The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: Ray Baxter on August 24, 2013, 03:58:25 pm

Title: Make do and mend - creating a sit on scythe mower
Post by: Ray Baxter on August 24, 2013, 03:58:25 pm

Could be a motto for a smallholder (make do an mend). We needed a new lawnmower. We have worn out a brand new one with two years of continual use. We have about an acre of grass that needs cutting on a regular basis. We really need a sit on one, but have more important things to spend our cash on (house restoration, pond restoration, sluice gates, barn and so on. Our ‘make do and mend’ has been to take a working engine from broken Suffolk Punch lawnmower and fit this to an old Allen Scythe (1940’s ish) with a broken engine.  We had to make a little propshaft, engine support and buy a bearing and fit this with bolts with helicoils.

It is all done and it now runs really well. It cuts a much bigger surface area in a shorter time. Now it’s working we are thinking about cutting a bicycle in half and welding this to the allen scythe. Our very own three wheel lawnmower!! :thumbsup:

See here for pics  http://www.newmainsfarm.co.uk/blog.html (http://www.newmainsfarm.co.uk/blog.html)

I wanted to add some pics to TAS but couldn't see how

Title: Re: Make do and mend - creating a sit on scythe mower
Post by: Moel on August 25, 2013, 02:57:02 pm

Very cool
Would love a Allen scythe for some of my tight unkept corners,
will have to keep looking for one in line with my budget!

Regards

Moel

Title: Re: Make do and mend - creating a sit on scythe mower
Post by: chrismahon on August 26, 2013, 04:43:25 am

Like that Ray! We are looking to buy Austrian scythes to cut that sort of area, so that approach may be worth consideration, if only for the small difficult bits.