honda walk behind with bbc bearing...

One of our customers recently brought down a 1986 honda walk behind....this thing looks bullet-proof...but apparently it isn't stump-proof...his wife hit a stump with it ...bending the bearing, blade and all attached paraphinelia underneath...yet it still runs!!!!! Conundrum...blow it up for fun or give it to the metal guy down thw street to cut his 1/4 mile driveway going into his salvage yard...he wont care if the cut is a littlle crooked.... Mr. Fix-it with his crazy eyed intent to blow this baby up!!!!!I am trying to convince him to fix it.......... You see he always fixes things, he never gets to break things......stay tuned, I will let you know what happens!

possible sheared timing key

Mr. Fix-it's cousin brings a walk behind mower in every year for service..he requests the $50.00 SPECIAL.
I advised him we don't have a $50.00 SPECIAL and never did....he said " then how about the family discount?"... I advised him we learned along time ago not to give family any discount, as a matter of fact, we try to avoid doing any work for family unless it is absolutely necessary...several years ago it seemed we were working on family stuff at least 50% of our time. Its one thing to discount labor...but most friends and family can't even come up with the parts money.....

On to the fix of the day......

Cousin Joe is complaining the machine won't run, if you look at the picture , you probably realize that this is a "throw-away" lawnmower. But, with the "family discount" it is worth it for Cousin Joe to fix it.....He says he has already changed the oil and replaced the blade....when you see a new blade...what do you look for?     A SHEARED TIMING KEY! He probably hit something...root, stone, toy hidden in the tall grass.....Mr. Fix-it takes off the flywheel to investigate.....what does he find? A sheared timing key. 

He asked his cousin if he hit something with the machine....What do you think he said? Nnnnnoooooo, not me...... A customer will never admit to wrongdoing. 

Remember: The customer is always right! 

70's toro roto-tiller

in the shop right now we have a 1970's classic toro garden roto-thistiller. The tiller needs belts,2 idler pullies and a carburetor rebuild....the parts are NLA  ( no longer available). This customer really wants it fixed, it was passed to him from his father. I say its not worth it....but Mr. Fix-it being the nice guy that he is tells the customer he will see what he can do.

Mr. Fix-it crosses over an idler from Ariens that is identical another idler is made for a MTD,  they are virtually identical!
He also had th replace the diaphram in the carburetor...

This is definitely not going to be cost-efffective to fix, again, this proably should be a throw away....
I believe sentimental value will outweigh monetary value.

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Craftsman pressure washer

The repair today was once again fuel-related....are you all getting sick and tired of hearing that? Well, I have to tell you that is 90% of our business!..If customers started draining their fuel when the equipment wasn't going to be in use fot more than several weeks our business may be veeerrrrrryyyyyyy slow.

This is really a throw away pressure washer, and by that I mean this....If you have to pick it up, change carburetor and oil and air filter, you are pretty much exceeding the cost of replacing it.

This pressure washer is probably in the $200-$300.00 range. The cost of the complete carburetor is $50.00 ( there is no rebuild kit available, you cant even take it apart to rebuild it). the air cleaner , fuel shut-off and spark plug and oil rounds out the parts at about  $80-$90.....add in a few hours labor , depending on whose shop you bring it to...could be $40 - $80 per hour.......you have exceeded the cost of a new one.....

we are living in a throw-away society......remember drain your fuel...it will save you alot of aggravation and even more moola!

God Bless the USA

Please take a moment today to think of the men and women  who are currently serving in the military.Those who everyday put their lives on the line so that we may enjoy our freedom in the United States of America.  And please say a prayer for those soldiers who have died so that we may live securely and safely.
Thank you very much.

Memorial Day Weekend has come and we are still very busy....

Usually by this time in the season we are pretty much caught up in the shop on power equipment. I think due to this economy that people are finally digging out the lawnmowers and pressure washers and trying to start them that they are finding they wont start or run well.
Customers are trying not to spend any money so they are trying to fix stuff themselves...but find they cant....therefore, shop is still full of work.
This year we will be doing a staycation on the weekend.....

POWER EQUIPMENT SEASON....

in the midst of spring power equipment season...sorry to have missed several weeks.....unbelievably busy...i hope to remember some of what happened in the last few weeks and pass it along.....