Brought back a lot of fond memories from when I was ten years old. I removed the engine from an old gas powered reel mower and installed it on a go cart. That was over sixty years ago and I'm still working on small engines. Love your channel.
I did the same thing 35 years ago, removed the neat old engine from an REO reel mower which had a built in gear reduction and put it on a wooden go cart of my own construction which had a rope powered rack and pinion steering, and an old 5 speed transmission from an antique mower I used as both a clutch and a shifting mechanism. Still working on antique and old small engines of many types for fun.
Like prolific said, I too did the same thing about 35yrs ago when my grandfather gave me the old mower to do what I wanted with. Still have the mower minus the engine. He made me swear to keep it because he said nothing cuts better than a reel. Now it's a display in my shop that gives me great memories!
Hello T. It is designed to freewheel when pulled backwards, I have the same mower less the engine. The cogs in the wheel, when cleaned and lightly oiled will do their job. Also, after adjusting the bed knife you should back lap the blade to knife bed for a nice and concise cutting surface, test the cut with a piece of paper, really enjoyed this one, master class, peace.
Don't those ratchet in reverse of regular push reel mowers? I could have sworn I had one I took the motor off then had to reverse the ratchets as the motor turned the reel which in turn drove the wheels instead of the wheels driving the reel. I wanted to see if I could use it like a push mower. Is that a Clinton? Briggs & Stratton? Looks a lot like an old Clinton I still have.
Wow! Seeing this video brought back lots of memories. My grandfather had one of those mowers. He honestly should have been a greenskeeper at a golf course. He kept his mower in tip-top-shape, and would mow the grass with it every Saturday. One day, while he was changing the oil, and doing routine maintenance on it, I was "bugging him to no end." I was about 7 years old at the time. He finally had enough and asked if I could help him. "Sure, grandad." I said. Okay, hold this screwdriver right here while I pull this cord.......... ZAP! Well, I took off for the house. My grandmother asked what was wrong. I told her, "That mover shocked me!" Now that I think about it, I never really was excited about helping grandpa work on any of his machines, but Terrell, you show me, each week, what I was missing. That summer job as a spark tester didn't pay very well either. From then on, I just kept using the push mower.
That brings back a great memory for me too. The shut-off for my grandmothers reel lawnmower was a screwdriver, too. And yes I must be about the same age as you, born in "52.
I have a 1952 professional reel mower sharpener that belonged to my grandfather and father, who were both lawnmower men -- the bedknife is not supposed to contact the reel, we always set the gap at 2 thousands, checked every reel blade center, left and right for clearance with the bedknife. I've recently moved the sharpening machine closer to the exit, it will be For Sale soon. Of course, if ya got no grass like Taryl and havta run it through the rough and stubble it will probably self-clearance the blade to dull in no time. Hey Taryl, Grass seed isle 2!
That blade sharpening is an art, The local guy here where I live passed away, His son didn't want or had no intention of learning the trade, I don't know what happened to the machine
For real. This is the best channel on UA-cam! Most channels make me bored if the video is more than 10 minutes long. 1.5 hours is never enough Taryl! I've fixed so much of my own junk after watching this channel! All you guys are awesome!
This has got to be the smartest mechanic , I have seen on video. This shows us to never criticize, what we fail to see about someone ? THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR VIDEOS ..DUDE , I THINK YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS ARE AWESOME 👌 👏 👍
Another great video chronicling the history of small engines in America!! Thank you talented Dactyl family for once again educating, entertaining while preserving a part of American mechanical history!!! You guys rock!! Your friend down South Larry C
I know I'm coming late to the party but I just watched the video. I've been collecting small engines every chance I get. If I come across a lawn mower that has an engine that wont spin over. I take it off the frame and then take it apart and instead of buying gaskets. I just RTV everything. I'm glad you enjoy this stuff. I find it relaxing and basically like working a puzzle. I started getting into this after having to take a lawnmower to a shop and being charged 120 dollars because a governor spring came off. I decided to take small engine repair at a technical school and started watching these videos. Because of these videos I was one of the best students in the class. I knew all the answers the to the questions the instructor had. Without these videos I would have really struggled to know what's going on. Well you take care and I hope everything is working out for you.
Great job bringing this old mower back to life. No reason at all this mower can't continue to provide useful service. Waste not, want not, my grandmother used to say.
Just started watching Taryl and the guys over here in Uk .ive a shop full of chainsaws,mowers ,trimmers now Ive retired ,"Bits and Bobs" and Im as "Happy as Larry"working on them now Ive retired , Just brilliant ! Keep it coming!
Well that my friend is a nice old entry level rotary mower. I have about 7 LOCKE reel mowers. 36" to 72". 1932 to 1975's. All B&S motors. The 72" era have two outriggers... so three reels. All cast iron, about 25 grease fittings and drip oilers. All chain driven. Made in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Pinstriped. The big ones weigh in at about 450 pounds. These LOCKEs were used to trim the greens on golf courses and were used to produce stripes in Yankee Stadium and other baseball fields. LOCKE was purchased by GRAVLEY. The reel design now used is just about the same as the LOCKE design. I run a 36"er which is as old as I am... we were both born in 1950. Haaa... it just put puts along. Amazing cut quality. Thanks for this video Taryl.
Rubber Wheels always drive forward. To turn around to make your next pass you push down on the handle so your on the wooden rollers. Them Pawls are in them wheels so that you can push the machine forward in your Garage or Driveway to get to where ya need to be going. They made a round cross sectional belt which you could give one twist in a figure Eight shape to drive the reel backwards, on the bench. For Sharpening the spinning reel and bed knife! ya just applied a little Lapping Compound while it was spinning while adjusting the bed knife! I got mine to cut a piece of News Paper along it's entire Length. Man did it ever Sound and Cut SWEET! Yep I was just a little kid when doing those repairs and cutting a large Lawn with a Pincor Reel Mower! I'm 70 now. Those were the days of MADE IN AMERICA!
To see how heavy duty and simple that little mower is just reinforces my dislike of these "High Tech" days we are living in today. Just imagine the work out a person would get jerking this mower around and really there is nothing to go wrong on it and if something did happen a normal person with a couple of small tools could fix it in a jiffy. BOY HAVE WE SCREWD THINGS UP~!!!! Thanks Taryl and your excellent camera man~!!
That 45 degree fitting for the exhaust that you were referring to is a "street" elbow. It has a male fitting on one side and female on the other. Another great video!! : )
street 45 actually but I"ve had a few of those engines.The gas tank is indented so you could run it straight out.Never saw a muffkin with a big rib in it like his.
It's a B&S model S , like i think you said. I have one ( just the motor) that I bought at a yard sale for $10 in 1992. It was kept in a garage. The gas tank was perfect inside. Even though the exhaust valve was seized slightly open. kept squirting penetrating oil on the valve stem for months and it would start to turn a bit after awhile. Then finally broke loose. Runs great. I also have a Model N someone put on their curb in the 80's. Have both running on my Channel. Had to clean both carbitrators.
Hello my friend. Wow cool find, back in 1953 this was top dog, strange but true, if you had one of these you were the envy of the neighborhood. Good day buddy
i do a lot of power equipment repair as a retired auto mechanic. the most fun is this sort of project. give me an old gravely and make me smile. no money in it but MUCH more fun than messing with b&s valve guides and nikki carbs.
I normally don't watch UA-cam videos this long but a mower almost as old as I am! I had to watch. What a Rube Goldman looking piece of equipment. It looks as strange as my garden tiller. An old Yardman that the Briggs and Stratton was replaced with a Honda engine. Looks strange but works great.
Taryl, this brought back memories along with the scar on my thumb. My dad had a Toro reel mower probably a few years newer than your model. But being a stupid kid--- I decided to stick my finger into the blade. It hurt and I got a few stitches. Love what you do bring old things back to life. Keep up the excellent work.
I did the samething only i wasn't as lucky as you. I ended up losing part of thumb. The doctor asked me what happened and i told him i was being a dumbass and stuck my thumb in the blades on my reel mower
I remember pushing one of them around with no motor. To get to the edge of grass you push the mower fast so the blade would keep spinning. Grab the handle just right and keep one wheel up to get around the gardens. No weed whackers back then you got on your hands and knees and trimmed by hand.
Manual reel mowers were popular in Sweden in the '60s and '70s especially for folks with small lawns. My granddad had one, mowing along after he retired also. Found a big test of them from this year, so they are still popular here. Only ones with engines I've seen were for the gold courses. Old Briggs seems to live forever. I got 4 4-stroke small engines, 3 Briggs (1977 (3,5hp in a Swedish Klippo kommun), 1983 (~8hp in a Toro snowblower) and 1989 (Max 4, also in a Klippo kommun but with drive)) and a newer Honda GCV135 (also in a Klippo). Only one that have been giving me trouble is the Honda. Still haven't gotten it to run properly, so atm it just sits, but the different Briggs always starts right up even after long winters. This year, the Max 4 got running on the first pull, after sitting for 8 months, with last years fuel! I managed to crack one of the plastic parts in the vertical start, and to my horror and surprise, B&S had discontinued it, but I found a copy on Amazon, which has worked well so far. Would have preferred NOS, but couldn't find it where I live (Sweden). Thanks for all the great videos!
I had the excact same reel mower years ago for free, the tires were shot so i saved the 1952 Breaks and Scrap’em cast iron 2hp engine. Found a NOS piston and rings that I installed and an electronic Magnatron magneto, that old engine starts up so easily minus the lack of Easy Start cam shaft or compression release. Now i have the engine mounted to an old 1938 air compressor tank that I don’t use out of fear. lol They look like a good match together.
Reel nice video Taryl. My older brother mowed with one of those but when I took over his lawn mowing customers in 65 we had changed to a sears rotary. Thanks for keeping it reel.
Years ago I used to be the proud owner of 34 Locke Mfg. brand reel type mowers! I used to take long basting pans and put kerosene with lapping compound in them, and I would put the reels in it with another of those pans over the top and run it and it would do an excellent job sharpening the reels while it was still on the machine. Those were the good ol’ days! I only have two Lockes left, one is my “Cadillac“, it’s a 75 inch wide with reverse and I have a 30 inch greens mower. Edward in Madison, Connecticut, USA… Just down the road from “Podunk Road“ :-)
Hey Taryl..we had a neighbor that had one similar to that mower i used to like to watch him cut his grass i must've been about 8 years old..sure hated it when they moved..we had a sears rotary mower from sears it had a tecumseh engine on it..it lasted for many years..think my dad bought it in 65..enjoyed the long video and appreciate you throwing Andy over the fence ..lol..see you on the next one Cheers 🍻🍻🍻🍻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I have an old 5s engine I pulled out of the trash when I was a kid. It had a stuck valve that I freed up. It has been a great engine over the years. It runs rich when full and lean near empty, so I soldered a penny on the needle valve so I could adjust it on the fly. It always took two pulls to start when cold. The first pull with choke on and the second with it off.
Hey Daryl, did you know that they still use reel mowers to mow putting greens. They have special rollers to flatten the lawn and grass catchers for the grass. Now there is your dinner.
when I was a kid, I had one of these mowers and I used to use it to cut lawns in my Neiborhood. I got so used to it that when we finally got a power mower, I was so used to my old push mower I would go forward and back with the power mower. people must have thought I was nuts or something. I used that old mower for my summer jobs but one thing it did was made me strong and this was in Victorville CA where it used to get 112 in the summer that would last for days.
You Taryl, and others like you, are the real Americans. 50 years ago, I was a kid rebuilding engines, rebuilding small gas engines, making go carts and mini bikes. I now run a big company but still love to tinker with this stuff. Love watching your vids. You and your family are amazing. Mike Rowe needs you for Dirty Jobs.
I had one of the Original Push Reel Mowers-Manual Push with No Motor, it would not cut tall grass but it would cut short grass very good and smooth. Like you, I am Glad they developed the Rotter Mowers--much better for everyone
We have reel mower a little newer, has a metal grass catcher sits out front. My dad really liked it, does a nice job you just have to jog to keep up with it. Central California Watching
I remember the old Reo mower. Our neighbor had one. Must say I was quite impressed. They were too expensive for us so us kids had to push. That was probably about 70 years ago. I'm still mowing but I don't push anymore I ride..
That's reel cool! Back in my younger days I used to sharpen reel mowers for the local golf coarse. We used strips of newspaper to check for sharpness. Y
Wow, that brings back memories. My Dad owned a hardware/appliance/power equipment store, and I remember one of these mowers sitting in the shop, that apparently a customer never picked up. IIRC, it had a stuck valve, as the engine wouldn't rotate more than a turn and a half. I'm sure it was repairable, had I had the time and inclination. It was sold at auction in 2013. I'd love to know where you got that, it may be the same mower. 🤔
I love old machines, the simplicity and mechanics all made sense. All this electronic and plastic pieces on these new mowers only last a short time before you have to replace them. Nothing is made to last anymore. The quality and craftsmanship has plummeted down. There was a time American made meant something to companies and the people that designed them. When they made these things they had pride in their product and their craftsmanship, but not anymore everything‘s low quality and less reliability. That’s one reason I love the older machines they were work horses and lasted forever if you maintain them.
Great job! My Dad had a non powered reel mower that he “let” me cut the grass with when I was ~ 10 years old. Quite a workout! I still have a Sears Dunlop drill press.
Back in the 70's I used the 3 reeled Locke mower on huge estates out in Easthampton Long Island 70-75 inch cut, they were fairly easy to use but they were really only made for flat, dry grass and stay away from any pebbles or sticks or you'll dull your blades. I worked on a crew with 4 reel cut Locke's 6 guys trimming with rotary mowers, that's all I did for 48 hrs a week was walk and twist that machine. I was in great shape back then. Then in the fall we would rake and leaf blow a lot of the yards we mowed. They phased out using Locke mowers when they started making bigger rotary engines but they wouldn't look half as good as when mowed with the reel cut Locke mowers
Hey Taryl, a little trick I've been using since the early 70's is to file or sand the points, then use an uncoated business card to clean the abrasive residue fromm the point contacts. Works perfectly and I've found nothing that beats it.
I was a kid snooping in my grandma’s barn and found one of those old mowers, without the engine. I used it to cut the side yard, it worked surprisingly well, except the dandelions. They don’t like to cut those too well. I liked it though, was easier to push than the push mower we had at home.
Dad had a couple of these when I was a kid in the 60's. Main thing I remember was that I almost had to run to keep up with it. The pawls in the wheel work like the bendix in a started
A little surprised Taryl. These mowers and B & S engine combos, when running right and adjusted right were flawless. The metal inside the zinc drive gear is there to prevent the drive pawl from tearing the crap out of the drive ratchet. These were good rigs MAN! If you aren't into it, wait 'til the time when you are.
I was given one of these mowers recently and it has no compression i suspect the rings are stuck am going to try and get it running again so your video has been really helpful great to see the engine running again thats awesome
Hey taryl if it's a left handed thread, right is loose, & left is tight, just correcting what you said in this video about the Nut on the crank shaft for the fly wheel ! 😂
Hi Taryl- Be careful revving those old engines like a 2 stroke: they have tiny, weak connecting rods and their top operating-speed rating is only 2,800 rpm, not 4,500. I was waiting for the big BANG and lots of oil and smoke all over the shop! Great video as always! Quite a nice collection of good old rusty junk you have sir.
Should have already drained as much as would come out or even assisted with a bit of kerosene then refilled with decent oil before spinning the engine over.
Really, an antique like that doesn't need ' a little fixing ' , it needs complete tear down and going through before doing much of anything with it. I really hate seeing people take rare old engines and saying , " hey let's make it run after sitting 50 years and take it out drag racing " This thing was old when I was a kid.
That type of mower ( reel) was the first power mower I used when I was 10. Got away from me a few times, once went under the cyclone fence and stalled. Dad finally got rid of it for a rotary in about ‘69
I cut a lot of lawns when I was a kid-one of my customers insisted that I use her Toro reel type mower. She had it sharpened and serviced every spring.
I still have & use an old push reel mower, about a 1962 Montgomery Ward, & a McLane greens mower I bought from a golf course. Both Cut amazing & surprisingly the manual reel mower is easier on me than the new Honda push mower my wife has.
Taryl you take me back to my childhood, we had the exact same mower .Dunlap was marketed by Sears and Roebuck, there should be a rubber type bushing under the air filter which would give the necessary clearance for the hot dog muffkin. One way sprag clutch on the drive wheels ,the flat bar needs to be cleaned and lightly lubed to move freely in the driven shaft for the wheels. The other mower I remember as a kid was a Clinton 2 stroke cycle rotary push. Sharpening reels and bed knives is a lost art. I did a few working for Gravely.
My first ever engine of my own was a Briggs & Stratton engine just like that I was probably about four or five years old and I used to play with it finally we got it running
I have a restored Briggs 5S off the same reel mower I had gotten from work many years ago when someone brought in their rotted out reel mower for repair. They were oil bath air filters lol! Solid cast iron and weighs a ton for a 2hp engine.
Brought back a lot of fond memories from when I was ten years old. I removed the engine from an old gas powered reel mower and installed it on a go cart. That was over sixty years ago and I'm still working on small engines. Love your channel.
I did the same thing 35 years ago, removed the neat old engine from an REO reel mower which had a built in gear reduction and put it on a wooden go cart of my own construction which had a rope powered rack and pinion steering, and an old 5 speed transmission from an antique mower I used as both a clutch and a shifting mechanism. Still working on antique and old small engines of many types for fun.
Like prolific said, I too did the same thing about 35yrs ago when my grandfather gave me the old mower to do what I wanted with. Still have the mower minus the engine. He made me swear to keep it because he said nothing cuts better than a reel. Now it's a display in my shop that gives me great memories!
@@ProlificInvention I'm starting g to think you grew up in Michigan!
I bought a reel mover and put the 2.5hp B&S on my mini bike
Going back about 60 years, I remember al lot of us would use a mower engine like this to power our go carts.
Hello T. It is designed to freewheel when pulled backwards, I have the same mower less the engine. The cogs in the wheel, when cleaned and lightly oiled will do their job. Also, after adjusting the bed knife you should back lap the blade to knife bed for a nice and concise cutting surface, test the cut with a piece of paper, really enjoyed this one, master class, peace.
That’s right. Those pieces removed are for the ratchet action of the wheels, so that they can freewheel in reverse. Great video.
I agree ,one way clutch, those little pieces important-clean em grease em. BTW when your a little kid ,Dads reel mower looked like it could EAT you!
Kenmore washing machine has the same setup on the agitator.Its a nylon teardrop ear that always go bad.
Don't those ratchet in reverse of regular push reel mowers?
I could have sworn I had one I took the motor off then had to reverse the ratchets as the motor turned the reel which in turn drove the wheels instead of the wheels driving the reel.
I wanted to see if I could use it like a push mower.
Is that a Clinton? Briggs & Stratton?
Looks a lot like an old Clinton I still have.
Should be one way clutch action or sprags in the wheels-probably stuck.
Wow! Seeing this video brought back lots of memories. My grandfather had one of those mowers. He honestly should have been a greenskeeper at a golf course. He kept his mower in tip-top-shape, and would mow the grass with it every Saturday. One day, while he was changing the oil, and doing routine maintenance on it, I was "bugging him to no end." I was about 7 years old at the time. He finally had enough and asked if I could help him. "Sure, grandad." I said. Okay, hold this screwdriver right here while I pull this cord.......... ZAP! Well, I took off for the house. My grandmother asked what was wrong. I told her, "That mover shocked me!" Now that I think about it, I never really was excited about helping grandpa work on any of his machines, but Terrell, you show me, each week, what I was missing. That summer job as a spark tester didn't pay very well either. From then on, I just kept using the push mower.
That brings back a great memory for me too. The shut-off for my grandmothers reel lawnmower was a screwdriver, too. And yes I must be about the same age as you, born in "52.
Your cameraman does an excellent job!
$5 says that Jr. is usually behind the camera.
I have a 1952 professional reel mower sharpener that belonged to my grandfather and father, who were both lawnmower men -- the bedknife is not supposed to contact the reel, we always set the gap at 2 thousands, checked every reel blade center, left and right for clearance with the bedknife. I've recently moved the sharpening machine closer to the exit, it will be For Sale soon.
Of course, if ya got no grass like Taryl and havta run it through the rough and stubble it will probably self-clearance the blade to dull in no time. Hey Taryl, Grass seed isle 2!
That blade sharpening is an art, The local guy here where I live passed away, His son didn't want or had no intention of learning the trade, I don't know what happened to the machine
Probably traded it for a carton of cigarettes
For real. This is the best channel on UA-cam! Most channels make me bored if the video is more than 10 minutes long. 1.5 hours is never enough Taryl! I've fixed so much of my own junk after watching this channel! All you guys are awesome!
Facts
This has got to be the smartest mechanic , I have seen on video. This shows us to never criticize, what we fail to see about someone ? THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR VIDEOS ..DUDE , I THINK YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS ARE AWESOME 👌 👏 👍
Another great video chronicling the history of small engines in America!! Thank you talented Dactyl family for once again educating, entertaining while preserving a part of American mechanical history!!! You guys rock!! Your friend down South Larry C
I could happily spend the rest of my life wrenching on all that stuff in your shop. Love wrenching on small engines. =)
I know I'm coming late to the party but I just watched the video. I've been collecting small engines every chance I get. If I come across a lawn mower that has an engine that wont spin over. I take it off the frame and then take it apart and instead of buying gaskets. I just RTV everything. I'm glad you enjoy this stuff. I find it relaxing and basically like working a puzzle. I started getting into this after having to take a lawnmower to a shop and being charged 120 dollars because a governor spring came off. I decided to take small engine repair at a technical school and started watching these videos. Because of these videos I was one of the best students in the class. I knew all the answers the to the questions the instructor had. Without these videos I would have really struggled to know what's going on. Well you take care and I hope everything is working out for you.
Great job bringing this old mower back to life. No reason at all this mower can't continue to provide useful service. Waste not, want not, my grandmother used to say.
Just started watching Taryl and the guys over here in Uk .ive a shop full of chainsaws,mowers ,trimmers now Ive retired ,"Bits and Bobs" and Im as "Happy as Larry"working on them now Ive retired , Just brilliant ! Keep it coming!
Right there with you Stephen. How I ever had time to have a job I'll never know. I guess I'm as happy as Larry too.
I'm right there with you. don't know how I ever had time for a job.
Well that my friend is a nice old entry level rotary mower. I have about 7 LOCKE reel mowers. 36" to 72". 1932 to 1975's. All B&S motors. The 72" era have two outriggers... so three reels. All cast iron, about 25 grease fittings and drip oilers. All chain driven. Made in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Pinstriped. The big ones weigh in at about 450 pounds. These LOCKEs were used to trim the greens on golf courses and were used to produce stripes in Yankee Stadium and other baseball fields. LOCKE was purchased by GRAVLEY. The reel design now used is just about the same as the LOCKE design. I run a 36"er which is as old as I am... we were both born in 1950. Haaa... it just put puts along. Amazing cut quality. Thanks for this video Taryl.
Rubber Wheels always drive forward. To turn around to make your next pass you push down on the handle so your on the wooden rollers. Them Pawls are in them wheels so that you can push the machine forward in your Garage or Driveway to get to where ya need to be going. They made a round cross sectional belt which you could give one twist in a figure Eight shape to drive the reel backwards, on the bench. For Sharpening the spinning reel and bed knife! ya just applied a little Lapping Compound while it was spinning while adjusting the bed knife! I got mine to cut a piece of News Paper along it's entire Length. Man did it ever Sound and Cut SWEET! Yep I was just a little kid when doing those repairs and cutting a large Lawn with a Pincor Reel Mower! I'm 70 now. Those were the days of MADE IN AMERICA!
To see how heavy duty and simple that little mower is just reinforces my dislike of these "High Tech" days we are living in today. Just imagine the work out a person would get jerking this mower around and really there is nothing to go wrong on it and if something did happen a normal person with a couple of small tools could fix it in a jiffy. BOY HAVE WE SCREWD THINGS UP~!!!! Thanks Taryl and your excellent camera man~!!
Thanks for the GREAT comtent..
I watch you guys, like ten of you, and it is amazing these small engines can sit for decades and a little TLC and off it goes
Taryl is truly the BOSS of the Bosses
I always enjoy watching the videos, not only because they are educational but they are hilarious as well!
That 45 degree fitting for the exhaust that you were referring to is a "street" elbow. It has a male fitting on one side and female on the other. Another great video!! : )
Or hub x spigot
street 45 actually but I"ve had a few of those engines.The gas tank is indented so you could run it straight out.Never saw a muffkin with a big rib in it like his.
almost blew coffee out my nose at the end!!! love your channel, taryl!!!
My OCD doesn't do well when there are "spare parts" left over. But I do love the work you guys do! 90 minutes! That's Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner!
Another excellent vid! Love it when you threw Andy over the fence.
It's a B&S model S , like i think you said. I have one ( just the motor) that I bought at a yard sale for $10 in 1992. It was kept in a garage. The gas tank was perfect inside. Even though the exhaust valve was seized slightly open. kept squirting penetrating oil on the valve stem for months and it would start to turn a bit after awhile. Then finally broke loose. Runs great. I also have a Model N someone put on their curb in the 80's. Have both running on my Channel. Had to clean both carbitrators.
Taryl You are amazing getting that old stuff going.
I remember this type of lawnmower. Great memories 👌 Evaporust does a nice job removing rust.
Nice to see your doing some rebuilds, I've missed them. Thanks Taryl.
Hello my friend. Wow cool find, back in 1953 this was top dog, strange but true, if you had one of these you were the envy of the neighborhood. Good day buddy
Yes, as a kid I have pushed a reel mower on a 90° day; many times. Thank the Lord for power equipment!
Love seeing those old pieces of history that still work with a little love Great Video as always
i do a lot of power equipment repair as a retired auto mechanic. the most fun is this sort of project. give me an old gravely and make me smile. no money in it but MUCH more fun than messing with b&s valve guides and nikki carbs.
I normally don't watch UA-cam videos this long but a mower almost as old as I am! I had to watch. What a Rube Goldman looking piece of equipment. It looks as strange as my garden tiller. An old Yardman that the Briggs and Stratton was replaced with a Honda engine. Looks strange but works great.
Taryl, this brought back memories along with the scar on my thumb. My dad had a Toro reel mower probably a few years newer than your model. But being a stupid kid--- I decided to stick my finger into the blade. It hurt and I got a few stitches. Love what you do bring old things back to life. Keep up the excellent work.
I did the samething only i wasn't as lucky as you. I ended up losing part of thumb. The doctor asked me what happened and i told him i was being a dumbass and stuck my thumb in the blades on my reel mower
I remember pushing one of them around with no motor. To get to the edge of grass you push the mower fast so the blade would keep spinning. Grab the handle just right and keep one wheel up to get around the gardens. No weed whackers back then you got on your hands and knees and trimmed by hand.
Fun fact the first string trimmer was made in 1971,
Manual reel mowers were popular in Sweden in the '60s and '70s especially for folks with small lawns. My granddad had one, mowing along after he retired also. Found a big test of them from this year, so they are still popular here. Only ones with engines I've seen were for the gold courses.
Old Briggs seems to live forever. I got 4 4-stroke small engines, 3 Briggs (1977 (3,5hp in a Swedish Klippo kommun), 1983 (~8hp in a Toro snowblower) and 1989 (Max 4, also in a Klippo kommun but with drive)) and a newer Honda GCV135 (also in a Klippo). Only one that have been giving me trouble is the Honda. Still haven't gotten it to run properly, so atm it just sits, but the different Briggs always starts right up even after long winters. This year, the Max 4 got running on the first pull, after sitting for 8 months, with last years fuel!
I managed to crack one of the plastic parts in the vertical start, and to my horror and surprise, B&S had discontinued it, but I found a copy on Amazon, which has worked well so far. Would have preferred NOS, but couldn't find it where I live (Sweden). Thanks for all the great videos!
Thanks for sharing.
Now we know why everyone was glad when they invented the rotary mower.
I had the excact same reel mower years ago for free, the tires were shot so i saved the 1952 Breaks and Scrap’em cast iron 2hp engine. Found a NOS piston and rings that I installed and an electronic Magnatron magneto, that old engine starts up so easily minus the lack of Easy Start cam shaft or compression release.
Now i have the engine mounted to an old 1938 air compressor tank that I don’t use out of fear. lol
They look like a good match together.
Enjoyed seeing that old thing run again! Great video again guys, especially the ending😂👍
Reel nice video Taryl. My older brother mowed with one of those but when I took over his lawn mowing customers in 65 we had changed to a sears rotary. Thanks for keeping it reel.
I'm 76 and remember cutting grass with a "push mower" like this (minus the engine) which is what we called them in Louisiana. Hot, humid, sweaty work!
Years ago I used to be the proud owner of 34 Locke Mfg. brand reel type mowers! I used to take long basting pans and put kerosene with lapping compound in them, and I would put the reels in it with another of those pans over the top and run it and it would do an excellent job sharpening the reels while it was still on the machine. Those were the good ol’ days! I only have two Lockes left, one is my “Cadillac“, it’s a 75 inch wide with reverse and I have a 30 inch greens mower.
Edward in Madison, Connecticut, USA… Just down the road from “Podunk Road“ :-)
My parents had a reel mower just like that. It was a good way to cut your toenails. Did a good job cutting grass but it ignored the tough weeds.
I love the way you do your show it is entertaining it makes me laugh
Thx I love watching reminders me of my Dad. If he didn’t yell so much
Hey Taryl..we had a neighbor that had one similar to that mower i used to like to watch him cut his grass i must've been about 8 years old..sure hated it when they moved..we had a sears rotary mower from sears it had a tecumseh engine on it..it lasted for many years..think my dad bought it in 65..enjoyed the long video and appreciate you throwing Andy over the fence ..lol..see you on the next one Cheers 🍻🍻🍻🍻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I have an old 5s engine I pulled out of the trash when I was a kid. It had a stuck valve that I freed up. It has been a great engine over the years. It runs rich when full and lean near empty, so I soldered a penny on the needle valve so I could adjust it on the fly. It always took two pulls to start when cold. The first pull with choke on and the second with it off.
Love that mower ❤ I would mow with it. 😊
I use to love them mowers back in the day ! Thank you for saving that guy.
Your doing a great job keep up the good work.
Hey Daryl, did you know that they still use reel mowers to mow putting greens. They have special rollers to flatten the lawn and grass catchers for the grass. Now there is your dinner.
That engine repair was great! JB weld saves the day again😂
when I was a kid, I had one of these mowers and I used to use it to cut lawns in my Neiborhood. I got so used to it that when we finally got a power mower, I was so used to my old push mower I would go forward and back with the power mower. people must have thought I was nuts or something. I used that old mower for my summer jobs but one thing it did was made me strong and this was in Victorville CA where it used to get 112 in the summer that would last for days.
This has been a great video, I really like the old stuff...
This would be a fun little restoration project
You Taryl, and others like you, are the real Americans. 50 years ago, I was a kid rebuilding engines, rebuilding small gas engines, making go carts and mini bikes. I now run a big company but still love to tinker with this stuff. Love watching your vids. You and your family are amazing. Mike Rowe needs you for Dirty Jobs.
I had one of the Original Push Reel Mowers-Manual Push with No Motor, it would not cut tall grass but it would cut short grass very good and smooth. Like you, I am Glad they developed the Rotter Mowers--much better for everyone
Man I love this stuff brings back so many memories
Best on UA-cam. Thank you
We have reel mower a little newer, has a metal grass catcher sits out front. My dad really liked it, does a nice job you just have to jog to keep up with it.
Central California Watching
I remember the old Reo mower. Our neighbor had one. Must say I was quite impressed. They were too expensive for us so us kids had to push. That was probably about 70 years ago. I'm still mowing but I don't push anymore I ride..
Great instructional video, Koodo to you Taryl .
That's reel cool!
Back in my younger days I used to sharpen reel mowers for the local golf coarse. We used strips of newspaper to check for sharpness. Y
A very satisfying video to watch
Very nice work Taryl!!! You got yet another old classic running well again!!!
My dad used to have an old Dunlap table saw that came from Rears and Sawbuck.😁
Wow, that brings back memories.
My Dad owned a hardware/appliance/power equipment store, and I remember one of these mowers sitting in the shop, that apparently a customer never picked up. IIRC, it had a stuck valve, as the engine wouldn't rotate more than a turn and a half. I'm sure it was repairable, had I had the time and inclination.
It was sold at auction in 2013. I'd love to know where you got that, it may be the same mower. 🤔
I love old machines, the simplicity and mechanics all made sense. All this electronic and plastic pieces on these new mowers only last a short time before you have to replace them. Nothing is made to last anymore. The quality and craftsmanship has plummeted down. There was a time American made meant something to companies and the people that designed them. When they made these things they had pride in their product and their craftsmanship, but not anymore everything‘s low quality and less reliability. That’s one reason I love the older machines they were work horses and lasted forever if you maintain them.
Great job! My Dad had a non powered reel mower that he “let” me cut the grass with when I was ~ 10 years old. Quite a workout!
I still have a Sears Dunlop drill press.
I used to cut my Grandfather's lawn with his push mower when I was 9-10 year's old for .50 cent. That was 60 years ago.
A good definition of a mechanic. Is a person who spends half a day losing everything and the other half of the day looking for it.
very nice! thank you for sharing taryl! 👍👍
Back in the 70's I used the 3 reeled Locke mower on huge estates out in Easthampton Long Island 70-75 inch cut, they were fairly easy to use but they were really only made for flat, dry grass and stay away from any pebbles or sticks or you'll dull your blades. I worked on a crew with 4 reel cut Locke's 6 guys trimming with rotary mowers, that's all I did for 48 hrs a week was walk and twist that machine. I was in great shape back then. Then in the fall we would rake and leaf blow a lot of the yards we mowed. They phased out using Locke mowers when they started making bigger rotary engines but they wouldn't look half as good as when mowed with the reel cut Locke mowers
Good job, first self propelled lawn mower
Hey Taryl, a little trick I've been using since the early 70's is to file or sand the points, then use an uncoated business card to clean the abrasive residue fromm the point contacts. Works perfectly and I've found nothing that beats it.
As kids we used mowers like that to pull us around on skate boards. The good old days! And Old Ironsides was a great show...
That’s a cool piece to have in your collection. The skit was pretty funny too….🤣
the amount of safety features in this thing is surprising to me the fact it has any is kind of amazing
Aaahhh the old school muffler set up with it blowing directly back at the user. Got to love it.
I was a kid snooping in my grandma’s barn and found one of those old mowers, without the engine. I used it to cut the side yard, it worked surprisingly well, except the dandelions. They don’t like to cut those too well. I liked it though, was easier to push than the push mower we had at home.
Dad had a couple of these when I was a kid in the 60's. Main thing I remember was that I almost had to run to keep up with it. The pawls in the wheel work like the bendix in a started
A little surprised Taryl. These mowers and B & S engine combos, when running right and adjusted right were flawless. The metal inside the zinc drive gear is there to prevent the drive pawl from tearing the crap out of the drive ratchet. These were good rigs MAN! If you aren't into it, wait 'til the time when you are.
23:48 That spark was impressive. Thought it was going to be weaker.
I was given one of these mowers recently and it has no compression i suspect the rings are stuck am going to try and get it running again so your video has been really helpful great to see the engine running again thats awesome
Most likely not a ring, it's probably a stuck valve. Best of luck on your repairs 🙏
The first time my honey, seeing your face, she started laughing out loud now. She's in fact so waiting with you.
Rusted tea always hits the spot on a summer day.
Hey taryl if it's a left handed thread, right is loose, & left is tight, just correcting what you said in this video about the Nut on the crank shaft for the fly wheel ! 😂
I love watching this stuff
Hi Taryl-
Be careful revving those old engines like a 2 stroke: they have tiny, weak connecting rods and their top operating-speed rating is only 2,800 rpm, not 4,500. I was waiting for the big BANG and lots of oil and smoke all over the shop! Great video as always! Quite a nice collection of good old rusty junk you have sir.
Should have already drained as much as would come out or even assisted with a bit of kerosene then refilled with decent oil before spinning the engine over.
Really, an antique like that doesn't need
' a little fixing ' , it needs complete tear down and going through before doing much of anything with it.
I really hate seeing people take rare old engines and saying , " hey let's make it run after sitting 50 years and take it out drag racing "
This thing was old when I was a kid.
That type of mower ( reel) was the first power mower I used when I was 10. Got away from me a few times, once went under the cyclone fence and stalled. Dad finally got rid of it for a rotary in about ‘69
I cut a lot of lawns when I was a kid-one of my customers insisted that I use her Toro reel type mower. She had it sharpened and serviced every spring.
I still have & use an old push reel mower, about a 1962 Montgomery Ward, & a McLane greens mower I bought from a golf course. Both Cut amazing & surprisingly the manual reel mower is easier on me than the new Honda push mower my wife has.
I bought a McLane mower from a flea market last year for $100. 3hp runs great and in like new condition. I don’t think he knew what he had…
Taryl you take me back to my childhood, we had the exact same mower .Dunlap was marketed by Sears and Roebuck, there should be a rubber type bushing under the air filter which would give the necessary clearance for the hot dog muffkin. One way sprag clutch on the drive wheels ,the flat bar needs to be cleaned and lightly lubed to move freely in the driven shaft for the wheels. The other mower I remember as a kid was a Clinton 2 stroke cycle rotary push. Sharpening reels and bed knives is a lost art. I did a few working for Gravely.
It's funny the only older lawn mower than a reel type is a scythe or a goat and it's still the best type available
My first ever engine of my own was a Briggs & Stratton engine just like that I was probably about four or five years old and I used to play with it finally we got it running
Dont work on stuff but i enjoy the entertainment
Pretty cool that that drives system for that wheel is the same as a mower I just took apart that was built in this Century instead of the last
Good job Taryl . Thanks
Education, History and Comedy! What more could you ask! Enjoyed watching and learning, thanks.
Allsome work 🌟😃👌🎉 from cruzermans inventions 😁🎉
I have a restored Briggs 5S off the same reel mower I had gotten from work many years ago when someone brought in their rotted out reel mower for repair. They were oil bath air filters lol! Solid cast iron and weighs a ton for a 2hp engine.
That’s all you have to do is insult them or call a piece of crap and they will straighten right up!!!😂😂😂Awesome video.
nobody's gettin fired ...Not Yet!! Mr. Cameraman's shots were spot on after that 😂