OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Finding and Swapping Tip & Curb Side Finds Qualcast Model "H" Hard Rubbish Find

G'day everyone,

I had this old thing sitting out the back for many years and I thought i'd drag it out and get some photo's of it.

It's a Qualcast Model "H" push reel mower. I found it thrown out with hard rubbish back around the mid to late 80's. I have also found another one I think it's the same but I don't know where it is now. It may be buried at the back and at the bottom of the shed somewhere.

I actually found these close by and I walked them home back then. When I found them they still had the original wooden handles and the wooden roller at the back. But even back then they were pretty old and worn out.

I tried to mow with this when I first found it back in the late 80's. I still remember an old timer walking past on the footpath and saw me trying to mow the front yard with this thing, and he said "Gees mate you trying to mow the grass the old fashioned way". LOL! I was like "haha yeah mate".

I didn't get far using this style of mower. I have too many small branches etc that just kept jamming and stopping the blade from turning. After trying to mow half the front lawn with this thing I just gave up with the blade constantly jamming up with debris on the grass. But it was a bit of fun to use back then anyway.

Cheers!

the H stood for hard to push...................
speedy

G'day Converse and speedy
For a minute there, I thought you were speaking of me...

Converse, many thanks for the great images on the Model H.
I'm not sure were to begin here ...

Qualcast looked on Australia as its most important export market,
and Qualcast developed models for Australian conditions.

The models from this period were the Model K and Model H.
The Model H would prove to be Qualcast's most successful pushie
from the interwar years.

The Model K was advertised as the first British-made Qualcast made
for AUS (c1928), and the Model H quickly followed. The Model H would become the
star AUS-made Qualcast from late 1930.

The thing is, these models predate the start of Qualcast Australia, but
were key models made here when the factory opened ...

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=75508

Good restoration here:
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=34296

That's a great anecdote!
Folks nowadays, do not appreciate the struggle ...

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/67043/newsprint-cartoons-borrowing.html
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/61540/newsprint-cartoons-avoiding-work.html

It's pretty easy to understand why the powered rotary mower was
such a revolution! Using a pushie required commitment - and frequent mowing!
This did not seem to suit our lifestyle at all.

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

p.s. the gallery shows the newsprint lead-up to Qualcast AUS.
The first Model Ks and Model Hs were British-built.
The vast majority would be AUS-built.

The Model H was the Victa of the day.

G'day folks,
that'd respond well to a sandblast.

easier to d a molasses bath
speedy

G'day Speedy, CyberJack and Mowerfreak,

Another thing with this Qualcast, it's also missing a chunk of metal from the inside metal panel of one of the wheels. I don't know how that happened or why it's missing. I know it didn't happen when I was using it, maybe I found it like that.

Also there used to be a metal type bracket that joins the top wooden handle to the lower wooden handle. I don't know where these bits are now. Who knows I may have them stashed somewhere in the shed. But you can imagine after 30 years or so of adding more and more stuff into the shed I don't know what's in there anymore...lol There is alot of stuff in there, one day if I ever clean it out and find more stuff I will share it on this site that's for sure.

Thanks again Cyberjack for all the help on this item and it's history it's great!

I wish I had more antique and vintage stuff to share on here, I like to hear and learn about the history of things and how they used to be.

If I find any antique or vintage mower stuff on my travels I will try and get them to share on here with everyone.

Cheers!

Hello Converse, Speedy and Mowerfreak
I see that from time to time. I believe it is a result of two
things: transporting or maintenance.

Cracked wheels are generally a result of poor transport - dropping the
machines down steps or from a car boot ...

The side-frame crack is generally a result of 'backyarding'.
These pushies had to be 'split' for maintenance ... meaning
that the side-frames had to be removed to remove the reel for sharpening.
In too many cases, inexperienced folk would hammer the inside frame
at the worst point possible. Non-malleable Cast iron will crack!

Your machine is more ornamental than restorable.
It certainly tells a story about the old days of mowing.

I have that same view Converse.

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