Hi Ken
I would like to make a few observations about the SB Diplomats:
[1] Many thanks for offering parts for sale.
[2] Your comment about disassembly was amusing ...
The diplomats followed new design principles - and I feel the Diplomats were
the last hurrah ... in an attempt at making the reel mower relevant to a broad market.
By disassembly, I guess you are referring to the landroll? ...
And the reduction gearing in the rollers.
This concept was not original to SB, but they capitalised on it.
The origin of the design is most probably British.
[3] The reason these machines are becoming less common is not because
of the design, but with the problem of sourcing the plastic gears. This is a case of a sound
engineering idea let down by materials choices and parts availability.
The reduction gearing embedded in the landroll was a clever idea.
Clearly cheaper to produce, another feature was the greater real estate available
in the belt case. No complicated and more expensive reduction belting there.
[4] This SB design won an Australian Design Award.
That makes sense, but it is also hilarious - depending on the criteria applied.
It showed - to me - the judges knew nothing about lawnmowers.
[5] For me, the Diplomats need to be collected - because they combine tragic flaws
with clever design - in a package that attempted to make the reel mower relevant
to a broad audience in the modern world.
The greatest defect of the Diplomats? Why, the set mechanism - not the landroll gearing.
The greatest achievement of the Diplomats? Safety and maneuverability!
The rest is history.
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Jack
