An old Craftsman Eager-1 3.5/20 with Tecumseh engine just like the one AnthemBassMan showed in post #69.
I don't know exactly how old it is but my parents used it for 20-odd years before passing it on to me and I am coming up on 20 years with it myself. Started first pull even after over-wintering and no maintenance other than changing the oil regularly, fixing the recoil starter when the rope gave out and replacing the plug & air filter while I was fixing the starter.
I had been using it for a few years and was thinking about replacing it because the handle was too low and the constant bending over was hurting my back, then I finally got around to reading the manual and realized that you could reverse part of the handle and raise it by a few inches. After that it was perfect (I'm 6'4).
It's not running right now - a portable garage collapsed on it under snow load and crushed a folding table full of tools etc.. on top of it. Not sure if it cracked the gas tank or messed up the carb somehow but it ended up with gas in the oil and the gas tank drains out onto the ground when I fill it up. Something for the winter I guess.
In the meantime I am using a Honda HRX217 which is doing a mighty fine job of contesting for "best".
In my own defence re: portable garage and snow load I had been waking up every 3 hours and clearing snow off the roof during a record snowfall but we got something like 18" of snow in 2 hours and it collapsed while I was getting dressed to go outside. It was incredible how fast the collapse happened... no warning, just "bang" and everything was flat.
I don't know exactly how old it is but my parents used it for 20-odd years before passing it on to me and I am coming up on 20 years with it myself. Started first pull even after over-wintering and no maintenance other than changing the oil regularly, fixing the recoil starter when the rope gave out and replacing the plug & air filter while I was fixing the starter.
I had been using it for a few years and was thinking about replacing it because the handle was too low and the constant bending over was hurting my back, then I finally got around to reading the manual and realized that you could reverse part of the handle and raise it by a few inches. After that it was perfect (I'm 6'4).
It's not running right now - a portable garage collapsed on it under snow load and crushed a folding table full of tools etc.. on top of it. Not sure if it cracked the gas tank or messed up the carb somehow but it ended up with gas in the oil and the gas tank drains out onto the ground when I fill it up. Something for the winter I guess.
In the meantime I am using a Honda HRX217 which is doing a mighty fine job of contesting for "best".
In my own defence re: portable garage and snow load I had been waking up every 3 hours and clearing snow off the roof during a record snowfall but we got something like 18" of snow in 2 hours and it collapsed while I was getting dressed to go outside. It was incredible how fast the collapse happened... no warning, just "bang" and everything was flat.
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