A New interest, Bulldog or early Bullfinch?

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  • May 3, 2016 at 8:29 am #20777
    vhgmcbuddy
    Member

    Greetings everyone.
    I must say that I have been enlightened by this club as I did not know there was such a following for small horticultural machinery such as the Howards and I am pleased to say further that I have a new interest and hobby, old horticultural machinery!

    Having recently (6 months) acquired an allotment, I have rescued this Howard rotavator from our local tip (found next to the metal recycling skip) and as can be seen from the photos it has had a home paint job but all in all it does run and seems to be in relatively good condition.

    Unfortunately the data plate is missing from the shield and it seems that the original engine has been replaced by a Suffolk Foundries Ltd. Type engine. Never the less a little research has provided me with a serial number stamped between the two worm screw brackets, 11038, and internet photos suggest that this could be a Bulldog or an early Bullfinch since there are only two blades fitted. That of course does not mean that someone has at some point changed parts around, considering the engine is not original.

    As this unit still runs I am considering a restoration to factory condition or just simply keeping as it is but replacing the Suffolk engine with an original engine, possibly a J.A.P. as this would keep it original reflecting its life and history.

    To that end, helping make the decision, I ask if any of the members could help me date this Howard, provide me with a service and user manual and give their thoughts on what type of wok should be done to this fantastic little Howard.

    Thank you all for your time and help

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    May 3, 2016 at 4:38 pm #20787
    charlie
    Keymaster

    Welcome to the website and our world of old garden machinery etc. Your machine shows one of the great things about our hobby, not only is the machine collectable but can still be used as intended. I guess in your research you have found the story behind the change of name from Bulldog to Bullfinch ie the claim made by Lanz tractors to the bulldog name.

    May 3, 2016 at 8:46 pm #20788
    vhgmcbuddy
    Member

    Hi Charlie

    Yes indeed, I did come across the reason for the name change but unfortunately found very little else to help me with the dating and so on.

    I am pleased I stumbled across this hobby as I prefer to be able to use collectibles rather then a collectible just sitting and looking pretty and I just hope that someone will be able to help further.

    Hopefully, once I have the information needed, my machine could be the first entry on the “Howard” registry?

    Thank you for all your help and all the very best

    May 3, 2016 at 10:30 pm #20791
    stuart
    Participant

    I had a Howard Bulldog a few years ago and im sure from memory it only had a 4 figure serial number.Yours would be a Bullfinch from the late 1950,s .

    May 4, 2016 at 8:37 am #20792
    will-haggle
    Participant

    I saw a Bullfinch sold at the Somerset Tractor Show in January, this one has a loop handlebar (my picture has cut the bar off but the cross bar is lower) but the data plate showed that it was a Bullfinch. I take it that the loop handlebar was used on early machines. My Bullfinch has different handles (like yours) which I presume is later.

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    May 4, 2016 at 3:44 pm #20797
    andyfrost
    Participant

    Enjoy this great hobby , like your thoughts , all my machines have to start and do a days work.
    I’ve just rebuilt a BSA 120 on a Demon , now starts first pull and runs like a clock.
    One thing you will find , all on here have an enormous wealth of knowledge , on a vast array of machines , that they are all very willing to share.

    Andy.

    May 4, 2016 at 6:34 pm #20798
    vhgmcbuddy
    Member

    Greetings everyone

    I am certainly looking forward to this hobby and like my other hobby, amateur radio, all things must work and earn their keep so I am looking forward to keeping this Howard running.

    I had a cursory look at the pulleys and drive belt as I am wary about the fact that the blade rotate whilst the engine is in the lowered position and it seems to me that the fan belt that I have is too large shoulder size, for the pulleys and so is causing the gearbox to be engaged at all times. Is it normal for the gearbox and or blades to be engaged with the engine in the lowered position, a manual of some sort would be very helpful here?

    The below picture is of the Howard after I got it back from the tip and this shows the handle bars much better but I am still a little wary about making a definitive judgment of the type of Howard or date since there appears to be some conflicting attributes to my Howard?

    Once again, thank you all so far and I look forward to hearing the enormous wealth of knowledge from the members of this superb club.

    Warmsteel

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    May 4, 2016 at 7:23 pm #20800
    roatavator
    Participant

    From memory with these, the l-shaped handle should rotate, handle tip facing left as viewed from the handlebar end should be neutral, tip vertical should operate the rotor blades, tip facing right should engage rotor blades and wheels together.
    Hope this helps.

    May 4, 2016 at 7:38 pm #20801
    andyfrost
    Participant

    If your machine has stood for a long time rust may well have formed on the pulleys ,hence the “grabbing” you can either clean them by hand , or 20mins working it the machine should put things right.
    This of course is assuming you have the correct belt fitted.

    Andy.

    May 4, 2016 at 8:48 pm #20806
    hortiman
    Participant

    Hi there warmsteel.
    Looking at my list I see that the machine listed as 11038 was made in late 1956/early1957. The first ones were made in 1954.

    Hope this is useful information for you,
    Best of luck with it.

    I have a JAP 2a that came from a Bullfinch if you are desperate for a replacement.

    Chris

    May 5, 2016 at 10:46 am #20808
    will-haggle
    Participant

    There’s a braking arrangement with a bit of bent rod which your set-up won’t have.

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    May 7, 2016 at 10:21 pm #20821
    vhgmcbuddy
    Member

    hello

    i have a small collection of howard machines and am slowly building it up.from the pictures and what you say i would say you have a bullfinch and early one which would have a jap 2a engine on. the bulldog was not in production long 18 months according to my books. and all had loop handle bars. and the odd bull finch had these but the jap engine where as the bulldog did not.

    as for the belt there are two speeds for drive and rotor speed and you change the belt from pulley to pulley the pulley nearest the engine is the slowest i think from memory.you use the lever on the side as a chucth to control drive to the gearbox but the rotor will turn at all times then in gear then with engine at low revs turn the l shaped lever to enage drive to wheels.it will drive left first then lock both when fully turned.

    hope this helps

    May 8, 2016 at 10:46 am #20825
    vhgmcbuddy
    Member

    Good Morning all

    Thank you so much to you who have replied with some very useful information.

    From the information gathered it seems that my Bullfinch is not as early as I first thought but never the less it is still relatively early and I am still pleased that I acquired it but it is a shame that the data plate is missing although I may try and make a replacement, for authenticity sake!

    Further study of my machine has revealed further possible problems along with the possible “V”- belt problem.

    I have managed to find a Howard 200 parts manual and assuming that the chassis of the 200 and Bullfinch are very much the same, I was unable to find detailed information on the size of belt needed other than the manual stating “V”-belt?

    Looking at the attached photos it appears to me that the belt is too big in the shoulders for the pulleys and I say this because with the engine in the lowered position there is enough “grab” on the pulley on the engine, to rotate the gearbox pulley. The photos show that the pulleys are clean and should slip when there isn’t any tension on the belt.

    This leads to a further possible problem and that is that the blades rotate even when the engine is in the lowered position (clutch disengaged)

    Now, reading the 200 manual suggests that the “L” shaped lever only engages the wheels and does not do anything with the blades would indicate that my machine is operating as described but since it is not a 200 I cannot be sure that it is correct, does anyone have a Bullfinch manual that they could let me have?
    So the question really is, do the blades rotate regardless of the “L” shaped leaver position and are dependent on the clutch been engaged or disengaged?

    If it is a question of the belt been incorrect, does anyone know what the correct belt would be?
    A further problem is revealed when you look at the left and right wheels, the left wheel has a clearance from the chassis whilst the right wheel is rubbing up against the chassis and the castle nut on the right side is further along the shaft than on the left suggesting that something is missing from the right side, a spacer perhaps? Anyone with a parts diagram for the Bullfinch?

    So depending on the general consensus is, will determine what state my Bullfinch is in and what remedial works would need to be done.

    Once again thank you to everyone and I look forward to more advice.

    Warmsteel

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    May 8, 2016 at 11:58 am #20830
    stuart
    Participant

    The correct drive belt for the JAP and Villiers engine models has the Howard part number of 20707 which I think is an A25 belt (but check for yourself before you buy one !).

    May 9, 2016 at 9:14 pm #20848
    sidevalve44
    Participant

    Welcome to the club !

    I have a Howard 200 as well, probably a Bulldog. Mine has a Kohler 4HP engine retro fitted. Bags of grunt !

    The Suffolk engine would be woefully underpowered for this machine. You will also find that the Howard belt won’t fit as the pulley on yours is not the correct twin pulley type and is not the proper diameter.

    You would be well advised to obtain a JAP, Villiers or BSA if you can get one or perhaps a Briggs although being an ally engine it might not be heavy enough to give proper traction.

    Getting the wheel off might be problematic if it has seized on as they are made of cast iron and don’t take too kindly to being persuaded ! (I know, I’ve a scrap one I tried to strip).

    Otherwise, enjoy !

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