Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

OK, so I was walking the dog about a block from my house when I stumbled upon a craftsman 10.5/29 model C950-52820-0, s/n 004199   9004 in excellent condition. It was sitting at the end of the driveway with a "to give away" sign on it, also saying the the speed control didn't work.
Needless to say I wheeled it home in a flash. Popped off the bottom service cover, & low & behold, the friction disk & drive plate were covered with oil. A bit of brake cleaner & 10 minutes later everything seems to be fine.

Question 1 is should I feel guilty about keeping  the machine?

Question 2 is where can I find a manual for it (kinda answers question 1)

Cheers

Um well, getting back to the OP question:

The first owner did not avail himself of the knowledge needed to care for his machine. Or he simply doesn't care enough to do proper maintenance. Either way, the machine had a short service life under his ownership -- entirely due to his own negligence. Some guys simply don't understand machines, neglect them and then usually complain that they are "junk". I'd bet that his lawn mower, car and appliances are in no better shape. His need to buy another snowblower is the natural consequence of his behavior.

You on the other hand, have provided for yourself the knowledge and aptitude to repair the machine and now possession of a functioning snowblower is the natural consequence of your behavior. If he should see you using "his" old snowblower, he has no grievance. (If the cost is unimportant to him, he may even feel good that he has helped a neighbor.) 

Let's say you return the snowblower to him. The neglect cycle will begin again. If you really want to be a helpful neighbor, teach him how to maintain the machine, when you bring it back. Otherwise, he has given you the snowblower, free and clear.

However, had the neighbor been a female without much direct male support (older, or single mom) then you should certainly return it, and perhaps offer to maintain it for her as well.

The manual might be available on MTD's website.

samdog wrote:
My sister-in-law, who's the service manager at a Ford dealership in W. Pennsylvania, might disagree with your generalizations.

"My sister-in-law, who's the service manager at a Ford dealership in W. Pennsylvania, might disagree with your generalizations."

She might disagree but in reality, women with mechanical training and ability are far and few between.  

Not saying they're incapable.  Not at all.  It's just that our society has not directed female education toward mechanical fields until recently.   Even with the opening of historically male dominated fields to women, you don't see great numbers of women training to be mechanics.   Most women simply aren't interested in it.  Those who are, become very competent at what they do and will have my respect if and when I come across one.   However, I can say with full confidence that I will be wrenching for far more women before I find one who will be slinging her own tools.     

If it has any moving parts my wife will probably break it.   She's great with many things but if it's mechanical it will break on her, it will get worse if she tries to fix it. That said she is very good at other things, just nothing electronic or mechanical.

Paul7 wrote:

She might, but it would be innapropriate to do so.

 "Generalizations" are called "gemeralizations" because they apply to either all members of a class or an indefinite part of that class. Your sister-in-law's (and others) mechanical competence skews the needle of female mechanical competence a few thousands of a degree. Furthermore, I made an existential generalization (as opposed to universal) by identifying given members of the class: older ladies or single moms. 

To keep this on the ethical topic: Should men stop helping women with OPE maintenance because somewhere there is an (offended) woman who can do it herself? Does the class minority define the class?

Tell that to the Gilson girls below...lol.

http://home.gwi.net/~spectrum/snowgirls.html

I do agree that my sister in law is definitely an exception to the norm.  Her dad made a living fixing cars out of his basement garage, she helped him out and eventually went to school for it.  She just turned 50 and doesn't get too dirty at her current position but over the years she did it all. 

I kind of remember a few females who posted regularly on this board.  Not so much now but there were a few over the years.

Well, I have boys.

But we all know the male psyche.

So if I had a girl, she'd know how to throw a flurry of effective fists and knock down steel plates at 20 meters with a .40 caliber Walther.

She could cheer-lead as long as she played at least one strenuous girl's sport. She couldn't be lied to by an auto mechanic, and she'd know better than to dispose of a snowblower that needed minor maintenance. That's the minimum every girl should learn from her father.

All the rest -- prom dresses and all that -- would be Mom's domain.

My wife has a 6' 2", 250 lb. niece who's an accomplished "bar fighter".  Despite those lofty credentials, she couldn't fix a grade school soccer game!

samdog wrote:
My two daughters both went to college on athletic scholarships...basketball and T&F.  My 6'3" 220lb totally ripped son plays golf.  Go figure.