Old school..... for me anyways

So what was the downside to those? I take it they don't always work like the video?

 

Think it was just real old school
The recoil we use today replaces it as what we use now is faster and more efficient

 

Stihl still makes a version of that, no?

 

When I first started mowing with a power mower (maybe 7?) I couldn't pull a recoil fast enough to start it. These were much easier. I'm sure not many 7 year olds are mowing lawns these days.

 

As these came out in the 60's a lot of small engines were still started with a rope you wound up on the sheave. Winding those things up was a pain , to start you then folded the handle 1/2 back in place and when you seated it it released the spring mechanism. Problem was that little tab would break off, mostly inside the unit scewing up the works pia to fix.

 

So if you Google mechanical spring starters you will see they still make them for larger engines.
I saw one on a diesel pumping unit that had nothing electric on it at all.
Maybe brenndatomu could link something. I have to find out how to do that someday.

 

Thanks a bunch!! I'm technology handicapped.
Put one of those on your mower.

 

Another one most people are not aware of is air starters.
Edit: And small gasoline pony motors to start the big diesel...

 

30 ish years ago when I was still pretty green here at the sand/gravel pit, the boss was training me to run our dozer. An old cable operated D8 cat with a hand crank start pony engine. I killed the dozer engine twice and didn’t have enough lead in my pants to spin the pony engine fast enough to restart it. It was quite a few years before I had to run a dozer again and by then we had upgraded to one with electric start on the pony.

 

I have a 4 cylinder Waukesha engine that was a pony for a big Waukesha. I love the sound of air starters.

 

Here is a pony motor being used to start a 2-man chainsaw.

 

So, do you happen to have any good running Lawn boy 2 stroke mowers you may want to sell? Preferably electronic ignition version without any safety nonsense. I had a 1972, magnesium deck. Light as heck. Hit a rock and ruined the bottom crank bearing. I should have rebuilt it.

 

Yes they are. I was bummed about it.

 

damm, I had an elderly friend pass away and I was asked if I wanted any mowers as he had a pile with a bunch of lawn boys. Unfortunately I declined.
What happened to the bearing? They have caged needle bearings if I'm thinking right. Is the crank straight?

 

I hit a hidden rock. Probably bent the crank a bit. It siezed up a few minutes later. Not the piston, the crank. Smoke was coming from around the shaft. I gave the mower away then a few months later a brand new old stock engine came up on my local online auction. It sold for $61.

 

Exactly. Lol.

 

What do you want for the engine? You did buy it didn't you? I could not have resisted NOS USA for the price of today's "drive thru".