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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Comparison Atco Commodore B17 Petrol cylinder V Webb AB1476

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I need to pick some of your brains in your opinion which is the better built mower I have a chance of getting both but I don't know which one to choose.

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hortimech Thu, 01/06/2017

I don't think there is much to choose between them build wise, but I would go with the Webb, purely because it has a Briggs engine. The Qualcast engine fitted to the Atco can be problematic, the carb gets blocked very easily, for an instance.

I think it is all down to you and the condition of each, check that everything works and that there is no wear in any of the bearings etc. Do the engines run and start easily, do they need a regind.

 

Edda Thu, 01/06/2017

Thanks for your quick response, the mower is for a little project I have planned converting the mower to a verticutter. I like the look of the Webb but the only downside I can see is the roller height adjustment where as the Atco has the one screw thread version.

I suppose I could alter the Webb but that's a lot more work.

wristpin Thu, 01/06/2017

As your project does away with the cutting cylinder I think that Horimech has made the right call - why?  Well back in the day when we were selling the Webbs there seemed to be a bit of an issue with the cutting cylinder geometry making them a bit difficult to set up nicely and they were prone to go "off cut" rather too soon / easily.  Although Webb never admitted that there was an problem they did issue a couple of service bulletins on "the correct method" of setting them up. However, it was my belief that the centre line of the cutting cylinder was not far enough forward of the front of the bottom blade and tended to drag over it rather than shear. My solution was to grind some relief onto both the cylinder blades and the lip of the bottom blade - a solution only available to those in control of their own grinding operations.

Not knowing the extent of your mechanical abilities and facilities it does occur to me that perhaps the route to go would be to look for a later machine with a lift out cutter cassette .

Edda Thu, 01/06/2017

Thanks for your information I already have a Balmoral 14 Inch with the cassette system but I find its drags along the lawn when turning because it does not have a twin drive roller on the back. My daily mowers are my 14 and 16 inch manual push Certes and the new old mower will be fitted the the verticutter with 10mm spacing to use every 10 days or so for the lateral grass's.

Thinking about it probably the height adjustment will be the most critical because it will need to be set about 2mm above the canopy of the grass.

I'm in no real rush might even keep an look out for a Ransomes Auto certes or Marquis.

hortimech Thu, 01/06/2017

Are thinking of playing golf on your lawn ?

That is the only reason I can think of to cut the cross runners so often (and then it wouldn't be often enough)

I think you are trying to get the affect of groomers as fitted to greens units on a triple mower, most Greenkeepers use these every time they mow i.e. everyday. They are also mowing down to about 3/16th of an inch, with the groomers set slightly below the height of cut.

As for turning at the end of a cut on a fine lawn, you don't, you run off the end, turn, then do the next straight run, once you have cut the entire lawn, you do a finish cut around the outside of the lawn.

Edda Thu, 01/06/2017

Not golf but a finish like golf. I'm talking about when you mow up and down I have to turn the mower which is more awkward with a roller that's not split. I like using the manual Certes which I sometimes use twice a day. I could have went down the route of petrol like you have suggested but I think my way is better for the environment and myself, and the cut of both Certes is excellent one of them dated 1934.

Dennis do a standalone verticutter it would be a similar design to that albeit a smaller version and reckon I could use it to groom/verticut once a week.

hortimech Thu, 01/06/2017

Well, you certainly have the right handmower for a golf green, that is what the Multiblade Certes was designed for. There was even a three unit version powered by a walk-behind traction unit called an Overgreen.

The Sisis machine you refer to, isn't for cutting cross runners, it is for removing thatch, a groomer is entirely different.