Messing around in the shop

[Eugen]

I would if I could!

[Harry]

Free stuff is never a bad situation. Some of it I try to sell at a later date and get a few bucks for to then buy some more tractor parts. My will complain about buying something. I just tell her the money not coming out of her purse. Harry

[JSinMO]

It’s a muggy, sticky, steamy August night, the perfect time to turn on the fans and spend some time in the shop!

Good grief we’re about fullup in here.

The disassembly of the “new” sickle mower begins.

I guess you would say I’m in the assessing stage just trying to free things up and get the moving parts moving again. Lots of rust but the bar and parts on it really don’t look to bad considering it’s been sitting out for a looooooong time.
I think I could wear out my wire wheel on this thing! Lots of rusty bits.

After some spraying and pounding back and forth got the hold downs loose and the knife section out.

The knives don’t look great and should probably be replaced but there all tight on the bar and I don’t see the point in replacing them now, at least until I go through the rest of the machine and see if it functions. I know I need a new drive belt for sure. I suppose tomorrow I’ll start the search for that.
So ends another fine evening up in the shop!

[Eugen]

Jeff, the rust doesn't seem to be deep. I've been doing quite a lot of wire wheeling, my favourite wheel tends to be this type

because it doesn't wear as fast and it cleans up rust fast.

Anyway, nice time in the shop for sure! But I'm thinking, the knives don't look that bad. Can't they be sharpened?

[JSinMO]

Jeff, the rust doesn't seem to be deep. I've been doing quite a lot of wire wheeling, my favourite wheel tends to be this type

D0EE8978-E20E-4E0F-B0C2-098B72C2399A.jpeg

because it doesn't wear as fast and it cleans up rust fast.

Anyway, nice time in the shop for sure! But I'm thinking, the knives don't look that bad. Can't they be sharpened?

You’re right most of the rust isn’t deep. Everything is just stuck from sitting so long. It’s more a matter of getting it moving freely. I’ll be using a liberal amount of lubricant! The knives are serrated they really shouldn’t need to be sharpened. Some of them have the tip broken or parts of the cutting edge missing. And some are pitted kinda deep. They may break when it start using it but I can always replace them later if that happens.

[JSinMO]

Well I got the bar reassembled and lubed up. Now I can move the knives back and forth by hand. I think it’s ready to try.

I got the the rest of the machine out of the truck and put it on the 2 N, made it easy to work on!

I pumped a lot of grease, a lot of wire wheel work and some oiling and now everything moves nice and smooth!
I’ve got the drive belt on order so hopefully that will be in this week.

I’m not sure on the mount on this. Things don’t quite line up and would need a really short PTO shaft to make it work but I think it’s doable.

I decided to put it on the 41 M to see the difference in mounting. The PTO I already have will work but the mount geometry is way off. I’m going to have to make some measurements and do some studying to see how this can work Plenty of people have done this, it’s just my first time with this mover and these tractors so a bit of a learning curve, but it’s looking like some barnyard cobbling is about to happen!

I started to see how this could work and a hydraulic line sprung a leak!
That’s enough for today. Took the lines off so I can match them up for replacement. They are old and I’m sure I got lucky they lasted this long.

Why don’t you get into old tractors they said. You’ll have hours of relaxing fun they said!

[Eugen]

They were right! Last few days you've been having lots of fun!

I'd say you're making good progress Jeff, looking forward to see it in action. As you said, it's better that line leaked right away as opposed to in the middle of the field. I have no experience with attaching these implements to regular size tractors but I'm sure you'll figure it out as soon as that torch comes out.

[JSinMO]

They were right! Last few days you've been having lots of fun!

I'd say you're making good progress Jeff, looking forward to see it in action. As you said, it's better that line leaked right away as opposed to in the middle of the field. I have no experience with attaching these implements to regular size tractors but I'm sure you'll figure it out as soon as that torch comes out.

Well thats true. Even with the the pondering and head scratching, and oil leaking today no dogs got kicked and no wrenches got thrown so yes I’m still having fun!

I find the similarities and the common mechanical principles that our GTs and big tractors share to be interesting. You know from the great work you’ve been doing on your big Case a lot of things function similarly the parts are just scaled up and sometimes so is the aggravation!

[Toolslinger]

It's been a few decades since I was involved in putting a sickle on the N. Ours was a Dearborn. That thing was a ball of snakes waiting to bite. Only good thing was it was built for the N series, so you knew it was going to fit...

Your 39 looks ok on the N, but yea, that's a short PTO shaft... That's never fun. Doesn't give you a lot of overlap on the front and back to accomidate lift which sucks with an N since the PTO has to be turninng to lift the 3 point.

The 41 looks like it might be ok if you really crank in your top link to get the mower vertical. You're working with tractors from before the real standardization of the 3 point, so geometries get a little weird at times. I've got a couple things that require a different, shorter top link to have enough adjustment.

[thebuildist]

Jeff, the rust doesn't seem to be deep. I've been doing quite a lot of wire wheeling, my favourite wheel tends to be this type

D0EE8978-E20E-4E0F-B0C2-098B72C2399A.jpeg

because it doesn't wear as fast and it cleans up rust fast.

Anyway, nice time in the shop for sure! But I'm thinking, the knives don't look that bad. Can't they be sharpened?

I keep that kind of wheel on one grinder, and on another grinder I keep one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Strip-Remover-Re ... B092Z4NV7G


I'm not sure how I can define which is better for what situation. But between the two of them you can really do some nice work.


Bob