Kitchen Garden Forum

I need help to identify this old rotovator/cultivator.please

I think its possibly early mountfield design with the vertical driveshaft/gearbox being almost identical to the mountfield M1 "Monarch" layout

The engine is 2 stroke - possibly a jalo ?

Whats is left of the transfers on the fuel tank i can make out that it was manufactured in Basingstoke , and is a Gardenxxxxx

Can anyone enlighten me ?

There are some images here :-
http://www.rfas.ratae.co.uk/rotovator.html

Thanks

Hello,
Your machine is I believe a Shay Rotogardener..made by JE Shay of Basingstoke.

I recognise it as that.. but have refered to a reference book for more info'....they were first made in C.1954 with a 120cc engine but later a smaller machine used an 80cc engine. It suggests that the handles could be set to one side for offset working on the 80cc model.

I have never worked on one of this type but I am aware that the 2 stroke engine was of a type previously used on the first rotary mowers made by Power Specialities.....a company which was acquired by Shay in 1952. I have always taken the engine to be a Villiers..???

All the best,
Clive.

Clive - Thanks very much for taking time out to do a bit of research on this.
Myself i had no clue where to start because there are no clear markings on it.

It amazes me that this machine is possibly 50+ years old and was still in use untill quite recently by a old guy in his garden.

I realise that I am starting with an old posting, but please forgive this.

I was looking for some information on my old inherited J E Shay Roto Gardener 80 and what should pop up but this thread!

I too inherited mine from a very dear friend and neighbour. I have no idea how long he had it but he was about 91 when he gave it to me. We bought it over here to France when we moved 4 1/2 years back and it was used a little when we got our own house. It was being a real pig and would run as sweet as a nut from cold until it was stopped. From then I had to leave it overnight before I could start it again. It was put in the garage for about 2 1/2 years and bought out again a couple of days ago. I chucked some fuel in it and it started after a few pulls!

It still wouldn't start from hot though so I bought a new plug. Now it is a wonderful machine to use and no problem to start whenever. I was amaised to see that it's over 50 years old! It still has the full readable stickers on it too. That's how I knew what model it is.

Clive you are 100% correct about the handles. They can be moved from side to side and up and down to where ever you want them to be. Today I was doing some work on the kitchen garden at the back of the house and it is dead easy to put the handles to one side and it just works its way along and you don't tread the loose earth down. Very simple and such a good idea.

A question if I may and that is that I have dug over most of the beds that needed doing and I want to put some 'oss muck down. It is ready to use shop bought stuff. As this is my first real attempt at using this machine can anyone tell me what is the best way to tackle it? Do I just chuck the stuff on the top of the soild and machine it in or is there a 'proper' way of doing it?

Dear Jonzjob, thats exactly what i woud do, spread it out and rotavate it in, it will get well incorporated into the soil that way.

And welcome to the forum.

Crikey OH, that was a quick answer! Thank you for your welcome and thank you also for your advise. I may well be able to do that tomorrow morning.

I beats digging for a living don't it?

What a fantastic bit of kit that machine is!

Hi Jonzjob,
Many moons ago I bought my first rotavator a Shay brand spanking new. It had two sets of blades a set of scuffers which were absolute magic for removing perennial weeds and a set of chopping blades used for digging.
I am know for being a bit of a hoarder and should I look hard enough I probably would be able to find it now! I do know that it served me very well for over thirty years.
If my memory serves me right the only reason the machine was laid up was because of what your machine is now suffering from. I failed to get anybody to repair it. I do hope that in France you find somebody with the ingenuity to tackle the problem.
JB.

Dear Johnboy, i think Jonzjob has got the problem sorted, now he has put a new spark plug in.

Unless i have misunderstood, what i do quite often, i hasten to add.

Spot on OB. I hope that the problem is now cured?

I have 2 sets of blades. One is like a 4 bladed scimitar with straight forward pointing blades and the other, the blades are bent over at the ends and are the same sort of thing I've seen on the French things. There is also a strange square 'U' shaped thing that I haven't a clue about. We are just taking the dog for a walk, but when I get back I will post some photos..

I managed to get the photos and now to try to post them?






The funny 'U' shaped thing is by one of the 2 sabre cutter tool. Does anyone know what it is for?

Hello,
I think the u shaped item is a another type of tyne.If I am right you should have two and they are fitted to the machine power head upside down, so they have a ''stirring'' effect on the soil. I believe they are used for weeding borders etc. I have two for a land master but have never fitted them.Of course I could be totally wrong!

Regards

There is only one of them, but the other one could easily have been lost. The mounting hole is exactly the same as the others so it is obviously meant to turn something!

I chucked the 'oss muck on the rotored area and put the machine on it and all I really had to do was to guide it. No effort at all. Only 5 more patches to do! In fact, the biggest part of it putting the muck on the top?

Hi Reiver, I have had a look at the 'U' shaped tool and it appears to fit on the underside of the head as a single unit and spins horizontally to do the weeding. I will give it a try and report back as to how it works, with some photos if I can?

At the moment, the underside is on the top , but the head rotates to put it at the bottom. Or at least I hope it does 'cause it will be a real sod to hold the complete machine upside down!

Cracked it, just loosen one of me nuts (ouch!) and turn the head 90 degrees and the weeder fits and works a treat.

Nearly had a happening this afternoon when I realised that the gearbox actually had (!) some oil in it. It started to complain VERY loudly after I was turning over yet another patch of ground. It didn't arf get warm. So did I in me shorts and wellies! Not a pretty site.

But now all is well after I had a look at the gearbox on the head and filled it with oil again, when I found the filler hole.

That little machine will go on for years yet I feel!

Very late P.S. Does anyone know if it is possible to get a maintenance manual for this machine because I have had to strip and clean the carb today and I would like to give the complete machine a really good strip and clean! Each time I do anything to it it seems to run better...

Hello,
I cant remember which engine is fitted to your Shay,I think it maybe a JAP.If you can find a plate on the engine telling you make and model you could try Patrick Knight 01252317327 for an owners manual for the engine.Some engine manuals can be quite basic but may give you enough info.
Regards
Neil