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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Database of Atco/Qualcast part numbers

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All,

 

I am a recent new member of OLC with an avid interest in old lawnmowers.  I confess to being an absolute newbie but own 3 already, all post 1968, (JP Maxees and 2 x Atco)  All of this got me wondering when searching for spares or equivalents.....Having been in manufacturing for 25 years, data management is considered critical, yet lawnmower enthusiasts rely on each other and any manuals they can get their hands on.  Would a database of part numbers cross-referenced to different manufacturer models be of any help?  I am in the process of building the database and have catalogued all Atco Ensign part numbers and started on the Atco Commodore range.  Others will be added - but it takes a solid week to catalogue all of the part numbers for each product range!  I am prepared to put the time in and build it up over time and make it available to all OLC members.

 

Give me your thoughts please.

Forums

wristpin Tue, 14/08/2018

Quite an undertaking and I wish you well. The machines that you mention are relatively recent and information fairly easy to come by but in the 40 plus years that I’ve been involved with garden machinery the Atco, Suffolk and Qualcast ranges of machines have changed or modified their part numbers  three times - not always easy to keep track of.

Chris G Wed, 15/08/2018

I have 2 major motorcycle manufacturer parts databases accessed via their own GUI application interfaces, provides schematics, parts interchange with models, even dims on the majority of parts.

I know how invaluable these have been working on early 80's machines trying to track parts.

If you get anywhere close to that it would be a very fine thing.

I think its a brilliant idea

gtc Thu, 16/08/2018

Good idea but, as wristpin points out, very challenging.

Personally, I am more interested in earlier Atcos: 1920s to 1960s

Antbr123 Thu, 23/08/2018

All (not sure I pressed the right button here) - but thanks for your observations. It really is appreciated and your views are valued as a counter-balance to my enthusiasm.

I realise it is a challenge...but call me weird if you like - I liken it to the lawn mower world of stamp collecting.  I have no wish to boil the ocean here or give the impression of grandios ideas....but some form of central database with known part numbers cross referenced to particular mower models/date might be useful?  It could be something centrally administered by a technical steering committee?  Built over time with the ability to recommend sources for replacement parts, alternatives, it might be useful for budding restorers/enthusiasts. Just a thought.....we all get older and knowledge dies unless captured.  And it need not be a task for just one person... we could all contribute building it together....come to think about it - I think that was how DNA was cracked and Wikipedia (no perhaps the latter was not a good example)...!!