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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Some restoration questions for clarification

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Hello again, I just have a few questions to be sure I haven't misunderstood what I have read, plus a few extras for good measure.

#1 Using a wire brush to remove loose will be sufficient enough before painting?

#2 Sand/abbrasive blasting is unnecessary?

#3 Wouldn't rust still be active if a mower wasn't stripped back to bare fresh metal?

#4 Do you recommend the use of rust neutralising substances?

#5 If one were going to preserve rather than restore a hand mower, how would one deal with any present rust? Or would one just have to live with it? (I didn't notice any threads covering preservation in detail)

#6 What type of metal was used on the older heavy type hand mowers? Is it cast iron?

#7 Do any of you use sharpening compounds for maintaining sharpness before taking to a shop to be sharpened? If so, could you tell me some brands or link me to an online store?

#8 With all the new improved lubricants on the market, should one invest in a high end lubricant to get optimal performance from a hand mower? Or is the generic stuff fine?

#9 The Ransomes hand mower I am working on now has no roller. I need to get one custom made due to the length which is "uncommon" according to my local mower repair shop staff. I haven't worked with Ransomes before, so am wondering if there is a specific diameter for a Ransomes roller, or if the diameter of any hand mower roller will suffice? I just don't want to mess this up.

 

Thanks in advance for the help and advice. Will post some pics of the hand mower I am working on soon.

 

 

Forums

hillsider Tue, 14/06/2011

Hi,

Taking your questions as you have asked them I have added my thoughts below each one in blue type. I would stress that these are my thoughts and that other members may well have differrent ones so here goes.

#1 Using a wire brush to remove loose will be sufficient enough before painting?

1. A hand held wire brush will remove very light corrosion or loose flaking plate, a powered brush as in a drill or mounted to a bench grinder will remove more stubborn deposits. However greater safety precuations must be taken to avoid injury.

#2 Sand/abbrasive blasting is unnecessary?

2. If a large heavily corroded item is to be cleaned then abrasive blasting is a very effective process. It does require specialised equipment and care must be taken to avoid the blasting medium entering bearings or engine internals where it would cause damage.

#3 Wouldn't rust still be active if a mower wasn't stripped back to bare fresh metal?

3. The process of rust corrosion or Oxidation of the metal to give it its correct name will continue all the while that the conditions are there for the corrosion to take place.If the metal is coated with some light oil, grease or other oil based product like a clear Waxoyle as a preservative corrosion will be slowed or even stopped, also keeping the item in a dry environment will help as corrosion thrives in damp conditions.

#4 Do you recommend the use of rust neutralising substances?

4. This one is a case of what ever works for you, there several products on the market to choose from I would try a couple on a fairly small scale and see how you get on with them.

#5 If one were going to preserve rather than restore a hand mower, how would one deal with any present rust? Or would one just have to live with it? (I didn't notice any threads covering preservation in detail)

5. The answer to question 3 also answers this one.

#6 What type of metal was used on the older heavy type hand mowers? Is it cast iron?

6. Yes cast iron was very common in many old machines.

#7 Do any of you use sharpening compounds for maintaining sharpness before taking to a shop to be sharpened? If so, could you tell me some brands or link me to an online store?

7. I think you are referring to the process of back lapping where a carborundum paste is applied to the cylinder and then the cylinder is rotated in reverse direction to it’s normal rotation to grind the cylinder and blade cutting edges, this can help to refresh a cylinder and blade if they are not too dull to start with and is sometimes used on greenkeeping machines to keep them in good condition. The product is sold by some mower shops as lapping paste,  or your local car accessory outlet will probably sell small containers of valve grinding paste often with coarse paste in one end and fine paste in the other. However my experience with this is that it does not always work and a regrind is the only effective answer to the problem.

#8 With all the new improved lubricants on the market, should one invest in a high end lubricant to get optimal performance from a hand mower? Or is the generic stuff fine?

8. As good as they are at doing the job that they are brewed for there is no need to invest in oils with specialised additive packages for the lubrication of what is in effect a simple machine however if that is what you already have it would probably do no harm for general oil can duties. In the case of engine lubrication you do need to pay closer attention to the needs of the engine and some modern oils are not particularly suited to very old engines.

#9 The Ransomes hand mower I am working on now has no roller. I need to get one custom made due to the length which is "uncommon" according to my local mower repair shop staff. I haven't worked with Ransomes before, so am wondering if there is a specific diameter for a Ransomes roller, or if the diameter of any hand mower roller will suffice? I just don't want to mess this up.

9. I am afraid I cannot advise on this one as more info is need to know which mower you have. I would advise placing a separate posting with more info regarding the mower type and cutting width etc then hopefuly someone will be have a similar mower and can answer your question.

Hope this helps

Ray.

Dogma Sun, 19/06/2011

Thanks for your reply, those answers are helpful.

I have another question. Is diesel oil and diesel the same thing? When I think oil, I think of thick motor type oils with the exception of mineral oil, but when I think of degreasers I think of thin liquids.

You'll have to forgive the stupid question, I am not familiar with diesel or diesel operated machinery.