OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Model Histories AUSTRALIAN Rotary Models KBC Lawnmower - c1956

Hello ODK History Lovers
KBC was a household name in the 1950s ...

But not for lawnmowers.

KBC - Ken Bowes and Company Limited - was an early Australian maker of electric power tools,
and associated products.

The company started c1936 and the company history follows a typical romantic story of starting in
a home garage in Forestville, SA.

Post-war, KBC followed the typical path of product diversification and tapped into the home appliance
market; making power tools and domestic kitchen products. Their products would have made ideal
Christmas presents: The Power Drill kit for dad; the Mixmaster for mum.

The best source of the limited information on KBC must come from a Power Tool BlogSpot:




http://powertoolstudy.blogspot.com.au/p/other.html

The thing is, there is evidence that KBC also made a ... lawnmower!

To be continued ...

PART TWO - The KBC Lawnmower
The KBC lawnmower is a total mystery.
I was first alerted to its existence a few years' ago, when I saw KBC's name as a
lawnmower maker in a 1960's repair guide ..



It was member Kye Turnbull - of Vintage Mowers Buy, Swap and Sell that alerted me to
a KBC lawnmower - one had been found!

Many thanks to Ash W, from Hamilton VIC, for the use of his images.

The machine has a die cast base, and is powered by a Villiers 5G 70cc engine.
Note the American design influence, with the forward discharge chute and primitive
height adjustment.

Of particular interest is the rounded bit on the front casting. What was that for?
My best guess is that this intended as a port for an accessory mount ... perhaps for a
KBC drill. Who knows!

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/89161/kbc-juice-extractor-c1949.html


There is little know about the KBC lawnmower.
Do you have some information?

Simple create a new topic in the Old Soap Box HERE.