I just want to share this simple home made mower service stand made out from scrap metals. The stand is built with 65mm post off cut, concrete U bracket, old rusty 5kg weight and multi-purpose bracket. This is much cheaper than buying from Bunnings. I attach photos for your reference. I hope you will find this useful.
G-day Carbymaster, even I could make one. Simple and effective. Beats putting a weight on the handlebars and risking it shifting and falling back down. That will keep out nice and still. Exchanging ideas is what it's all about here.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I agree with you. This is the only base I can find but a cross base would be stable. Yes it does fall over easily when pushing the mower. I'm in a rush to build something to hold the mower up to service the blades. I use to hold the mower up with left hand while undoing the blades with my right hand. My arms getting tired so I think I need to build something to help myself. If you have one built please share your idea.
I reckon just weld 3 legs (square ERW or flat bar) to the edge of the weight (maybe round the end of the leg with grinder so it will weld nicely around. Gives that bit more safety.
I just used the one I bought at Bunnings - they had them out for clearance last week at one store only - was 25, down to 18, then down to 10, and finally down to $4. I couldn't believe it, but they went thru for $4
Nice work on the stand there carbymaster ! as I still service the family cars I find Jack stands are pretty handy also with mowers. The other mower stand came from my local mower shop when it closed down which was a bit sad as the boys there were always willing with helpful advise when asked and really new there stuff. The only upside was I was able to stock up well with parts at the right price and I was offered the mower stand free. The stand was made by them ages ago and it's very handy, the mower is at a great working height, you can put almost any wheel base rotary mower on there as one of the wheel supports slides on the angle so it is adjustable, it has a handy tool/parts tray and you can rotate the mower 360 degrees on the stand. The base of the post was bolted straight in the workshop floor of the mower shop so I had it welded onto a heavy steel car rim. If anyone would like to make one please pm and ill measure it up. I think if you squared up the angle which goes from the mower support frame to give it more depth from the underside of the mower to the top of the post it would be ideal for removal of blade carriers etc.
I'm more taken by your shelving in the background wce. That's very organised and keeps the mowers dry and clean. That was a boon getting that trade level stand for working on mowers. What a shame they're gone though.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Hi NormK, Haha. Yes not everyone has a workbench to work on. Like me doesn't have a workbench to work on or an expensive lifter platform. I only work on the floor. Don't have to lay down to remove the blades. Just kneel and reach the under chassis to remove the blade carrier with cordless impact wrench and work on the blades outside just on the concrete. I found other useful thing with the stand is to tilt the fuel off the tap/filter so it's easy to remove the carby without the fuel flowing out the hose. Like WCE uses the car jack stand to support the mower and work on the ground. There are also commercial service stand sold at Bunnings which you can work on the floor. Tyler also mentioned he purchased a floor stand from Bunnings. That's also a nice stand extending the base to the rear wheels. It's nice to work on the workbench but it takes so much effort and strain to your arms when lifting the mower into the workbench. Next is I will build a rectangular frame for the rear wheel to seat as a brake while supporting the from with the stand. Cheers.
To swap power torques, I have suspended the mower on two opposing lawn chairs and kneel next to it and reach under to fit the bolts. I can stick my head under there to check the alignment of the engine mounting bores. For removing the blade carrier I lift the rear and lean the handles against the fence and chock the front wheels to stop it wandering.
Last edited by Mowerfreak; 12/05/1912:09 AM.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
I guess picking up mowers and putting them on the bench is partly to blame for me needing a hip replacement in the next few weeks, I have been using a ramp to get the mowers onto the bench lately, but even that has been a bit difficult. MF when I work on the 24's that is how I do them, I have a frame that the front wheels drop into then I can stand the mower vertically to change the motors and work on the blade carrier/belt.
I can't fit anymore shelving in the shed Mowerfreak, i can move about in there a lot better and the keepers will end up on the shelving. Hi Norm, I have a work bench there but has usually got work in progress on it . I find it just as easy doing blades to elevate the mower front on the jack stand, jump on the creeper, knock the blade carrier off with the air wrench, change blades on the work bench then pop the carrier back on, it's the crouching or kneeling that gives me a bit of grief, It's what works best for the individual is what determines how we do things i guess. Great idea's floated on the thread.
I have only ever worked on my Victa 2 stroke lawnmowers on the concrete or grass in the backyard...lol
I use the softer grass when I want to put the mower on it's side for replacing blades or cleaning the grass and mud underneath with the hose.
The only thing I look out for is not to bend the throttle control on the handle so I usually put that side of the handle in the air and not on the ground. Just sometimes if I have a bit too much fuel in the tank it might leak out of the petrol cap breather.
Yes you don't have to worry about putting the mower on it's side with a 2 stroke as you do with those 4 stroke mowers...lol
Cheers!
Last edited by Converse; 12/05/1901:06 PM.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
I find it just as easy doing blades to elevate the mower front on the jack stand, jump on the creeper, knock the blade carrier off with the air wrench, change blades on the work bench then pop the carrier back on, it's the crouching or kneeling that gives me a bit of grief, It's what works best for the individual is what determines how we do things i guess. Great idea's floated on the thread.
Cheers wce
I still use the genuine good old Victa spanner when changing the blades on the 2 stroke, I must admit that's one handy spanner when working on Victa 2 strokes, the other end of the spanner I use for the spark plugs on the Victa 2 strokes. I always have this spanner hanging near the front door in the shed.
Cheers!
Last edited by Converse; 12/05/1902:58 PM.
Zip a dee doo dah, zip a dee ay, another trash picked Victa, hip hip Hooray!
My favourite old plug spanner (that I use to get the exhausts off) came from the elderly chap next door. He passed in 2007 and when they knocked down the house in 2016, the demo guys said take anything you want from the garden or shed.
14 50 year old rose bushes, a big 40L bucket full of the old brass sprinkler heads, dawn vice, hand tools, tin, wood, shade cloth and other things
His old prized rose bushes live on and the old dawn vice sees plenty of use, so I think Peter would be happy.
Here I use a two ton foldable shop crane. I initially brought for automobile engine work but have used it a lot in mower repairs. My back just let me lift heavy things like when I was a teenager due to a work related back injury. Yes I know it is over kill but I rather use it instead of hurting several weeks because I didn't use it. The only problem is the legs get in the way at times which is why I working getting a gantry type crane besides I needs to lift my truck bed so I can replace the fuel level sending unit in the 30 gallon tank.
It makes removing and installing engines easier and for lifting large ZTRs so jackstands can placed under them for dropping the transaxles. For smaller walk behind mower I made what is basically a solid top pallet sits on large lawn cart trailer. It can stand to a little higher but it takes less room and allows me to use the cart when I need to lawn supplies.
Anything you do to make the work easier and safer is a plus in my view.
But boy am I going to have fun Sunday. My air compressor quit working and now I got dig it out to find what failed. Appears to electrical in nature. Just put on a new motor and pressure reply four years ago but that doesn't they are still good. Boy do I have the compressor packed in place and with the rain I got to wait for it stop for few hours during the daylight hours to move thing out. Some might not go back.
To swap power torques, I have suspended the mower on two opposing lawn chairs and kneel next to it and reach under to fit the bolts. I can stick my head under there to check the alignment of the engine mounting bores. For removing the blade carrier I lift the rear and lean the handles against the fence and chock the front wheels to stop it wandering.
Hi MF, With PTs , I find the easiest way to take motor off or install motor is to just put it on bench upside dwn with handles resting on a milk crate.... install a PT motor is easy too, just put motor upside down, and put base on, you can see the holes to line up.....
Doing other work like changing blades or sharpening blades 4 strokes, I put mower on bench and tie down handle.... I don't like working on the ground or lifting mowers . That's why I made the bench and two ramps..... I use EPAL pallets as they are 20mm think planks and easy to disassemble. And free of course. I use that leaning the 2 stroke against the fence on its nose for sharpening blades,, easy.
cheers speedy
........................Keep your blades sharp......................
G-day speedie, that's a very ergonomic and much more pleasant way to work on the machines, all using pallets. I agree, working on the ground is one of the most off putting aspects to this hobby and your solution is the best so far but requires space. Thanks for the pics.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
It's a great thread to open up how everyone works with their mower and ways to do it. Lifting the 30kg mower into the workbench is not a good practice and there is always a price when we get old especially on the lower back, arms tendon and hip strain. Working on the ground sometimes difficult to kneel. We wish that there's an easy way to lift the mower into the workbench from the ground. One of the equipment we can use is a scissor lift trolley but it's not practical to purchase. Are you thinking of building one? After reading your comments, I was thinking how we can build a home made scissor lift with minimal cost? I attached a rough design that might be practical to build using steel post, steel rods, bearings and self tapping screws for bracket mounting. This rough design can lift a 30kg mower up to 0.9m high from 0.1m low.
Thanks for that Carbymaster, I will get my son to blow the drawing up and work out exactly how it works but I have wanted to build something like that for a long time and the bike lifts are too big and bulky
It's good to hear you like the idea. I attached a print screen of an Excel calculation of the initial force, angle of attack and maximum height travel. As we can see at 2 degree angle, it needs enormous force of at least 70kg to initially move the lift up with 30kg load plus the weight of the platform and to keep upright at only less than a kilogram of force. The maximum travel height of 90cm can be achieved with double scissors with at least 30cm horizontal travel for the cantilever, hydrolic or scissors car jack or an electric gate opener. Whichever you prefer to drive the scissors lift. It make sense to me that some design they rear arm to connect the hydrolic to increase the initial angle of attack means less force you need to initially move the lift. We can look into detail construction later.
