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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Help - Rake/comb attachment for Atco B20?

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Hello, thanks for letting me post to the forum.

Earlier this year I purchased an Atco B20 Deluxe and it's brilliant, however, I've seen on newer Allett mowers, namely the Liberty 43 that there is a rake/comb behind the front roller which helps to stand up the grass before cutting. 
Does anyone know if there is such an attachment that would fit an Atco B20? Not been able to find anything on the google so I suspect probably not..

Alternatively, has anyone here retro-fitted a comb to a cylinder mower before, or know if it's even possible?

I'd be comfortable enough making or modifying some sort of device to attach to my mower but not quite sure where to start.

I'll add some photos of the rake on an Allett Liberty and also some photos of my Atco B20.

Any help, suggestions or advice would be much appreciated, thanks!

Forums

wristpin Tue, 16/06/2020

Back in the 1960s a company marketed combs for most of the larger cylinder mowers of the day. I still have one for use with the old belt driven Webb 24. I can’t remember the name of the company but I suspect that they are long gone.

More recently, 1980s , Atco sold rakes for the Commodore range , including one for the 20”  so there may be one gathering dust on someone’s top shelf .

May be worth asking Jon Cruse of the Hailsham Mower Centre.

EDIT Just noticed that your machine has Club B20 DeLuxe on the clutch cover, yet has a six blade cylinder. I will do some checking but I would have expected a Club to have a nine or ten bladed cylinder and possibly a rake.

2nd EDIT. THE PARTS BOOK SAYS A 12 bladed cylinder for a Club DeLuxe and no rake. The rake was only listed for the 20” Golf Green Special.  

As your machine would appear to have cast alloy rear rollers it would seem to have started life as a Club but to have acquired a standard six blade cylinder as used on the standard Heavy Duty domestic machines.

 

 

Jonlow Tue, 16/06/2020

Thanks for your response Wristpin it's very helpful. I'll do some digging for a rake from a Commodore, and contact Jon  Cruse if I don't have much luck.

Regarding the 'club' model and the 6 blade cylinder, only today I noticed the same thing! I saw you mention that the club models have 9 or 10 blades on another post on here.

See picture - it appears to definitely be a club model, I can only assume the cylinder was changed at some point and the rake potentially removed? 

Supplementary question if you don't mind.. I'd love to know  roughly when the mower was in production. From what I've read it was likely manufactured between 1969 and 1980. Do you have any idea what end of the decade it may have been? Many thanks :)

Ian Donald Tue, 16/06/2020

I have been following your inquiry with interest as I had thoughts along the same line as yours.  I have a Club B20 Special of a similar age to your Atco. Mine has a 12 blade cylinder and transport wheels, that leaves 4 inch ankle biting axle sticking out each side of the mower when they are not fitted!  Good luck with your quest, I will look out for your future postings.  Kind regards, Ian.

wristpin Tue, 16/06/2020

Year of manufacture, F = 1983 .

Both the Club and the Golf  Green  could be a “ special” which signified that they had the ankle savaging extended axles. As do the two Ransomes Auto Certes that I’ve just had through my workshop !

Oh yes, a rake was listed for the Golf Green Special and appears in the parts list but unhelpfully without a part number - probably classed as an accessory.