OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Old Mower Pictures old electric mower

this came originally from my grandfather, still got the original blades!

made in Mascot by Mercury

Theres certainly not much to it, apparenlty victa thought this was a good recipe too, can't remember what year they released this, though i think it was late 70's early 80's.

first post.
I've got one of those in the picture. I used it yesterday to slash a year old growth of grass on 1/2 acre. It works as well as when I got it 20 years ago. Just put a second set of blades and generally cleaned it up. Every time it starts straight away and with a generator I can use it anywhere. I talked to an old guy from south africa who used to design electric lawnmowers and he told me that victa made this and it proved so good that they had no comebacks for parts so they stopped making them. It is very good and I would like if someone knows any information aboout it. I cannot find any victa histories that menition this mower.
Thank you.

Hi Break and ODK members,

I guess you are referring to the Victa Electric.
Could you confirm that you bought this machine new or second-hand?

The Victa electric really represents the third generation of electrics in
Australian lawnmower history.

The first generation - from the early 20th century - covers the period when
electric mowers were introduced. In Australia, the iconic firm of Scott Bonnar
deserves credit as the pioneer.

The second generation - from the mid 20th century - introduces the first
Australian electric rotaries. That's a big story.

The third generation - the one in the picture - is what I coin the 'renaissance'
of Australian-made electric rotaries. We are talking mid to late 1980s onwards.
Your machine would date from the 1990s. It was inspired by the banner-carrier,
the American Sunbeam, and then the Australian Victa-Sunbeam.

I'm not so sure I agree with your S.A. 'old guy'.
The Victa electrics probably followed the European trend in re-discovering electric mowers.
The Victa range continues to this day to offer electric mowers of this type.

These machines would not have sold in high volume, but would have catered to
an emerging trend in a market-niche that favoured electric over coal-powered machines.

Maybe a member will come forward with a brochure picture of your electric utility model.
Historically, these are under-valued machines.

All very interesting.
------------------------------------
JACK.

Yes, 20 years ago he seemed old to me. I got it from a mowershop in sydney that had it unsold in the back of a lot of second hand ones for $40. At that time it had a cowl with a see through round window so one can see the spiral design on the fan. It takes a long time to spin down and is very quiet doing so. I've got a clear plastic bake tin temporarily on top now. Clear warning sign to keep feet and hands out of the way. The visual hint helps. I think if one persists in finding out how to use it safely it is a great machine with little that can go wrong. I've rewired it but that can be tidied up now when I'm getting more interested in it. It was well used when I got it. I cut the cord a couple of times till I figured out how to plan the cut. I'd never let a novice borrow it. It's a nice solid simple little beast. I deduce there was a pole that guided the cable but have no idea how it looked. Also on the side was a baffle which hints at a catcher but I took the baffle door off as it mulches up and without the baffle it blows out. The model # is VA140A9.

edit : now that I think on it having seen what I wrote it seems a bit strange to me to have a side catcher? I can't remember clearly whether there was any other use I could discern for thwe baffle. Because it didn't make sense to me and could clog the under up I just took it off. It gives a really close trim tucked around a post or suchlike.

Hi Break and ODK members,

That's a great story mate!
That you say you cut the cord "a couple of times" is hilarious!
Hello spare underwear!

Your comment about "how to plan the cut" was a real issue when electric mowers
entered the scene about a century ago. The initial solution was hilarious - an overhead line support.



Later on, someone realised that you just had to mow away from the mains point.

Thanks for sharing your memories on ODK.

All very interesting.
-------------------------------------
JACK

Luckily the mower is easy to handle. The handle that one depresses to get the motor running is very light and fits snuggly on the grip bar so it's easy to push/pull with withe one hand and to control the wire with the other hand. When I used to cut a lot I used to think about how to simplify it and I thought of an overhead thing like that interesting old diagram you posted though I oculd see that having problems as well. I think having the time to do a cut leisurely is important and makes this mower a pleasure to use because it's so quiet, yet powerful and robust (just cut 1/2 acre of tall grass in prep for fire season or fairly rough old paddock. That makes me wonder whether the flap door/baffles puirpose was to prevent rocks and things from being flung out. I learnt to be aware of where I park the car.) I find exactly as you say : to cut away from the main. Lay the line out and constantly pay attention to where it is. Also because it ejects to the right it's sometimes important to cut in strips or arcs that traverse the lawn, or whatever one is cutting, to the left.

Hi Break and ODK members,


Break, I think you said that nicely.
I hope to write about the history of safety of electric mowers in the History Forums soon. When the Australian electric rotary was introduced in 1948 there were a few widely-publicized accidents with them - some fatal. Most - but not all - could have been avoided by following your advice.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on ODK.

All very interesting.
------------------------------------
JACK

When I was a youngster back in South Africa in the 70's we had an electric mower that also had a cowl with a clear window on top to see the blade rotational status.....trip down memory lane, thanks!