Messing around in the shop

[propane1]

That would be more like position control. Very few tractors have any downforce on the 3pt. Our Case gear is kinda unique in that aspect.

Draft is an active system that senses the load on the implement from something like plowing. When you hit something harder, like say packed clay, or a rock, the system will raise the plow to decrease the load. Once past it, it would drop again until it hits a depth at which the plow is seeing the same load as before. Ground engaging equipment is the primary application. It keeps a steady load on your engine/drivetrain, rather than a fixed level of engagement.

Again, I've never used it myself, but that's my understanding.

Great explanation. That was why the system was developed. To keep tractors from raring up when hitting a stone or hard spot to keep the tractor from flipping over onto the operator.
And it keeps the plow at a constant level in the ground, even if the tractor rises up and down some at the front end. This is my understanding.

Noel

[JSinMO]

I think I’m about finished with the set up of this sickle mower!

I thought I would try to better explain why this “3 point” is so odd to hook up to a 3 point equipped tractor. This mower was built in the 1950s at a time before the 3 point setup was standardized across manufacturers. I’ve run into this before on older stuff. In this case it was designed specifically for a 1950s JD tractor. It’s actually a 5 point hook up. The lower lift arms of the tractor hook to the mower just like any modern equipment. But the mower frame also connects to the front of those lift arms so that’s 4 points of contact, and does all the lifting and lowering of the mower. The top link is connected as you normally would and used to change the angle of the mower in relation to the ground. The mower “floats” inside the frame.

I realize that’s fairly convoluted and may not even have been needed but I was trying to make what’s happening clearer! I don’t have a good picture of how it should work other than whats in the manual.

So after reading the book a couple of times I realized that even though the angle of the mower frame is way different from the lift arms all I really needed to do is keep the frame from rotating while the mower is traveling across the ground.
I thought about how I could make brackets to accomplish this and it was making my brain hurt!

I needed to step back and simplify this. I decided to try and chain the front of the mower frame to the life arms.

I’ll be darned, that actually works! Now that I could consistently raise and lower the mower I added cylinder stops so it drops to the same spot every time.

I really stacked them up but only need a relatively short stroke to set the bar where I want it on the ground and raise it at the end of a row.

Time to test!

Its working! I may have just saved another one from the fence row!

I still have some work to do on the end of the bar. One rock guard need adjusted, I have to make a couple of shims, and I need to make a hay stick to push the grass into the row being cut, but the thing is working!

Holy cow, that’s quite enough rambling about an old mower for one day!

[Eugen]

I cannot claim that I understand it all but am glad you got it to work to your liking, Jeff!

[JSinMO]

Nice day to be in the shop. After doing some odd and ends getting ready for winter I decided to do what will hopefully be the last test and tune needed on the sickle mower.

In the last test I noticed one of the guards was loose and a plate on the outside shoe was missing. You can see the 2 holes where it should bolt in.

The guard just needed adjustment. I cut a piece of steel to make the end plate and fitted it in. With out this the grass will plug the end of the mower and stop it from cutting.

I’m also missing the hay stick that should be bolted to the outside shoe as well.

I had a piece of rebar on hand. I formed a loop in one end to accept the bolt and hopefully stay where I want it. It’s a little detail but it’s important. This lets the hay at the end of the bar roll over into the row that’s is being cut leaving a clear path for the inside shoe to run in on the next pass. The rebar seems a little flimsy I may have to beef it up if it ends up bending in heavy grass. I cut it down to length after the picture.

Time for test number 2 it definitely cut better this time with no grass plugging up out on the end of the bar.

Except for replacing the knifes at some point I think it’s ready for next spring! Finger crossed it performs good in the heavy stuff !

I think I’m finally ready to move on to a different project!

[JSinMO]

With below freezing temperatures in the forecast for the next few days I figured I better get some things ready for winter. First order of business was to bring the 446 up to the shop and put the carry all / weight box on the back. I thought I might as well use it for some of the chores.

I decided to get the winter quarters set up for the chickens.

I put down some extra hay, set up the heat lamp, and got the water heater ready to go.

Next up let’s check antifreeze in the equipment. The six tractors look good to well below zero but Herbie the truck is too low to check, it still has a little leak I haven’t stopped up yet. I went to top off the radiator and then started it up to mix it in and test. Of course on the first cool and damp day of the season I promptly flooded the engine and ran the battery down! So I drug out the charger and let it sit for awhile. I finally got it started and warmed up. Antifreeze is pretty dirty but it tests good to 30 below.

They were calling for a chance of rain today but with my schedule pretty full for the next few weeks I figured I better get the zero turn out and cut the grass. Should be the last time this year. I went to move the 2N out of the way and guess what I did? Yup flooded it and ran the battery down!

I don’t claim to be a genius, but sometimes I really get mad at the dumb things I do!
So I set up the charger and snuck the mower past to go cut grass

I got about half way done and wouldn’t you know it, the weather guessers were right! Finished mowing in a light rain and about 40F. Boy the first cool days sure make me feel like I’m at the arctic circle in mid winter, I thought I was going to freeze to death!

I got the mower put up about the time the rain stopped. So I
turned my attention back to the Ford. It still wouldn’t start so I pulled the plugs and they were wet with gas. I took them in and cleaned them up and set them on the bench to dry out. Just about the time I went out to put them back in the tractor here comes a steady rain! I guess I’m just stubborn because was going to start this dang tractor whether it’s a cold rain or not! I threw the plugs in gave it little choke hit the button and it sputtered then started! With the rain still coming down I jumped on and plopped down on a wet seat. I dove it around a bit just to make sure it was running ok and wheeled into the shop.

Me and the tractor are soaking wet!

That’s enough fun for me! Time to quit and head for the house for a hot meal and a hot shower!

There’s my cold and rainy chore day ramble!

[Eugen]

I must say, in spite of the weather you did quite a lot of work. I too have to get things ready before the winter but since the trip abroad I've been low on motivation. Didn't help that we had a lot of rain. Oh well...

[Toolslinger]

I managed to get in what I hope is the last mowing Saturday during the weirdly warm October day... I can't say I'm ready for the cold to come, but I've tried to take care of most of it this year before it turned.

I'm waiting for 444 parts to arrive, so that will get to happen with cold hands. Leaves aren't all down yet, so haven't done the vacuuming yet. Can't hurry that one along, so likely that will be Thanksgiving week while I'm off work. After that chore, then the blower can go on the 444 (assuming I've done the repairs)

Chains and back blade will go on the 8N that week too. I don't do the chains on the big loader unless I know I'm going to get pasted. I tear everything up horribly with them over the winter unless we're actually frozen hard, and we haven't gotten that in a few years.

I need to pull 12v batteries out of everything that will sit all winter, and bring them in the basement so they stay warm. I rotate them on chargers. Managed to keep the same battery in my MF 202 since 2011 with that routine. Somehow the 6v batteries don't seem to care about the winter, and I hate the thought of pulling the Diamond T's anyway.

Still have several pallets of wood to split. Half is under the barn overhang, so I can do that regardless of weather. The rest I will shuffle under therea as I can. I have plenty of dry, split wood already in the rack, so this is all for the future anyway. Just don't like it sitting around in the way.

After all that, I will be able to just hide in the house most of the winter, apart from normal life activities. Those will be made easier this year since I got a Gator with a cab now. What a difference there is just being out of the wind.

[JSinMO]

I managed to get in what I hope is the last mowing Saturday during the weirdly warm October day... I can't say I'm ready for the cold to come, but I've tried to take care of most of it this year before it turned.

I'm waiting for 444 parts to arrive, so that will get to happen with cold hands. Leaves aren't all down yet, so haven't done the vacuuming yet. Can't hurry that one along, so likely that will be Thanksgiving week while I'm off work. After that chore, then the blower can go on the 444 (assuming I've done the repairs)

Chains and back blade will go on the 8N that week too. I don't do the chains on the big loader unless I know I'm going to get pasted. I tear everything up horribly with them over the winter unless we're actually frozen hard, and we haven't gotten that in a few years.

I need to pull 12v batteries out of everything that will sit all winter, and bring them in the basement so they stay warm. I rotate them on chargers. Managed to keep the same battery in my MF 202 since 2011 with that routine. Somehow the 6v batteries don't seem to care about the winter, and I hate the thought of pulling the Diamond T's anyway.

Still have several pallets of wood to split. Half is under the barn overhang, so I can do that regardless of weather. The rest I will shuffle under therea as I can. I have plenty of dry, split wood already in the rack, so this is all for the future anyway. Just don't like it sitting around in the way.

After all that, I will be able to just hide in the house most of the winter, apart from normal life activities. Those will be made easier this year since I got a Gator with a cab now. What a difference there is just being out of the wind.

Well you reminded me of something else I need to do. I returned the tires and wheels with the chains on them that a borrowed from a friend last year. I found an old set of chains I need to “modify” to go on the 446.

I don’t pull batteries anymore. I seem to get the same life out of them either way. I just take the connections loose and run the charger on them once in awhile. Depending on the weather I might run any of them in the winter for this or that. It helps that we usually only get below zero a few days out of the winter.

Your Diamond T sounds like a joy to work on! Where is the battery mounted?

[Toolslinger]

It's a monster 6v that's tucked in a little trap door under the driver's door. One needs to throw something non-conductive over the terminals while sliding it out on to the running board so it doesn't short against the door opening.

[JSinMO]

I was talking to a friend of mine about how to get consistent position control on my 2N. He sent me pictures of a chain set up you can buy to set you implement height. I thought heck I’ve got enough junk laying around here to make that. So up to the shop I went!

I took that length of chain I found buried a few months ago and mocked it up on the tractor.

I jumped on and shook the mower every why I could to confirm the chains would hold it, and they do!

I grabbed a piece of scrap steel I had and cut it into the pieces I need.

Then torched out the holes on everything with the plasma cutter. I still need a 220v connection for it. I’m using it in the 110 setting. It does a good job but tends to trip a 20 amp breaker.

After I welded the end of the chain to the bottom pieces I put it on the tractor to test. Here’s the ones I made.

Here’s the store bought one my friend uses.

Mine are more crudely made for sure but they work great!
Now I can set the height of whatever implement I have on the tractor.

I took them back off and hung them on the sickle mower to give them a shot of black paint left over from painting Herbie the trucks rims.

So ends another day of messing around in the shop!