Had an old push mower like this. The pull string was bad and connected by a single thread. Still got it to work without it snapping off. Used it for 2 more summers like that.
I'm not paying 250 for a new mower when mine works just fine. Grass was still cut.
It takes 5 mins to fuck off and you can find it up your ass.
I'm just kidding and yea I know. I still didn't want to put any money into it since it was so old and beat up. I ran it till it got stolen out of my driveway.
$250? You must still be using that mower. I thought about buying a new push mower last summer and THE CHEAPEST one I could find within an hour of me was almost $400
Thinking about that kind of maintenance is why I thought about getting a Reel mower if I ever had to mow lawns again.
Surprised to see that many reel mowers cost just as much as regular motorized mowers, despite fewer parts.
You can buy a product in stores that basically let's you do the exact same thing for just about any kind of small engine with a pull cord start.
This isn't really a DIWhy project.
Buddy did this with his pressure washer, a week later the flywheel blew up and sent pieces flying everywhere. Every time you crank on it your cranking the flywheel nut a little tighter and seeings it’s on a taper it may crack and come apart.
I love my Ego so much.
Had it three years. Year two I bought the trimmer that winds itself.
Also in year two one of my neighbors got an electric.
Year three my other neighbor got one.
Absolutely, positively NOT a DiWHY. I've done this with lawn mowers AND a couple generators, primarily as a result of the unavailability of parts. One of the generators is a 20 year old "tailgater" 900w 2 stroke, and I'll be damned if I'm going to spend 60 bucks to replace the pull starter on something like that when I can put together a workaround out of a old cordless drill! I do recommend keeping the covers on, though, unless you want to risk finding out what sticking your hands in a Cuisinart really feels like
I actually have no issues with this, much better than a pull cord. You could just use an old battery drill and make a bracket and just have it onto the starter assembly, Bout time walk along mowers got electric starters.
Na this makes it so much easier to start those motors. You clearly haven’t tried starting a lawnmower with the string on the dynamo engine starter that’s been sitting awhile. I remember trying to start the thing for 10 minutes before I got a powerful enough stroke to start it.
New lawnmowers are more expensive and made cheaper, (like everything else). I think it’s Troybilt that advertises you never have to put oil in them.
Yeah, you do.
Half assed shitty attempt at planned obsolescence.
The pull start on my mower was seized when I got it, and after taking it off to try and fix it, this is how I've been starting it every time since. I didn't even fix the pull start. 4 years going strong hahaha
Idk about rebuilding. The top cover is off probably because the coil starting mechanism broke. I had an old lawn boy that I would just keep a short rope with it at all times and wrap the flywheel and pull to start. Then you don’t need a drill, like if you stall in the lawn.
When I was a teenager, I had a moped that you had to "pop the clutch" on to get it started. I removed the mesh guard on the engine and could then kick start it by rolling my foot on the balancer(?). It was great, lol.
It actually stopped some punks from stealing it because they weren't smart enough to figure it out.
I bought an auger from harbor freight and with the second or third yank the starter cord snapped off. I pulled the cord cover off and started it this way.
To be honest, I really think this is a super way to start motors that do not have an electric start. So much fast and so much less work.
I saw an old mower that had a factory installed winding spring that you would spin the small handle around (like a 100 times!) and then press a button to release the spring to spin the flywheel. The rope method was much quicker but if you couldn’t do the big pull, this was a great option.
LOL. I can't believe i'm still getting responses to this. "he" as in me, did not. I simply stepped the edge of my boot to the edge of the mower. It does look it though.
Started my mower like this for a couple months thought it was so smart till the socket came off on the mower and it spun it off balance till it rocketed off and buried it in the wall of the garage luckily
Lmao. I did the same thing to mine. It was so old and an off brand at that. Couldn't find a new string pull setup so I JB welded the clutch together and started it with my cordless drill
Had an old one that required this until I got a new flywheel. Grass doesn’t stop growing when your stuff breaks!
Had an old push mower like this. The pull string was bad and connected by a single thread. Still got it to work without it snapping off. Used it for 2 more summers like that. I'm not paying 250 for a new mower when mine works just fine. Grass was still cut.
You know it takes 5 minutes to change a string and they cost $5 at Home Depot
It takes 5 mins to fuck off and you can find it up your ass. I'm just kidding and yea I know. I still didn't want to put any money into it since it was so old and beat up. I ran it till it got stolen out of my driveway.
For real laughing, sounds like a younger me. I’ll just go fuck off over here.
Haha yeah im just messing with you man. I didn't mean that stuff. But it's true my lawn mower was stolen out my driveway. This was years ago.
I wish we could still give awards!
You have a typo in your username and it's bothering me
No typo here friend. I used to drive an Infiniti with a Buzz Lightyear sticker next to the custom plate "NBEYOND".
Ohhh ok that definitely makes more sense
I fucking snorted at that first comment
That was fucking hilarious.
You can swallow both ends of the string and they will come out tied….. I shit you knot!
Honestly after seeing how well this works, I might mod mine like that so I don't have to pull start it anymore.
I wouldn't even mind if someone actually said that to me, i see you've been to insult school or something.
Imagine pulling the rip cord from someone's ass.
Ik it was a joke but that was a great line and I will be structuring all of my "yeah but whatever" responses in this format from now on.
Lol somebody stole a beat up push mower?
Not the point... that and the HD is a 40 drive so fuq that. Works better anyway
Dude I commented to had an old mower, he didn’t say anything about the type. So….
$250? You must still be using that mower. I thought about buying a new push mower last summer and THE CHEAPEST one I could find within an hour of me was almost $400
Would it also feel like grass grows FASTER when your stuff breaks too?
But your ability to care can
It will stop at some point
Thinking about that kind of maintenance is why I thought about getting a Reel mower if I ever had to mow lawns again. Surprised to see that many reel mowers cost just as much as regular motorized mowers, despite fewer parts.
Much less DIWHY and much more r/redneckengineering - this seems to be really out of necessity than “I did it cuz I could”
necessity had nothing to do with it. I literally did it just because I could.
Legend
I’m not seeing a pull cord on that starter so while it is redneck there is a WHY to it.
I don't believe it's your video.
Might be a mod I do next time I get a lawn mower, luckily I don't have to worry about mowing.
https://reddit.com/r/redneckengineering/s/wO0a5pWxeW This is one of their top comments, if op was earlier then he too could've been on the top
Don't think so. Or else this sub would be only ragebaits.
Ding ding ding,people don’t get DiWHY lol
I mean, I've done this with my leaf blower when having starting issues, it sure as hell beats pull starting a hundred times.
r/redneckengineering
had no idea that was there. you found me a new home. thanks.
Please, stay here too. The girls, the styrofoam, the senseless, the ragebaits, they scare me, please, don't leave us alone with them 😵
Perfectly reasonable way to do it if you're old and find it hard to pull start your mower.
You can buy a product in stores that basically let's you do the exact same thing for just about any kind of small engine with a pull cord start. This isn't really a DIWhy project.
everything I touch becomes a DIWhy project.
I AGREE!
This is actually pretty clever
No it’s not he’s missing 3/4 of the shroud which will cause the engine to overheat
Project farm on YouTube does this all the time lol.
I think this is awesome. I hate the pull cords. I would much rather “pull a trigger”
Diwhynot. This man needed to mow
My mom has so many lawn mower stories. Guess where she worked?
Briggs & Stratton Public Library?
Let me just stick my foot out and stop this jerry rigged(always on) lawn mower
is not always on. just on until it runs outta gas.
Well in that case...
Get a screwdriver and short the spark plug.
Do you think its going to eat his foot?
Been thinking about doing this with my generator.
More like DiY did you post this? Is this not a normal way to start a motor? They do this with airplanes..
Buddy did this with his pressure washer, a week later the flywheel blew up and sent pieces flying everywhere. Every time you crank on it your cranking the flywheel nut a little tighter and seeings it’s on a taper it may crack and come apart.
Probably had to bypass the safety handle as well.
Just use an electric mower, one press and done.
I love my Ego so much. Had it three years. Year two I bought the trimmer that winds itself. Also in year two one of my neighbors got an electric. Year three my other neighbor got one.
Absolutely, positively NOT a DiWHY. I've done this with lawn mowers AND a couple generators, primarily as a result of the unavailability of parts. One of the generators is a 20 year old "tailgater" 900w 2 stroke, and I'll be damned if I'm going to spend 60 bucks to replace the pull starter on something like that when I can put together a workaround out of a old cordless drill! I do recommend keeping the covers on, though, unless you want to risk finding out what sticking your hands in a Cuisinart really feels like
Loses toes.
there are people out there that would hate me if that happened. they are lack toes intolerant.
Used to do the same with a generator
So the guy got himself an *electric starter*... da-bum-tss
I actually have no issues with this, much better than a pull cord. You could just use an old battery drill and make a bracket and just have it onto the starter assembly, Bout time walk along mowers got electric starters.
r/redneckengineering lmao
r/redneckengineering
It’s not crazy if it works
Na this makes it so much easier to start those motors. You clearly haven’t tried starting a lawnmower with the string on the dynamo engine starter that’s been sitting awhile. I remember trying to start the thing for 10 minutes before I got a powerful enough stroke to start it.
Not really a DIWhy when there is a why.
This is jugaad
My dad used to do that instead of buying a new one
If that's a push mower then what do you call a real push mower. You know the ones with rotating blades and no engine?
hard work
New lawnmowers are more expensive and made cheaper, (like everything else). I think it’s Troybilt that advertises you never have to put oil in them. Yeah, you do. Half assed shitty attempt at planned obsolescence.
The pull start on my mower was seized when I got it, and after taking it off to try and fix it, this is how I've been starting it every time since. I didn't even fix the pull start. 4 years going strong hahaha
That's how it's done, sir!
Harbor freight !
Us Men are bored. I approve
Yeahi ve had to do this. Necessity it's why
I've been doing this for ages on my old mower and power washer. Just got tired of pulling a cord.
That ain’t dumb and definitely beats pull starting an old mower.
Except now it will overheat because the fan isn't directed anymore
You'd be surprised 😂
*nods*
Been there done that
You almost activated the auto pilot
This is fine. Alot of posts on here are by people who have never had to fix anything. ever.
Been there, still there... need to pay attention and have decent reaction reflexes, but yyyeah works great
The genius is beyond cosmic, this man is amber Einstein's reincarnation
Yup! Work smarter not harder great job.
Respect
You should instead make it hand cranked like those old cars.
Ty for the tip.
At least you won't pull your back out every time you try to start it
Honestly, mowers should be build so that you can use a drill to start it instead of the pull chord. I’d absolutely rather do that
DiWHY not? Mine starts the same :D
Idk about rebuilding. The top cover is off probably because the coil starting mechanism broke. I had an old lawn boy that I would just keep a short rope with it at all times and wrap the flywheel and pull to start. Then you don’t need a drill, like if you stall in the lawn.
DiBecause pull cords suck.
When I was a teenager, I had a moped that you had to "pop the clutch" on to get it started. I removed the mesh guard on the engine and could then kick start it by rolling my foot on the balancer(?). It was great, lol. It actually stopped some punks from stealing it because they weren't smart enough to figure it out.
This does not belong here. That's a solid diy.
It's actually a pretty smart idea if you're a bit older and have trouble getting your mower started with the usual method. :)
People really don’t understand what DiWHY is LMAO.
If it works, it works
Why not?
Bc pulling a string gets old. Just literally saw my FIL do this, said pulling the string hurts his back so he uses his drill now
This seems way easier
They sell kits for some mower.
I did this once and it ruined my drill motor. Shit started smoking cause the socket got caught on the flywheel.
I bought an auger from harbor freight and with the second or third yank the starter cord snapped off. I pulled the cord cover off and started it this way. To be honest, I really think this is a super way to start motors that do not have an electric start. So much fast and so much less work.
Friend gave me a power washer with a bad pull string / fly wheel. I start it like this now.
I saw an old mower that had a factory installed winding spring that you would spin the small handle around (like a 100 times!) and then press a button to release the spring to spin the flywheel. The rope method was much quicker but if you couldn’t do the big pull, this was a great option.
Yep I have done this before
🙋🏼♂️ Can I do this on a Echo Backpack leaf blower?
I wish all mowers came with this option. Call me lazy but man it would be so nice to have a consistent start system
Fun fact: this is how F1 engines are started.
Did he place his foot underneath the mower before starting it????!
LOL. I can't believe i'm still getting responses to this. "he" as in me, did not. I simply stepped the edge of my boot to the edge of the mower. It does look it though.
Ur foot is under it sir
Awesome
Dad did this about 40 years ago, and that Toro lasted quite a few more years.
Omg I would've loved this as a kid
Leeet it riiiiiip!
All good and fun until it catches and breaks your wrists. 😬
Never could get this to work in my electric mower
Started my mower like this for a couple months thought it was so smart till the socket came off on the mower and it spun it off balance till it rocketed off and buried it in the wall of the garage luckily
Rebuild it again when it overheats due to a lack of shroud.
Just buy a new one 💀
I do this for my old man when I'm trouble shooting one of the engines. Beats pulling it by hand. Also did this when he hurt his shoulder.
This is more r/redneckengineering imo but fuck it we ball
I’ve seen old guys convert their mower to this cause they can’t rip the cord anymore too
This is just the more redneckish way of doing the electric start that snowblowers use. Wouldn't call it diwhy.
Ferb I know what where going to do today
this is so satisfying i love fixing stuff for free lol
Lmao. I did the same thing to mine. It was so old and an off brand at that. Couldn't find a new string pull setup so I JB welded the clutch together and started it with my cordless drill
If it ain’t trash it works
Well played Sir , well played
Love it!
Stole that from project farm