[AT] OT WoodPro wood chipper clutch

[Steve W.]

Richard Walker wrote:
> 
>> 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
> 

It could be some odd alloy but I would think it's a 300 series casting. 
Unless they used a slug of something inside the casting.

-- 
Steve W.