[AT] OT WoodPro wood chipper clutch

[Richard Walker]

> Those wouldn't be that hard to turn on a lathe. I'm guessing the 
> originals were cast aluminum alloy, then final machined. Could turn a 
> solid piece with the step and slots for the springs. Then cut them 
> apart and finish the ends to size. If I had my lathe still set up I'd 
> do it. 


Thanks, Steve.  Already considered that as one option, have lathe and 
large hunks of aluminum round in my scrap bin.  Springs could be 
generic, guesstimating the original tension by wire gauge and coil 
diameter.  The wild card is whether the type alloy used is critical to 
the clutch's proper operation - its friction against the cast iron outer 
drum.  The shoes seem noticeably heavier than what I'd expect typical 
aluminum to weigh.  At the worst I'm out an afternoon's machining to try 
this approach.

Wet pine needles got lodged between the chipper disc and its housing, 
which ultimately bound it up.  As this was in progress, the centrifugal 
clutch started slipping and heating up, which I didn't notice at first.  
Eventually heat totally melted one of the four aluminum shoes.

Been the best mid-size chipper I've ever used.  Billed as an AV (All 
Vegetation) unit by Vandermolen, it will literally chip and shred 
practically anything.  First by the four knives in the disc, then into a 
hammer-mill chamber with swinging flails.


Richard




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