Suffolk Colt Mower.

Hi,

Thanks Sandy; I'm pleased you find it of interest.

Yes there are always different ways to do a job; like you though I used the same method of lapping cylinder heads whilst restoring my old motorcycles over 40 years ago; a glass door from an oven is perfect it being dead flat but I struggle for time in the workshop and haven't used the glass door for years so rather than spend time searching for it the bandsaw cast iron table was pressed into service for this mower; I found the 150g abrasive paper to be quick and do a decent job. Yes making gaskets is easy enough; I bet you've made gaskets from brown paper too tapping around with a small spanner to create a perfectly fitting gasket; I've made many such paper gaskets for timing covers.

I too was most surprised to find a 5mm x 0.75 tap to exactly match the carb adjusting screw thread but it does being a perfect fit.



I bought some sheet copper with the intention of making a new head gasket but as I say I struggle to spend time in the workshop hence I bought a new head gasket which was cheap anyway. I'll be making carb manifold gaskets though and have suitable gasket material to hand seen above. There used to be a stall at Rufforth Auto Jumble selling all kinds of gasket materials but I've not seen it for a long time?

I wonder if you Sandy and I are talking a strange language because few these days will understand what we're discussing because it doesn't involve a mobile phone welded to an ear or football etc? All the old skills are rapidly dying out in our present throw away society; I love playing around with old machines because they are usually very well made and can be taken apart with a handful of spanners.

I've enjoyed a morning in the workshop paint stripping; I could have simply given the mower a fresh lick of pain but where's the fun in doing that; I'm taking my time enjoying myself.

Kind regards, Colin.


First coat of paint stripper.


Second coat of paint stripper.


It takes a lot of time and effort to do a job right but the end result is always well worth it and I'm doing this just for the love of doing it.



I never take chances with health & safety; please note the fan heater; this fan heater is on fan only putting an airstream between me and the paint stripper fumes; these fumes are dangerous in a confined space so I'm only doing a couple of sections at a time.

The only thing missing is the smell of "Gunk"

 

Hi,

After a weeding session earlier this morning I popped into the workshop for an hour and did a bit more work on this mower. The clutch drum was looking sorry for itself so I cheered it up then I cleaned the four spacing bars for the frame sides; just an excuse really to play on my lathe.

Kind regards, Colin.


The clutch drum needing some TLC so it's come to the right place.


Chucked in my Union Graduate lathe and made good using coarse grit abrasive paper.


One of the spacing bars being made ready for paint.



The four spacing bars nicely cleaned; any excuse to play with my lathes. I also hand sanded the air cleaner housing. I'm hopelessly colour blind so I asked Bron to please help out; The colour chosen is BS381C 221 Brilliant Green.

 

@Retired Theres a phrase "handy with spanners." Back in our day, as well as many of the other older members on here, this meant that someone was able to diagnose a fault, strip the thing down, repair it, then put it back together.

Nowadays, it means "I recognise that. It might be a spanner. I dont know what its used for though..."

Burnt Castrol R smells a lot better than Gunk…

 

Hi,

Thanks Sandy; yes oh so true what you say; if it hasn't got a button to press on it these days many haven't a clue what it's used for; those of us who grew up in the fifties and sixties usually started off repairing push bikes; yes repairing them because mummy & daddy couldn't afford to buy us a new bike; then onto motorbikes and in later years onto old bangers again having to repair them. Kids are stressed out these days not having legs with feet on the end due to mummy taking them to the school door in the latest monster 4X4.

Castrol R brings back memories; it's many years since I smelled some; possibly the last time in Mick Grant's workshop in Middlestown; I gave Mick a lift down from the bench with his racing bike then he opened the workshop doors and fired the bike up; I can still hear and smell it. Happy memories; Mick took my new BMW R75/5 for a spin round the village.

I'm sure you'll know what Linklife is Sandy; it's no longer sold but it has a replacement;

PUTOLINE CHAIN WAX BOIL IN THE TIN TYPE LINKLIFE FOR MOTORCYCLE MOTORBIKE CHAINS | eBay

I still use Solvol Autosol; I used Solvol over 40 years ago for polishing aluminium and it's still available today and still just as good.

I wanted to cut the grass this afternoon but as usual Blackie's keeping the dust down so I'll just have to force myself to wander into the workshop.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

I'm of the same era as yourself and Sandy, @Retired. As a female raised in a family of males I had no chance of being brought up on the more feminine side of life. My late father and younger brother were/are mechanical engineers, my older brother a plumber and all with various hobbies. As a teenager you would find me now and again with my head under the bonnet of a car alongside my dad, but I didn't have the knowledge to tinker. I understand what you are doing and am aware of the parts you speak of but not the finer details of precision you use. I find your thread fascinating especially with the interaction between you and @Sandy Ground.

I remember sitting at the dinner table with my family (all six of us) and a discussion about something mechanical or diy going on. That table had and needed a formica top (remember that?) and by the end of our meal was partially covered in pencil drawings that my dad had made to explain something. He'd then disappear, pencil behind his ear, back to what we called his boat shed leaving my mum to remove the drawings with washing up liquid.

 

Well you all know how old I am, 80 come December. Colin I have to say how much I have enjoyed this thread. Returning to those days, no hot water, WC in the garden, tin bath in front of the fire. To us at the time, this was the norm. So the kettle sprung a leak. Today it would be chucked away. Then, a BA nut & bolt plus two washers and the hole was covered....put kettle on mum. Back to your mower. The Suffolk series were great, except for the problem you identified. This was an aspect of life back then. More often than not, you came by whatever as a hand-down. Pennies were in short supply so you had to have a go and get things working again.
Thankfully in those days items were really made and could be repaired. Nowadays we live in a throwaway world. You mention motorcycles. yes had my ups and downs there, also cars. In the police and being a traffic cop, we had to learn a lot about motors etc. So much so, that legislation bought about the need for all trafpols (traffic police) to undergo a City & Guilds course in motor mechanics. In simple terms. You could drive out of a MOT test with a pass and a trafpol could check your vehicle over and fail it.
Just before leaving the police, I was issued with a Triumph 6T unmarked motor cycle, the only outward signs were, the fire extinguisher and the legshield pouch for the truncheon. The two guys at workshops who took care of my bike were great.

It was when having left the JOB I became a Dep. Supt on the LCC/GLC parks dept. One day one of the tractors required attention. A council van pulls into the yard and this fitter jumps out. Hey bloody hell, Mike. I always wondered what had happened to you. He'd changed employers for whatever reason. He was a wizard at his game. The other fiiter mentioned had been a RAF aircraft mechanic. Great guys. I'm confident they could get a snail to do at least 10MPH.

Back to times past. I considered from an early age. Stock & Dies were a must, as so easilly could threads be stripped. Hey Colin. I still have a can of touch in cellulose paint with brush wonder what it's worth. Now today. It's a throwaway world. Too much plastic and non serviceable parts. Even with your car or bike. You need a diagnostic computer. Come the end of the day. Here's you bill Sir.

Many thank Colin for posting. Great thread.

 

Hi,

Many thanks Sheal for your interesting story; yes in our days girls climbed trees and built dens with the best of us lads; handbags & makeup what were these used for? How did we all live without a mobile phone; tablet or computer; we not only lived but we enjoyed ourselves playing out from dawn till dusk with school inbetween; we also went to real schools where teachers were in charge and if really naughty six of the best from the headmaster; our woodwork teacher introduced all new pupils to his three friends these being straps made of conveyor belt in three different widths; hardly a lesson in woodworking passed that a lad had his toes tucked under a bench with his chest on the bench top; I hated woodwork and detested that teacher failing in the subject when I left school. I'm sure you'll have found your old life very interesting Sheal when it seemed everyone enjoyed an hobby.

You mentioning Formica Sheal brought back memories of not only long ago but also a few years ago. Bron and I visit Boundary Mills and the branch in Colne moved from the very old mill complex to a brand new huge building; I was always most impressed by the decor in the gents toilets; I knew the doors etc to be Formica but I couldn't be sure so I emailed Boundary Mills to enquire; a very helpful lady responded saying she had been in touch with the builders and it was indeed Formica but of a pattern no longer supplied; I thanked her for her troubles then spent ages browsing the web and eventually found a Formica supplier based in Morley; I like to experiment and at the time wanted a new computer desk; no ordinary flat pack desk but a desk I was going to make; solid oak and Formica were chosen and I'm sitting at the desk as I type.



Full sheets of Formica.


18mm thick MDF desk top coated with contact adhesive ready to receive Formica.



Entirely my own design and made by me; the rear of the top is recessed hiding seven single 13A sockets; these sockets I dreamt up being fed up of tangling my feet in dangling cables.



Matching oak knobs I turned and the fronts are inlaid with Formica discs.



This desk is very heavy; the left had pedestal is left open for computer ventilation. I found making this desk a lot more interesting than wandering around IKEA; definitely not cheap but it's unique and anyone can do likewise if they really want to.

What an interesting life you've led Mike; thanks for sharing your story. Your police bike the Triumph 6T; weren't these bikes called the "Saint" having full fairing etc? We sure had it rough as kids unlike now; food used to be a luxury; phones were in phone boxes with "A" & "B" buttons; very few could afford a car and the ones who could spent more time repairing them than actually using them. Is your little can of cellulose touch up paint "Belco" by any chance; I used lots of this on my bikes. At 80 Mike you're a bit senior to my 71 so you can go back even further; you'll remember all the trades were well regarded secrets; no tradesmen ( sorry ladies in those days the wives remained home looking after the kids) would discuss how they did a job or materials they used and each trade didn't overlap; a painter was a painter; a sparky was a sparky etc?

I'd forgotten about using washers to seal a leaking kettle; penny washers were used these so called because their diameter was the same as an old penny. Wiping joints on lead pipes and even using lead paint springs to mind; oh how that lead paint used to last. Most guys had stocks and dies plus a full range of spanners; motorcycles with sidecars were very common; I passed my bike test on a 650cc BSA Golden Flash fitted with a double adult sidecar.

I'd better get back on track or I might get my collar felt.

I did a bit more work paint stripping yesterday afternoon and after tea I did cut the grass in spite of Blackie my pet cloud wetting me AGAIN.

One thing I'm really keen about is taking lots of digital images of every project/job I do and I always back these up either to SSD or memory sticks. I do have a few old pics going back to around 1972/3. The two below might be of interest to you Mike?



Me on a Brough Superior in 1971.



My first of two BMW's R75/5's this also in 1971 the bike bought second hand at a year old; the year after I bought brand new the second of the same model but kitted it out with full fairing and crash bars etc; I could have bought a terrace house for the price of this bike.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

@Retired your post made me think a little, as well as bring back a memory or two.

Back in the '60's, Triumph made three different 650's. They were designated (if memory serves) as 6T which was the Thunderbird. TR6 which was the Trophy, and T120 which was the Bonneville. For the Police, initially they had a version of the Thunderbird, then later, a version of the Trophy, designated TR6P. It was this one that was referred to as the Saint. I have a vague recollection that one of the Police versions used just one of the same cams the Bonneville did.

Regarding your 750 BMW. I also used to have the same model and year. Linking to the above, it wasan ex-Swedish Police version. It soon got the lengthened swinging arm that was fitted to the later versions though. That was because on the German autobahns, it did a very passable impression of a squirrel... I have fond memories of that bike, because after the change, I rode from Den Haag to here in 11 hours. That included two 1 hour ferry crossings...

 

Hi,

Many thanks Sandy for your reminiscences; Triumphs did indeed make a number of 650cc models and another one is the T110; a friend owned one of these and it developed an unusual fault whereby it's gears wouldn't change so I was called in. Upon removing the gearbox outer cover I quickly found that a burr had been created around the gearbox mainshaft acting just like a circlip preventing the gears from sliding on the shaft; I removed the burr using a fine engineers file and all was well once again; I hadn't a clue what had caused the burr. With your bike knowledge Sandy you'll remember Triumphs "Slick shift" gear change allowing gears to be changed by only using the gear lever. I rode many Triumphs including the 750cc Trident but I never did own a Triumph. My cousins husband owned a Thunderbird the one with the bathtub rear fairing; a nice bike and we did many miles on it.

Without doubt Sandy the BMW's were the best bikes I ever owned and in the early seventies anyone owning one of these were king of the road because they were so expensive; you must have been as mad as me in your biking days; I used to do Wakefield/London/Wakefield in a morning; our police were just starting to buy these R75/5's. It's highly unlikely I'll ever ride another motorcycle; five mates killed and me a coffin bearer for one; it was bad enough in the early seventies but biking these days is just lethal especially now those in cars who aren't drunk are on drugs just waiting to cause an accident?

Blackie's just put more rain down on me so I've come indoors feeling too tired to wander into the workshop; I decided the time had come to remove yet another hedge; this to one side of the steps leading up to the bungalow. I managed to cut half down and carry it half way up the rear garden to where I do the shredding before Blackie joined in. This is the hedge before I started work on it.

Yesterday afternoon I spent ages scraping the mower cylinder down to bare metal also a metal shield then I treated them with a rust preventing liquid; I've just taken a couple of pictures showing the metals reaction to the liquid.

The sun is shining now I've had a soaking; GRRRRR.

Kind regards, Colin.


The mower cylinder after an experiment with the rust converter liquid.


I managed to cut down half the hedge and carry it up the garden before Blackie joined in; I plan to remove the other half first thing tomorrow morning but no doubt I'll get another soaking for my efforts; then of course more soakings as I use the shredder.


It sure looks rough but this rust converter/preventer is powerful stuff; a rub down with a UPOL abrasive pad then a couple of coats of paint will make a lot of difference.



The metal shield also treated.

 

@Retired this has all been very interesting! That rust converter - what make is it please? You never know, could be handy... I was a physicist before being a software engineer, and in my degree they taught us to use a lathe and do a bit of metal bashing just so that we knew enough not to ask someone to make something impossible for us. It gave you a lot of respect for people who could do that sort of engineering.

 

Hi,

Thanks for asking CarolineL; It's McKlords Rust Converter;

McKLords Rust Converter and Primer | McKLords Ltd | The Chemical Manufacturer

I bought 2L a few years ago thinking it to be a rust preventative paint but it's actually as thin as water and goes a long long way;



Did you enjoy lathe work and metal bashing? I've been doing both for the last 55 years and never become bored of them?

Kind regards, Colin.


There should be a law against retirement; now I'm retired I seem to get less time to play with my toys; another hedge taken down to ground level with the stumps/roots still to dig up.



Our hedges are very old so it's not a simple task to remove them; here are a few stumps more like trees than hedge. It's finally stopped raining but I'm now wet with sweat as I enjoy a mug of tea; I'll be full on shredding shortly. I'm looking forward to getting my hands dirty again on this mower.

 

Hi,

This morning I was determined to do a bit more work on this mower so I kept out of the gardens.

Having got some of the larger components ready for painting I decided to paint them before they got messed up again. I used a rattle can of primer then after dinner brushed on a coat of machinery enamel; the enamel is Arcforce; Agricoat; Gloss enamel Colour BS221. I asked Bron to please choose the colour because I'm hopelessly colour blind and looking at the original colour and new colour to me it could be either green or brown? I feel as though I'm now making positive progress.

Kind regards, Colin.


Rattle can primer.



Machinery enamel gloss top coat; one coat has covered very well; I bought 1L of this enamel and the tin is still almost full so I'll have plenty paint for future garden items.

 

@Retired its coming along well.

 

Hi,

Thanks Sandy.

It's slow going due to other more pressing jobs needing doing but I keep doing a bit more on the mower and every bit helps. I've just enjoyed an hour pottering around with the fuel tank which I've just primered with paint.

Kind regards, Colin.


I had a real fight on my hands removing the rusted on tank filler cap but after an hour rubbing down and blowing over with a rattle can of primer the tank is looking new once again. The engine shroud will be next.



I'm not in a hurry.

 

Maybe slow going for you, but fast by my standards....