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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Roller Pins for Qualcast Model B1

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Hi all, 

I recently acquired a Qualcast Model B1 (push-along) lawnmower. It's rather lovely and all seems to be in great order. Have a couple of things to do on it though to get it back up and running: firstly it needs a new roller on the back. I've found someone (via this very website!) who can make me a lovely new one (Hurrah!) however it's also missing the two pins which hold the roller in place which I need to source myself. (I imagine this is a common problem..?) anyway I've not had much luck but I have got some mild steel roundbar which seems to be EXACTLY the right diameter to fit in the brackets. So thought I might have a go at making them from this. (one of many advantages of being married to a blacksmith and welder is that I have access to all the hacksaws and files I could ever need!)

However this is all new territory to me and I wonder if anyone could give me a couple of pointers...? I've found this exploded diagram of parts for the B1 and the pins look like they are just that, lengths of roundbar. 

They look to be about 2-3 inches long, does that sound about right? Is there a correct length? (I'm sort of assuming the longer the better but that's not based on any knowledge at all, just assumption.)

Do they simply jam into a hole at either end of the roller? (the guy making me the roller has said he'll drill holes at each end if I Iet him know the exact diameter and depth I need.) would they need gluing? Or do I just tap them gently in? 

Apologies if this is something of a basic question but I've never owned one of these types of lawnmowers before so have no idea what I'm doing. (but keen to learn!)

Many thanks in advance.

Oliver. 

Forums

wristpin Tue, 28/03/2017

If your turner is able to drill the roller from end to end , I would be inclined to measure between the brackets, add the depth of the holes minus " gnats" and cut the rod accordingly. That way it's going nowhere once threaded though the roller with the brackets assembled.

Oliver Broad Wed, 29/03/2017

Sadly He didn't think he'd be able to drill all the way through as the length is about 12.5" (14" including the brackets.)

On a slightly different note: Any idea what the usual diameter of a roller would be? (I imagine bigger being better for rolling over the lawn but smaller would allow the blade to be closer to the ground. - Presumably there's a happy medium...)

Any thoughts on this would also be greatly appreciated.