Finished first (actually 3rd) project: Atco Commodore B17

Dear reader,

Last Saturday we (me and my neighbour) sold off our third project (the first 2 where two Balmoral 14's for our own use), a Atco Commodore B17. While being busy restoring the 2 Balmorals I came up with the idea to buy a couple of cylinder mowers and restore them to sell on, for fun and as a hobby project. Goal was not to make money on them, just to cover the cost and some extra for expenses, given the amount of hours needed you can't do this commercially....

Anyway, we bought the Commodore B17 from somebody's inheritance. On pictures it looked rather good, close-up there was a lot of work to be done. The deflector plate was rust and folded by the Cylinder (I bought a used one form eBay) and the paint was generally in a bad shape. Most chassis parts behind and around the Cylinder where rusted, handlebar paint was damaged. We ended up in taking off all the paint, surprised as we where by the bad quality of the Atco paint used on this particular mower, very thin and very easy to take off... Anyway, after stripping all chassis parts underneath where painted with anti-rust paint and all outside parts where sprayed in the original colour for which we had paint mixed (DAF Trucks Brand Beer green with some extra yellow).

There where some more challenges: the golden paint on the engine was worn off and needed a respray, what colour to use? There was no front roller, just the long grass wheels, should we replace it and how? The RL4 ULS5 bearing that holds the axle and takes the drive from the main clutch to the drive belt was shot as well. Anyway... We sprayed the engine silver, the muffler black, ordered a bearing from Hendersons. Regarding the front roller: we have a neighbour opposite our road who has a UGE workshop and a lathe for wood and one for metalworks. He helped by find a new spindle and putting some thread on it. I bought 2 beech table legs from somebody and made the rollers on the wood lathe, I learned a new skill!

Below are some pictures.

Regards, Henno