OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Question On Scott Bonnar Cylinder Mowers First Timer - with an old SB 45 (i think)

My favourite Honda for an SB45 is the GX120, but the GX160 is a good engine for the job: just a bit bigger and especially, heavier. It is quite a bit heavier than the Briggs, too.

Hi Grumpy,
I think most agree that with the weight of the chains and sprockets....plus the cutter clutch being centred perhaps equaled the weight of the fully fueled and oiled Briggs engine....I often wonder if the weight of a fully fueled and oiled Honda GX160 would upset the balance...

The question once asked by SBM45 re: weight distribution was never fully answered.

Here are the sharpened cylinder and plate.
I'm confident that if I don't bang it around much that this will hold together for a while longer.

Ohh!, that crack is a nasty one....If that lets go, the results could be very expensive.
We have seen that here before when members try to remove the screws that hold the bedknife in place....I always recommend that the complete soleplate (including the bedknife) be removed and taken (with the cylinder reel) to the engineer...he has the expertise and the methods of getting the screws out, without cracking the soleplate.

So the project continues, applied a coat of Galmet Primer & Galmet Hammertone (Jade-Green).

Will be applying another coat in a week, and then let it cure properly before I start assembling the bits back together.

I also got rid of the majority of the surface rust on the handlebar frame, with a bit of Kerosene and steel-wire. Came up a treat, compared to before.

Hi again waxdass,
The project is coming along nicely, I guess you would have noticed that the 'Jade Green' is a lot lighter in colour than the original Scotty colour, but will look great when all together...It is a real shame that we have not got the original Scotty paint formula...lost in the mists of time.

Galmet is a good product and will give great protection for the chassis components...Looking forward to seeing the progress pics as you go along!

Hi waxdass,
If you are interested I have just found a second hand 17" soleplate, I will PM you with the details.
Compared with the price of a new one, this is a good deal...

Thanks mate, I will see how I go with this one first, I suspect its been cracked for a very long time. I will see how she runs first and make an assessment after.

Ok, cool mate, just hope that it doesn't let go...

Update..

I've starting to put her back together. The Honda GX160 was looking great until I realised that a threaded shaft won't work with the Scotty. Long story short, I sold it, made a profit, and bought a new Briggs & Stratton 3.5hp 550. I should be good to mow my lawn by this weekend.

Mind my dirty fingers all over the paint job...

she's done boys

Looks sweet mate !

Did you spraypaint or brush, the finish looks awesome.

I am restoring a 45 and been quoted ~$130-$150 for cylinder and bedknife sharpening.

Would you care to share the place you went to, $60 is a steal !

Hi waxdass, and well done mate!
She is looking good and should give you many hours of mowing pleasure, if carefully maintained.

I am still concerned about the cracked soleplate...but as long as the crack doesn't escalate, it should do the job.

Hi waxdass,

You've most certainly turned an old lifeless unit into a machine that is simply screaming out for more lawn mowing, so well done as it looks fantastic.

I must admit that I most certainly am of the same opinion as DeeJay regarding that soleplate as when I look back at your early photos your reel damage matched up perfectly to that massive crack in the soleplate so it hit something really hard and would've made a big bang at the time. If you look closely at it the crack is about 3 quarters the way through the assembly and the integrity of the machine heavily relies on that sole plate staying absolutely rigid and not having the ability to flex. The other main issue is that that it is going through one of the set screw holes and making it even worse it is one of the end ones on which so much importance lays.

Personally I would keep my eye out for another and replace it asap because a failure will more than likely render the whole frame useless when it goes bang, and that it will, maybe not today but in the near future. Then sadly all your good efforts will have been in vain.

I do have one laying about and I recall DeeJay offering you one as well. Honestly I would seriously take up either of the two offers.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Cheers,
BB

Yeah I can understand your POV, however for the time being the plate doesn't move at all even with the crack. The mower is operational for less than 30min a fortnight mowing my lawn. So the probability of it letting go, let alone becoming loose is low in my opinion, given my assessment on the plate. Anyone done a risk assessment matrix? :p

I'll plan to remove it after the summer when I can justify taking a replacement with the blade reel to get sharpened.

For now, enjoy finished pics:

Hi waxdass,

It certainly looks good and it's good to see how Galmet's "Jade Green" looks on the finished product. I have had a 2 litre can offered to me and I thought it needed a bit more of a darker iridescent green added to it when I stirred it up to match SB's late 1970's colour that they used up until Rover took over in 1980. All in all a very nice job indeed.

BTW as previously asked by another member did you spray it or brush paint it ?

Back on to sole plates, metal fatigue works in strange ways and doesn't generally give you any warning apart from "BANG" and injury. The reason as I've previously stated is because it's on the blade edge screw which would carry the biggest load and vibration which inturn causes more fatigue. Putting a timeframe on it is rather careless especially when you know about it. It's a bit like driving a car knowing that one of the brake lines was about to burst and trying to drive to Melbourne and attempting to save a buck opposed to thinking of personal safety.

I'm sure there are a few other members of the ODK Forum reading this thread that think the exact same thing.

Anyway it's your call.


Cheers,
BB

Just out of interest in the earlier shot prior to you putting decals on the machine I've noticed that there are no catcher rubbers fitted to the side plate mounts and am wondering if you've fitted them at a later point as the more recent photos with the catcher on hide these rubbers.

If you haven't fitted them your catcher will sit lower and the half inch mounts will also wear holes through the bottom of the catcher in no time.

Again Congratulations on a really nice job.

If you have a look back to the first few pics, the mower never actually came with the rubber mounts, so I wasn't aware of them. I wonder if they were standard after a particular year or they went missing at some point in its life ?

cheers


I spray painted it.

Hi Waxdass,

All Model 45's were fitted with the square block rubber slip on bumpers to protect and quieten the rattle down of the catcher on the machine.

Never run the mower without them as they quickly wear holes through the bottom of the catcher assembly.

Yes spraying is a much better finish isn't it ?

Cheers,
BB

OK Cheers for letting me know.
Yeah spraying us quick and simple. Took 2 cans total for 3 coats.