Vintage reel mowers

• #60 Reply
  Posted by St Paul Steam on 28 Aug, 2019 05:33
• how you ever found replacement parts for the "Zipper" Lenn….I don't know , but you seem to be able to get something running within hours of the purchase, well done Sir.
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• #61 Reply
  Posted by Pitchy on 28 Aug, 2019 06:37
• Thanks guys, that engine was in bad shape and even amazed us it was saved, Jan i used a couple different means of freeing the piston.
  First it sat a day or so with Kroil oil then tranny fluid then brake fluid with a rag burning in it like a candle then finally a piece of oak on it and a three pound hammer.
  The oil pump was unavailable so i left it out the engine has a dip rod on the crankshaft cap so it will be a splash system.
  Bought no parts for it just soak, heat, tap and clean until everything freed up.
  I`ll make a couple new vids today, i want to try the zipper in some better grass and another run of the reel mower with a new belt and some tinkering on it.
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• #62 Reply
  Posted by Swift Fox on 28 Aug, 2019 13:09
• I knew you'd get that up and running Lenn!
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• #63 Reply
  Posted by Pitchy on 28 Aug, 2019 13:26
• Thanks Swift Fox.
  
  Made three sections from flat steel plate and installed them and now working pretty good, theres a couple off those wear thingies that push down on the sections to keep them tight against the guards i`m going to build up with weld and grind flat.
  When i get the belt on so the self drive works it should be complete.
  Also a final video of the reel mower working perfect.
  
  
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPFwj6SDOtY
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xndjt6gVV3o
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• #64 Reply
  Posted by classixs on 29 Aug, 2019 02:09
• Thanks for explaining the details of your "freeing-up-procedure" on the fingercutter Lenn.
  
  Turned out great, the both of them.
  
  Love the clutch system on the reel mower
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• #65 Reply
  Posted by Pitchy on 29 Aug, 2019 06:08
• Thanks Jan, the project today is removing the reel mower and doing a complete do over on sharpening it. 
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• #66 Reply
  Posted by txlabman on 29 Aug, 2019 07:46
• Lenn:
  
  This morning I re-read this entire thread.
  
  Thanks for another interesting theme.
  
  Really enjoy following your projects
  
  Charlie
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• #67 Reply
  Posted by Pitchy on 29 Aug, 2019 08:37
• Thanks Charlie glad ya enjoyed it, getting these projects pretty wrapped up. 
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• #68 Reply
  Posted by classixs on 29 Aug, 2019 15:49
• Please share the sharpening process Lenn...
  Guess you´ve made (or bought) some sort of jig for grinding the blade reel, to keep a perfectly even distance to the cutter blade?
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• #69 Reply
  Posted by Pitchy on 29 Aug, 2019 16:01
• I`m not the one to give advice on sharpening, i just free handed with a file until all the blades just touched the cutting bar but it still doesn`t cut as good as some of my other reel mowers, i`m in the trying to figure it out stage. 
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• #70 Reply
  Posted by Pitchy on 30 Aug, 2019 13:00
• And the answer is the more blades it has the thicker the grass it will cut.
  And of coarse the one on the home build isb only a four blade, i have a six blade Scott that will ease through four inch grass.
  The four blade will jam right up in thick grass no mater how sharp it is. 
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• #71 Reply
  Posted by classixs on 31 Aug, 2019 02:34
• Sounds very plausible, that more blades will cut easier, given the smaller "bites" taken Lenn.
  
  ...but, remembering the manual ones from my own childhood, i seem to recall that well maintained and sharpened mowers, was way more fun to push around for the 50 cent a standard front lawn would pay
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• #72 Reply
  Posted by Pitchy on 31 Aug, 2019 10:20
• Looky what i just picked up. 
  
  
  
  
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• #73 Reply
  Posted by Stoker on 31 Aug, 2019 11:45
• Looks like a whole fleet you've got there Lenn.
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• #74 Reply
  Posted by Pitchy on 31 Aug, 2019 14:50
• Norma got it stuck but new toy ya know.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvpBDlxUnjs
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