Suffolk Colt Mower.

Hi,

Thanks Sheal for adding the interesting picture; nice family and nice bikes too. Restoring bikes no longer appeals to me Sheal; I've done this many times before the bikes became classics; in my day I could buy big singles like my Norton 500cc ES2 for a fiver; I rode all kinds of bikes with my biking chums for about ten years restoring many of them; I finished off with a new BMW R75/5. I lost interest in bikes would you believe because of my constant companion Blackie; I seemed to spend as much time cleaning bikes as I did riding them; I became fed up of the constant soakings; if not rain then sleet or snow; I used to ride in all weather so it wasn't a case of being soft. I'll never forget the thrill of a big bike at the tight end of the throttle cable; there's quite a few sharp bends on the M1 whilst riding flat out. It's just too unsafe these days with the amount of traffic and also to ride now as I used to I'd be locked up if caught.

Thanks for your interesting input Sandy. No I hadn't forgotten the spec of the Japanese bikes; have you ever stripped say an Honda CB175cc engine? What a revelation to see the crankcase split horizontally; this alone put our British bikes in the dark ages. Honda's didn't wet themselves either leaving a round puddle of oil whenever they were parked. British bikes were slower revving and each rev used to be felt through hands and feet; filaments used to break in bulbs and bits used to fall off; Norton didn't solve this vibration at source instead they rubber mounted their engines; the Norton Atlas 750cc I owned was a load of junk; every time it hit 110mph it shattered its piston skirts; my BSA A65 Lightning suffered terrible vibration too with feet and hands dancing on footrests and handlebars; I'll never forget the tingling fingers after a short blast.

I'm well aware of the problems not only with BSA/Triumph but general apathy with our bike manufacturers; yes the board members let us down by arriving in big flash cars and I bet none of them threw a leg over a saddle for many years hence how poor our bikes were in general.

I think you'll remember these Sandy;

Honda CBX - Wikipedia

I saw these first at the Manchester bike show; absolutely amazing at the time.

My chums and I used to be in tears of laughter at Ogri?

Ogri - Wikipedia

I hadn't realized we were off topic?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

I've stripped several Honda engines, including the forerunner to the CB175, which if you remember was the CD175. That was one of the first bikes I ever used for track racing, and lead to me meeting one of the most famous engine designers that ever lived. We corresponded for perhaps 15 or 20 years until his passing.

Returning to Hondas, the one thing that I never liked was the fact that the cam in the och ones ran directly in the head without a bearing.

Like you, I used to laugh my head off at Ogri...

 

Hi,

Thanks Sandy. These days I prefer the comfort of our Skoda Yeti and it doesn't rain in.

What a wonderful thing to find this morning; out of curiosity I felt under the Colt petrol tank to check for a petrol leak; of course it was asking for trouble; one small paint blister at the newly soldered patch and when I pressed it a drop of petrol on my fingers; the tank should really have a zip around it. The tank is coming off yet again and be drained allowing all fuel and fumes to disperse; I've declared war on it. I'm unsure if my cartridge gun will braze but if it will then I'll clear the solder and braze over the pinhole; why do a job once when I can do it a number of times. GRRRRR.

I've just knocked off for a mug of tea; polishing the Yeti ready for tomorrow when it gets collected for it's third service; normally we would trade in before three years but there isn't a car we like better than our Yeti so we're keeping the Yeti; shame on Skoda for dropping the Yeti; we'd have happily bought another brand new one.

I've just turned the Yeti round in our driveway because the sun is hot which is very rare indeed here; I'll polish the shade side. I hope I don't melt because I'm not used to sunshine.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

I once rode a Vincent (apt name) Black Shadow, British was always best if you could forgive the oil stains?

 

Hi,

Thanks Vince; yes the Vincents were top end of British bikes; my late friends Ronnie & Daisy ran a Vincent Rapide combination for years; in his day Ronnie was a master cabinet maker following the work wherever it took him; I believe he spent quite a bit of time in the Jewish quarter of Leeds.

Vincent Black Shadow - Wikipedia

The Black Shadow was the middle bike with the Black Lightning fastest and only 31 of these 150mph bikes were ever built. I've never ridden a Vincent so you're one up on me although I have ridden a Brough Superior. Good old days of biking before speed cameras and road humps etc.

A friend over in Pontefract used to have quite a few vintage Rolls Royces and Bentleys plus other desirable cars; he also had an impressive bike collection including at least two Vincent's; sadly one day he arrived home with a sports Bentley to find his wife had left him for another guy; not surprising really given the time he spent in his many workshops; decent guy though both Bron and I liked him. It was the only time we've ever sat in a roller.

I've removed the Colt petrol tank AGAIN and drained the petrol; the tank is outside in the hot sunshine with its cap and tap removed allowing fumes to disperse; I'm going to explain to this Colt if it doesn't start to behave it will end up being recycled.

I'm making the most of this rare heatwave; the Yeti is polished and gleaming; I'm now trimming more laurels having just knocked off for a mug of tea.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

I've just been playing with the petrol tank again; I was mistaken about the new patch I applied leaking; the new pinhole is in another position; why couldn't it leak the same time as the first pinhole; this time I've cut a brass dome head machine screw off short and drilled and tapped the tank to accept the screw then I've soldered the screw joint. The paintwork is messed up again but before repainting I'll fill the tank with petrol and watch for more leaks; if this tank wants to play games and wind me up it's reached the end of its line; if it continues to leak I'll scrap it because it's becoming more trouble to me than what it's worth. I could end up chasing rainbows if I'm not careful; I like trying new things so I wonder how difficult it would be for me to design and make a new petrol tank from scratch; I'm mad enough to try anything.

I've just checked the tank and so far it's now decided to behave and stop leaking; I left the tank outside in the sun to test it. I've now drained it again and will make good the paint; I was wondering if ever I'd move on from this wayward tank.

Kind regards, Colin.


The new pin hole I've opened up a bit removing surrounding paint down to primer.


Here's the very short brass domed head machine screw cleaned ready to solder in.



The screw soldered in. Unfortunately doing this repair results in collateral damage to surrounding paint; my soldering iron isn't powerful enough for this work and my cartridge Rothenberger blow lamp is much too fierce although it did the job; this is the tank bottom but I still want it to look decent; just because it's out of sight doesn't mean compromise on quality of my work. I find it strange that the tiniest pinhole like this in a petrol tank leaks but yet carburettor jets with a much larger hole block up?

 

Hi,

Mostly out of curiosity I bought an electric paint spraying kit through eBay at £20.69; at the price I thought it would be extremely poor but nothing ventured etc. It arrived very quickly and as today has been very warm I decided to try this sprayer out this afternoon.

Electric HVLP Paint Sprayer Spray Gun Lacquer Fence Wall Furniture 650W 800ml | eBay

I had ready mixed primer this 50/50 primer & thinners cellulose so I poured some into the gun and set everything up on our driveway; what a total surprise this little kit proved to be; at first it threw the paint on to such an extent I was rewarded with a couple of curtains; not to worry it will flat out OK it being primer; I then adjusted the trigger travel putting less paint out; I was working in brilliant sunshine so it was difficult to judge how much paint was being sprayed but the grass box turned out very well indeed as seen in the pictures.

The sprayer is much more powerful and noisy than expected; it's lightweight with short hose and power cable but at the price it's amazing; cleaning the gun was as easy as other paint guns I have.

Kind regards, Colin.


This result from the cheap sprayer at first attempt; it would have handled thicker paint but I usually spray at 50/50 giving a fine finish without orange peel; the gun was nicely balanced.


Much quicker than brushing even taking into account time to clean the gun out.


The inside was also blown in with primer.



The extension lead and spray outfit; it's very easy to move around and lightweight; there is a shoulder strap supplied making it very mobile; how these are supplied at the price is astonishing and the price even included delivery.

 

Hi,

The Colt petrol tank has pushed me a bit too far; if I respray it yet again I'm sure it will laugh at me very soon and pop another leak; I don't trust it one bit and regard it as unsafe and a serious fire risk even if it's only in the garden hut. I feel the repairs I've thus far carried out in successfully sealing the two separate petrol leaks to be beneath me and unacceptable; this tank has to go. If I buy a second hand Colt tank I might be buying yet more trouble; why do things easy when I can do things as I usually do the hard way; now what about a nice little project making a new petrol tank from scratch assuming I can ever get time to concentrate and visit my workshop which becomes increasingly difficult.

This morning I got out of bed to more trouble; badgers visited yesterday morning whilst we were out digging two big holes in our rear garden under an oak tree; I filled the holes in but the holes were there again this morning; by 9 o'clock I was wet; not Blackie this time but sweat; I filled in the holes once again but this time have bedded heavy stones into the ground. I now wonder with my constant bad luck if the badgers will arrive with sand and cement to use the stones for a new home? Every day I get up to problems which always shatter my concentration and divert me from what I really want to do. This Colt mower can now jolly well wait on me sorting the petrol tank out; I've had enough of these silly problems now I'm good and stubborn.

Kind regards, Colin.


We've had a family of badgers visiting us for a few years and they've been made welcome by leaving a pile of peanuts out each night but now they are causing damage I'm afraid enough is enough and they need a new home; Bron and I are animal lovers and would never hurt anything at all but we don't want the badgers moving is as pets.



Heavy stones bedded into the ground; I hope the badgers take the hint?

 

A little tip for you. Assuming that you are not to bothered about originality, look for a fuel tank for a Tecumseh H50 engine. They are made out of plastic, therefore dont rust. All that you would really need is to make up a couple of mounting brackets which are easy enough to do.

 

Hi,

Many thanks Sandy for your excellent suggestion and one I've been considering.

I enjoy doing unusual projects and have just been browsing TIG welders on eBay and watched an aluminium welding YouTube video. I've been welding steel for over 50 years only ever using the arc welder but I've never tried MIG or TIG welding. I thought great; a brand new 200A mig welder at £200 would suit me fine to play around with until I read the bottom line; it doesn't weld aluminium? I just don't believe my luck in anything I try to do? It looks like around £500 for a new TIG that welds aluminium; funds really aren't a problem at all but if I did buy another welder it would remain mostly unused which is a shame; I've no chance of welding very thin steel either; my oil cooled Oxford arc welder would just blow holes in the steel.

I'd no intention of sticking with the original shape of Colt tank so it looks like I'll be doing as you kindly suggest and add a plastic tank saving me lots of work. I just fancied having a go at MIG welding aluminium; here's an alternative I also considered;



I have a Rothenberger torch so brazing aluminium would be easy for me; I'm used to oxy/acetylene welding; brazing and cutting being taught these as an apprentice by the NCB. I never liked gas welding steel due to the massive distortion and I've only ever needed to arc weld on the heavy stuff like RSJ's.

My problem is getting quality workshop time; after such a bad start this morning it spoiled my day again; I'm retired and always seem to have to do jobs that need doing rather than doing jobs I'd like to do. During our joke of a summer I'm working like mad outside; our detached bungalow and gardens are high maintenance with just Bron and I doing everything unlike our neighbours who get someone in to even change a light bulb.

I've got the skills and a well equipped workshop but I suffer for it because I'm forever being dragged into other peoples problems; I'm soft and I know it so I get taken advantage of; over the next three weeks I'm feeding two cats twice daily for neighbours at the street end; they are excellent neighbours but when I popped on to collect the keys last night I got yet another soaking from Blackie it never lets up; I have turned neighbours requests down; can you service my companies pneumatic tyre tread cutting tools there's about 30 to do at the moment? Another neighbour can you service power tools for the company I work at there's about 40 so far? Can't guys do anything these days other than watch sport? I'm flattered that neighbours approach me for such jobs but in 33 years of living here only one neighbour has kindly taken in a parcel for us; now I'm retired I'm fair game for everyone.

I'm forever plagued by my pet cloud Blackie and his sister Gale here on the valley side; the weather is totally unpredictable but it's home to us and in spite of the problems we love living here.

I'll browse eBay for a plastic tank and update in due course; I really do want to finish this mower restoration off before winter hits us again.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

A quick update;

Strengthened Plastic Petrol Fuel Tank 49cc ATV MIni Moto Quad With Wavy Plastics | eBay

Just bought one of these to play around with. Awaiting delivery.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

A few thoughts here. It is possible to use a MIG welder for aluminium. To do it will mean using a spray transfer technique, what is known as a spool gun, and usually Argon gas.

Having said that. I would normally use a TIG welder for aluminium, as I did for this job…



… the thing to remember is that it MUST be an AC TIG, and not DC. As in the MIG welding of aluminium, argon should be used as a shielding gas, or if that isnt available, helium.

Hope this helps, even if you have just ordered a plastic tank!

 

Hi,

Many thanks Sandy for your useful information; it's most appreciated. I'm very impressed by your aluminium welding; thanks for the picture; it takes me back many years to when I worked in chemicals; the aluminium style of welding is very much like lead burning. There's always a guy in a pick up at Rufforth Auto Jumble selling assorted bottles of gas for welding.

I've watched YouTube videos on both MIG & TIG welding often wondering if it would be worthwhile buying a TIG welder; as you'll know Sandy there are usually a number of ways of doing a job; I enjoy pottering around in the workshop and even considered copper or brass to make a new tank from both easily solder without expensive equipment; I had thought a big diameter brass tube with metal spun brass ends soldered in as the main tank; I'd like to do more metal spinning and this petrol tank as a project would be a good excuse



Above are aluminium reflectors I metal spun during my recent coach lamp restoration; few these days know of metal spinning let alone doing it; I needed six new reflectors so I learned how to metal spin; not easy but very interesting. I also made the solid oak desk they are sitting on.



Metal spinning such as the above is definitely not easy but I'm determined and after a few failures got the hang of it.

A polished brass tank would look much better and be in keeping rather than a tacky plastic tank but I can install the new plastic tank once it arrives then I can move the mower halfway up the mountain into the hut out of the way giving me space to play in the workshop. Brass and copper sheet are expensive but aluminium is relatively cheap; I'm good at making things from scratch but I need peace which is in short supply; when I can get into the workshop then it's usually terrible weather and bitterly cold but it's the joy of living here in Yorkshire.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

I've just joined a MIG welding forum. I've been arc welding for over 50 years never needing to weld aluminium or stainless etc but this wayward petrol tank has got me interested and I'm now looking at buying a TIG welder so I've posted for suggestions with around £500 to spend; many of the TIG welders are DC only but I've already done lots of web browsing and watching YouTube videos so I've not made the mistake of just jumping in assuming TIG welders are all equal; I'm looking for an AC/DC TIG welder and whatever I find out I'll be happy to post the details.

I'd like to play around welding aluminium and make a new petrol tank from scratch; I've already bought a new tap and one of these;

Weld on aluminium alloy filler neck & cap petrol oil header catch tank 38mm | eBay

I still want to spray the grass box but the weather is dire; I need a warm calm dry day but such days are rare here; I can dream on.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

I've not yet sprayed the grass box because the weather is still too poor. I have however finally installed the new plastic petrol tank and this afternoon dragged the mower up the mountain to try it out; the mower is absolute rubbish on our steeply sloping garden; no control of it at all as it slipped and slid around; throttle control was also poor in fact for cutting our grass it was a disaster. I'm definitely not disappointed because I bought this Colt as a restoration project with no real intention of ever trying to use it. I'm sure on a level lawn it will work fine. The new petrol tank just has a pipe outlet without a tap so I've drained the fuel before putting the mower away in the hut; although I installed a new carburettor needle and float unit I saw the carburettor flooding at one point; working in our gardens is challenging to say the least; I find it difficult to stand upright without trying to do any work. I'm pleased though with the restoration and I've now got the mower out of the workshop; just the grass box to paint now. I'm still considering making a new petrol tank from scratch just for the fun of it.

Kind regards, Colin.


New petrol tank mounting brackets having been painted.



The new plastic petrol tank mounted and looking ugly but its better than the original tank which was popping leaks. It's been an interesting project and now it runs fine being saved from the scrap yard.