Simple Lawnmower Maintenance......wow!!!!!

I got stunned today and mayhap I should not be......but..................................


My lady friend went down the street to help her girlfriend with her lawn...raking up and such ...but when she came back she told me that her friends lawnmower was not running right...very rough. Also it was leaking fuel.

I told her to bring it here and I would look at it....and Wow!!!


I reckon I was brought up different...or differently.

I tend to do simple things my Dad taught me to make something last....simple things...like change the oil.....put new air filters or blow the olde ones out with my air compressor et al..


When the lawnmower arrived I was stunned....like Wow!!!

First off several of the wheels were adjusted to different levels.. I adjusted them to where they were at the same level....


Then I noticed that the air filter was mostly clogged up. I took my air compressor and the blower attachment and removed and blew down the air filter...and reattached it.

I noted that the fuel line from the gas tank seemed to have a small pin hole rub in it...and thus I did a significant disassembly to get the carburetor off in removing the fuel line. This also entailed, on this model push mower, removing the exhaust.

Eventually I got the fuel line removed and it was clear that it had a pinhole in it. I took my scooter down to the auto parts store and purchased a foot of fuel line ...reinstalled it with better hose clamps.

In going back with the exhaust..I noted that at some time the bolts were previously removed and one of them had the threads crossed where the bolt starts into the hole.

I found my jewelers file set and carefully refiled the starting two threads...to put the proper thread groove back in them....something the olde timers taught me many years ago ...in this shipyard.

I have a SAE and metric tap and die set but this particular thread pitch was not in either set. But with care ...I was able to get some of the proper pitch back into the starting threads..and put a bit of grease on it before trying to reinsert these bolts and tighten. It went well and it is good to know that one still has the skills in this kind of situation....or put another way...pull this rabbit out of a hat.

It has been awhile since I've used those skills....and threads and thread pitch can be a tricky thing. Very easy to damage threads if one does not know how to straighten them or how not to cross thread a fastener/bolt.

Now......


What stuns me...is the number of people out here who have no concept of how to keep certain gear working for long periods of time....not a clue..

I reckon I was not raised as such.

In my way of thinking this gear was abused...and neglected....but that is just me.

Mower also needs two new front wheels but at least it is working again engine wise..



I have not been able to find replacements for my work steel toed safety shoes....and thus found a shoe repair shop who says he can repair them...new soles and heels...

I paid him in advance...and will find out if it is good work...but I will try thus to make them last again....

If it is good work, I have a second pair for which I will also drop off for his skills/talents and again pay in advance.


And now you members know the rest of the story.


Watcherchris
Not an Ishmaelite.

 

I reckon I should not be stunned...but I am...

I am just accustomed to taking care of equipment which serves me well...and have several lawn mowers....and can keep them running.

Even my olde beat up work jacket...with high mileage on it...I keep it going.....as it serves me well...

I reckon some people just astonish me..


We are back to that nightmare of 400 people on the desert isle who only know how to text.


My Non Ishmaelite........Ishmaelite nightmare..

Watcherchris

 

I was making money mowing yards from age 12 on. Lots of outdoor work. Thus, I've had multiple skin cancers removed.

My Army hero uncle taught me basic maintenance of lawnmowers and whatnot beginning at that early age. I used his lawnmower, thus he prepped me to properly maintain that machine.

As we've said before, people in this day and age can't repair sh##! I've got spare spark-plugs for my outdoor equipment, especially for my rototiller and generator (plenty of ammo to neutralize any would-be thieves of such).

I have miter boxes for saws, hand drills, ... all manner of "antique" tools that require ZERO electricity. My kin didn't have power tools. When a boy, I used these "out of date" tools. The men of my family threw NO tools away. They'd buy Craftsman tools at Sears which had lifetime guarantees. When in school, I once worked the loading dock at a large Sears store.

Bought another spare fuel tank this week. They were on sale so .....
.

 

Been slowly making a sort of list in the back of my mind as I think War is coming to this country....and thus entailing shortages of certain items.

I am thinking about putting back a complete set of four tires for my car and two tires for my truck.

Also brake shoes....brake pads ....et al..

Oil....and such fluids...too.

I have a large garage in which I can easily store these supplies..

Also need to start making such an list for my scooters as well.....as I think in case of a war...my scooters will become even more valuable..Thus parts for them as well. tires...brake pads et al.

Stocking up on Mason Jars and have received two rechargeable vacuum pumps to vacuum seal these Mason Jars.


Watcherchris
Not an Ishmaelite.

 

I have a significant amount of gas stored in containers and need to empty it into my vehicles on occasion then refill back up.

I also have a large chevy made in the late 1960s with a 27 gallon gas tank....I keep filled.
I too do not like to let my gas tanks go below half a tank....before re filling.

Yes...even with all this..>I know supplies will be limited...

And your idea of blockading your home with your cars is a good one. I have a couple of olde spare cars here which will work fine for that purpose. Thanks for that Idea.

Yes..>I also have bicycles as well.

Watcherchris...
Not an Ishmaelite.

 

No matter where you live, you may need to bug-out. I would that this were not true, yet I have seen in my lifetime, unbelievable events come true. Another reality is that nuclear fallout does NOT have a fixed pattern -- it's area of death and slow death is totally due to the prevailing winds.

No matter what anyone says, migrants are used to walking hundreds of miles on foot (through desert, through swamps, through jungles, through the worst of the worst, ... environs that would readily kill white people), will post-SHTF, head towards any place that might have some food that could still be available.

The cities will fall, then the toughest of the tough will do anything that they have to do to feed themselves and their children -- they have done this before and they will do so again. These folk are are no strangers to hyper-violence, else they would already be dead.

Cut to the chase, these thousands of miles migrants have already survived unsurvivable war zones. If you image them weak, then you are not just terminally naive, you and yours are dead ... unless you are well-armed, have lots of ammo, and are well-practiced in firearms training. If one wishes to pretend that they are safe, that's OK with me ... God's speed. I hope you are in good stead with your Creator. Innumerable life after death experiences prove this to be true. If one doesn't believe the Creator to exist and doesn't wish to return, then this is a totally arrange-able situation. Many souls are Earth-bound and do not move-on after their bodies die.
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