OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums General Discussion Forum Show and Tell Atom Mofast 'Dangerous'

Hello everyone

A recent addition is this Atom Mofast. It is a "Standard" model from what photos I can find.
I can't believe it could be sold with those uncovered blades spinning on top. I have been told this was how they were sold.

I am looking for a pair of rubber brackets to hold the fuel tank. These will be hard to find i expect as most would be hard and brittle by now.
If anyone knows where there might be a pair I would appreciate the info.

Cheers
Dan

Hi Dan,
They bred people differently back then and they were more aware of their surroundings and of the equipment they were using. Sure it had to end and people are more protected than back then and we are much better off for it.

Johnny boy will quickly become Johnny no fingers with that around these days.
I'm even surprised they allowed the exposed rotating vent on the B&S motors up until the end of the 1980s.
I love that about them but I always found it odd they were made that way.

Hello Tassie Dan, Norm and MF,
Yep, a 15" Standard for sure.

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/74358/ATOM_MOFAST_MOWERS_-_c1957.html


Norm, I have to disagree there. In fact it could be easily argued
that folks were more ignorant of their surrounds back then.

Having said that, I do take the point that, with the advent of 'helicopter
parenting', safety 'mollycoddling' and the like, children have
less experience of the 'real' world that they might otherwise learn from.

I researched lawnmower accidents quite a few years' back.
I remember It was extensive research done in answering some basic questions.
I amassed over 60MB of dating data back to the very early 20th century.

I have published bugger all on the subject, but I did publish a 1968 Choice article: -

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u...azine-rotary-lawnmower-safety-c1968.html

What really stood out was that public ignorance played
a major role in accidents and deaths caused by lawnmowers.

This was the case with manual, and powered electric and petrol lawnmowers.

The second thing was that lawnmower makers had to come to the
party and produce safer lawnmowers. They did.

The third thing was that makers needed to have responsible advertising.
Victa, for example, was advertising in 1952 that their mower was safe for 10-year-olds!
The industry did respond and change.

Having said that, I feel that some safety signage and warning labels are
just stupid! And, of course, we need to take responsibility for our actions.

Still I do agree with Norm, that we are better for the changes made.

Cheers
------------------------
Jack

Tassie Dan, if you can't get these mounts you may consider 3D printing a pair, they would not be rubber but I assume this mower will be for show and rallies etc so wont get the use of a mower in normal use. I am nut sure how they attached to the handles there must be some method, this could also be incorporated into the print. Just food for thought.
Regards Beech.

Hello Beech. Yes I had that suggestion from someone else. The brackets had a hole on the outer end and it appears they slid up the handle tube from the bottom before the handle was attached to the base. I would need some measurements from original brackets too.

There is a mower for sale with what appears to be good brackets. Problem being it is in Queensland (Gold Coast) and I am in Tassie.

I wish I had some way of getting it even though I think the price is a bit steep. One can't negotiate and then ask to have it packed for a courier.

Thanks for the suggestion.
Regards
Dan

Tassie Dan, there is this one in NSW

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-Rare-Atom-Mowfast-Mower-1950s/264661122442?hash=item3d9f083d8a:g:OhwAAOSwa29eVxKi&frcectupt=true hope the link works, $150.00 he seems to be a bit of a dealer he may pack it up for you if you can arrange to have it picked up.
Still think it will be cheaper to 3D print the parts.
If you can supply me with the dimensions between myself and a mate of mine in Qld we may be able to do it for you. There are 3 of us novices at this stage one in WA one in Qld and me in NSW, corresponding via email, the chap in WA has the printing experience (4 years at this stage) the chap in Qld is doing the designing on a CAD program and we all have a go at printing and give each other feed back.
So if you had a drawing or photo with dimensions I am happy to have a go for you, let me know.

Beech

The link works! Thank you Beech. Getting dimensions would be the tricky part. I will see how I go.

Cheers
Dan

Dan,
if you can't get the exact measurements off an existing part the critical measurements would be the diameter of the handles the mounts sit around, the angle of the handles, the distance between the handles at the point the mounts sit, the diameter of the tank at each end which will sit in the mounts and the profile of the end of the tank.
All fairly easy to do from you mower if the handles are mounted on the base. First off we will address the angle, if you can pick two points one top and one bottom on the handles and measure for me the distance apart at these two points, I also need to know the distance apart the two marks are vertically, I can then work out the angle.
The second dimension will be the distance between the handles at the centre line of where the mounts are to go.
The third dimension is the length of the tank outside to outside at the centre line of the tank, if the tank has flat ends that is easy, if it has convex ends sit the tank on a flat surface and with a square sitting on the surface touching the tank mark the surface with a pencil line, without moving the tank do the same at the other end, you can then measure between the lines on the flat surface to get the tank length.
Now the trickier one is if the tank end is convex I need a copy of its profile, I dont know if you have, or have access to a profile gauge (google multiple needle profile tool) if you can get the profile of the tank and draw it on a piece of paper like a smiling mouth, at each side of the mouth put a mark which will coincide with the diameter of the tank, you then draw a line across the top of the smile from one mark to the other.
The dimension I need from that is the distance from the straight line to the smiley mouth at the centre point ( that woul be from the top straight lip to the bottom curved lip of our smiley mouth.
Dan hope I haven't confused the /// out of you but if I get all that I can then draw up the parts and print them, the reason they were rubber would be to suppress the vibrations on the fuel tank which 3D printed mounts will not do, but if we leave say 4 mm gap between the mounts (2mm each end of the tank) when you mount it all up put silicone in each mount.
This will serve 2 purposes, it will hold the tank in and minimize some of the vibrations.
I have saved a copy of the photo of the mounts from that ebay ad so I know roughly what they look like.

Beech

Okay Beech ! Thanks for your interest and attempts to help. I will see how I go getting the real thing and decide which way to go.

Kind regards
Dan

G'day again Beech

An update! I now have a good pair of tank brackets. They are near perfect with only minimal cracking on one at the thinnest point, the leading edge when fitting to the tank.
Had to buy an incomplete mower to get them so will have some spare parts (base, motor, wheels) to sell eventually. So I now have a complete Atom and am itching to get to the restoration. I did not think there would be any of these about in this condition after so long. The rubber is still pliable and seems to be like new.

If anyone is looking at making some brackets I can supply the dimensions. I can also try doing a drawing via Auto Cad if that would help. It would be a ( .dwg ) file so any user would have to be able to open it. I guess it may be possible to convert it to another file format.

Thanks again for your offer of help .It's great that members are willing to help each other.

Kind regards
Dan

Dan,
I missed this message, a .dwg would be great, I can then have a go at printing one to see how it turns out. Very pleased to hear you got the parts you were looking for, how did you come by the mower?

Regards Beech.

G'day Beech

It appeared on ebay. I thought it would work out okay as I will have some spare pieces to sell later so will recover some of the cost.
I have a brand new set of wheels and those on the mower look to be good but I have not cleaned them up as yet. So I could end up with maybe six wheels to sell.

I will have a go at a bracket drawing. It's a while since I used Auto Cad but I guess it will come back to me.
If you give me an email address I can try to get good photos as well and send them to you.

Kind regards
Dan