[AT] repairing machined tractor parts

[James Peck]

Could a new shifter fork be machined from steel cut from a bar?
 
Henry Miller AT List Member and Deere insider (hank at millerfarm.com); Traditional casting is much cheaper, once you pay off the cost of the making the pattern. We (John Deere) had someone looking for a shift fork for the transmission in their 1991 tractor a few years ago. No spare parts left in inventory, and the pattern was destroyed years ago, so we 3d printed one from the engineering drawings. Cost was just under $500, without markup. If the pattern still existed the cost would be about $20 including markup to pour another one. 

Of course if you need a new block a pattern exists, so the 3d metal print is what you get. If you can find a few others who need one though investing in a pattern is the way to go. 

3d printing plastic is cheap and works okay for a lot of things, but it isn't enough quality to replace most parts on our tractors, even ones where plastic would be better.