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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

suffolk super punch professional

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Hello

I wondered if anyone has a picture or drawing of the petrol drip tray which fits under the carburetor on the Suffolk super punch 17" professional model as I will need to make one, I do have a sales brochure for the suffolk range but the clarity is not good, the air filter seems to be round in the brochure but my filter is the square type and the details are just not visible as it is too small

Thanks

wristpin Mon, 18/01/2016

Not sure as to what era of Super Punch you are referring, please supply a pic of the machine.

taperpin Wed, 20/01/2016

Hello Wristpin, here is a scan of the suffolk punch professional from my brochure my mower is exactly the same as this and dates 1962, the problem that I have is that I need to make the drip tray fitted under the carb which is missing on my mower, the mower is complete apart from this and I will have to make one, so really I need to know what it looks like as although it is shown in the above brochure the details are hard to make out. I wondered if anyones professional still has the drip tray in place, it is to stop drips of petrol going onto the grass on say bowling greens when priming the zenith carburetor, I was quite pleased to find the mower as it has the 10 blade cylinder and one piece front roller, I have a normal 17" of the same period and find it surprisingly easy to manoeuvre in spite of its weight with its split rear roller.

Thanks

wristpin Wed, 20/01/2016

Bit of a mystery there, are you sure that the elusive drip tray was a standard feature and not someone's modification? In a good few years of mower fettling I've never seen one nor can I find one in parts books of the "square tank, round air cleaner era" In fact I have one of those engines on the bench at present with no sign of a drip tray. It's a shame that the handlebar partially obscures the critical area on the brochure.

EDIT. CORRECTION . I've just found on a 1960 - 63 parts list, Part number E.5386 Drip Tray (not illustrated) . So not much help. How wrong can one be!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8fd73d3kq1r2sz8/Suffolk%20pro%20parts%20list%…

8th line up from the bottom of the right hand column.

taperpin Thu, 21/01/2016

Many thanks for your trying, as you say it states in the parts list and brochure about the drip tray but without a drawing from the parts list we are stuck, I have seen one once but very rusty and incomplete on a photo, I will just have to make one ad hock, thanks again 

wristpin Fri, 22/01/2016

I'm imagining a shallow saucer suspended below the round air cleaner body by three legs clamped to the cleaner by a Jubilee clip.If I'm at a loose end tomorrow I might try making a prototype !

Just out of interest, what photo alerted you to the existence of the drip tray , manufacturer's brochure or a machine in action?

EDIT.

Something like this?

 

taperpin Fri, 22/01/2016

Hello Wristpin,

Nice photo, yes it would be like that, I first saw it in a brochure and the differences between the professional and standard model seem to be the drip tray, extra blades on the cylinder and different one piece front roller, I have had the normal 17" for some time and have always hankered after the professional model because of these differences, I picked one up last weekend in Lincolnshire but the drip tray is missing, in fact there is a plastic air filter on the carb ! for the sake of authenticity I will have to make up a close replica, and yes I have seen a drip tray on a professional mower on e bay, but once again not a good enough photo to make an exact copy, I am sure it was an authentic  part as the professional was intended for lawns that needed real care like bowling greens, and dead patches here and there when priming the zenith carb would not have gone down too well !

Thanks for your interest and efforts on this obscure item !

wristpin Fri, 22/01/2016

I've seen and worked on a good few  Professionals but cannot recall ever seeing a drip tray. May be they were a pit fragile and prone to falling off. You say that the air cleaner on yours is plastic. If it is plastic (white?)and square I believe that it will be an after-market pattern part but if black and L shaped a latter Suffolk one or another pattern one.

 

hortimech Fri, 22/01/2016

They did exist, but only on the early 17" machines with the round airfilter. From memory, they were conical shaped, slightly larger, in diameter, than the airfilter and had only two legs (I think). they were also painted in the same colour as the engine block. 

taperpin Sat, 23/01/2016

Thanks, yes the air filter is an aftermarket addition, they are about the only ones available now new I suppose so when the original metal one was lost they were the replacement, they are functional but I do not like them, I do have a suitable metal replacement, the info about the drip tray is handy I will make one up with 2 legs in fact I have a round air filter so that will go on. thanks for the replies