CNew 404 #1 Posted August 15, 2019 I picked up this cool unit yesterday. The guy I bought it from said he made a weed eater with it back in the 1970s. He said the handle was a simple 1/2” conduit that threads onto the base. After looking it over more the engine has some features that I don’t think I’ve seen before. The carburetor is kind of unusual and doesn’t have the little hole where the usual threaded hook screw attaches for the air cleaner. I’m not actually sure how an air cleaner would connect. It also has different style “fins” on the bottom. It’s marked Type 110. Let me know if anyone has more info that can help date the engine. 1 pmackellow reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wallfish 698 #2 Posted August 15, 2019 That's a new and interesting application. Nice find! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
factory 487 #3 Posted August 15, 2019 18 hours ago, CNew said: I picked up this cool unit yesterday. The guy I bought it from said he made a weed eater with it back in the 1970s. He said the handle was a simple 1/2” conduit that threads onto the base. After looking it over more the engine has some features that I don’t think I’ve seen before. The carburetor is kind of unusual and doesn’t have the little hole where the usual threaded hook screw attaches for the air cleaner. I’m not actually sure how an air cleaner would connect. It also has different style “fins” on the bottom. It’s marked Type 110. Let me know if anyone has more info that can help date the engine Interesting find and nice to have to history from the guy that made it into a weed wacker. I have pictures of three other engines exactly like the one fitted to your weed wacker (I can see Type 110 on one of them too), they also have no hole in carb for air filter, a full coil cover, a side needle valve in the carb and a push button stop switch (picture attached). The lack of fins on the crankcase is typical of 3/4HP Compact I engines. As for engine dating, I can only give an very rough estimate of early 1960's without knowing the serial number. I strongly suspect that these engines (Type 110) were intended as spares for the Comet C/Saw, have a look through the recent C/Saw thread and you will see how they used a short tube to connect the carb to the handle, which would have had the air cleaner foam inside. The coil covers used on the Comet tools have small piece cut out for the pump, a larger piece cut out for the chainsaw and a full cover for the C/Saw (your pictures confirm that last one). As far as I know the simplified cylinder side plates are only found on Comet engines too. David Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CNew 404 #4 Posted August 15, 2019 David, Thank you for all the great info. As soon as I saw it I also immediately thought of the circular saw engine, especially with the little cover. I bet you’re right about the carburetor and air cleaner set up, that would certainly explain the situation. Also, the serial# is 021701 Clint Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
factory 487 #5 Posted August 18, 2019 On 8/16/2019 at 12:09 AM, CNew said: Also, the serial# is 021701 Looking through all the info I have, the best estimate for date is that the engine was produced sometime in 1962. Hope this helps. By the way there are other tools with carbs that have no air cleaner fixing holes, the Aquabug is one. David Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
K-TRON 24 #6 Posted August 31, 2019 Did the previous owner say if it had a string head, a circular saw or a mower blade for trimming? I have a few weed whackers from the 1950s and circular saws were the latest and greatest in trimming technology. I am not sure when the first string head came about. The O&R certainly had the rpm to run a trimmer head, but maybe not the power. Bunton had a small machine setup like this with a vertical shaft power products engine and a small mower blade, maybe 8 or 9 inches. My oldest trimmer is a 1951 Hoffco Scythette with a 40cc west bend engine. It runs a ~20 inch sickle mower on two little wheels. The oldest string trimmer head I have is another Hoffco but with a 95cc west bend engine, built around 1958. Chris Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CNew 404 #7 Posted August 31, 2019 I wish I would have thought to ask him about that- I was just excited to have it in my hands and didn’t think to ask some of those obvious questions. Thanks for the reference to the Bunton and Hoffco, I’ll have to check them out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
