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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Ransomes Automaton Minor Restoration - Progress and a few questions

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Hello all, and thank you for having me as a new member of the club.

During this lockdown, I've taken the opportunity of restoring my 12" Ransomes Automaton Minor. I bought it about 7 years ago, started restoring (i.e. took it to bits) then got sidetracked. So here we are. I've stripped off most of the paint (stage 1 i'd say), and am about to buy new paints. I've not got the cylinder blade stripped yet - going to get this done professionally. 

So, there are a few issues I've identified, which I have to fix:

One of the handle coachbolt threaded insterts is all worn, so, I'm going to buy m12 bolts (to replace the existing 3/8", and re-tap both holes so they match. 

I've bought some replacement bolts, and have sourced square nuts to match.

I need new handles and rollers turned (I seen a link on this site which I will try) could someone suggest the type of wood this would have been?

I need new sheet metal grassbox and throw plate (I've emailed a few places, waiting to hear back)

I have a new sole plate

I need a new ratcheting tooth bit for in one of the rear rollers (I'll probably just have to go at a block of steel with a file for hours!)

With regards to the colour scheme, the photos show it before dismantling, it has obviously been painted light green at some point. I'm going to paint it ransomes green, as this seems to be the original colour. The cylinder and rear rollers are a dark red. Interestingly, it seems like the inset bits of the handle are a much darker green - nearly black, with the gold lettering, I'll do the same on the name plate. So I'm going to recreate this. Never seen this before?

The nuts that hold the scraper plate on, as you can see, are hex, whereas all others are square, so I am assuming the hex are replacements.

I'd be interested to see what you guys thought so far? It's my first proper restoration. I assume the mower is about 1910-20? Is it particularly rare?

Does anyone know if the wee hole in the rear gear has a purpose?

Forums

hillsider Sat, 25/04/2020

An interesting project and well worth your efforts.

Re the use of Ransomes Green paint are you aware that the current Ransomes green is not the same colour as the green used on your mower, the older shade is lighter in colour. I am not sure when the change over occurred but I ran into the issue while sorting my old Ransomes Lawn Edger (see the virtual annual rally page) I found a fragment of the original paint on one of the side plates and took it to be colour matched at a local Decorator centre, I am not entirely sure that I have it quite right as the matched colour does not coincide with the recommendation to be found in the mower colours section of this site but it looks ok to me and has darkened a little as it has matured over the past year or so.

Re the hole in the rear roller sprocket is it threaded? If it is then it may be that it was provided for the purpose of back lapping the cutting cylinder. Later Ransomes mowers had a threaded hole in the roller gear to allow one of the push handles to be screwed into the threaded hole for the purpose of turning the cylinder backwards. 

Ray.

Clive1997 Sat, 25/04/2020

Hello Joe

Welcome to the club & forum, you certainly have things well underway with your restoration and heading in the right direction.

As to the dating etc, the Automaton Minor was introduced I believe in 1906 with just the gear version available in 10,12 & 14in cutting widths, the chain drive model followed shortly after, the chain version was still around in the early 1930's & during the period of production models in additional sizes were introduced, at one time 6 sizes available for 6in to 16in.

Whilst not easy to date a particular machine, often Ransomes cutting cylinders had a year date stamped on each cutting blade usually in this format for example 21/22, the numbers being about 3-4mm, when you strip the blades look out for this. That said this of course will give an approx date for the cutting cylinder which may have been replaced during the mowers life. The large chain sprocket also changed on later models to the solid style, earlier ones having open spokes, but again if a sprocket broke it may well have ben replaced with a later one.

As to rarity they do crop up now & again & many members have them in their collections, as with many mowers the smaller say 6in & the large 16in are more scarce & indeed we see less of the gear versions.

When I can, I will check if I have a spare pawl for the rear roller, I am sure many of us have scrapped some rusty relics, but the pawls are usually intact. Perhaps some others reading this may have some.

The hole in the rear roller may be for oiling?

Hope that helps & look forward hearing more as you progress.

MowerJoe93 Sat, 25/04/2020

Hi Ray and Clive, 

Thank you for your replies. Regarding the colour, the lawn edger is a lovely restoration, I have done a lot of checking of the colour, especially at the grass collector, and it does seem a fairly close match for the darker Ransomes green, I think I'll buy a tin from mower magic and, if it's the older lighter one, then that's fine too. 

I've looked today and the hole in the chain sprocket is threaded, it was so gunked up I never noticed before. It is a perfect match for the original handle coach bolt. This is such a cool and well-designed detail! The shame is, I'm changing my handle bolts to M12 rather than 3/8" (which is around 9.3mm). So, I think, to keep the detail, I'll re-thread the sproket to match.

Once the blade is stripped, I'll see if it has any codes / dates. Although I do appreciate it may be a replacement. It would be great to know if anyone has any spare pawls though. 

Thanks very much, I'll keep everyone updated on my progress. 

Joe

Clive1997 Sun, 26/04/2020

Sorry misread the mention of the hole, was thinking of thr rear roller, Ray is correct re the insertion of handle for lapping. 

Mower1 Sun, 26/04/2020

Are the " Pawl Springs" missing or does this particular mower not require them?

Keith Wootton Sun, 26/04/2020

Here's an image showing a back-lapping setup on Ransomes Certes mower to illustrate how a handle would be attached to the rear gear/sprocket.

As for the pawls, no springs on the Automatons - most mowers of this era were similarly "gravity" driven.

Clive1997 Sun, 26/04/2020

The Grinding-In Rest in Keith's image would appear to be the model being sold by Ransomes in 1936 see advertisement below, together with an advertisement for the slightly earlier version with I believe a Mk2 Certes in position, I like the reference to it being 'a simple contrivance'. 

MowerJoe93 Sun, 26/04/2020

Thanks for the photos Keith, and the advertisements Clive. Brilliant to see. I imagine mine could facilitate a handle like that, rather than the actual mower handle. As the mower handle wouldn't spin in the threaded hole. 

I may have to acquire an old hand-drill and nab the handle.

Thanks for all the information. Joe