Stainless steel body mower

[slow_runner]

Does anyone know of this mower?
I have been considering a dedicated mulch mower for some time. The Victa and Masport aluminium units go for a premium then this Rancher(?) was offered and I took a punt. All stainless chassis, fully folding handle and powered with a B&S 5.0hp Quantum.
Here is a link to a current listing on the local auction site and a refurbished one listed on a shop site

Trade Me

www.trademe.co.nz

PUSH MOWERS

Second Hand Lawnmowers with a warranty, trusted brands, North Shore, Auckland

www.the-shed.net.nz

 

[tom3]

Are your dollars the same as our dollars here in the US? Big money for used mowers seems like. But I do like that SS deck mower. Dirt simple and should last forever with the right oil.

 

[slow_runner]

Are your dollars the same as our dollars here in the US? Big money for used mowers seems like. But I do like that SS deck mower. Dirt simple and should last forever with the right oil.

Hi Tom. I think the rough conversion is 2NZ for 1US
That money being asked is way over the top in my opinion. I will report more after I have given it a closer look.
The owner says that it had a regular annual maintenance schedule.
Prices for used items? There are some bargains but usual auction fever can sometimes over-ride common sense

I have had B&S powered mowers before, usually 3.5 Quantum and the earlier motors. Currently I have my Victa mow and mulch with a Honda GXV120 that I planted on it. Nice engines. I like the Victa 2 stroke too for its robust nature, low profile, low maintenance and because it was designed and developed with the consumer in mind ahead of other considerations.

 

[StarTech]

1 United States Dollar equals 1.38 Australian Dollar. Rates changes daily

 

[bertsmobile1]

As you have now found 90% of the people on this list are from the USA
With a single height adjuster that is most likely a local mower or a USA import modified for the Aus / NZ market
As such one of the local forums should serve you better
either
Vintage mowers
or
Out door king

Both of those are full of mower nuts with a massive amount of historical knowledge.
The only mower I have seen with stainless base plate was the Granberg Parksman .
Granberg were a local factory that got bought out by Allmowers and sucked dry then closed down. This was Allmowers business plan .
Thankfully Allmowers are now also bankrupt and went down in a big enough way to stop the moron owners doing this to more local companies.
I have a couple of Granberg chippers
Granberg's were made in Melbourne.

 

[StarTech]

Yes most likely CyberJack or Bruce would probably know more over on ODK. Now ODK does require a registration fee tp post.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Yes most likely CyberJack or Bruce would probably know more over on ODK. Now ODK does require a registration fee tp post.

Forgot about the fee for Outdoor King
Despite the .com address Bruce runs the site from his tiny shop in Concord NSW.
Bruce is a really nice bloke but his business is taking a pounding from all the back yard importers from China.

Vintage mowers is free .
Jack had a fall out with a couple of the moderators so they stupidly tossed him off
It is a shame when egos mess up things that worked really well.

 

[slow_runner]

Thanks for the interest and advice gentlemen.
A good mate came over today to give me a hand getting the Corona up and running again - and it is. For how long though?
Damn ignition/running problems
He was of the opinion that it was a mower manufactured by Steelfort out of Palmerston North.
They were our last remaining Kiwi mower manufacturer that still, made in New Zealand.
Now, thanks to the aholes who source from china and other cheap arse labour markets, they have had to do the same to stay in the market.
Anyhoo, the characteristics that are Steelfort are to be seen on this mower too. That and that Steelfort were originally an engineering business that had a dedicated stainless fabrication arm.

https://www.steelfort.co.nz/company/steelfort-history/

I will take your advice and post something up on the Outdoor King for interest.

 

[StarTech]

Forgot about the fee for Outdoor King
Despite the .com address Bruce runs the site from his tiny shop in Concord NSW.
Bruce is a really nice bloke but his business is taking a pounding from all the back yard importers from China.

Vintage mowers is free .
Jack had a fall out with a couple of the moderators so they stupidly tossed him off
It is a shame when egos mess up things that worked really well.

Hmmm, Then he's back. He just posted on October 10, 2020 22:10 CST.

Being an Australian site all I can help with is the Briggs engines and a few other things. Not a member to get help but to provide help.

But it sounds much like what going here with all the so-called backyard mechanics. They rather do things like duct tape mower blades on or JB Weld something than have a real mechanic fix the problems. And I not kidding about the duct taping of a blade as I got one in back in 2015. I reckon they prefer to spend their money on beer, cigarettes, and drugs.

There is a reason I charge $45 / hr. Tools do cost a lot at times especially the special purpose ones, even the ones I design and have a local machine shop make for my shop.

 

[bertsmobile1]

I haven't been to his shop since my delivery contract was not renewed after I turned 60
Back then he was having troubles getting qualified technicans for his workshop
I bought some stuff from him on line a month or two back.
When I have to pay full retail and I have the time to wait I buy from Bruce.
He had a big workshop , small retail space & large parts inventory, particularly with older Australian made mowers and most important a vast knowledge .
However the area he is at has gone from being a harbourside heavy industrial suburb to a gentrified residential suburb full of million dollar plus harbourside appartments .
If he owns the land he is on then all is fine but if he rents then he will under a lot of pressure.
Add to that all of the no inventory flash web site supposedly internet shops that pay a fortune to make sure they appear 20 times in the top 50 search results .
As for JB weld mechanics, just read the restorations & repairs on this site let alone all the shysters doing Y-tube videos about how to profit from a pretty bodge job that we all know will fall apart within a season or two.

As for off shoring, Oz is no different
top class engineer I used to get welding & machining done at was found dead in his factory.
His principle customers were concrete pumping contractors but they are now buying new pumps from Chin for 1/3 what it cost to have him recondition one, so he shot himself .
Another friend who I went to college with spent $.5 million on a new 5 stage auto press only to have his major customer break a supply contract in favour of getting them from China.
The reason for this was "The board was worried that the market might think they had missed the boat on sourcing from China which might cause the share price to fall "
He then went to the wall and 50 people lost their jobs , he lost everything and is now driving for Uber.
There is a reason why I fix mowers and am not running a foundry and it is not because I was an incompetant metallurgist .