MadModder

The Craftmans Shop => New from Old => Topic started by: awemawson on September 06, 2016, 04:12:55 AM

Title: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 06, 2016, 04:12:55 AM
I've been looking for a slightly wider flail mower for grass cutting for quite some time - the current one that I use (A Buchner) is a 5 foot cut and was was originally 'front mounted' on a Buchner four wheel drive 'bank mower'. I converted it to mount on a tractor 'three point linkage' years back. It works very well and will gobble up almost anything you drive it over, but as it was originally intended to go on the front of a vehicle, the flail spins the wrong way and throws all the cuttings over your back as you use it  :bugeye:

Now new ones are an astronomical price, apart from some very cheap imports made from old bean cans and good for perhaps two seasons  :( So I've been keeping an eye on them on eBay. Well used but working examples have been fetching £1K5 and are usually miles away making transport expensive and difficult.

This one popped up only 50 miles away as 'spares or repairs', which as you probably are aware is more my sort of thing  :lol: Close examination of pictures and interogation of the seller revealed a very well made (and UK made) 'Turner Turbomower' that in recent years has been driven into the ground.

Stoutly constructed from 10 mm plate these things are in essence extremely simple. A PTO shaft from the tractor, spinning at 540 rpm drives a 90 degree gear box, that in turn, via belts, drives the flail shaft. On the shaft are the individual flail elements that swing on pivots to do the actual cutting. At the rear is a 6" diameter roller that runs on the ground setting the cutting height.

To the front are sturdy steel flaps that hang down on pivots to stop anything being thrown forwards, and a rubber skirt to the rear for the same purpose.

As declared by the seller the bearings are shot, both on the roller and the flail shaft. In addition the pto shaft is wonky, the roller has a big dent in it, and the steel flaps and their support bar are bent all over the place.

In all a bit of a basket case, but so long as the 90 degree gear box has survived all eminently re-buildable and mainly needing time rather than money. Talking of which, against stiff competition from 13 other bidders it was mine for £371 - a price I was very happy to pay.

So I set off early Saturday morning to collect it with the big 17 foot Ifor Williams trailer - journey was going spiffingly until some poor chap rolled his lorry a little in front of me and I ended up going down totally unexplored local narrow lanes through villages where the Normans were still pillaging, eventually emerging onto wider roads 2 hours later  :bang:

Never mind - she's now home, and will sit on the trailer until a bit of floor space is cleared up in the workshop - this will probably be a winter project so don't expect updates very soon.

First pictures from the eBay advert:

Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 06, 2016, 04:20:02 AM
And then some I've taken now it's back here:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: wgw on September 06, 2016, 05:15:55 AM
Nice one, I did not realise they were so valuable. I used to design those things in an other life. Worth checking the gear box mounting to the main body , sometimes cracking starts , esp. at welds.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Spurry on September 06, 2016, 12:21:48 PM
Looks like an interesting project. It amazes me that some people could actually use a machine in that sort of condition.
Do you not find that the tractor wheels flatten the grass/weeds whatever, before the mower gets there?
My green machine can fit a flail at the front, and it worked well as it was wider than the wheel track. ( Hired one to try - some of the weeds were above cab height.)
The twin rotor one I normally use is hindered by being narrower than the wheels so those weeds do not get chopped down very well.
I now know I should have bought a triple rotor. :hammer:
Pete
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 06, 2016, 12:29:52 PM
It's being used to keep a field in fettle rather than break new ground  :ddb: I have to say my current flail leaves a much better finish than your picture.

Generally I'll mow when I move the sheep off a field, as for some reason their appetite doesn't seem whetted by rushes and thistles and they leave them sticking out of the ground !

When the grass is growing rampantly I'll also cut it to about a 4" staple, as much longer than that they won't eat.  :(

Obviously yes you are running on the grass that you are about to mow, and unless you have a front mounted three point mount and pto drive you have little choice.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 07, 2016, 05:43:51 AM
Well amazingly eBay has provided the correct 'operators manual' for this flail - amazing because Turners were taken over by Bomfords many years ago and not a lot of documentation seems to have survived the sale. It's by no means essential as it's a pretty simple device, but nice to have if only as it gives exploded diagrams of the workings:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 23, 2016, 06:47:07 AM
So having lugged the Traub lathe out of the workshop I now have room to bring the flail in for a bit of titivation.

Grabbed it with the Forklift and it conveniently came to rest with the mangled flappy plates upwards and easy to get at for removal.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 23, 2016, 06:50:54 AM
But first I removed the PTO shaft before it got bent. Initial inspection suggests it's ok apart from needing a replacement safety cover, but it might be as cheap to buy a new entire unit - time will tell  :scratch:

Then I set too removing the flaps. They pivot on a 1/2" shaft that runs through several suitably placed brackets on the body of the flail. It wasn't coming easily but eventually gave in to brute force - it was far from straight. But out it came depositing all the flaps on the floor  :ddb:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 23, 2016, 06:54:10 AM
Now I can't get too involved today as I have to play 'mine host' to visitors in the cottages shortly, however I thought I'd try flattening one of the flappy plates under the Epco 60 ton press.

I had expected that although it would flatten, there'd be a fair amount of 'spring back' and in the end would need to fire up the forge and hammer them flat when red hot on the anvil. In practice this one came out rather surprisingly well  :clap:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 23, 2016, 07:03:58 AM
Having the flail tilted up as it is gave me an opportunity to see how much play there is in the main flail shaft. Sure enough it is major - the bearings must have collapsed like those on the roller as I can lever the shaft up and down a significant distance. No doubt they will be fun to remove - if the bit of the shaft that the inner race seats on is badly worn (as is the case with the roller) then ingenuity is going to be heavily taxed to find a solution as I can't swing it in the lathe (too big).

In the case of the roller I have a fall back plan of cutting the ends off on the band saw, re-machining the ends as they will now fit in the lathe, then welding them back. However I don't think I can use this approach on the flail shaft - any eccentricity and it'll vibrate the whole thing to bits.  :bugeye:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 23, 2016, 07:39:48 AM
I grabbed a few minutes before lunch and squashed the rest of the flappy plates. Had to wack them with a sledge hammer to get them roughly flat to go in the press. They must be very much tougher than mild steel as they are hard as anything. Pleasing result though  :ddb:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 23, 2016, 09:47:29 AM
So hanging around waiting for cottage guests to arrive, I may as well undo the 'skid pivot' bolts - these are M20 HT bolts that the skid & roller assembly pivots on to set the height of cut - skids need to come off to remove the rear roller and as the pivot bolts are uppermost at the moment they may as well come off. Gloves on so as to be ready for handshakes when people arrive.

Well no, not quite so easy  :bang: These bolts have been soaking with 'Plus Gas' for a couple of weeks but really didn't want to come off - eventually the left hand one unbolted with a long tube on a breaker bar, but even with heat the right hand one resisted my not inconsiderable mass on said bar.

Time to bring out the big guns - nice big hydraulic nut splitter (these nuts are 30 mm a/f) - nut cracked with a satisfying 'ping' and then unscrewed leaving a nice clean thread on the bolt - except where the skid has been pivoting and worn a big land. So will need replacing anyway.

I've no doubt if I'd wheeled in the oxy-acetylene and got it glowing it would have come off, but it's a heavy old big bottle rig  :palm:

So when time permits I can bring the fork lift in and re-position the flail to unbolt the adjustment end of the skids (skid has a single bolt and 10 mm thick side of flail has multiple places the bolt can go - again M20.

Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 24, 2016, 07:33:24 AM
A bit more dismantling this morning. First I needed to roll her over to get at the roller and the skid mounts.

Now this is the first time I've got it in a position where i can turn the roller for inspection - as expected the one dent visible as she was sitting is not the only one, and probably if I can source a suitable bit of heavy wall tube (135 mm o/d by 2 metres x at least 3 mm wall) I'll make a new one.

One 'good thing' is that oil has leaked from the gear box as it's been sitting in the wrong attitude, so at least it means there WAS oil in the box so it stands a chance of having survived  :lol:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 24, 2016, 07:37:17 AM
So first thing to do is unbolt the skids to release the roller and it's bearings - again 20 mm bolts unbelievably tight. Again I got out the nut splitter, but this time the nut won and the thread on the hydraulic nut splitter stripped  :bang: - another thing to mend.

This meant I had to bring out the oxy-acetylene - so rather than move the full size cylinders I transferred the cutting torch to the Portapak which made short work of loosening the nuts.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 24, 2016, 07:42:42 AM
So with the skids off and the knackered bearing assemblies off, the roller was free to remove - oh boy are the shafts worn  :bugeye:

This confirms me in my belief I'll make a new roller.

The bearings are a standard RHP item but seem to have had a grease seal of some sort mounted on the 'inner' face of the skid - the shafts are so worn it's difficult to see what was there originally.

... so it's one step forwards and one back - but that's always the way with a refurbishment  :lol:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 24, 2016, 10:59:00 AM
So no point in procrastinating - may as well find out what other horrors are lurking waiting to trip me up  :bugeye:

We have covers hiding both ends of the flail shaft with bearing housings and belts, and a cover concealing the jack shaft that drives the 90 degree gear box - lets have 'em off and have a look-see  :scratch:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 24, 2016, 11:04:38 AM
Now although the main flail shaft bearings have collapsed and lost their ball bearings, the inner race at both ends seems intact, so hopefully the actual shaft will be ok to accept another bearing - lucky as I have no idea how I'd machine a 7 foot long shaft with floppy bits sticking out  :scratch:

Again they seem to be a standard RHP item albeit rather expensive at a first investigation.

A close look at the actual flail shows that someone has had a lucky escape - obviously ran over some barbed wire and it just wrapped round the flail rather than tearing the driver to shreds  :bugeye:

The Jackshaft bearing and U/J's actually don't seem too bad on a brief examination.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 24, 2016, 11:11:01 AM
So the shopping list so far:

2 metres 135 mm o/d heavy wall (3 mm minimum) tube (5-6 inch would do) - roller
2 off SFT5-MSFT2 bearings (Roller supports)
2 off SF10/65 bearings (main flail shaft)
4 off SPB1600-5V630 drive belts (may need to be a matched set)
2 metres x 300 mm x 5 mm canvass re-inforced rubber conveyor belt (Chaff guard)

Numerous nuts and bolts

Big tin of Yellow paint
Big Tin of Primer
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 25, 2016, 03:42:07 PM
A bit more 'progress' (is that the word when pulling things apart  :scratch:) today. First I pulled it out of the work shop and ran over it with the steam cleaner, especially around the bearing housings and gear box where it was hard to see what was supposed to be there and what was congealed accretions  :bugeye: It didn't all come off, but at least the nuts and bolts were now visible.

Brought it back inside (it's a dodgy thing to 'rig' - it swings all over the place) and removed the right hand bearing housing. The outer race was vaguely intact but cracked. and the inner race is still on the shaft and no doubt will entertain me getting it off. I could possibly get away re-using the housing with a new 'insert', but they seem to be 2/3rds of the price of the whole thing so not sure it's worth spoiling the ship for a h'pence of tar. (OK not a h'pence in this case - £120 each plus VAT - well they are 2.5" bore self aligning  :bugeye: )

Then I set too slackening the belt tensioner spring arrangement to allow me to remove the four drive belts. This will let me pull the Taperlock pulleys off and get at the left hand bearing assembly.

Now the belts are off I can assess the 90 degree gear box. Negligible back lash, but the output shaft bearings are noisy. Probably worth replacing all four bearings and two oil seals while I'm in there.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 27, 2016, 04:54:59 AM
The steel for the roller arrived today - 139.7 mm diam by 5 mm wall thickness - or in the proper units it was made in 5 1/2"  o/d - good stuff this metrication  :clap:

Now to buy the (just under) 2 metres that I needed as a cut length was the same price as buying the entire 7.5 metre length, so no point in not doing but for convenience I got them to cut the 2 metres off before delivery.

...so now I have a 5.5 metre 'offcut'  :lol: No doubt uses will crop up over the years to come.

The full length was 124.5 kG's of steel so great fun to manoeuvre single handed.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Jo on September 27, 2016, 05:23:45 AM
...so now I have a 5.5 metre 'offcut'  :lol: No doubt uses will crop up over the years to come.

Maybe you should have got them to cut it into two 2m lengths, so you had a spare  :coffee:.


5 1/2" with 3/16" wall thickness..... could make a few model engine flywheel rims out of that  :thumbup:


Jo
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 27, 2016, 05:43:52 AM
If you need any I can slice it off on my horizontal band saw
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: PekkaNF on September 27, 2016, 01:46:40 PM
Wonder how those bearings were protected from grass and grit - inside of the rotating thingy...We have that sort of stuf and unless it has pretty big "deflector" or shiels bearings et.al will be filled with debris in no time.

Pekka
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 27, 2016, 03:04:59 PM
They are shielded bearings, the main flail shaft has a housing that surrounds the bearing on the inner side, and the roller has a secondary seal on the inner side of the skids but it's exact form is not obvious due to gross manglement  :bugeye:

Today I was hoping to remove the Jackshaft to allow me to get the 90 degree gear box out. However the splined output shaft of the gearbox is thoroughly stuck onto the yoke of the first universal joint. It should just slide - those holes that you see in the yoke go all the way down to the bottom of the shaft spines. Application of heat from the oxy-acetylene torch and pressure from a 'hydraulic wedge so far haven't got it to move one iota  :bang:

Got me a bit stumped - it's soaking in PlusGas at the moment but I don't hold out much hope - and it will make a nasty flaming mess next time I take the torch to it, which I surely will have to.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: RobWilson on September 27, 2016, 03:10:36 PM
Andrew whats that bunker looking building in the background of the "on trailer " photos ? 

Rob

PS  :wave:  if you used photobucket I would not have to click on every photo to make them large enough to see  :poke:  :) 
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 27, 2016, 03:20:45 PM

PS  :wave:  if you used photobucket I would not have to click on every photo to make them large enough to see  :poke:  :)

And in a little while they'd all be lost to future browsers of the forum like so many earlier threads  :bang:

The 'Bunker' is a Water Pumping Station - the white tank looking thing actually IS a tank open to the air. Years back Hastings Waterboard used to pump water from wells a bit up the valley from here and treat it in that building. At the time they owned my farm. Now although the building is still full of the 1930's equipment they no longer use the well due to the high iron content, but have erected a container like structure in the front that does all the pumping and also houses a back up generator. The masonry building has numerous pipelines entering and is a major junction between three reservoirs so they have had to retain it.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: RobWilson on September 27, 2016, 03:26:21 PM
Cheers Andrew ,
           I thought it may have been part of your farm buildings ,some agricultural thing .

Quote
And in a little while they'd all be lost to future browsers of the forum like so many earlier threads  :bang:

Just pulling your leg  about the photos .


Rob
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 27, 2016, 03:41:01 PM

Just pulling your leg  about the photos .


Rob
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 27, 2016, 03:43:55 PM
I know  :clap: but it's a serious point - accounts get lost and the thread looses it's context when Photobucket or other service no longer carries the pictures
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: RobWilson on September 27, 2016, 04:14:34 PM
I know  :clap: but it's a serious point - accounts get lost and the thread looses it's context when Photobucket or other service no longer carries the pictures

Aye you do have a good point , but it all depends on how you look /use a forum , me I see them as a magazine .  Anyway maybe this topic should be discussed  its own thread so that it does not drag your repair log off topic .


Rob
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: RobWilson on September 27, 2016, 04:17:17 PM
Looking at the photos Andrew it looks like that mower has had  absolutely no maintenance done on it since it left the dealers  :bang:


Rob   
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 27, 2016, 04:39:07 PM
I reckon it was driven by a maniac through a war zone - just my sort of re-build  :bugeye:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: PekkaNF on September 28, 2016, 02:30:28 AM
They are shielded bearings, the main flail shaft has a housing that surrounds the bearing on the inner side, and the roller has a secondary seal on the inner side of the skids but it's exact form is not obvious due to gross manglement  :bugeye:

Normal bearing shields are not very good on this one as you have seen. Grass/hay and other stuff has tendency to wrap around and attract debris, then shield is shot and next bearing. I have seen plastic fat shields, metal saucers, rubber grommets and in combination. Large discs close to bearing seem to work, but complicates structure. Not sure if gammaring is good?

Pekka
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 28, 2016, 04:11:52 AM
Pekka, if you look at this picture you'll see the main flail shaft bearing is recessed into a shroud. The back roller bearing had an inner housing that probably had a simple seal, but as you can see in the second picture it is totally destoyed
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: PekkaNF on September 28, 2016, 05:24:00 AM
That looks familiar. Forage harvesters had some accid feed in to preserve the grass and they lived hard life, even when they had a wash down of the innards. Only way to keep them operational was to pump grease trough the bearing after use to purge the debris out that was about to reach the seal.

I bet it has better life on your hands.

Pekka
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 28, 2016, 08:00:57 AM
So it took all morning and blood (literally - squashed little finger  :bugeye: ) sweat, and tears but the Jackshaft is OFF :ddb: :ddb:

Initially I got the Universal Joint yoke that is stuck on the gearbox output shaft glowing dull red then tried tapping, levering, pleading etc to no avail.

Left it to cool while I removed the four sheave pulleys on the left had side - sadly although they are held on by taper lock inserts, in both cases the taper locks were cracked - standard 2" Imperial size, only £18 each to add to the butchers bill  :(

When the yoke had cooled again I liberally sprayed it with PlusGas and set up a wedge arrangement using the tapered end of a large cold chisel to bear against a loose bolt head that I inserted in the hole in the end of the splined shaft the other side being a heavy flat bar bearing againt the opposite yoke cheeks. Much hammering, readjustment and a few oaths later I had JUST perceivable movement. At that point I knew I had it, and persistance adding more packing and repeating the process eventually got it to slide off. It was at this point the jackshaft fell off and squashed my litle finger  :bugeye:

Anyway - good progress, just got to get the bearings off the end of the main flail shaft, and pull the gear box off to measure it's bearings.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: AdeV on September 28, 2016, 07:13:53 PM
I love watching your re-build threads Andrew. Regrettably, I rarely have anything useful to add (I don't this time either) save to say - thoroughly enjoying this one, even though I will likely never use a flail mower in my life, and have only the vaguest idea how it works... (I get the roller bit).

No pics of the finger then?
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 29, 2016, 09:33:45 AM
Ade - you're a Ghoul !

Well a bit of a delayed start today as I had to visit the dentist to have a tooth pulled out  :bugeye: When I got back I set too removing those flail shaft bearings. Both sides needed the inner races grooving with an angle grinder and cracking - but off they came  :thumbup:

This has allowed me to remove the (blooming heavy!) flail shaft itself - so as far as dismantling is concerned, apart from the 90 degree gear box we're nearly there.

New bits that I've ordered have started arriving - the main flail and roller bearings, which I'm relieved to say ARE the right ones, and a few of the bigger bolts.

I've now to decide about grit blasting and painting - needs to be outside and the weather has changed for the worse. I may have to rig a tarpaulin tent if it doesn't improve.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: wgw on September 29, 2016, 11:25:06 AM
Many years ago I used to design stuff like that. Any bit of string or a tough grass stalk would tear any bearing seal in a flash. On the posh stuff designed complicated labyrinth seals for wheels and flail shafts but never lasted long. We found it was cost effective to just use MS shafts and iron wheels, and change when needed.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on September 30, 2016, 03:54:06 AM
So before going in for breakfast after mucking out the pigs I got the Forklift back in and turned the flail back into the 'operating position' so I could more easily get at the 90 degree gearbox to remove it.

Gearbox came off without any dramas, however getting the flail into this attitude had revealed another issue that I need to address - someone in the past has caught it on a fence post or wall corner and twisted the 60 mm o/d tubing that forms the hoop of the three point mounting, and have done a grotty weld on said tube  :bang: I'll have to cut this out and re-do it. The twist in the hoop doesn't look too bad in the photograph but it's a few degrees.

Anyway after breakfast I dismantled the gear box so that I can identify and order the required bearings and oil seals. The tube issue I'll sit on for a bit and see if any good solutions crop up.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: mattinker on September 30, 2016, 04:25:24 AM
Andrew,

I must say, I do like it when you start unravelling old sweaters and knitting new ones with the wool!

Regards, Matthew.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: DMIOM on September 30, 2016, 04:41:24 AM
Andrew,

I must say, I do like it when you start unravelling old sweaters and knitting new ones with the wool!

Regards, Matthew.

Me too!    :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:  :clap:

Dave
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: AdeV on September 30, 2016, 12:42:55 PM
Ade - you're a Ghoul !

Hehehe   :thumbup:

I had to visit the dentist to have a tooth pulled out  :bugeye:

 :worthless:  :lol:

Anyway, how does a squashed finger lead to having a tooth pulled?  :Doh:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 01, 2016, 05:30:37 AM
Andrew,

I must say, I do like it when you start unravelling old sweaters and knitting new ones with the wool!

Regards, Matthew.

..ah - you spotted that the family tradition lives on  :lol:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 01, 2016, 05:42:58 AM
So Friday brought another delivery - this time the laser cut 10 mm thick steel disks that will form the ends of the roller. One will be inserted about 6 inches from the end, with a second at the end, both pierced by the axle shaft. There will be radial holes drilled in the tube where the deep disk goes so that I can plug weld it in position. Using this construction ensures a reasonable alignment of the axles at each end.

Rest of the day and this morning was taken up dismantling the gear box. It put up quite a struggle. One bearing inner had to be sliced and cracked off. The crown wheel was mighty tight on it's shaft, I had to rig packing within the casing to support it in order to use the 60 ton press on the end of the shaft. Then the last major pain was removing the 1.5" 16 tpi nut that adjusts the pre-load on the taper bearings. Originally equipped with two wimpy holes for a pin wrench there was no way it was coming off that way. Eventually I gradually increased the size of one of the holes until the hole met the outside periphery of the nut allowing me to use a small cold chisel on the remaining bit next to the thread to crack the nut. Then it was mine and I could unscrew it.

Probably need to make a new one as I can only find metric ones listed.

Still now at last I can put in the remaining bearing and seal order. :thumbup:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 01, 2016, 09:49:48 AM
So this afternoon I made a new locking nut / bearing adjusting collar. Turned out ok  :thumbup:

The curious 'upstand' of reduced diameter is actually a form of locking washer attached to the nut bit. It is punched down into a recess in the shaft in two places to stop the nut unscrewing.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 10, 2016, 10:20:27 AM
So at long last the bearings and seals for the gear box have arrived so I'm glad to report that that is back together, and even filled with fresh Hypoy 90 gear oil.  :thumbup:

So now to get on fixing the tubular 3 point hitch frame with a break and a bend  :bang: I decided that the easiest thing to do was to cut it apart, insert a tight fitting bar up the tube, and weld it back together. There is an angle iron stretching across the width that must have been hit by the PTO shaft as it is well bent and also needs replacing.

First thing - cut it apart
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 10, 2016, 10:25:36 AM
Now this is substantial 60 mm o/d tube with a 5 mm wall, and as luck would have it I have some lengths of 50 mm EN8 solid bar which is a nice sliding fit. So the plan is to slide a bit of this bar across the pipe join, weld it in with plug welds through drilled holes, then weld the chamfered end of the pipe back together.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 11, 2016, 09:39:15 AM
The forecast was reasonable for today - or at least more reasonable than the rest of the week so I thought I'd try and grit blast and spray the various components. We're off for a few days holiday at the end of the week and I was keen for painting to happen before then so it can be hardening off whilst I'm incarcerated in a Motor Home  :scratch:

It's always a big bind dragging out the blasting kit so I really wanted to get it all done in one session, but doing the main chassis took ages (and seven bags of crushed glass!) so I cut my losses and confined myself to just getting the chassis done.

Started as the sun came up and had got the etch primer on by 12:30 - still rather overcast but after lunch the sun broke though and the chassis was actually warm to the touch, allowing a coat of top coat to go on.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 11, 2016, 09:43:23 AM
So I still have this pallet full of bits and pieces which will probably have to wait for my return from our brief time away, as I've lost the will to live when it comes to blasting  :bugeye:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: vintageandclassicrepairs on October 11, 2016, 03:21:23 PM
Hi Andrew,
I am enjoying watching the progress on this project
You neatly skipped the reassembly of the gearbox
Was there much involved in setting up the gear mesh and or preloading the pinion bearings??
I rebuilt a Moto Guzzi bevel box last week,  same idea on a smaller scale

John
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 11, 2016, 03:42:53 PM
I set the pre-load on the opposing taper rollers on the pinion shaft by feel - no book values to work to so I set it (with that locking nut that I had to make) to give slight resistance to turning. For the wheel pinion mesh there were shims on either side that I had to juggle with, again just by feel - a compromise between zero backlash and smooth operation.

The result is a marginally stiff box,though easy to turn by hand, my argument being it will become looser in use not tighter.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 12, 2016, 01:02:39 PM
Time rather short today as the bacon was due to be sliced having finished curing - 60 packs of 6 rashers cut to a generous 6 MM  :clap:

However I got on and made up new studs to replace ones damaged on some U-clamps when I had to cut them off with oxy-acetylene  :bang: These clamp the 60 mm tubular 3 point linkage to another 60 mm tube that runs the width of the flail. I'd hoped to save the studs by just heating the nuts and apply massive torque, but they started shearing  :ddb:

So, first prepare 8 off 20mm blanks, chamfer them, thread them M20 x 2.5 - then eventually they will be welded onto the U shaped bit of the original clamp having cut off the studs. That will need some form of jig to keep the spacing accurate.

I used a Coventry Diehead - always a bit tricky on the larger threads as the torque is enormous. The inconsistent length of thread is because the die head was moving my carriage stop before tripping and opening the dies. Doesn't matter as the errors are longer rather than shorter.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Will_D on October 12, 2016, 04:15:50 PM
Time rather short today as the bacon was due to be sliced having finished curing - 60 packs of 6 rashers cut to a generous 6 MM
Is this closure on the new pig-stys thread and thier cute little inhabitants?  :bugeye:

Another great build Andrew - you are an inspiration
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 12, 2016, 05:13:32 PM
Never mind Will, Robert the Boar will be coming to stay shortly and the cycle will start all over again  :lol:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 13, 2016, 06:50:01 AM
So today was 'remake the U-Bolts'

Firstly I make a crude jig by drilling correctly spaced holes in a scrap of Scaffold Tube. Then checked that the old U-Bolts were a nice slide fit in it before I chopped out the crescent shaped bit that I needed from all four.

Next I cleaned up the old welds and glued them back together, and gave them a coat of zinc rich paint while they were still warm

Three fitted nicely but the fourth needed it's legs squashing slightly to be a comfortable fit.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 21, 2016, 06:19:58 AM
So back from a few days away and back to the re-build. What's been giving me sleepless nights is how to get the main flail rotor back into the chassis in a controlled fashion to let me align and bolt up the flange mounted bearings that retain it. The chassis is asymmetric, so when lifted hangs at an odd angle, and the rotor shaft is bally heavy and the flails get in the way of jacks and wedges.

Eventually, by dangling the chassis from a strop on the forklift and jacking up the shaft I was able to get the left hand side (which is a plain 2.5" hole in the chassis) threaded together, and with judicious joggling could lower the chassis so the right hand end (which has a slot to allow the rotor to enter) to go roughly into place.

It was then a case of wiggling and huffing and puffing until the four 16 mm bolts lined up with the retaining baffle / ring threaded holes. Technically trivial, but not easy due to the sheer mass and un-cooperative nature of the parts. In one case I did have to turn a bolt end down to it's minor diameter to give a lead into it's hole, but eventually it all went together and has been torqued up to 'murder tight'  :clap:

I'm now rather regretting asking my 'sand blasting tenant' to blast the remaining bits, as he can't do it until Tuesday PM and I could do it myself this after noon - but having asking him it's unfair to not go ahead as agreed.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 21, 2016, 10:54:00 AM
When I dismantled the flail, I had huge problems withdrawing the jackshaft drive UJ yoke female spline from the output shaft of the gear box. They were thoroughly jammed together. So I decided that it would be a good idea to dismantle that bit of the UJ letting me remove the yoke. This let me sand blast in my cabinet blaster the female spline to clear out any remains of rust or whatever, and check that I'd achieved the required sliding fit. That spline will be re-assembled using Copper Ease anti scuffing grease.

I also dismantled and cleaned the needle roller bearings (32 rollers per bearing) to check that they'd survived the considerable onslaught they received parting that spline. Pleased to say that they had  :thumbup:

So, the obligatory zinc rich primer and a top coat of black on the yoke, and back together they went.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 21, 2016, 11:21:26 AM
I don't intend to dismantle the entire jackshaft - it's bearings are good as are the other six U/J bearings, and I suspect puling it apart will cause more problems than it solves. It's in a position that if it needs attention in the future no major dismantling is needed to get at it - so leave well alone  :clap:

I just gave it a bit of a clean up - coagulated grease baked hard after a few decades - and it'll go back as it now is.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: NormanV on October 21, 2016, 03:29:14 PM
Time rather short today as the bacon was due to be sliced having finished curing - 60 packs of 6 rashers cut to a generous 6 MM

I hope that you washed your hands after cutting the bacon. You wouldn't want to get the grease on your mower parts and mess up the paint adhesion!
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 21, 2016, 05:41:01 PM
You'd be amazed how often you wash your hands slicing and vacuum packing bacon  :bugeye:

The slightest bit of bacon fat stops the heat sealing working, and handling a chilled flitch of bacon through the slicer certainly gets you cold and slippery  :lol:

Planning and work flow are the keys to sucess, and a good scrub down of the stainless steel work top afterwards  :thumbup:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Will_D on October 21, 2016, 05:59:43 PM
 Hi Andrew,

Would ye not put a few packs in the "for sale section"

 :mmr:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 22, 2016, 07:32:21 AM
They'd not arrive frozen Will  :scratch:

So this morning I prettied up the gearbox. First a coat of primer having washed it down well with thinners. Then while that was hardening I re-made the adjuster for the belt tensioner, as the thread on it was badly mangled - just a bit of M20 studding that compresses a spring. The idea is that the spring is compressed fully to allow the belts to slip on, then the threaded rod is slackened off letting the spring bear on the side of the jack shaft pivot putting belt tension on.

Then back to the gear box for a coat of top coat (RAL 1007 JCB Yellow)

Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 22, 2016, 07:43:48 AM
Now talking of belts - there is an oddity  :bugeye:

The four sheave 200 mm o/d pulleys are marked SPB - which is a Vee belt shape specification (16.3 mm wide and 13 mm thick) Of the four belts that came with the machine, three are marked 'Turner' (the maker of the flail) but measure as 13 mm wide and 15 mm thick so are not 'SPB' belts. The fourth belt is a Trellborg and seems to be marked SPB 1600 but measures roughly the same as the other three. Also there is evidence that the belts have been bottoming on the sheave grooves as they are shiny.

I suppose that it's possible that all the belts started off correct width and have worn uniformly over the years, but that seems a bit fanciful frankly :scratch:

I'll probably assemble it with these belts and then measure up to see a true o/d to allow me to find a proper 'SPB' Vee belt set to fit.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 22, 2016, 10:15:21 AM
I wanted to bring the newly painted gear box into the heated part of the workshop for final paint harderning, and decided the safest place to put it was back on the flail as horizontal surfaces all seem to have disappeared  :thumbup:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 23, 2016, 05:56:12 AM
So a bit of a clean up on the jackshaft pivoting arrangement, loads of CopperEase on that pesky spline on the drive input U/J and I popped the jackshaft back into place.

Then I was about to set too and fit the pulleys on the main flail shaft and the jack shaft - they are retained with taper lock bushes. Both bushes were broken when I dismantled it, and as far as I can see the problem was that the drive keys were too thick. They fit the keyway widthwise, but there is no head space at all radially, so as the bush tightens it is being bent over the key. Reading up on taper lock bushes, they always should have radial head space on the keys:

http://www.fptgroup.com/Taper-Lock-Bush-Installation-Video/

Measuring the shafts and keys to decide how much to skim off on the surface grinder it dawned on me - they were NOT the same diameter - the flail shaft is 2.5" and the jack shaft is 2" so I'd bought the wrong bush for the jackshaft - arggh  :bang:

Off to the web to order another ....... more delay  :(

Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 23, 2016, 07:19:31 AM
So having ordered the replacement (correct sized I hope  :palm:) bush not much more I could do. I've titivated the key for the correct sized bush and given it 10 thou headroom radially which means that I can loosely fit it on the flail shaft, but can't tighten it down until the other pulley is in place, as they need to be set for correct axial alignment or it'll chew belts.

...oh I dunked all those flappy plates that I squashed flat into a bucket of warm citric acid to remove the surface rust. Not sure there's much point in painting them - a decision for another day.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 25, 2016, 09:53:59 AM
So Tuesday started fine with a good forecast of dry weather all day. Ken the Blaster came just before lunch and blasted the remaining bits which is a major 'good thing'  :thumbup:

Then I set up for spraying them - small bits hung on wires, and the bigger bits lying on pallets. Started with the three boxy bits up side down letting me spray them in primer inside - the intention being that when inverted the outside could get primer and top coat but the inside can stay in primer.

I got as far as doing the insides, and the heavens opened  :bugeye: Just a brief shower I thought as it brightened up. I set too blow drying the bits with an air line, which worked quite well, until the deluge returned  :bang:

Fortunately the primer dries very quickly, and by the time I managed to pull a tarpaulin over the bits it had already dried. No doubt the freshly blasted bare steel will be lightly covered in rust by the morning, but nothing I can do about it at the moment from the sound of rain on the workshop roof  :(
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 25, 2016, 12:22:54 PM
So it stopped raining, but was still rather looming and gloomy so I decided to drag everything into the welding shop to complete the job. Once inside I blew everything off with an air gun, then directed a 4 kW blower heater on the bits for a while to ensure that they were properly dry.

As expected, the highly reactive freshly blasted steel had lightly rusted in places, so a quick rub down with emery paper and a dust off left them ready for resumption of priming. I set up a few strategically placed gash sheets of hardboard to minimise the overspray onto adjacent things and gave them a spray.

As I write they are virtually dry already, but the fan heater is now encouraging them, and hopefully after supper they can have a first top coat of JCB Yellow  :thumbup:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 25, 2016, 02:25:14 PM
After supper the fan got turned off and I set too putting on the first top coat.

I was probably rather too enthusiastic with the thinners as there are a few runs, but the bits are certainly looking much more yellow  :ddb:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: RobWilson on October 25, 2016, 02:30:28 PM
Missed a bit  :poke:


Rob
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 25, 2016, 03:00:03 PM
Missed a bit  :poke:


Rob

It's ok Rob, one of the runs will dribble over it  :lol:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: RobWilson on October 25, 2016, 03:08:19 PM
 :lol: :lol:  :lol: :lol: :thumbup:

Rob
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: krv3000 on October 25, 2016, 04:34:34 PM
brill
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 26, 2016, 05:55:15 AM
Those fiddly bits all got a quick blow over again this morning, and when touch dry I brought them into the heated workshop for hardening off.

Just as well I did, as I'd just finished when the Brundles lorry turned up with a load of  6 metre 50 x 3 flat steel bar for my plasma table and a length of 14 mm round to re-make that 'flappy plate' pivot that's bent like wiggly snake.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 27, 2016, 05:29:28 AM
This mornings job was to make a start on fabricating the replacement roller. This will be a piece of heavy walled tube, with stub axles welded on disks on the end, and to give a bit more strength each end will have two disks about 6" apart, one buried inside the tube, the other at the extreme end.

First thing - make the stub axles. These are 1.375" stock with the last 2" turned down to 1.25" to fit the flanged bearings. Having cut the stock I did a dummy run on the offcut as I wanted a nice push fit into the bearing inner. This let me accurately calibrate my DRO to the particular tool that I was using, ensuring the the two 'real ones' came out spot on, which they did  :thumbup:

I've centre drilled both ends, so that I can turn the disks down to the right size between centres when they are welded onto the stub axles.

Then the Postman arrived with the replacement taper lock bush and drive belts for the jackshaft, so I will fit those before boring the disks ready for welding.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 27, 2016, 07:04:33 AM
So a brief interlude from machining to fit the new taperlock bush and belts. Glad to say that my guess that they should be SPB1600's and that the originals had worn 'narrow' was correct - lucky really as those belts weren't cheap.

Set the taper lock into the four sheave pulley, and gently tightened it up while keeping an eye on the pulley alignment by the old expedient of a straight edge down the side of the pulleys (held on by magnets in picture  :ddb: )

I then had to fully compress the tensioner spring to get the four belts into place, then unscrew the tensioner nut fully to transfer the spring tension to the belts. No doubt that washer I'd put under the squashing nut , which is now just sitting there, will rattle and drive me mad.

Happily the new belts sit at the correct ride height in the Vee's of the pulleys, and the swinging pivot that mounts the jackshaft is dead on the middle of it's travel - so all in looking good  :clap:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 27, 2016, 09:31:44 AM
So take four disks, centre drill them, wack a big hole through the middle, then bore them to size. A quick trial assembly then now it's time to crack out the welder. Sorry didn't photograph the boring, but it was boring  :ddb:

We've got electricity board men in yellow coats just descended on us so I'm loath to start welding just yet as they'll be knocking on the door - they've decided to change some electricity poles in the field which they did yesterday, and have come back to dismantle the metal work from the top of the old ones - yes I've nabbed the poles themselves, I can see another field shelter coming on  :lol:


Once they are tack welded up I'll mount them between centres and check that they run reasonably square, adjust as necessary before final weld up. Then they'll get turned down to the bore size of the tube. I'll need to grind a notch in the disks to clear the tubes electric resistance welded seam which is inside the tube.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 27, 2016, 10:36:05 AM
Meanwhile I re-made the pivot bar that all those floppy plates hang on - just 6 foot of 14 mm bar radially drilled at both ends to take split pins so nothing high tech. Just a bit straighter than the old one that's lying beside it  :lol:

It did however get the obligatory spray of zinc rich primer and black gloss paint. Waste of time really as it'll all be rubbed off as they swing, but it goes against the grain to leave bare steel. It'll get slathered in Shell Ensis as will the plates, when they go back together again.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: AdeV on October 27, 2016, 08:06:39 PM
I don't know, when are you going to repair something complicated  :smart:, enough of this easy peasy stuff already!  :palm:

Heyyyyy, I've got an idea.... how'd you fancy some Mazak skills?  :dremel: :lol:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 28, 2016, 03:01:01 AM
Ade, I wouldn't want to deprive you of that pleasure, is it in the new building yet?
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 28, 2016, 05:22:37 AM
Not much done this morning as I'm due at the dentist shortly  :bugeye:

However I did manage to draw up in Autocad the bearing baffle plates, and cut them from 3 mm zintec steel on the CNC plasma table. For some reason the cut starts are starting on the wrong side of the line giving those little lead ins - doesn't matter really in this situation but I must find some time to investigate the cause - certainly looking at Sheetcam they look good on the screen  :scratch:

These baffle are to stop (or probably just reduce!) junk wrapping round the shafts and getting into the bearing seals.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: AdeV on October 28, 2016, 12:19:19 PM
Ade, I wouldn't want to deprive you of that pleasure, is it in the new building yet?

Not yet.... the van's being fixed which is preventing me from moving all the smaller stuff that's right in the way... But I've moved it around loads on the computer screen :) I know exactly where it's got to end up...
Title: O/T Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: DMIOM on October 28, 2016, 02:02:19 PM
..... I know exactly where it's got to end up...

Somewhere near Battle, East Sussex? 

Dave
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 29, 2016, 11:23:09 AM
On with the roller today.

First job, weld up those stub axles and disks and turn them down to be a slide fit in the roller tubing. Sorry no pictures - I forgot  :palm:

Then re-fit the skids and the bearings that take the roller so that I can make an accurate final measurement for the length of tube to cut by fitting the stub axles with the disks welded on, and measure between them - 1870 mm which should leave 5 mm end float.

Then cut the tube to 1870 mm - I really do need to make a suitable trestle for the band saw - this sort of Heath Robinson affair made from paint tins and wooden wedges needs replacing  :clap:

Then chamfer the inside edge to increase the weld penetration, and  tack weld the stub axle / disk 'bobbins'  into the tube for a trial fit.

I was happy that the length would be right, but not sure how accurately the axles would be co-axial, which could only be tested putting it in it's bearings - happy to report it spins nicely with hardly a trace of wobble  :thumbup:

The tacks had to be light enough to be ground out if the fit was wrong, but strong enough to take the considerable weight and inertia of the assembly when fitting. It survived the fitting, but will also have to survive removal for full welding then a coat or two of paint.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Pete W. on October 29, 2016, 12:15:23 PM
It's all looking good and coming together well, Andrew.

Your projects make mine look so inadequate!!   :doh:   :doh:   :doh: 

That off-cut of tube looks to be worth saving - I'm sure it'll be useful some time in the future.   :nrocks: 
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 29, 2016, 12:43:39 PM
Thanks Pete for the kind words  :thumbup:

I've a 5.5 metre long 'offcut' of that tube if you need a new gatepost  :bugeye:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: sparky961 on October 29, 2016, 06:29:29 PM
For some reason the cut starts are starting on the wrong side of the line giving those little lead ins

Are you sure it's at the start of the cut?  Hard to tell whether your outside profiles had the same problem as the inside ones. 

With inside profiles especially if it's set to do any kind of lead-out at the end, it can result in a similar notch.  What happens is that the slug falls out but the plasma is still on due to the lead-out settings.  It has no choice but to complete the ground circuit through the part, thus burning away a section you'd rather be left there.  Best settings for lead-out are nil, or better yet turn off about a 1/2 kerf width before the end of the profile.

Best lead-in is arguable and dependent on material thickness also.  Perpendicular straight lead-in at least twice the size of the initial pierce hole seems to work well.  Tangent arc is ok for some smaller holes, but lead-out needs to be tweaked accordingly due to the tapering thickness of material near the end of the cut.

Or just get an industrial fibre laser and don't worry about it.

Or who knows, maybe you just picked "outside" when it should have been "inside", totally a user error... ;)
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Will_D on October 29, 2016, 08:46:10 PM
Love the way you managed to colour match our dancing bannanas

 :ddb:  :nrocks:  :ddb:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 30, 2016, 11:41:21 AM
Depends which bit you look at Will, that yellow doesn't cover well even with two coats  :scratch:

Today's job was to finish off the roller. So I took off both skids, lowering the roller to the floor and dragged it into the welding shop. It's blooming heavy and I was anxious not to bend those delicate tack welds.

Not the easiest thing to get at for welding - it ended up propped up against the bench at about 45 degrees, with a couple of clamps strategically placed to stop it rolling away as I welded and dressed back the welds. I reckoned that the smoother it is the less tendency there will be for bits to get wrapped up in it.

Then it was up onto a pair of trestles, masking tape over the bits of axle that go in the bearings, and a coat of primer. A bit of cooking with a fan heater and it was ready for a coat of black top coat. This will probably all roll off when it's first used but should keep the rust at bay until then.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 31, 2016, 07:12:09 AM
Can't do too much today due to livestock commitments. Off to the feed store first thing for a load of pig and chicken feed, then while waiting for help with the sheep managed to get the bearing cover, jackshaft cover and belt cover back into place.

Getting close to finishing thank goodness - just need to re-fit the roller, make up the rubber curtain that hangs at the rear, fit the three point lifting tubular framework and those floppy plates. Only thing left to source is the PTO shaft - the one that came with it seems reasonable but it's safety covers are a write off, but I want to get the flail on a tractor and prove that the 48" length of the original is correct before spending out on new covers or maybe a new PTO shaft.

But now it's off to get the flock in, sort out some Ewes that are limping, and select six lambs for tomorrows trip to the abattoir.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: modeng200023 on October 31, 2016, 07:57:06 AM
It looks too good to use now  :clap:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Spurry on October 31, 2016, 01:46:39 PM
Another magnificent job Andrew.   :clap: It will be too nice to leave outside though, even when you have used it once or twice.
Pete
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 31, 2016, 01:49:25 PM
As it happens I have a planning application in for a Tractor Shed at the moment - 40 foot x 45 foot so it should fit in there nicely if the permission comes through  :ddb:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on October 31, 2016, 04:17:59 PM
The 'other half' is out playing her Oboe for the British Legion, so by bribing the dogs with a stoked up fire and some classical music I was able to sneak out and get a bit more done  :ddb:

Got the Three point lifting frame back in place and bolted on. The original 'brace that stops it rotating on the mounting bar had got damaged when I was a bit too enthusiastic with the 'gas axe', but as luck would have it, I had a brand new heavy duty tractor 'CAT 2 Top Link' that I'd bought for that Hedge Flail mounting project, but it had proved too bulky to fit the tractor lift eye. No such problem here, it could have been made for the job  :thumbup:

All this wasn't accomplished without loss of blood, but Ghoul Ade will be pleased to hear this time I took a picture for him  :lol:


.... the final jobs are getting crossed off the list  :thumbup:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on November 01, 2016, 07:00:23 AM
Back from the Abattoir early doors, (why do I ALWAYS seem to get held up by a train at the level crossing both going AND returning  :scratch: ) so quickly loaded up some sheep that a friend's taking to Ashford market for me, and was able to get back in the workshop  :thumbup:

Put the roller back without loosing much paint (or blood!) and hopefully that should be the final fitting, it can now stay in place. Delighted to see that the end float is pretty much exactly the 5 mm I'd decided on - didn't want it too floppy but certainly not tight. In practice the end float is equally distributed each end, then the bearing collars locked onto the stub axles with Allen grub screws.

I also refitted the little straps that I presume are intended to give the bearings a little protection. I reckon a pressed cup design would be much better !
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: AdeV on November 01, 2016, 07:47:44 AM
Hehe  :D

(https://media.giphy.com/media/3HeOPCOyyyhmo/giphy.gif)
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on November 01, 2016, 03:32:07 PM
I finally got round to sorting out those flappy plates. They'd been soaking in Citric Acid for quite some time, so the rust had all gone. To neutralise the citric acid they got a brief dip in caustic soda, and a good scrubbing in very hot water, before blowing them dry with a hand hot air drier.

Then a fairly heavy coat of zinc rich paint both sides, trying to get it down the pivot hole, followed by a spray of black on both sides. These are aerosol spray can paints as they are very fast drying, but I'll leave them over night before further assembly.

 
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: vintageandclassicrepairs on November 01, 2016, 03:56:27 PM
Hi Andrew,
Great project,
Its too good to go cutting grass with now  :doh:

Regards
John
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: hermetic on November 01, 2016, 04:17:07 PM
Lovely job Andrew! Has been an interesting thread! I could do with one of them, or maybe a Topper to put on the back of my Fordson Diesel Major as we have 4 acres of East Yorkshire to keep under some sort of control! Cracking rebuild!
Phil
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: tom osselton on November 01, 2016, 05:18:50 PM
Hehe  :D

(https://media.giphy.com/media/3HeOPCOyyyhmo/giphy.gif)
Hey AdeV
Hows this one!
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Will_D on November 01, 2016, 07:29:02 PM
Great build Andrew!

Talking of blood, fingers and workshop accidents in general:

Question came up in the rugby club tonight:

When we watch my (Will_D')s favorite tea time program "Wheeler Dealers" Program on Sky at 5 pm why does Ed China never ever ever slip a spanner, or scrag off a screw driver etc. and draw blood?
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on November 02, 2016, 07:24:10 AM
Thanks for the kind words chaps  :thumbup:

Another delayed start in the workshop today. Yesterday afternoon our Klargester private sewage plant decided to pack up - fortunately we have a comprehensive support contract, but the chap couldn't get here until 07:00 this morning, so no showers and certainly no loo flushing overnight  :bugeye:  Anyway once he was off site it was back to the workshop to try and finish the flail.

First I re-fitted the flappy plates. I can see why they had got so mangled - when the flail is lowered to the ground, they hang upright, and unless the flail moves either forwards or backwards at this point the weight of the flail comes to rest on the plates - fine if you are moving as you lower it - odd design  :scratch:

Then I set too making a new rear curtain - the old one was torn and perished, and I'd managed to source a bit of 'retired' conveyor belt. Just a case of cutting to size, punching some holes in the right places and bolting it back with the new retaining strips I'd made a couple of weeks back.

Used my 'wad punch set'  - a most useful boot fare find decades ago back when the countries behind the iron curtain were selling us heavily subsidised goods. Works very well but the steel quality is questionable !

Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on November 02, 2016, 07:29:48 AM
So still to do:

a/ decide what to do with the lift arm adaptors - those 'H' shaped things. Ideally I should re-bush them as they're rather ovalled out, but that might come at a later date.

b/ sort out the dodgy PTO shaft & cover - this is waiting for when I can mount the flail to a tractor to make sure that the length is correct

c/ sort out and re-fix various labels, and re-create a missing one
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on November 06, 2016, 07:59:34 AM
Today was the day of reckoning  :bugeye:

I'd refixed the labels, sourced new mounting pins and it was time to see if it worked. I had two potential issues:

 1/ Would the tractor lift it - Ford 4000 is quite small

 2/ Would the PTO shaft fit

Pleasingly the tractor lifted it off the ground quite happily AND the PTO shaft was the correct length so now I can invest in some replacement safety covers for it.

Trotted out to the field and cut about 1/3rd acre of grass heavily infested with rushes down to a short 3" staple - seemed to cope quite well but I do need to be careful to remember that this flail has a bigger 'offset' than my other one, so it would be easy to forget and swipe a gate post! The weight with it off the ground is pretty well on the limit without front balancing weights - it has light steering and it's easy to do wheelies  :clap:

After it had cut the 1/3rd acre the gear box was mildly warm - certainly not hot so that probably shows that I got the bearing pre-loads about right, however I noticed that there is a minor oil leak from the oil level plug - just needs a turn of ptfe tape.

So in all that probably concludes this re-build - if I manage to find pto shaft covers I'll post a picture but other than that it's now ready for next seasons grass management  :thumbup:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Spurry on November 06, 2016, 08:19:04 AM
Don't what they say in Sussex, but if it was Norfolk, it would be "Bootiful".  :clap:
Pete
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: mattinker on November 06, 2016, 10:56:28 AM
As always, an interesting thread. Thank you! Now you'll have to find another sweater to unravel!

All the best, Matthew
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: RobWilson on November 06, 2016, 11:11:09 AM
Looks good as new Andrew  :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:


Nicely done  :thumbup:


Rob
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Pete W. on November 06, 2016, 11:39:52 AM
Hi there, Andrew,

I agree with the others - you got a good result.

What news on the proposed new tractor shed? 
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on November 06, 2016, 11:56:15 AM
 Thanks for the kind words chaps  :thumbup:

Pulled the PTO shaft off just now to measure up for new covers, and it's a totally obscure, no longer made relic. So it looks as though it's a case of buying a complete shaft. (CAT6 ie 90 HP at 540 RPM x 1200 mm closed). SPAREX are the people who usually sell these things, but not to me this time - they want £440 plus VAT  :bugeye: where as a place in Ireland has them for £80 - more my cup of tea so I'll give them a call on Monday.

http://www.amadirect.co.uk/PP/01732.html

Pete, the local planning authority have to respond to my 28 day notice  by 23rd Nov else it goes my way by default.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on November 09, 2016, 09:33:00 AM
New PTO shaft got delivered today from Northern Ireland - looks just a bit tidier than the original one  :clap:

Bit of a bugger to fit as everything was new and a bit stiff - but on she went and is working fine.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: seadog on November 09, 2016, 10:31:47 AM
I think it needs a coat of paint Andrew, it's showing the rest of the rebuild up  :)
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Pete W. on November 09, 2016, 12:00:59 PM
I think it needs a coat of paint Andrew, it's showing the rest of the rebuild up  :)


As it's a rotating part, I think it should be painted with 'Barber's Pole Stripes'!   :ddb:   :ddb:   :ddb: 
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on November 09, 2016, 12:37:10 PM
Ah - but no Pete - it's NOT rotating - that's the whole point of the safety cover. Shaft turns inside but cover stays still to preserve life and limb  :bugeye:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Pete W. on November 09, 2016, 01:42:08 PM
Ah - but no Pete - it's NOT rotating - that's the whole point of the safety cover. Shaft turns inside but cover stays still to preserve life and limb  :bugeye:


Oops!   :doh:   :doh:   :doh: 
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: jcs0001 on November 09, 2016, 09:03:12 PM
Andrew

Beautiful job.  You sure are one persistent gentleman, working through all those interruptions to finish a big project.  It would have driven me (even more) mad . :D

John.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on November 10, 2016, 04:53:57 AM
... not so sure about persistent - more anal  :lol:


Well when I re-fitted the labels i'd removed before grit blasting, I realised that one was missing - probably fell off years ago, but it left four irritating holes that annoyed me !

... so google research - what was it.  Well some of these flails had a label there that was the original selling distributor, and others just bore the name of the flail 'Turner Turbomower 72HD in rather florid handwriting. Having now repaired the chiller on my laser engraver hopefully I could make something similar.

The eventual label was on 1 mm stainless sheet using the 'Dry Molybdenum Di-sulphide' process that I detailed in my 'Laser Marking Steel' thread. However it wasn't without it's problems. First try was on aluminium (like the originals) but it just rubbed off. Then I tried galvanised steel with the same result. I was beginning to doubt the process, and even dug out the original form tool I'd previously marked, and marked another face of it successfully. Hence moving to stainless steel.

Another issue I had was the scanning speed of the laser. It should go at a controlled speed while the laser fires, and faster when not firing.  However with the program speed set to 3 mm / Sec it was actually doing 15 mm / sec firing and 3 mm /sec when not, the result being that that label took 6 1/2 hours to produce  :bugeye:

Another issue was that the 1 mm stainless ended up dished from heat of the laser but I reasoned that as the corners were raised, they would pull down flat when riveted, and this proved to be the case.

... more investigation needed but at least those holes are now filled  :ddb:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: AdeV on November 10, 2016, 04:16:47 PM
Looks like it needs a wash & wax already!  :lol:

Seriously nice work again, though. Are you sure you don't want to play with a lathe again?
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on November 10, 2016, 04:27:28 PM
Kind offer Ade, bu I'd hate to deprive you of all that fun  :lol:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on June 09, 2018, 11:43:27 AM
Resurrecting an old thread, but this is the logical place to put this information:

Flail has been working exceedingly well, but one job that I never did do when I rebuilt this mower was to sharpen the swinging flail arms. There are 52 of the little blighters, and they should present a flat cutting edge to the grass.  Age has taken it's toll and they were all somewhat rounded off. Of course getting at them is not easy as they are enclosed apart from where the grass touches - it needs either turning on it's back or standing on it's end.

So with some extremely dodgy rigging I got the flail stood on end allowing access to the 'underneath' - I kept the fork lift attached - 'just in case' as this animal is heavy.

Nothing too complicated, no primary and secondary angles - just hold the swinging flail steady with a welding clamp, tickle it with an angle grinder and move on to the next. Somewhat monotonous but an hour and a half saw them done and the flail back on terra firma.

Did it make a difference? To be honest it's hard to tell - I suppose it must have but the trial cut of the paddock that I've just done didn't seem a lot different to me   :scratch:

Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: AdeV on June 09, 2018, 05:06:49 PM
Maybe you got the chip clearance angle wrong?  :lol:

A quick google reveals there's a hell of a lot more to flail mowers than meets the eye...
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: carlquib on June 10, 2018, 01:41:21 AM
Looks to me like they just need to be replaced. You have lost too much of the cup part of the flail so they won't suck material into it like it should.

My name is Brian and I'm a toolaholic.

Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on June 10, 2018, 06:17:36 AM
52 flails at £15.50  EACH - no I think you are mistaken  :bugeye:


- anyway it is working superbly - just cut another ten acres before breakfast  :thumbup:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: NormanV on June 10, 2018, 07:05:14 AM
Andrew, surely you could make them yourself for a fraction of that price? :bow:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on June 10, 2018, 07:17:53 AM
Yes Norman I could.  But they don’t need changing ! I
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on June 10, 2018, 08:02:24 AM
Interestingly, the parts drawing that I have illustrates quite a different form of flail.

Mine are rather like a  comma curled around their mounting bolt, whereas these ones swing on a bent rod link. I don't suppose that the grass minds which form clouts it on the head at a great rate of knots  :lol:

Carlquib, do you have any references you can cite to the sucking nature of the curl?

The only similar replacement flail to mine that I can find illustrated on the web has a very similar amount of curl to mine
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: carlquib on June 10, 2018, 08:15:13 AM
We use several different types of these flails. They are used for mowing, same as yours, but also to defoliate sugar beets before we dig them. The sucking reference comes from there. My parma topper whirls them around at 2500 rpm. You can watch it pull the material up off the ground so it does a better job shredding it. I've had the other style of j knife as well and they just don't do as good a job. They don't generate the lift on the material. I'm sure glad mine aren't $15, I believe the last batch I picked up was about $7.00, which I though was plenty. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180610/380a1e67856500a8a3d3b191807a649e.jpg)

My name is Brian and I'm a toolaholic.

Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on June 10, 2018, 09:37:59 AM
... mm $7 - that's about £5 which is far more reasonable, though as Norman says not too complex to make given a forge and a suitable jig.

I wonder what steel they are - something fairly tough I expect  :scratch:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: carlquib on June 10, 2018, 09:57:53 AM
The flails we get are made from a 1095 spring steel.

My name is Brian and I'm a toolaholic.

Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Jo on June 10, 2018, 12:37:51 PM
Sounds like the idea use for old car suspension leaf springs   

Jo
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: NormanV on June 10, 2018, 12:50:48 PM
Five years ago I bought a new blade for my rotary mower, it cut really well. I have just looked at it for the first time since then. It looks totally wrecked, but, I cannot detect any difference in its cutting abilities. Grass is not so tough!
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: wgw on June 10, 2018, 01:30:17 PM
In an earlier life I designed mowers and etc. We did some experiments on grass cutting, as expected the main thing was speed of the rotor tip, with correct speed could cut grass with just about anything. A few lengths of chain worked just as well as a sharp blade. Of course it depends what the cut grass is to be used for.  BTW grass is tough stuff, try getting it in a bearing.


Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on June 10, 2018, 01:46:45 PM
I have one area of pasture that is rather infested with rushes, both 'clump rushes' and 'creeping rushes'.

Regular cutting is about the only way to keep them under control, but it is very noticeable that the tractor (Ford 4000 1974) labours far more on the rushes than the grass, also you can tell from the smell which you are cutting !

Having sharpened the blades I did the entire 10 acres in high range 1st gear this morning before breakfast, whereas the last cut pre-sharpening was low range 4th until in the rushes, when I had to drop to low range 3rd, and low second on occasions.

Really the field needs proper drainage installed then it's acidity regulated to get rid of the rushes, but it makes no economic sense for sheep grazing.

(Where the rushes are is very peaty - originally a stream bed then silted up about 100 years ago)
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: wgw on June 11, 2018, 06:33:03 AM
The rushes can create their own bog, the roots attract water by capillary action. I,ve got some in a small field, and it's high, started getting boggy after 3 years. My fault, didn't bother cutting the few bits there was after a year with no grazing and it just spread. Sheep might help, spraying works.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on June 11, 2018, 06:53:43 AM
Heavy cutting, then when the new shoots emerge hit them with a 'weed wiper' charged with glyphosate is the received wisdom - be good if I had a weed wiper  :scratch:

The idea being the the roll of the wiper only touches the rush shoots and not the surrounding grass. A drop of washing up liquid in the glyphosate helps break down the waxy surface of the rush.

I have had some success on 'clumping rushes' with a backpack sprayer but it's hard going covering a large area. Whenever I need a bonfire it is always placed on the most dense patch of rush that I can find - they don't like that at all  :lol:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on May 08, 2019, 07:27:23 AM
(Revival of an old thread but this is where the information should go!)


Start of the grass mowing season, so on Bank Holiday Monday I coupled up the Turner 6 foot flail mower to the Ford 4000 for the first time this year.

It was an ABSOLUTE PAIN to get the PTO female spline on the PTO shaft onto the male spline on the tractor. Would have been easier if there was help about but I was single handed. So what's the problem? Well turning the male spline by hand just gripping it is not possible due to drag and suchlike in its gear box. Turning the female spline, which is in the UJ on the end of the PTO shaft is only possible by putting a lever through the UJ, but then it turns back by itself due to the weight of the flail teeth flopping one way or the other.

Now while trying to get the rotational alignment  right, you have to press a button on the UJ yoke to allow the male spline to enter the female, and draw the two together all in a confined space between the mower and the tractor.

It actually took me 90 minutes which is obviously not acceptable - something must be done  :bang:

Having mowed the 'ten acre' and sitting down to relax I started Googling - I surely can't be the first to have this problem. Sure enough, some one has patented a spanner to go on the male spline in such a away that you can rotate it a bit while offering up the UJ female spline. This would make the job hugely easier. The spanner of course has to be able to be removed once the aligned parts are together, so has to be open ended not a ring which could have been made to fit the splines.

The patented 'spanner' solved this by being a simple parallel jawed open ended spanner, with a screw through one jaw to engage into the low part of a spline - crude but probably effective.

So for goodness sake make one before the next time you have to change the mower over - so I did  :ddb:

A quick Autocad sketch into SheetCAM as a DXF and then off to the CNC plasma table would do the job, but the thickest plate that I had to hand was only 8 mm thick. No matter - make two and weld them together - so I did  :ddb:

Rough and ready the pair got tacked together, an 8 MM thread popped into one jaw with one half sitting in each plate and lets try it out - so I did  :ddb:

I was concerned that a steel screw bearing onto the inner diameter of the splined shaft might do damage, but by reducing the end of the screw and doming it any damage will be minimal and anyway it bears on a bit of the shaft that in practice is never used. I would have used a brass bolt but not only did I not have a suitable one, I suspect that it would shear off in use.

All rather crude, certainly agricultural, but it works  :clap:

Hopefully next change over will be less frustrating
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: seadog on May 08, 2019, 10:38:15 AM
Now all that you need to do is to make sure you put it somewhere where it can be found when it's needed. Or, chain it to the flail  :D
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on May 08, 2019, 11:12:41 AM
I deliberately made it so it was not too long to go in the tractor tool box  :thumbup:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: pycoed on May 09, 2019, 07:02:53 AM
Just be thankful you have the button type yoke! I'd love to know who thought it would be a good idea to use a collar that you have to pull back whilst you are shoving the PTO shaft forwards to engage :bang: :bang: :bang:.
My tractor (Zetor) has a "helpful" metal shroud around the PTO stub as well, not to mention the damned PTO shaft guard that doesn't telescope any more since my old tractor self immolated  :Doh:
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: mc on May 09, 2019, 06:42:52 PM
I would of thought the flail should be fitted with an overrun clutch?
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on May 10, 2019, 02:20:56 AM
Old technology here Moray, 1970's tractor and flail probably much the same vintage
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: Will_D on May 10, 2019, 05:59:48 AM
Just be thankful you have the button type yoke! I'd love to know who thought it would be a good idea to use a collar that you have to pull back whilst you are shoving the PTO shaft forwards to engage :bang: :bang: :bang:.
Agreed 1000% a few of our machines have collars and they are real PITA
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on May 10, 2019, 09:07:41 AM
It did occur to me that a Jubilee Clip temporarily applied would sort the push button issue - or even a suitably sized G-Clamp
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: mc on May 10, 2019, 07:21:08 PM
Old technology here Moray, 1970's tractor and flail probably much the same vintage

I've worked on older machines with overrun clutches, but have never dealt with a flail. I can't make up my mind whether a flail would have enough of a flywheel effect to justify needing one or not...

It might just be because I'm 6'4", but for big PTO shafts I just hold them between my legs, while wrestling the splines in to line. Once they're aligned and on that first 1/2", you can then worry about retaining pins/collars.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: pycoed on July 04, 2020, 09:32:42 AM
For anyone reading this epic adventure who is not familiar with this flail mower I would add the following ( having just collected my own via Ebay!)

What Andrew is underplaying is the sheer massiveness of this mower - modern good quality 6 ft flail mowers are typically 330 Kg (Kubota) to 450Kg (Bomford's modern machines)--------- this one is 700Kg
It's an absolute monster, so hats off to Andrew for coping with the beast :clap:

When I got mine home I complained to the wife about how edgy my SWB Vitara felt towing it home compared to previous pickup etc. I thought then it was around 400Kg plus the 650Kg of the trailer (8X5 tipper) after contacting Bomfords to get the operator's manual sent to me I was staggered to find the actual weight.

Thankfully mine is in pretty good working order:-

(http://Photo0184.jpg)
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: pycoed on June 12, 2023, 11:00:56 AM
If you think Andrew's flail roller  was bad, then just have a look at this one!:-




The bearings are easy to change (did mine last year) as long as you recognise when they are knackered & do  something about it - this one from  Snowball  Engineering takes a bit of believing for leaveitalonery.
Title: Re: Rebirth of a 6 Foot Flail Mower
Post by: awemawson on June 12, 2023, 01:31:12 PM
That's Snowball Engineering I think.He does an excellent job and is pleasantly modest as he does it.