[alan]

Roger

We have a Huffy Sheraton that’s restored. Unfortunately, I don’t have a manual for it.

Do you have the mowing deck for it? They have a convoluted set-up of a couple of belts, levers and springs sandwiched between the chassis and deck which is quite interesting!

Alan

Our Huffy: https://vhgmc.co.uk/huffy-sheraton-twscot2018/

[alan]

Is that along the lines of the trailer in this image:

Farmers Boy – IMGFarm001

[alan]

I’ve just had a look on the database on the backend of the website and see there are some wheeled hoes. I’ve put them on a page, it may (or may not!) be of some help. Link below.

https://vhgmc.co.uk/photo-galleries/hoes/

We don’t see that many hand tools on or push machines on the forum which is a shame as there’s some really interesting items out there.

[alan]

I’d agree with Charlie, it’s a Honda cultivator with a Honda engine. Not sure of the age or model number, but a lot seem to start with the F prefix such as Honda F501.

[alan]

It’s good to know that people are still using their trusty B&D drills and other stuff too.

I’ve scanned in the Black & Decker brochure (8 pages) and attached it to this thread. It’s pre-decimal, but I also see that when the first Argos catalogue was out in 1973 they were selling B&D stuff. The basic drill was a 3/8 chuck single-speed with a recommended price of £9.84 but Argos would sell it for £6.55 – an absolute bargain!

The B&D brochure also states on the back page that it has ‘After-sales-service second to none!’. They do ‘service while you wait’ at a service station of which there were several around the country. A full check over and lubricating service for only 12s 6d – presumably for the drill and not the owner.

Here’s the brochure which can be downloaded and saved:

https://vhgmc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/vintage-black-decker-drills.pdf

[alan]

Christina,

Excellent! Thank you for posting that you found one of the elusive Husqvarna mowers that I researched and wrote about. They really do seem to be quite rare.

Yours is the blue version which, as far as I am aware, doesn’t have the self-propelled mechanism and so it has to be pushed. This may be rarer than the red version which is in the Husqvarna museum.

It may be an idea to email Husqvarna and ask if they have one in their archive, there is a chance they may be interested.

Many thanks for taking the time to contact the VHGMC and post that you had a blue version of the mower. My search is over, the blue and red machines exist! Thank you!

Alan

This is the Husqvarna museum website:

https://husqvarnamuseum.se/en/

[alan]

Did Trusty have some sort of sales agreement with Vigzol oils? Was there any benefit to the machines using those oils rather than any competitors oils?

[alan]

I know someone who has one of those Hayters mowers with the Tecumseh engine but with electric start – it may be a slightly different model/spec but it’s similar. I have to say it’s not in as good condition as the image by the original poster.

As Charlie has mentioned; What is vintage? I’d also add that some of the lower-spec machines of any manufacturer can, but not always, be the rarest. I’ve often wondered how many mass-produced mowers, rotavators or tractors were made – was it in the hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands?

[alan]

Re: Membership

We’d always recommend just looking at the help pages for payment problems, the link is in the right side column. There’s the option to pay directly by paypal in there. Also worth trying the following link when logged into VHGMC:

Membership Registration

[alan]

At the end of last year I had to have the software updated on a precision piece of equipment for work, it was something I was not willing to do myself as it also required some safety checks to be undertaken afterwards.

Before sending the item to the manufacturer part of the procedure was filling in a generic repair request form online. One of the questions was: “Have you already attempted a repair yourself?”, followed by: “If so, what did you do?”. I can only assume this had a direct effect on the amount they charged the customer!

[alan]

David,

Thank’s for letting us know. If an online subscription has expired then sometimes it doesn’t want to play ball.

As a backup there is the printable application form, which you found. Also some paypal forms that can be found on the help pages.

However you decide to pay, all the information goes to the same person for sorting online and offline subscriptions and if paying by cheque then your online account will be marked as paid so you can use the full website.

Alan

[alan]

Is the elf making Christmas presents for the VHGMC members? Can we put in requests?!

[alan]

Messages can be found in your dashboard. Once logged in, then click on your name next to your avatar picture in the top right corner of this screen to display your dashboard.

[alan]

Many thanks,

I see that the CGA have the entire archives of their publications at their offices.

[alan]

Surprisingly, I came across a photo of another Hydro Bug just yesterday that had been on the forum a while back.

I have found no further information beyond that it was made in the 1970’s by a company owned by Jack Wilderspin Ltd, High Street (or possibly College Farm), Fen Drayton, Cambridge.

There’s reference in The Grower magazine in 1977 to the Hydro-Bug along with a machine called the Jack-Truck.

Jack Wilderspin, being a local engineer, also made the Jack-truck which aided the loading of pallets. There is no reference as to what the Hydro-Bug was intended for.

[Author]

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