictured and The Sanli engines, eg. the OHV 350 ?

[DFB FGXR6]

[QUOTE=John 13;6715408]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

The Kohler I had was on a Rover. It copped a beating but I never liked that engine. From new it burnt oil, was often harder to start than it should have been and was a noisy engine (the muffler on them is too small). The 173cc Kohler was also weaker than the smaller 163cc Honda that replaced it and just always seemed to lack the grunt/torque to get through the rougher stuff.

As much as it pains me to say this, I would also avoid the two-stroke machines. They have a lot of grunt but are finicky bastards to keep running over time.

Absolutely agree with your views/experience re. two stroke engines. Is it just me who sees a remarkable similarity between the Honda motor you pictured and The Sanli engines, eg. the OHV 350 ?

Not just you! There are a variety of Chinese copied and made Honda looking engines on the market.

Kohler -



Loncin -



The "Rover" engines -





Sanli -



The "Victa" engine -



I could go on and on but you get the idea. What I have found with all of those cheap knock off engines is how loud they are, mainly from the lack decent mufflers. I also know that those Honda GXV160's are made in China too, difference is that they are a Honda design, not a copy.

[DFB FGXR6]

Had this mower repair stand delivered today.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/192833938487





I wish I would have known something like this existed, like, 20 years ago!

[Citroënbender]

You’ll not be able to resist detailing them now… Have you ordered the Koch Chemie “Klinge-Wachs” yet? :p

Quite a nifty little jigger, my question to myself would be “Will it start/run on the stand?” (I’d feel compelled to try.)

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

You’ll not be able to resist detailing them now… Have you ordered the Koch Chemie “Klinge-Wachs” yet? :p

Quite a nifty little jigger, my question to myself would be “Will it start/run on the stand?” (I’d feel compelled to try.)

You are going to have to fill me in on that, my detection skills are a little slow tonight.

[Citroënbender]

I just made it up, that’s German for “blade wax”.

Actually surprised our Nanny Country doesn’t require an A3-sized sticker telling you to remove the stand before starting or using the mower.