[AT] OT, old implements and plasma cutters

Tue May 19 06:53:45 PDT 2020

Warren,

If the shaft is bent or twisted you can check it with a straight edge, it’ll be quite obvious which case you’re dealing with. Check all four sides of the shaft.

If bent, get out the sledge hammer and persuade it back to straight. If you have access to a hydraulic press or hydraulic pipe bender, that is the easiest way to go.

If twisted, two pipe wrenches, a couple of long extensions, and two burly guys can untwist it in a couple of days. Or, with the shaft connected to the PTO, the PTO engaged and the tractor in gear (not running of course), one pipe wrench, one extension, and one determined guy.

Good luck!

Carl

----- Original Message -----
From: Mogrits <mogrits at gmail.com>
To: Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Tue, 19 May 2020 00:11:09 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [AT] OT, old implements and plasma cutters

Thank you all for the responses. I remember when I first got this Hardee
cutter years ago and soon burned through the clutch discs with, of all
things, an AC/B. This list talked me through that then, and again helps me
bring this tough implement back. I had to drop $100.00 at Tractor supply
today for a new yoke and the dad-gummed u-joint. Those things are
overpriced. I guess to look at it another way, a bunch of goats sitting in
the weeds the last 15 yrs would have cost more than 100.00 to feed. I
changed the u-joint in less than an hour when it took about 4 to get the
old out even having a bench vise and a bearing press. I realized the
removal compressed the yoke casting a bit so if anyone has a suggestion on
how to expand that so the lock rings fit correctly I'-m all ears.

Anyway, I looked into the yoke shaft, where the 1.25x1" shaft goes in and
will not go further. I see it is just a 6" long piece of rectangular sleeve
and after that it is the much larger round pipe size, so that means the
shaft won't go in the yoke/sleeve because it is bent or twisted. So rather
than cut it I am going to find a way to straighten the shaft (after
cleaning everything thoroughly) or otherwise "persuade" it to go in- there
is plenty of room in the yoke for the excess shaft. All this has reinforced
for me that when a project frustrates you it is sometimes best to set it
aside for 24 hrs or longer and look again in a new light.

As to the plasmacutter, I think Dennis Johnson is spot-on though you are
all correct. I need a new torch. something is wrong in there or the hose
which they most probably also damaged. I ordered the SL-40 torch handle to
replace what my employees broke and it prompted an email response from the
vendor strongly suggesting an upgrade to the SL-60 torh and hose assembly.
I should have listened and ordered it, and that's what I'll probably do.

Thanks again you guys are great and I feel glad to know people would
dedicate the time it took to research these answers.

Warren

On Mon, May 18, 2020 at 11:24 AM <szabelski at wildblue.net> wrote:

> Warren,
>
> Right I sent the previous response it stopped raining, so I went out the
> the rototiller and got the manual out of the “water proof” container the
> manual is stored in. After pouring out the water I brought the totally
> soaked manual into the house.
>
> The following indicates how to cut the shaft and sleeve:
>
> 1. Attach both separated drive pieces to tractor and implement.
> 2. While holding the sleeve and shaft parallel, measure between the back
> of both yokes.
> 3. Divide the measurement by 5. This is the minimum overlap required.
> 4. Multiply minimum overlap by 3. This is the required length of sleeve
> and shaft.
> 5. From back of each yoke measure and mark required length on the sleeve
> and shaft.
> 6. Cut sleeve and shaft at marks.
> 7. Deburr and grease sleeve and shaft before reassembly.
>
> The following is a rough sketch of the diagram in the manual, showing the
> 1/3 overlap.
>
>           1/3                    1/3                 1/3
> O/——————/——————/——————/
>
>                                                /  1/3 Overlap  /
>                                                           1/3
>  1/3                  1/3
>                                                /——————/——————/——————/O
>
> The above indicates a 1/3 overlap like the previous response.
>
> Carl
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mogrits <mogrits at gmail.com>
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Sun, 17 May 2020 21:57:56 -0400 (EDT)
> Subject: [AT] OT, old implements and plasma cutters
>
> I have an off brand "bush hog", probably 60" that I have never been happy
> with. It's flimsy, the three point pins never align etc etc. It has seen
> some rough service I'm guessing as it came with the 53 Jubilee I bought.
> Anyway, I also have a 53" Hardee rotary cutter, made in Loris SC that has
> been at pasture for the last 15 yrs (at least). These Hardees are really
> tough implements so I decided to resurrect it even at loss of the cutting
> width. The tire was rotted when I parked it so a new one was ordered which
> arrives tomorrow., The PTO Coupler had been buried in the "mulch" that
> developed on the deck such that the lock pin wouldn't open without a hammer
> and it wouldn't fit the splines on the Mahindra. On top of that, the PTO
> shaft appears to be too long. That's where my questions begin. With some
> difficulty I got the U-Joint out so I can replace the yoke. I still have
> about 10" of PTO shaft exposed and more than that of the PTO sleeve but it
> won't go up in there even with help from a come-a-long. I need about 4"
> more to get the shaft on the tractor. The shaft is rectangular- 1-1/4" x 1"
> solid steel. Is it okay to just cut 4" off the shaft with a porta-band?
> Should I drop a couple hundred for a new shaft? The gearbox has a slip
> clutch on the the top end so that would involve another u-joint change. I
> think there is no danger of the shaft coming loose with the implement
> raised and lowered.
>
> Plasma cutter: I have a Thermal Dynamics cutmaster 42 I bought new. It
> worked until I gave it to employees to use on a jobsite and they dropped
> the torch and broke it. I replaced the torch and it still doesn't work. Is
> anyone familiar with this model? It powers up, releases air, then defaults
> to an error mode indicating torch parts are not right but I have
> ascertained they are in fact in place.
>
> Other than that, It's good to read the non-virus chatter on here.
> Warren
>
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