Practically Classics Forum

I'm attempting my first strip down of an engine (OK so its only the lawn-mower), but I would like to lay out all the parts in the order I remove them so they are easier to put back on. Obviously I could just use a piece of newspaper, but if I knock that, they will all get jumbled up. I thought there must be something slightly-sticky that will keep them all in place. The closest Google can give me is the the sort of mat you step on as you enter a clean-room, but I fear that will leave a residue on the parts. I thought I'd ask here as it must be a problem that has been solved before.
Any thoughts appreciated.

Have a look at yacht chandlers' web sites, many do a sort of large place mat for stopping cutlery & plates from flying around on a boat at sea. They are rubber with a tacky surface, they should work, I don't think you'll get anything more sticky than that.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

Let us know if you get any problems with the lawn mower, I've repaired lots of garden machinery recently!

Cheers

An alternative is to fix lots of plastic foor trays/margarine tubs etc on a piece of hardboard and keep the bits in those.

One suggestion - take lots of photos as you strip the engine. My camera is possibly the most important tool after a hammer: if I strip something, I'll take photos of how it was before and during stripping, so I can see how they fit later on.

One tip - when you get annoyed, throw the hammer - it's more robust than the camera

It could just be because I am cheap but I just use a bit of cardboard (or wood, or scrap steel) and tape the bolts to it with a note written on where they came from.

2 rebuilt Rover V8s and various work on A-series and I haven't lost a bolt yet. (touch wood)

I must admit, I just use margerine tubs, or more usually the shallow black trays you get with ready-meals and other food packaging. I use aerosol caps for very small items. Never lost anything yet.....

I've never bothered with any of that...........lost loads of parts!

Luxobarge wrote:I must admit, I just use margerine tubs, or more usually the shallow black trays you get with ready-meals and other food packaging. I use aerosol caps for very small items. Never lost anything yet.....

I bought two black trays today - £1.00 each. One was Chile, one Spag Bol. They are handy when I get too involved with "work" to remember to cook! I don't use margarine, so only get those tubs when the neighbours use them to gather tomatoes and give them to me!

I noticed Edd China using Terry's cardboard and masking tape method the other night, so he must have picked something up from this forum!!

Wow, thanks. I have generally given up expecting replies when I post on forums!

I suppose I overlooked the obvious - some strips of double-sided sticky tape.
I also found someone selling 30 clean-room mats for £10 on ebay. Item no: 261378775493

Luxobarge - I live in '.... on Thames' so there are a couple of chandlers locally, so I'll ask them. A rubber mat would be fine for bigger items.
Lawnmower engine is Briggs and Stratton. Needs the throttle on high to avoid conking out, and now won't start at all. I'm assuming fuel (or air) blockage rather than electrical.

tractorman - Useful tip about photographing as you go.

As I write this, I've decided to give the £10 mats a try - I'll let you know whether they are worth it. (Strange coincidence - I will be walking right past their offices tomorrow morning.)

Good stuff.

Sounds like the Briggs & Stratton is a carb fault, it's not unusual for carbs to block on garden machinery, I think I'd be just stripping the carb and checking/blowing through the jets and see how that goes. Do an oil change while you're at it too, they only take a little over a pint of SAE30.

Being a B&S engine is good news, at least you can get ALL the parts, no reason these engines shouldn't live on for ever IMO.

Cheers!

Luxobarge wrote:
Being a B&S engine is good news, at least you can get ALL the parts, no reason these engines shouldn't live on for ever IMO.

There's a certain irony there I fear - B&S are known as a "throw away engine!" Not that I'm knocking them - as said, parts are readily available and they are tough old things (I worked with one that was late 1950s build for many years and, as far as I know, it is still working!).

I much prefer them to the Honda engine our Honda mower has and I found our Victa mower was way ahead of the Honda in performance and build quality - but they are unobtanium now. The Victa had an 2-stroke Aspera engine - though branded as Kirby Lausen and if it hadn't started by the third pull, there was something wrong (usually an oiled plug). The Honda is on it's third plug (in about six years), I only bought one for the Victa in 25 years - and it cut about the same area as the Honda.

Plenty of carb cleaner will help and, as a routine, change the points (if it's got them!).

Enjoy the rebuild - you'll be rebuilding V8s before you know it!