First Run With A Vintage Allen Scythe Mowing Machine (1950s Model T)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 เม.ย. 2023
- Allen Scythes stopped being made in 1973. I think this one was made (near Oxford, England) in the late 1950s - it could be 70 years old but it still works extraordinarily well. They stopped making them because they are very dangerous - the blades are running all the time, it jumps forward without notice and it’s default clutch setting is drive - yes, you have to actively stop it moving! But it trundles through thick mud like a tank and it cuts wet grass and rushes with ease. We bought it for just this job - to control weeds in our fields. It was advertised on Donedeal here in Ireland and there seem to be others on there regularly. If you’d like to take on repairing the second machine - get in touch!
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When a mate of mine left school, 50+ years ago, one of his first jobs was cutting grass with one of these. The grassy bank was bordered by a river..... Anyways during one of the passes he found he couldn't disengage the drive, give him his due he clung on as the Auto Sythe drove into the river finally stopping as the water level rose above the carburettor.....
This look like the perfect locomotive for your railway :-)
After an instruction course from my school's groundsman, I was put in charge of using one to cut the rough grass along the drives. About half a mile or so. Still remember the clack sounds and the steering..... Also used a villiers Qualcast rear throw mower for the fine cut. Had smaller orange wheels. That was what a 10 year old did at boarding school in the fifties. All part of the outdoor craft course. I still own a working seventies model. Thanks for the memories, wonderful stuff.
I'm loving this! I earn my living fixing reed-cutting machinery of all types, and these used to be a very common sight here in norfolk. The 2-strokes are my favorite, they're such a sweet little engine and will go on forever if you feed it the right oil in the right quantity (do exactly as it says on the lid!) castrol XL is really good stuff and smells much better than the modern synthetic oils!)
I'd suggest either to use ethanol-free petrol, or fit a little glass sediment bowl to the fuel line (they're cheap, and good insurance), those villiers carbs can corrode horribly if they get any water inside, and (especially in ireland!) the fuel will soak it up from the air and leave it at the bottom of the tank to eat the innards of the fuel system.
They're utter death-traps compared to modern machines, and will gladly run away into the sunset if given half a chance, some operators used to tie a piece of thin rope to the spark-plug lead, and keep the other end looped over the hand-grip, just in case you needed to kill it in a hurry (crude, and quite likely to break something, but better than buggering over and then watching it head straight into a dyke! Don't be too tempted with any of the accesories, there's a reason that not many were sold, they were usually rubbish, and the machine isn't brilliantly suited to this sort of thing. Even using them as a tractor is a pretty bad idea thanks to the dog-clutch, as any more load than just the machine will quickly knacker the bronze teeth, it's fun for a while though!
Thanks Tim & Sandra!
There one of these rusting away in a shed where I work, id love to get it working .
Don't know if its intact or not .
@@simonmcmanus3639 If it's a 2-stroke and the bore's not knackered, it'll probably run. if it's a 4-stroke, you've got a few more things to worry about but villiers made pretty robust little engines and they really do have to be thoroughly abused to kill them! I've got a 250cc 2-stroke from 1922 that sat unused since the 60s that mows my lawn! but I did have to make my own piston-rings to get it going!
@@theafro I'll have a look and see , I guess if its got an oil sump its 4 stroke ?
@@simonmcmanus3639 yup, it'll have a flat bottom, and be quite a bit shorter. your best bet is to (gently) see if the flywheel will turn, if it does, you might be on to something!
This is the kind of comment that makes the whole comment section of TH-cam worthwhile. Proper knowledge shared graciously. 👍
Delightful. Took me back to my childhood. My uncle had one and my cousin and I mowed his paddocks onwards from about 11 and 12 years old. He had the trailer too and we'd drive it with all the kids piled on - and randomly falling off as it jerked into motion, went over bumps and around bends. Uncle took me into the Allen boardroom to meet Mr Allen, very grand, very awesome to a youngster too. Nice to see one in action again, thanks.
What a find! My Dad ( a nurseryman) had one of these, and it was my job to cut the long grass for him. It looks so much smaller than I remember. I used to get told off for blunting the teeth when I had hit a stone. It was a long time ago, and I must have been so small as I always had to walk back to find Dad to refuel and start it as I couldn’t. Thank you for bringing back childhood memories 😊
I used one of these as a school boy in Brighton, Sussex, it often hit a bump and got away from me ! But It was a very effective tool and I found that it cut the weeds and tall grass very effectively and quickly. The only Bug bear was having to sharpen the blades so often ! !
In the early sixties dad bought an ancient Allen scythe. It was my toy in my teens on out half acre. Brilliant machine, though a little temperamental, but gave me an education for my first motor scooter that had a villiers engine. I was always having to adjust the magneto. (There's word I haven't used for sixty years!) Soon became quite expert.
Nice! Just brought my early 1980s Gravely 2-wheel tractor out of hibernation yesterday & am rehabbing a rotary plow attachment for my wee smallholding in western Maine, USA. The nymphs, muses & goddesses of Spring are busy goading us forward to our zillion tasks. A good season to all of us farmers-gardners everywhere!
Happy Spring to you : - )
It's thoroughly heartwarming to see your endless enthusiasm and problem solving abilities. You've made my Easter, thank you. Greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪.
Oh my lord that takes me back sitting with my dad using a file to sharpen the blade and cold riveting on new ones that had been lost when working later in the 80s he had a barford atom with much more attachments …..beautiful old machine you have made my easter thank you ..
0:04 WOW! That car seams to be amazingly practical with that ramp, more cars should be like that :D
It made me think of the old Chevrolet Corvair (Greenbrier?) vans that were made here in the US in the '60s (a few years before I was born) that had a fairly low cargo floor and a drop-down side panel, much like this.
14:30 Hot tip when trying to move something fairly heavy with that kinda shape: Pull it behind you instead of pushing it in front of you! You'll effectively pull it out of any holes you get it stuck in rather than pushing it further into the ground when it goes through soft ground.
This tip is also _very_ handy for loaded wheelbarrows!
No ! You just got to imagine you’re nicking it ….😂
or just turn on the engine and let it pull itself up
I remember these as a child. They were very effective. My uncle had one and the saw attachment which he used to cut logs. They were much quicker than the traditional scythe so a great step forward.
Yeah, and rather than run to get around corners, pull back on the other side instead and walk sideways.
And wheelie bins!
Lovely so see an Allen Scythe. I have two, one 2-stroke and one 4-stroke.
I had one of these about 20 years ago to cut a large area of uneven ground and although mine was the 4stroke engine it just powered through anything and everything that got in its way the fact that the blades run continuously is a bit scary though lol
I remember I tripped over and the thing just kept on going and I had to get back up and chase after it
Amazingly well built bit of machinery
I bet all Allen owners have tales to tell!
Hi Tim
I've got 2 of those.
They just work so hard and seem to cut anything, but you have to hang on when turning!
Setting the dog clutches on the axle allows you to turn with the driven wheel to the outside of the turn.
Turning with the driven wheel on the inside isn't recommended.
The handles can throw u to the ground if you're not expecting it.....a bit like wrestling with a donkey!
As for the engine, they do sound rough, but this is normal and they will miss fire and 4 stroke. The centrifugal governor cuts the ignition above a certain rpm, so full throttle rpm is set by this.
Once you start cutting and load the engine, it will run sweet like a 2 stroke should and yes, an all or nothing clutch makes them even more fun to drive!
Keep doing what you're doing with regular vids and great content.
Regards to you all.
thanks, David - I'll experiment with the diff settings..
@@wayoutwest-workshopstuff6299 the 2 stroke mix is Castrol XL which is sae 30 oil
It does make a difference terms of smoke, smooth and "tinging"
@@wayoutwest-workshopstuff6299 they have a bad reputation in terms of the clutch.
I myself have had a few experiences.
The trick is to get ahead of it ie. Push it faster than you are traveling while pulling the clutch lever.
I have a family contention to them..
The were made for cutting brambles and bracken. Will cut fences small trees and even people fingers apparently....
Great to see you using one!! Looking forward to seeing further future videos
I have been thinking about buying one of these to mow our meadow. What fortune timing! Glad to see such a beautiful old machine still running and in use.
Best of luck! And be careful..
I bought one at a farm auction about 15 years ago I still use it to do the edges of my 3 acre paddock I love it
Best workout ever
I spent many hours mowing paddocks with an Allen Scythe as a kid, brilliant bits of kit.
Smooth as silk clutch engagement system. Bring back the Allen Oxford! 📣
I like the way the sheep is thinking: don't get any ideas I want to keep my fleece!
There is a company in Bermingham called Villiers Services who carry all the spares you will need. I used them many years ago for parts for my James motorcycle which had had a Villiers 98 cc engine. They were very helpfull.
Thanks, Aoife
The auto-generated subtitles say "applause" when the machine is running, which I think is pretty great
Top bit of kit. Villiers engines are bullet proof and will run forever if you look after them. Some great simple engineering that does what its supposed to do with no fuss and simple to maintain and repair. I'm a big fan!
Back in the 1970s i worked with a similar machine in an orchard in rural Northamptonshire. We also had a sit on trailer for it and a home made sleigh for transporting dried hay to the barn for the goats. Good luck with it
As a teenager, I used one of these for a couple of years or so, cutting an orchard and meadow for an older lady. It was a bit tough to start (didn't know enough back then to improve this!) but that thing was a real handful! An absolute, almost unstoppable, beast. Wish I had one now.
In the United States at a campground cleanup nigh 40 years ago one very similar to this was donated to be used, I do not remember the brand or model but I was the only one who could get it running and keep it running, even though I was about 13 years old, so over 3 days I used this to clear many acres. It was much easier to control the direction of travel and speed. It was only a few years later that I realized the importance of keeping track of these machines and who made them. I have dreamed of finding that machine ever since.
Surprised it's in such good condition after 70 years. The paint looks somewhat new.
The previous owner restored it for a show, he must have repainted it! But it does look nice.
@@Theorimlig yeah, it was resprayed, though the previous owner did a piss job at rust removal
@@Theorimlig
There’s a difference between painting some thing, fixing it up, and restoring it. The only thing the previous owner did was paint it. It was neither fixed up or restored.
The boys were allowed to use one of these when I was at prep school in the 1960s. One lad struggled with the clutch and he cut down a blade’s width of a box hedge. He covered up his crime by replacing the severed section and prayed that the end of term would come before it withered.
I used one of these when I was about 12 years old, 81 now, man they were a beast for a small kid, but l loved it. Put it, or it put me, into a dyke once, my Dad had to rescue us both.
I used one in my teens, it was a heath and safety nightmare. But it was huge fun, it was like wrestling a wild steer.
A lovely bit of kit. Don't you miss the days when machinery was built to last!
I'm definitely a fan. I used one as a student at the age of 18 working for Edinburgh Corporation Parks Dept. in 1968. Very efficient, brilliant fun, I've never forgotten it
There’s is indeed a global villiers owners group or groups, many are shouting at the screen to try and help you 😂 that’s a beautiful old machine, many would love to own
It seems like the perfect thing to adapt to pulling cars along your railway.
My grandfather had one of these back in the 1960s to cut his field. But old age eventually resulted in its weight and it’s difficult starting defeating him.
I have one of these sitting on my front lawn, it was my grandfather's. He bought it around 40 years ago second hand and used it for a number of years keeping the scrub under control on his block. I hope to get around to restoring it one day so it runs and is operational 👍❤️🙏
I used these for many years back in the seventies. I worked at an agricultural research station at Hurley in Berks. The Grassland Research Institute. Used most days in summer to cut experimental plots of grass. The Allen claimed two watches that I stupidly left on my wrist. Literally shaken to pieces. After a day of scything my hands were numb from the extreme vibration. However... I wish I could get one out here in Tennessee where I now live on my small farm. They were incredibly efficient.
Your channels make me want to go and build something in the shed. 👍
You can get new blade segments from the local tractor suppliers. They look like the John Deere ones I used to use. There'll be lots of people telling you that you shouldn't sharpen them with an angle grinder but I've never had any bother doing that.
There's a picture in the handbook of someone using a grinder powered by the scythe : - )
Yes a big fan,my dad had one, he had a generator attached to his with a strummer like thing that weighed a absolute tonne. This was in 1970 he was the local grave digger and took care of the grounds. They worked hard in those days.
I remember using one of these in the early 70s on my grandfather's farm. We used it to clear Braken Furn. The vibration shook us greatly. The clutches on the wheels meant that you had to be careful on hilly terrain as if you faced it downhill, it could easily get away from you. This made it a challenge on the side of the hills.
Yes, I'm learning fast!
We had one of these in the 70s. I was but a lad, and I don't remember the technical details, but it was both terrifying and impressive. It would go through thick undergrowth pretty easily.
Brilliant, I remember the groundsmen at our local park using these when I was kid, they had them with the seating behind. They were built like tanks, would go over any type of ground. Have been looking at getting one for myself, if only for nostalgic reasons. So much better for cutting long grass whan a rotating blade. 👍🤗
I'm a lot younger than you and I threw out my back just watching this. Take care!
Alot of these were sold in Wales, I think that's why corgi's have such short Legg's!
Hi to Will, glad to see you enjoying life
would be cool to make the 2nd unit into a gas powered loco for your railway to shunt the hoppers to the drying tunnel
Now that is brilliant idea!
I do have a engine a similar size Suffolk something but this is one cylinder and made for a lawnmower I don't quite think it could handle all the bits and bobs that he would want to tow eg wood chips good idea tho!
I had that exact idea as well.
It doesn't look like the other one is in good enough condition to easily get it running again, it is more like a collection of spare parts for the running one.
It also doesn't have a real clutch, so you could just use the engine and you need to build clutch and gearbox yourself.
The easiest and probably the best option for a locomotive is to use the engine/gearbox assembly of a 50cc scooter and mount a small sprocket instead of the scooters rear wheel and a large sprocket to the axle of the loco. That gives you an easy to operate loco with lots of pulling force and a maximum speed of probably 10km/h. It already has a centrifugal clutch and CVT transmission, which is very good for accelerating a heavy train
great idea, though an engine swap might be nessesary,
that "spare parts" rig seemed rather rough, though i dint get a great look at the bore of the cylinder so im not certain
also it looks like its got a stuck ring on the piston, and it looks to be missing a ring
lookin at it a bit more it looks like the uhhh which port is that? intake? exhaust? either way the visible port is crushed and would be a not so easy repair i think so, yeah might be beter off doing an engine swap, find somthin with a bit more torque i think would work fine considering what its used for
I remember as a kid in the 50`s and old groundsman using one of these on the local park ,looked huge to us but obviously not in realty but always started first time for him .
Quite a fascinating little machine. I think it's great you've got such an old machine running, when I first saw it I thought it was a rototiller.
A kill switch would be an improvement! You could use a cheap outboard kill cord and switch wired into the points. The only Villiers engine I ever had was in a bike, probably the same technology 😅.
Wow. I Remember as a kid our local council grounds man using these. In winter they fitted a blade for clearing snow from the pavements
Got to love those Run behind tractors. LOL
Beautiful,it makes me remember my years as agricultural engineer with specialization in farm power and machinery .Well Done to all the team.
When I was a young boy, around the late 60s or early 70s, I lived opposite some common land.
Twice a year, once in high Summer and again in late Autumn, a workman would appear with exactly one of these machines and cut the 2 ft high grass on the common. I remember them so clearly. It took a day to cut our piece which my father reckoned was about 4 acres.
I remember following the man around for much of the day and being fascinated by the way the grass just fell in front of the cutters.
Thanks for the memory! 🙂
Remember watching three Allen Scythes working on a Estate in Ayrshire two cutting long grass one behind the other, the third with a hay sweep attached to the front pushing the cut grass into heaps.
I´m not the first one to say this probably, but it might be a good idea to put a breaker switch connected to a lanyard somewhere into the spark plug line, so if it runs away on you it won´t get very far. These kinds of lanyard are made for Jet skis and motor sleds and I think for some lawn mowers too, but you could probably also get one off an old treadmill or completely DIY a solution.
In any case, happy easter to all of you! :)
Good idea - thanks
My Dad had one of these when I was little, it had no exhaust and was loud as hell. It terrified me with it's booming engine and row of evil snicking metal teeth, always thought would chop my feet off!
We left it in the hedge it been in for the last 20 years when we moved house a few years back. Rest in peace green dragon.
15-50 hours 10/04/2023 Greetings from Berwyn. Mine came with a plough attachment I used to turn my allotment with in the 1970s. Best wishes
Great video - that machine is proper nightmare fuel for modern health and safety standards! Looking forward to seeing more of it.
Hack, cough, weeze! Agreed! But I think small holders/homesteaders using these appropriate technology devices should grant themselves some absolution: their carbon footprint is a sparrow's compared to the entrained carbon in a city dweller's hamburger!
@@viriato8566 You believe all that carbon nonsense then? I find it laughable and when you look into it properly none of it adds up. Just a way to tax the masses in my opinion.
That machine is both a beast and also scary. Glad you got it running and working for you
Thanks for this. I'm in need of a two-wheel tractor type machine. I live on top of a steep hill peak with trails going down to a creek and the rest of the property. It's all wooded and I would like a machine that fits on the trails and could have a cart attached to ferry tools, firewood, etc around the property. Unfortunately, I know zero about engines/motors, gearing, clutches and the like. BUT.... your video of this machine gave me a solution to ground clearance and large dia. wheels for good roll-over ability for rocks and bumps on the trail. Your machine wheels look like dirt bike wheels, which I hadn't though of. So thanks! :) According to the grey in my hair, I'm not getting any younger.... so lugging heavy tools and such for trail building and maintenance is only going to get more difficult. I've got a fully welding shop and wood shop so fabricating isn't a problem. I'd also like it to attach a snow plow to as my driveway is a pretty steep 1/4km long and I hand shovel it, and my more senior neighbours equally long drive in the winter. I'm hoping to find an example of an electric drive system, run off a couple of 12v Lith. batteries for quiet, low maintenance, not fumes, etc. But haven't ruled out a Honda engine. I don't need speed per say, but lots of torque is the priority for pulling heavy loads up steep narrow trails.
I'll continue my YT search for something someones made that I can learn and replicate. So if you or anyone has seen something that may be useful for me, please leave a comment.
Again, thanks for the inspiration on the wheels to use!
Regards,
Bert
Vancouver Island
We have something very similar made in the US... Kinco KMG 38. Changed our grass-cutting lives! All that long grass that wasn't in pastures was suddenly there to be cut by the sickle mower! Use it to keep the electric fence clear and to trim lilac shooters too! Brilliant machine, but far less cool-factor than yours Tim! Have fun- you'll never know how you managed without one!
Thanks, Morgan - yes, it's already making a difference!
Haha! You're one step closer to the tractor you've needed all along 😅
As soon as I saw that thing, I envisioned it on rails!
I had a similar Villiers engine on a vintage See Bee outboard which needed some TLC.
I discovered the last stash of available spares for it were in Meetens of Wimbledon West London.
The timing I was advised (by the old gent working there) was done with the aid of a stick pushed down the hole for the spark plug.
What you do is to rotate the engine (with stick in place acting as a depth gauge) until it's at Top Dead Center (TDC) Mark the stick and then reverse the engine direction until it's 3/16" lower.
Then you set your points. Very crude but it worked. Hope you find that either helpful or amusing Tim.
Borrowed one of these for an afternoon & never again! I had the same clutch problems & the same turning issues & decided it was too much noise, exhaust gas & trouble. Now I have an Allen corded machine with a four stroke engine that is altogether safer and easier, but it’s consumption of cord is a vexation & it doesn’t give the same quality of cut grass for making into hay. Of all the grass cutting machines I have used a drum mower behind a tractor is the best, but maybe useless for you if it sunk into the mud. Good luck & thanks for sharing. Ps be wary of modern petrols that absorb water & if left in machines can cause major corrosion & gunk troubles.
I never realized there was a main channel LOL. Marvelous.
I can remember my grandad wrestling with one of these in the early sixties. I think, when it won't start, you have to swear at it while you wrap the piece of string round the pulley, then it will go.
I suppose that if there was not a fan club for this contraption before, there is likely to be one now. It looks like a great machine
I never saw a scythe like that but when I was a kid (1970's) my dad ran a cattle farm. We made bale string cutters out of scythe teeth like those on your machine. It was basically just one of those teeth with a handle attached. One of us kids would be driving the truck and the other was on the back to feed the cows. You'd pick up a bale with both hands, one holding each string, and one also holding the cutter. You'd then cut the first string and move that string to the hand not holding the cutter so that hand was now hold two strings but the far string wasn't cut yet. Then you'd buck the bale out and cut the other string just as the bale started to fall. If you did it right the bale would sort of explode lengthwise when it hit the manger bottom so it spread out nicely for the cows. If you missed cutting the second string both you and the bale were going in the manger :)
I can remember these machines from the 1950/60's when I was a kid. Birmingham City Council Parks Department had loads of these machines which were used for grass cutting around the various estates. Gangs of men used to turn up in a small lorry, with a handful of these machines on the back, fuel them up and away they'd go. Never thought to see one these working again. Brilliant to see one, thanks. 👍🏻👍🏻
When you go to disengage the clutch, a sharp push down on the handles at the same time takes off the preload, It makes the clutch far easier to release/ use .......... the later models had a 4stroke engine... was a great improvement ...
Thanks - someone else said I should lift the handles, but your suggestion sounds easier..
Blimey I wasn't expecting a worm drive in there!
What a wonderful old machine. Back in the 1950s or early '60s, a neighbor had an only scythe mower he let us operate. We asked what to avoid. He said there's no need to avoid anything, even small trees. We experimented with a sapling that was perhaps 3 inches thick at the base. We raised the blade and it cut through the trunk above the base where it was maybe 2-1/2 inches in diameter. Although it took a while, the blade never stopped until it cut its way through the tree. Because of the blade design, they stop at nothing.
That looks like a rock solid machine! You haven't bought a mower, you've bought a tractor.
Will has a great smile and a peaceful disposition...imo.
☮
Dad used one of those when we moved in an old house that had been unkempt for a couple of years in the 60's. The jungle was too much for our mower👍 Another great vid
As a kid my dad had a caravan site and one of these to mow it, used to take him two days and used to shake his arms exhaust him so he bought a little grey fergie and a Hayter three rotor mower to go on the back, the job could be done in an afternoon and even at the age of 12 I used to enjoy cutting the grass.
I have one my grandfather bought in 1954 in the United States. Pretty cool
The groundsman had one at my school in late 50,s remember him walking behind it.
I was so excited when it started
I thoughts these were meant for cutting through brush and overgrowth rather than grass 😂
What an amazing old girl.
Wishing all the best with these units. Years ago I was a member of a ski club and we had a dry slope nearlby and a show slope up in the hills. We used two of these to mow the upland grass so there was less chance of it poking through the snow in the winter months. They were great uphill and a bit sketchy when going down, but not too bad. You just had to be ready to let go and try to rotate the mover to prevent it running away. Cool and unique machines. Lovin' the vids and your work. Thanks!!
Great video, plenty of laughs. Please keep them coming .
Thanks, will do!
DEFINITELY invented before health and safety was a thing. I love seeing old machines like that being used.
ideal for the wet conditions , it light enough to do the job with out bogging in , reminds me of those DR. mowers,
Blimey, keeps the driver fit running round at the ends!! Love it!
Oh wow, a nice long video 👍
Hi Tim. They are a great machine. I have struggled with some rough land in Donegal that I only cut once a year. I got one of these about 8 years ago and reckon it is the only way for matted scutch grass and rushes. I have posted a number of videos on my one but here are some points I wish someone told me. The flywheel comes off by jamming it with a long bar in the fins and then loosening the nut in the centre. The nut goes slack but because it is captive if you keep unscrewing it it will withdraw the flywheel from the tapered shaft. There is no woodruff key on the flywheel so timing is achieved by perfect location of the flywheel on the shaft. I have posted a video of this on my channel. There should be a cover on your points. It is a little disk of tin that would be easier replaced. The fingers on the mower bar are cast iron but each has an anvil of steel riveted to it where the blade runs over. You could inspect the anvils and see if they are worn. Another lick of the grinder to square up may help. Someone else mentioned it but sweeping the machine forward quickly when you disengage the clutch helps to get it off and when starting off if you walk it a bit you might save wear. I have used mine to cut saplings, it works fine as long as the drive is not engaged. I have also used mine completely underwater. No problem. People berate them for safety, there is no risk for the user as long as you stay between the handles. Good luck to anyone in front!
Thanks Owen. Yes, I saw the one where you added the extra foot plate - very interesting. I shall investigate further..!
Those things are dope. I sold a scythe attachment for a 2 wheel machine around a decade ago to a collection who had a bunch of those 2 wheel machines. I sold quite a bit of stuff that my neighbor had. I got 50% of what ever I sold it for and I sold everything he had from tires to attachments to whole machines. I could never find the attachment that I wanted which was the mini baler.
I still want one so that I can bale my 2 acres of grass rather than mowing it down every couple of years. Since I have been cleaning it up and with any luck the end of the year I should have ever thing removed from it and it will be pure grass land.
a mini baler attachment would be perfect for bales of bedding rushes too. Let me know if you find two of them : - )
When I was a boy there were several around here. Several stories too ! Farmer Kenny Emmett used one cutting his orchards and footpaths through the kale. He tackled the big clumps of brambles in Mimie's Hills and found he could set it going one side of the clump and catch the bugger the other side.
Until, in the middle, a bramble knocked the throttle off. He had to walk back to the farm for the long handled hook. I remember Father and Mother talking about it, the allotments men and customers in Beryle's shop.
Dad always used a paper match pack to gap points and plugs!
I would like to see one with E-Bike motors and batteries. It would be quiet and probably almost as powerful :)
It's always interesting seeing these machines from long before safety was invented.
I think this is where the term: "famous last words", comes from.
Unique little piece of machinery.
As you have discovered, an absolutely brilliant machine from the good old days of British engineering. It's the weight that does it. Villiers spares still available and plenty of other donor parts can still be found through the usual sources. That carb for example, no plastic bits or membranes in there to perish away! I would say the engine is running about as good as it gets when idling, runs better when working hard, and the clutch is either in or out, no smooth transition available . A few tips:
1 If it stalls when hot out in the field, turn off the fuel, go and have a cup of tea and try again later. The backfiring, whilst part of the fun, is probably due to fuel starvation..
2 Put some padding on the open ends of those handlebars to save bruised thighs and nadgers. Gloves also help prevent blisters from all that vibration. You don't actually need to grip the handlebars, a light guiding touch is more the thing.
3 If you trip over and let go, she will just keep going and demolish and/or cut off at ground level anything in her path. Animals, pets, wives beware!
4 When turning 180 degrees, knock her out of gear to save running round like a ballerina, and then off you go again. You can disable the drive on one wheel or other with the ratchet on the hub, ok if doing one direction turns all day, but of course you then only have one wheel drive.
thanks, Patrick - makes sense : - )
You and Will are geniuses! I enjoy watching you two at work. Keep showing us your masterful mind, solving problems and creating art out of almost nothing. And I sure envy you your green grass from up here in the frigid, snow white north of Wis, USA.
I'm seeing two extra uses. First one, spread your charcoal over a field and run that monster over them. No need for the charcoal grinder :) Second one, if you can get the spare one's engine running, it could be ideal traction for your railway!
What a beautiful old machine! :) I love stuff like that. Built to last, with very little regard given to safety. People were smarter in those days, and if they weren't, they learned a lesson REAL fast. The turning maneuver reminds me of the self-propelled lawn aerator that I rent every couple of years from a local rental place. It has 2 speed settings: stop, and GO. It moves very quickly, and in order to go around a turn, you have to do a little run, just like you showed in the video :D
What a wonderful machine considering it’s age it still runs after all these years