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Profile picture of Philip Swain

Philip Swain

@philip-s Active 4 days, 23 hours ago
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  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Villiers Mk15 ignition problem in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 week, 2 days ago

    Villiersparts are out of replacements, expressed surprise at the type of unit in my magneto. Definitely not original so looks as if I am looking for another engine.

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s started the topic Villiers Mk15 ignition problem in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 week, 4 days ago

    Trying to sort out the Villiers MK15 engine on my Allen Champion to cut some rough grassland. There was no spark so I went through the usual checks and got as far as checking the points – what points? This is what greeted me inside the flywheel:-
    Someone has been there before and I assume this is some sort of electronic ignition. I thought these…[Read more]

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Cothi Bridge show 2022 in the forum Garden implements 1 month, 1 week ago

    The stallholder smiled and said ‘If you can identify that, I will reduce the price’, so I surprised him and said what it was, his surprise didn’t reduce it much though.
    Some years ago I found an Edwardian postcard of a man in a field hitting his scythe with a hammer. That set me off on a journey of research and I discovered in the history of…[Read more]

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Iron horse in the forum Help and information 1 month, 2 weeks ago

    Jensales do a reproduction Johnson Iron Horse manual which you can download, but it is not cheap.

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Sisis scarifier in the forum Groundcare Machinery 1 month, 4 weeks ago

    Thanks Andrew for the information, sounds like a useful machine for restoring lawns. What is the best time of year to use it to improve the sward?

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s started the topic Sisis scarifier in the forum Groundcare Machinery 1 month, 4 weeks ago

    I picked this up at the weekend, never owned a Sisis before and wondering if someone can give an idea of the age of the machine and if manuals are available
    On the plate it says Sisis ARR2 Auto Rotorake no 1869.
    The engine is a Kohler model k91T spec3124c/7456232.

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Iron horse in the forum Help and information 1 month, 4 weeks ago

    A picture would help.
    There was a Johnson Iron horse which is a small air cooled engine often attached to a generator, these were made in America and I believe manuals are available in the US if you search on the web.

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Ransomes Motor Mowers 1939 catalogue in the forum Grass Cutting Machinery 11 months, 4 weeks ago

    Thanks for your help with dating info, I believe the mower was originally used in the grounds of the local university

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Ransomes Motor Mowers 1939 catalogue in the forum Grass Cutting Machinery 12 months ago

    This is my Ransomes Mk10 no B3413 which I believe also dates to around 1939 and which I found recently in the next village. It is all freed up but I have not had it running yet.
    I have not been able to find any original pre war mower catalogues although there is/was someone in Australia reproducing some of the older ones and I got a nice copy of a…[Read more]

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Ransomes Motor Mowers 1939 catalogue in the forum Grass Cutting Machinery 12 months ago

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Dilapidated Seeder Help in the forum Garden implements 1 year, 3 months ago

    If you go to the photo gallery section of the VHGMC website and put in ‘seed drills’ you can get up pictures of a Fedex drill like yours. There are a lot of local firms who made similar drills about the turn of the 20th century. I repaired the woodwork of my Horace Fuller drill by building it around the brush and axle as I couldn’t move the brush…[Read more]

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Barford Councillor Power Scythe in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 4 months ago

    For what it’s worth, my Barford Scythe has BARFORD GRANTHAM cast into the wheels. I didn’t know it was a ‘Councillor’ until I joined this site a few years ago.
    Is it possible that when Barfords produced a scythe attachment for the Atom they needed to differentiate it from the larger Power Scythe which they then named the Councillor as local…[Read more]

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Lawn roller found in garden in the forum Help and information 1 year, 5 months ago

    Your lawn roller has very ornate castings and is probably late 19th or early 20th century. There are quite a few collectors of lawn rollers and also they display well with lawnmowers of similar age. The only problem is the weight!
    Are you sure there is no name on the castings or the handle or perhaps evidence of a missing label.

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Name that 2 wheeled tractor in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 5 months ago

    Thanks for clarifying about the plough Andyfrost.

    That’s a very nice photo Autophil, where and when was it taken? I see all the autocultos have the torpedo type tank so presumably date to around the 1940’s and the ‘ X’ series.
    My machine had been stuck in the back of the shed for some time waiting until I could get implements to go with it, so…[Read more]

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Name that 2 wheeled tractor in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 5 months ago

    There is what is probably a model L advertised in this month’s Cultivator magazine in the New Forest. Shame it is lockdown and a long way or I would have had it.
    I am interested in Andy’s comments about the plough as I have just obtained a plough for my model EX but without the bits to connect it up to the machine so any ideas on hitching it up…[Read more]

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Vhgmc 2021 calendar in the forum General talk and discussion 1 year, 7 months ago

    Thanks for a nice calendar with interesting photos

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic C. G. A. Annual Price Book in the forum General talk and discussion 1 year, 8 months ago

    Hi Alan,
    I suspect the name changed over the years as I have a faccimile copy of the Country Gentlemens annual Catalogue dated 1894 produced by the C.G.A. It is full of contemporary adverts with prices, just like the annual price books of the 1950’s and 60’s. It is also stated that it is the second annual catalogue they had produced—hence 1893…[Read more]

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Re purposed Lawnmower in the forum General talk and discussion 1 year, 9 months ago

    Thanks for the warning, I haven’t tried to run it yet, got it as a possible replacement for the engine on the Landmaster Stoic which seems to have lost its spark.

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s started the topic Re purposed Lawnmower in the forum General talk and discussion 1 year, 9 months ago

    I recently bought this for the Briggs and Stratton engine at a sale. It was said it was adapted for gassing moles, all the mower parts had been removed.

  • Profile picture of Philip Swain

    philip-s replied to the topic Where can I find Mayfield parts? in the forum Help and information 1 year, 9 months ago

    Why not post an ad in the VHGMC newsletter, are you looking for any attachments or those other than the usual finger bar mower.

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