Author Topic: Mounting a Tractor Hedge Flail (Read 69297 times)

awemawson · « **Reply #25 on:** July 23, 2014, 07:57:17 AM »

Quick trial fit - yes they look about right !

awemawson · « **Reply #26 on:** July 23, 2014, 09:27:33 AM »

Next to cut up the various heavy angles and plates for the tank brackets. The angle is 75 x 75 x 10 mm and the plates are 80x12 and 130x12.

Got them all cut up on the Pedrazzoli chop saw, was just cutting the last cut of the last piece, and there was a 'ping' followed by the clatter of something dropping to the floor

The balance spring that holds the chop saw up had broken at one of it's hook loops. This is a beefy spring wound from 6 mm wire with twenty turns on a 35 mm major diameter with hook loops both ends.

.... go on empty your pockets, some one must have one

I think the next job is to cut the slots for the 'jaw plates' which seem to be a nominal 20 mm thick. If I have a suitable broaching cutter for my magnetic drill I'll drill holes for the ends of the slots and cut the rest with an angle grinder.

It's probably safest to then weld on all the various brackets, and drill the holes after welding to get them in the right places

One of the plates is slotted, so that will probably be done on the Bridgeport

awemawson · « **Reply #27 on:** July 23, 2014, 09:35:28 AM »

Chap has just delivered the plumbing bits to allow the pump to be removed without loosing too much oil. I'm using gate valves to give full bore flow, but they will need a bung as they are prone to weep a bit.

This means I can put all the oil back in the tank when I get a spare moment

chipenter · « **Reply #28 on:** July 23, 2014, 09:39:38 AM »

You can get large ball valves with handles that give you full bore .

awemawson · « **Reply #29 on:** July 23, 2014, 11:49:14 AM »

Jeff - yes I've got some in 1" - I was tempted but these gate valves are nice and chunky solid.

So I dug out the Magnetic Drill from it's crate I made 7 years ago when we moved here - not sure I've actually used it in that time. I'd forgotten what a joy it is to use

awemawson · « **Reply #30 on:** July 23, 2014, 11:51:37 AM »

So those holes need slits from them to the end, to form the slots into which the Jaw plates go, a job for the angle grinder. (I do have a nibbler that will cut 6 mm plate but it's a fearsome beast to hold)

awemawson · « **Reply #31 on:** July 23, 2014, 11:53:27 AM »

The box is presumably made by folding up and continuously welding the seam. It seemed sensible to drop the slot either side of this seam to reduce the number of welds in the structure.

awemawson · « **Reply #32 on:** July 23, 2014, 11:54:24 AM »

So does it fit?

Well yes it looks like it does from this test assembly

awemawson · « **Reply #33 on:** July 23, 2014, 11:58:26 AM »

I will set the 100 mm box in line with the hole in the jaw plate that accepts the axle bracket pin, so that the spars are level in use. I was going to trim the jaw plates of their excess material but there seems little point - the extra depth will probably add a bit of rigidity.

Next I need to make some slots in the plate that carries the Control Standard, and after that it'll be time to start gluing it all together.

Quite a successful day really - time for a scrub up as I'm filthy with grinding dust, and then I can feel a few beers being consumed

Spurry · « **Reply #34 on:** July 23, 2014, 01:41:12 PM »

Thanks for the update, before the scrub-up and drinks. That is true dedication.

Pete

shipto · « **Reply #35 on:** July 23, 2014, 03:15:28 PM »

I convinced the powers that be at work to invest in a magdrill and I love it.

awemawson · « **Reply #36 on:** July 23, 2014, 03:25:50 PM »

Quote from: shipto on July 23, 2014, 03:15:28 PM

I convinced the powers that be at work to invest in a magdrill and I love it.

I bought mine yonks ago when I had three Launderettes, and needed to mount refurbished machines on their 'plinths', which are C section beams. It was a rebuild project in itself - sold not working. The clamp magnet was very weak (rectifier and capacitor blown), the drill arced (new brushes) and the up and down sliding rods were badly worn (replaced). All the handle arms were missing (re-made) - other than that it was PERFECT

This one is a bit cumbersome by modern standards, and very heavy - theoretically it can work upside down supporting it's own weight but I don't fancy that

Looking forward to a bit of welding tomorrow

vtsteam · « **Reply #37 on:** July 23, 2014, 05:22:22 PM »

Looking good Andrew -- looking forward to the welding part, too! Those mag drills are expensive!!! Glad you were able to rebuild a basket case -- should have known you'd take that on.

My kind of heavy capital purchase!

awemawson · « **Reply #38 on:** July 23, 2014, 05:57:56 PM »

It was so long ago it pre-dates eBay

We have a weekly publication in the UK called Exchange & Mart, and before eBay it was the primary source of such bargains. I'd buy it each week, and my colleagues used to howl with laughter when an item got circled in biro. Oh no not another poor mug being relieved of his worldly goods they'd say.

Notsure if it's even still being printed.

awemawson · « **Reply #39 on:** July 24, 2014, 12:21:15 PM »

So a solid days welding produced the spars. Not as neat as I'd have liked but certainly functional. Just need to drill the mounting holes, sand blast it and give it a bit of a coat of paint.

Welding started well, got the sweet spot on the machine set up for this thickness, did a few welds, then my big mig welder decided that today it's gas valve was going to play up

- bit of faffing around and decided to roll out the oil filled arc welder to get the job finished. I suppose with the arc welder ones a bit more sure of getting decent penetration but I can never get it as neat as mig.

Got quite a bit done, but the arc welder was tripping a 16 amp breaker on the higher amperage settings when welding the 20 mm jaw plates. Got fed up resetting it, and re-wired the circuit on a 32 amp breaker - the wiring is 4 mm so no issue there - just the socket is 16 amp. It's probably only a momentary surge on starting - really I should get a 16A C curve breaker.

awemawson · « **Reply #40 on:** July 25, 2014, 06:59:02 AM »

Got the spars grit blasted and a coat of paint on this morning. Just before I started I realised that I'd not welded the vertical tubes in place that take the jack legs, so start was a bit delayed while I fork lifted them back into the welding shop.

Not come out too badly - next test is do they fit

I'll leave them for a few days for the paint to harden

awemawson · « **Reply #41 on:** July 26, 2014, 05:20:10 AM »

Company for lunch today so not much progress: I did fit the tanks plumbing, and decided to replace the lens in the tank oil level. What I had thought were calibration marks proved to be very deep cracks in the old lens - a bit of polycarbonate was pressed into service

awemawson · « **Reply #42 on:** July 26, 2014, 10:19:04 AM »

I managed to sneak away for an hour after lunch and made these washers ready to re-mount the spars. When I drilled the holes in the spars I deliberately made them oversize to give a bit of tolerance on their spacing - so need heavy duty washers to back them up.

Four 1/2" bore x 1 1/4" x 1/8" thick

Eight 5/8" bore x 1 1/2" x 1/4" thick.

Made from some unknown stainless from the scrap bin that proved to be non-magnetic. Non-magnetic - yes I couldn't use my 'magnetic finder' to clear up the floor afterwards - very handy to get swarf picked up unless it's non magnetic !

Working stainless, especially unknown spec stuff, always makes me nervous, particularly drilling and parting off. It potentially work hardens all to easily. To avoid rubbing hand feeding I decided to 'power feed' the parting operation, and it went superbly. There's a tendency to be too gentle hand feeding !

tom osselton · « **Reply #43 on:** July 26, 2014, 02:49:10 PM »

You can't beat a magnetic broom mine is 18 " with the pull release bar.

Pete W. · « **Reply #44 on:** July 26, 2014, 05:19:55 PM »

I really must get one of those!

Yesterday the screw holding the lens in one side of my spectacles let go. Why do spectacle designers fit the screws head downwards?!?!

Usually, the screw stays with the spectacle frame but this time it took a dive into the pile of the living room carpet.
My lovely but shy assistant found the missing screw with the aid of an ex-hard-drive magnet.

Her computer KVM switch failed today - it would have been churlish not to order her a replacement.

vtsteam · « **Reply #45 on:** July 26, 2014, 05:47:17 PM »

Never heard of a magnetic broom! Ya learn sumthin new every day!

awemawson · « **Reply #46 on:** July 26, 2014, 06:25:47 PM »

You Colonials - we need to bring you up to speed

PekkaNF · « **Reply #47 on:** July 27, 2014, 02:09:34 AM »

Quote from: awemawson on July 23, 2014, 09:35:28 AM

Chap has just delivered the plumbing bits to allow the pump to be removed without loosing too much oil. I'm using gate valves to give full bore flow, but they will need a bung as they are prone to weep a bit.

This means I can put all the oil back in the tank when I get a spare moment

Are these valves on suction side of the pump? I would prefer clear visual indication on open/close position otherwise you just must remember which way they were left.

Here is no remote control so you can hear if it happens to be closed and pump type is probably more tolerant to restriction on suction side.

In industry valves have handle aligned in direction of flow, when open, and have an inductive proximity switch to interlock the pump start circuitry. This was necessary, because too many pumps were wrecked right after maintenance...people have tendency to close the valves, but forgot to open them, specially if shift changed.

Pekka

awemawson · « **Reply #48 on:** July 27, 2014, 04:03:20 AM »

Pekka,

I didn't really want lever valves as a single knock could empty the tank - these things happen when for instance a flock of sheep walks past

The valves are only so that I can fit the pump first to the tractor, then hitch up, otherwise getting the heavy pump on the pto shaft between the spars is neigh on impossible.

awemawson · « **Reply #49 on:** July 27, 2014, 04:11:23 AM »

So up crack of dawn today to try and get the spars fitted. Heavy rain predicted for later so wanted to get on with it early.

Didn't go too badly using a series of packing, leverings and jackings, but by heck those spars are heavy. All the holes lined up fortunately and having got them loosely back on I had to set the spacing accurately to line up with the brackets on the tractor. Just a case of sliding the right hand spar on its slotted 'tee slot bolts' until it was right, but is took a silly amount of time to get it right. Tweak the back and the front would go back where it was previously. Ended up persuading it with a 14 lbs sledge hammer and a block of wood - but now it is bang on

In for breakfast, then I hope to get the control standard fitted back on so I can try it out

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Author Topic: Mounting a Tractor Hedge Flail (Read 69297 times)