Petrol mower problems.

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Robin; straightening would be the better option because to skim in a lathe removes material which would then possibly involve sorting a spacer out?

My chum now informs me that the dealer he bought the second-hand mower from has a jig to re-align these crankshafts. Having paid £100 for this secondhand mower my chum is now informed by the dealer that the mower is a domestic type?

http://www.atco.co.uk/petrol-lawnmowers.html

http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/g...wn-mowers/

What a coincidence Colin in that we both decide to buy an AL-KO petrol mower around the same time 27 years ago and both our mowers have had their wheels fail, a small price to pay though considering the top class service they have given and are still giving. I'm sure our mowers will last many more years to come with a bit of TLC; many would have dumped a mower once the wheels broke only to buy an inferior mower?

Both Atco and AL-KO are good brands Robin not cheap initially but work our very cheap over the years. I usually find when it comes to tools it pays to avoid the cheap and cheerful items because these tend to work out much more expensive long term and are prone to unreliability; there are of course exceptions but generally you get what you pay for? I would definitely buy another AL-KO mower and hope the quality remains the same these 27 years later?

So far my chum has paid £100 for the mower and now another £50 for a repair which may or may not last and this for a secondhand domestic mower? For a bit more he could have bought a new AL-KO with a 2 year guarantee; hindsight though is brilliant isn't it?

Our weather is truly sad; it pours with rain for a week then two dry days then pours with rain again as it is doing as I type; during the two dry days I can't really get into the garden or do much outside because everything remains soaking wet; the garden is muddy and after two days just as its drying out down comes more rain? The picture below shows our rear garden a couple of days ago when rain was coming down like pencils; shortly after taking the picture the steps were transformed into a wonderful cascade bringing dirt down with the stream; summer in the UK sucks.

Kind regards, Col.

   

[singlepentode69]

I simpervise with you I have had bad flooding at the allotment this year.No sooner it dries out it floods again building raised beds to compensate for the weather.
I always buy the best I can afford or if I buy second hand buy past good quality tools hopefully with good old Sheffield steel.
Regards
Robin

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks for your sympathy Robin; the weather always plays havoc with my life and I'll never get used to this climate. I want to install new double glazing units then re-paint the exterior of our bungalow; I want to re-point an end wall; I want to spend time in the gardens; I want to be able to wander into the garage; why can't I? Because we live under a permanent cloud with a prevailing breeze or wind up the valley.

I too find buying best quality kit to be the cheapest in the long run; initially it hurts my pocket but better buy a single good quality tool than buy many cheap tools which end up being thrown away making these cheap tools highly expensive? A lot of work can be carried out with only a basic but good quality tool kit. More tools for specific jobs makes for easier working but hundreds of years ago top quality work was carried out before electricity was discovered? When it comes to the machinery I like to buy old cast iron British machines and repair/restore them then I have a machine to last a lifetime or two?

A poor workman blames is tools but a poor handsaw which binds in the cut curling up hardly encourages top class results. Cheap drill bits which smoke and glow white hot chisels which blunt on contact with wood; I've gone through the lot over the years but slowly have now reached the point of having good kit all I need is good weather?

Modern paint is poor and shed and fence treatments are just a joke. Last year I treated our exterior rough woodwork with Creoseal which is a Creosote substitute and although this Creoseal is much better and longer lasting than the Ronseal it is disappointing; I now wish I had bought the original Creosote assuming I could buy it because of all the current legislation and environmental regulations? I may as well have brushed on old dirty engine oil which I have used in the past this oil being free?

I filled the petrol mower with new oil yesterday and the mower is still in the garage because to drag it up to the shed in the rear garden will be a muddy job; 6" thick concrete might be a better option than grass?

Kind regards, Col.

[Refugee]

I have answered the problem with an indoor workshop in a spare room.
Working on electronics can be done with rain beating at the windows without issue.

[singlepentode69]

Good old creosote was loverly when it was available a bit like cellulose paint which gave a loverly finish now replaced with modern alternatives mostly water based which do not take too well to spots of rain.
Regards
Robin

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Refugee. I too used a room as a workshop for many years this room being one of a two roomed extension to the rear of our bungalow; it never really got hot during summer and during winter it was a nightmare with windows icing up on the inside; I used to resort to doing veneering and French polishing in our kitchen. It would have made a better fridge than a workshop. Then I stopped restoring vintage radios and turned it into a woodworking workshop installing a Jubilee lathe I had bought. Using the Jubilee once was enough to convince me the workshop was useless it just not being big enough and no room for extraction so I moved the lot into the garage. Now I have problems getting into the garage without receiving a soaking? The garage/workshop also houses the car so in bad weather which it usually is the car remains dry inside the garage preventing me working in there.

Both creosote and cellulose are still available Robin.

http://www.creosotesales.co.uk/products-...-creosote/

I bought my Creoseal (Creosote substitute) at the above website but with hindsight I should have bought the old fashioned Creosote. Our local auto paint suppliers supply cellulose without any trouble in any colour together with thinners and fillers etc.

I dream of re-painting the exterior woodwork of our bungalow this year but I might be better off going round with a tar brush? The sun has just come out to have a laugh.

Kind regards, Col.

[camallison]

Sorry to hear that you have "gone off" the Creosol Col. The Creosol I bought and applied has been hammered with hail and heavy rain plus, being in an exposed position, also subjected to direct sun, which has bleached other nearby wood finishes over the same period. The Creosol is doing its job well so far.

Colin

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Colin. I've not so much as gone off the Creoseal but wish I had bought the original creosote. The Creoseal is much better than the previous Ronseal I applied and mostly it is still doing its job very well; it's just the top rails of the fence which seem most affected and these rails are obviously the most exposed. The weather here on the valley side ranges from both extremes and any timber treatment gets severely punished; I've easily re-treated the top rails and decorative "acorns" so hopefully the fence won't need touching again for another year? The Ronseal I treated the fence with was a total waste of time and effort; it cost little and gave equally little protection disappearing almost as quickly as it was applied. The Creoseal however is much thicker with a lot more body but I think the old fashioned creosote simply can't be beaten for rough timber protection; as with lots of materials these days if it works well ban it?

I'm pleased however Colin to hear your Creoseal is holding up well so it was worth buying. I've still got a lot of my Creoseal left so it won't cost anything to maintain the protection just a bit of time assuming the timber ever dries long enough for me to treat it again?

Kind regards, Col.