"The Kid" is moving into his first house. He's got a couple acres (out of
six total) to mow and a long driveway to blow.

He's shopping in the very old to antique category. Can anyone recommend a
particularly well made old unit? There's lots to choose from on Craig's
list. Especially old craftsman and john deere 110 for example.

Karl

There are also old Cub Cadets out there. He might run across one of
them. If he does, and I assume he'd need a snoblower to go with it, he
shouldn't get one that has less than 10 hp. I'd suggest 12 hp. And,
I's suggest he get on with a hydrostatic transmission. If he does run
into a "deal" on a standard transmission model, it needs to have the
"creeper gear" or it'l never go slow enough over the ground in heavy
snow. He'll also need wheel weights for the snow.

I don't want to get in to an argument about brands, but I'd vote for
shaft drive to the wheels.

Whatever you (he) does, don't buy a pig in a poke. SEE it run and push
it hard before you buy. Parts are expensive.

My page on old Cubs:

http://www.spaco.org/cub.htm

Pete Stanaitis
-----------


Karl Townsend wrote:

"The Kid" is moving into his first house. He's got a couple acres (out of
six total) to mow and a long driveway to blow.

He's shopping in the very old to antique category. Can anyone recommend a
particularly well made old unit? There's lots to choose from on Craig's
list. Especially old craftsman and john deere 110 for example.

Karl

Karl Townsend wrote:
"The Kid" is moving into his first house. He's got a couple acres (out of
six total) to mow and a long driveway to blow.

He's shopping in the very old to antique category. Can anyone recommend a
particularly well made old unit? There's lots to choose from on Craig's
list. Especially old craftsman and john deere 110 for example.

Karl



Power King, Cub Cadet, John Deere all made good tractors.

The PK is a bare bones tractor that is built TOUGH.

--
Steve W.
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

Karl Townsend wrote:

"The Kid" is moving into his first house. He's got a couple acres (out of
six total) to mow and a long driveway to blow.

He's shopping in the very old to antique category. Can anyone recommend a
particularly well made old unit? There's lots to choose from on Craig's
list. Especially old craftsman and john deere 110 for example.

Karl

I have a Deere 110 that I bought used about 10 years ago. It runs great
and despite it's 10 HP rating, that cast iron Kohler engine has at least
the power of today's over hyped "18 HP" machines. I also had a problem
with it once and an email to Kohler at about 2pm one day got a reply at
about 9am the next day with links to full PDF manuals and parts lists
for the 32yr old engine. Got to love a company that supports it's old
products that well.

For blowers, I have an ordinary Echo blower that seems to work fine. For
other stuff like trimmers and chain saws I recommend Shindaiwa.

spaco wrote:

There are also old Cub Cadets out there. He might run across one of
them. If he does, and I assume he'd need a snoblower to go with it, he
shouldn't get one that has less than 10 hp. I'd suggest 12 hp. And,
I's suggest he get on with a hydrostatic transmission. If he does run
into a "deal" on a standard transmission model, it needs to have the
"creeper gear" or it'l never go slow enough over the ground in heavy
snow. He'll also need wheel weights for the snow.

I don't want to get in to an argument about brands, but I'd vote for
shaft drive to the wheels.

Whatever you (he) does, don't buy a pig in a poke. SEE it run and push
it hard before you buy. Parts are expensive.

My page on old Cubs:

http://www.spaco.org/cub.htm

Be especially careful with used riders with hydrostatic transmissions.
Manual transmissions last decades with little attention, but inattention
to maintenance can kill a hydrostat really quickly.

On Apr 26, 9:19*pm, "Pete C." wrote:
...
I have a Deere 110 that I bought used about 10 years ago. It runs great
and despite it's 10 HP rating, that cast iron Kohler engine has at least
the power of today's over hyped "18 HP" machines. I also had a problem
with it once and an email to Kohler at about 2pm one day got a reply at
about 9am the next day with links to full PDF manuals and parts lists
for the 32yr old engine. Got to love a company that supports it's old
products that well.
...

Except for the B&S engine I have to make replacement parts for my mid
80's Sears/Roper garden tractor. Sears no hay.

jsw

On Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:59:33 -0500, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:

"The Kid" is moving into his first house. He's got a couple acres (out of
six total) to mow and a long driveway to blow.

He's shopping in the very old to antique category. Can anyone recommend a
particularly well made old unit? There's lots to choose from on Craig's
list. Especially old craftsman and john deere 110 for example.

Karl

Massey Harris Pony, Ford Golden Jubilee, Farmall Cub (or "A", or even
an 8N. Perhaps a 550 Oliver or an Allis D45? - not sure of the number
anymore - shuttle clutch jobbie. Or even an International B414. Put
Terra Tires on for the lawn work.

Even neater would be an Allis "G" with a belly mower, but it's not so
great for moving snow.

Massey Harris Pony, Ford Golden Jubilee, Farmall Cub (or "A", or even
an 8N. Perhaps a 550 Oliver or an Allis D45? - not sure of the number
anymore - shuttle clutch jobbie. Or even an International B414. Put
Terra Tires on for the lawn work.

Even neater would be an Allis "G" with a belly mower, but it's not so
great for moving snow.

I've got a Jubilee and an 8N. He's already trying to talk me out of a
tractor. He's after the ford 3600.

Now, I'd love to own an Allis "G". Those things are as rare as hen's teeth
these days.

Karl

Karl Townsend wrote:
"The Kid" is moving into his first house. He's got a couple acres (out of
six total) to mow and a long driveway to blow.

He's shopping in the very old to antique category. Can anyone recommend a
particularly well made old unit? There's lots to choose from on Craig's
list. Especially old craftsman and john deere 110 for example.

Karl

Cub Cadet. Not the Lowes consumer variety, the heavier ones with power
steering and 3-pt hitch. Mine is a 1862 model, made about 2000. I think
it will be my last mower, because it's good enough to keep it running.
48" deck, hydrostatic

Farmall Cub Lo-Boy (yellow and white) with 60" belly-mower
Real iron tractor engine. You can get a very nice one for under $3000
Takes Class 1 hitch, snowblowers, front blades. Might be too big for 2
acres. Good Yahoo group

"Pete C." wrote:

Karl Townsend wrote:

"The Kid" is moving into his first house. He's got a couple acres (out of
six total) to mow and a long driveway to blow.

He's shopping in the very old to antique category. Can anyone recommend a
particularly well made old unit? There's lots to choose from on Craig's
list. Especially old craftsman and john deere 110 for example.

Karl

I have a Deere 110 that I bought used about 10 years ago. It runs great
and despite it's 10 HP rating, that cast iron Kohler engine has at least
the power of today's over hyped "18 HP" machines. I also had a problem
with it once and an email to Kohler at about 2pm one day got a reply at
about 9am the next day with links to full PDF manuals and parts lists
for the 32yr old engine. Got to love a company that supports it's old
products that well.

For blowers, I have an ordinary Echo blower that seems to work fine. For
other stuff like trimmers and chain saws I recommend Shindaiwa.

I see you were referring to a snowblower, I tend to forget about those
things now that I've bailed out of the frozen northeast.

The Deere 110 has front mount points for attachments (I have a small
plow). Since this is the metalworking group, I'd suggest finding a good
old Ariens snowblower with a dead engine and adapting it to run off the
110. Should be a pretty easy project.

On Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:59:33 -0500, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:

"The Kid" is moving into his first house. He's got a couple acres (out of
six total) to mow and a long driveway to blow.

He's shopping in the very old to antique category. Can anyone recommend a
particularly well made old unit? There's lots to choose from on Craig's
list. Especially old craftsman and john deere 110 for example.

Karl


I've always been partial to Gravelys. The 20 - 30 year old ones that
run well bring around $400-$500 with some accessories the last I
looked. Mostly direct gear drive with very few belts.

RWL

Karl Townsend wrote:
"The Kid" is moving into his first house. He's got a couple acres (out of
six total) to mow and a long driveway to blow.

He's shopping in the very old to antique category. Can anyone recommend a
particularly well made old unit? There's lots to choose from on Craig's
list. Especially old craftsman and john deere 110 for example.

Karl


If you can find a Bolens tube-frame tractor, they are totally
indestructible. I have a 1968 model with a 12 Hp Wisconsin one-lung
engine. The updraft carburetor got all messed up so I put a Honda
motorcycle carb on it with some improvised linkage, and an electric fuel
pump. it runs great. I added a bullet-style muffler, too. The mower
deck is a 3-blade unit, driven by gearbox and u-joint shaft from the
PTO. Mine has a 6-speed transmission. I got the tiller attachment with
it, it is FAR tougher than anything sold today. I had the chance to buy
a two-stage snow blower for it, but couldn't figure out how it worked.
Later I finally realized it went on the BACK of the tractor, not the
front. Not the most convenient way to use the attachment, it seems to me.

I used to be able to buy parts, but Bolens has shut down. Supposedly
Troy-Bilt has picked up the parts but I don't know if that is true.

This is nothing like the Craftsman crap and the home-grade Deere stuff.

Jon