On Sun, 02 Jun 2013 18:38:45 -0400, Joe Gandalf
wrote:

Well, I am unable to find any new Lawn Boy 2-cycle mowers. Every
4-stroke mower I have owned weighs a great deal more than this old
machine. Since we end up picking it up to mow raised areas, weight is
important enough to make this a "must repair". Spending the money for
a new deck is not in the picture, either.

FWIW, we had a Sears/Power Products mower with a mag-alloy housing
that my dad bought in 1959. It was light as a feather and I loved it.
He got a newer mower but I would only use the light one. It had a
2-stroke PP motor with an aluminum cylinder, with no lining, and an
integral head that didn't come off. No throttle and a wrap-on rope
starter.

In 1962 - I remember the day -- I hit a rock that flew forward and
cracked the front of the housing nearly off. It was held on by a thin
steel "comb" on the front of the housing, which was held to the
housing with two or three rivets.

When I read about your situation I nearly fell off my chair. It sounds
like the same thing.

Anyway, my dad cut a strip of 1/8" aluminum about two inches wide, the
langth of the crack, drilled holes, and screwed through the housing
into the aluminum. It clogged easily if the grass was wet but we used
it like that for another two years.

'Hope you can keep it.

--
Ed Huntress