W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Work and Events => Topic started by: Mike Fox on September 05, 2011, 07:13:36 PM
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It's official. I have finally started work on the car. I have been designing it in my head and finally picked up the wood to start the frame.
The wheelsets are from a donation during the Annual Picnic. I have taken pictures and studied different photos trying to find out if the frame that was on the wheels was an original hand crank car and I have determined they are not. The wheels are smaller than hand car size and the frame is in the wrong location. The hand cranks had frames on the outside of the wheels and this was on the inside.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_2827.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_2826.jpg)
I also had slid the mower into place to get an idea if I was headed in the right direction
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_2824.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_2825.jpg)
I carefully removed the old wooden frame from the axles, unfortunately breaking 2 bolts. I set the frame aside, and will return it to the museum for safe storage for future reference. After the frame removal, I inspected the wheelsets. Interesting grease cups.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_2828.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_2829.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_2830.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_2831.jpg)
One thing that puzzles me about the grease cups. When the frame is above the axle, the cup is pointing down away from the axle.
Lastly, I am making the new frame 2 feet longer. I cut some handles into the frame members for (hopefully it's not too heavy!) turning the car to mow the other side of the tracks. Should be easily done on a crossing.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_2832.jpg)
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Are you sure the frame is not upside down?
That would put the grease cups on top and have an underslung frame.
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Looking at the photos; the mower gear, drives, and u-joints look a lot like they came off several old Bolen's tractor mower decks. If that's the case, PM me - I may be able to help.
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Ira,
That would be possible but the frame would be all wrong. There appears to have been some type of deck or something on the top of it nailed to it. Appears to have been 1 inch thick material due to the amount of nail sticking out of the frame.
John,
Close. Actually a Cub Cadet mower. Bolens parts may work. I'll PM you with my idea when I get a second.
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Do you know any of the history of this mower car? What rail line was it used on?
What supplied the power to run the side bar cutter? I can see a chain sprocket on the rear axle which suggests that the car was driven by some motor or that the movement of the car drove the cutter.
The restoration of this car looks like a really fun project.
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The mower part of the car is a brand new creation by Mike. The wheels and frames that he showed was donated by one of our members, nobody knows for certain where it came from.
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The lower frame has been completed. I wound up with a 55 inch center to center on the axles. I have some regular grease fittings to install to replace the cups, then onto the frame which will be the carrier for the mower.
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ROWMOW 1 is creeping along. A couple hours this weekend got me to the mounting of the mower. I got everything off the ground and the car didn't tip over. More planning and figuring needed. Hope to freshen up the paint on the mower portion this weekend if I can get it ready this week.
Mike
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Was wandering around a wonderful site called Yesterday's Tractors and found the ideal right of way mower. Take a peek.
http://www.tractorshed.com/cgi-bin/gallery/photo_pic.cgi?pic=http;//www.tractorshed.com/gallery/tphotos/a136266.jpg&firstrec=736&lastrec=751&Parameter=&mode=All&what=tphotos It is called a 1965 Slope Runner. Be sure to read the attached comments.
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Check this out on You Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd2w8iVa7yA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd2w8iVa7yA)
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There you go. Just what we need for all the uneven slopes. Just have to have a chainsaw party to get all the stumps cut to ground level.
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Rowmow 1 is still gradually progressing. It still doesn't look like much, but I am getting closer every hour I put into it. I am thinking there will need to be some tweaking once we get to using it.
I am ready to mount the winch and try lifting the mower. Then I can go on to the pulleys and shafts.
I have been looking for a cheap horizontal shaft motor. I am not trusting the one I picked up last year. I still don't have that running yet.
I'll add some photos soon. I haven't taken any yet but should.
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Rowmow 1 is starting to take shape. In the few short hours I have had time to work on it in the last month, I have mounted the mower and made a lift mechanism to raise the head to clear trackside obstructions, like switches and crossings.
When in the raised position, the mower head is 3 inches above the rail. I have yet to find out how far it will go down. I will have to play with it some more.
Here are some photos I took today.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2834.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2835.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2838.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2836.jpg)
This last one is with the head in the raised position
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2839.jpg)
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Rubve Goldberg would be proud.
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Pillow Block bearings arrived today. These will be used to mount the pulleys and shafts. This week I hope.
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I mounted one of the shafts today.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2841.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2845.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2846.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2848.jpg)
I also recieved a used Honda motor I had purchased. Starts easily and Runs perfectly.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2847.jpg)
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hi mike, this may be late since you have made so much progress on the car, but i just saw a posting on the NARCOA website for a Fairmont sickle bar mower car that might give you a few ideas. there is also a wanted ad for one. keep up the good work, dale
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For anyone interested in the engine used, here's some information from the Honda website:
http://engines.honda.com/models/model-detail/gc160 (http://engines.honda.com/models/model-detail/gc160)
Looks like a real winner!
-John
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Another day I have had time to work on this. I modified my plan and am going to eliminate two bearings and a shaft. This will be accomplished by running the belt from the position of the motor in the picture below to the pulley and shaft I installed yesterday. I did a little decking to get things in proper alaignment.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2849.jpg)
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This mower is the same I have installed. Hope it only works as well and as fast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Oy50ni5AYw&NR=1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Oy50ni5AYw&NR=1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XVwkhzoyCw&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XVwkhzoyCw&feature=related)
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I've noticed that many sickle bar mowers seem to handle horizontal and upward slope operation quite well. In our railroad application, we would need downward slope operation. Can ROWMOW 1 do that?
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That's awesome, Mike!!
Stephen
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John, I don't know how far it will go down. I have mounted the mower at an angle to help with this. the 1 to 1 slopes will be hard to mow with this as is.
I am already thinking of modifications for this if it works. More of design for Jason to assist with.
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Ready to assist...
Looks great Mike!
Jason
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Almost ready for a test run. The mower counterweight was taken apart and cleaned. I thought the shaft was bent, just turned out to be a bent pulley. Going to pick up some belts and the pulley and possibly give it a try.
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Reached a milestone with Rowmow1 today. 30 hours of labor and figuring so far. Oh, and I test ran it today. Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-v5ScKA7Kc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-v5ScKA7Kc)
Here are some more photos. A few more hours of work should do it, then I'll clean it off and get some good pictures.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2892.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2893.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/100_2895.jpg)
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VERY impressive!
-John
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AWESOME, Mike!!!
Stephen
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Christmas came early this year! Nice job Mike!
Dave
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Nice, Mike, very nice!
Once it's at the museum we'll have to put a cushioned seat on it so KD can mow in comfort.
Thanks!
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Maybe I can come up with another Mack seat, or an old recliner.
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Ahh, don't forget a drink holder and maybe an awning for shade for Bill while he pushes.
KD
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Shade? Now we are getting fussy.
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Maybe I can come up with another Mack seat, or an old recliner.
I think a La-Z-Boy would be most appropriate.
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Awesome project you got going there Mike. :D I cant wait to see when its finished. :D
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As well as the rest of us. Mowing is the most labor intensive thing we do during the summer. And that labor is getting older. Every little bit will help. This will certainly be a start.
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Rowmow 1 has been getting a little more attention this week. I have made (almost) a crank handle for the winch and have fixed one of the hitches that were made at the museum. It was welded incorrectly due to my poor markings.
I have been messing with the motor mounting still. I have gotten the belt too tight so everything moves while the motor is running. I am going to downsize a pulley to see if that loosens the belt enough. If not, I'll move the motor again.
Lastly, I took my little bottle jack and tried turning the car around. The balance is off quite a bit but I managed to turn it completely around and set it back down on the wooden rails I have with no trouble. I am going to make up a jacking plate with a "receiver" welded to the plate so the jack will stay in the center while turning.
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Still poking along. Been doing some painting and other things getting it looking good.
I still have a few more things to make up, but nothing major. A guard or two and that turning plate, which is next. Oh, and I think I'll make an extension handle for the mower lift arm. It will keep the operator from leaning out to raise and lower the arm. I'll know better when I get the seat mounted.
I have made a storage box and got things ready to mount the "captains chair" on top of it, then brought the metal parts in to warm up and paint.
When things finally warm up again this spring, a quick coat of paint to the mower itself (I can't get that thing inside) should finish things up.
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Mike,
Thanks for the update, looking forward to seeing it. One question I have (you may have already done this) - is the arm sprung in case it hits something it can't cut through? That would prevent the arm, mounts, etc from getting bent.
Stewart
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No. The only "spring" to the mower is the rubber mount the rear is mounted to. Just like it would be on the tractor. The operator will need to pay attention. I don't know of any sickle that would have that type of spring action to it, and still be able to function. I have removed a pressure spring that holds the bar down. This should help, and makes the bar a lot easier to lift.
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Got a lot done in a couple of days. It has been warmer so spending time on the mower is bearable.
Took a couple of photos. First is the turning plate. This is 1/8 inch steel plate with a 2 inch diameter piece of pipe welded to it to act as a receptacle for the bottle jack. The pipe is directly below a frame cross member which will provide extra support. The car is very unballanced, but using this location before I made the plate, I was able to turn the car by myself.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_3085.jpg)
Before I made the plate, I built this box and put the seat on. The lid opens and tips ahead for storage.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_3090.jpg)
The only other thing I think I have to build is the guard over the belt, the metal frame of which can be seen in the lower right of the seat picture. Then it will be nothing more than waiting for painting and the roads to smooth up some.
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Wow! A cushy seat with spring mounting!
-John
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Mike;
It looks great. Not to be critical but I don't see the drink holder and shade canopy for the operator. ;D
Dave
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Dave, I'll put one on the string trimmer for you.
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Mike. Don’t forget the bee-proof canopy.
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Mike. Don’t forget the bee-proof canopy.
Ha, Ha, ;D Reminds me of the time I cut through a ground wasp nest with a sickle bar mower attached to an old Farmall - Never thought I could bail off a tractor so fast!!
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I have to make a correction. I found there is a break away setting on the mower. I will need to take the mower apart and check things out. I want to make sure the break away parts aren't frozen so it will break away just in case. There is no spring involved, just a pin of some sort. And I want to make sure the modifications I made won't affect the break away feature.
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One day in his youth my Dad was working at Haines Equipment. I farmer walked in and bought a new sickle mower. He said the boy's had un-hitched the old one after haying last year and he couldn't find it.
A few days later he came back with an arm load of broken parts. When asked what happened to the new mower he replied dryly "Found the old one."
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I have been doing some painting lately. Taking all the metal parts inside to warm them enough to paint. Initially I was going to do the brackets, but today while waiting for the phone man all day, I took the whole mower apart. I wanted to clean and lube the break away, so I took it apart at that joint, and I just kept going.
Now my train shed is full of parts waiting to be painted, with some drying now.
All I have to make I think is a guard for the mower belt. The guard for the motor belt is done, painted and drying.
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Today, I decided since it was about 60 and the snow is melting quickly, it was time for a few photos. I also got the belts on and tried the machine again. The mower belt used to fall off. My new reconfiguration prevents that. I do need to put a tension pulley on that longer belt with a spring to keep the belt from flapping. And I'm thinking about putting a strip of wood, 1 inch tall or so, around the deck to keep things on it from shaking off. And lastly, I am going to make an extension for the handle, because most of the mowing will be below horizontal. But other than that, I think it is ready for some grass.
Guard on, in transport position.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_3141.jpg)
Guard off, Mower head lowered and arm down, ready to mow.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_3143.jpg)
Crank Handle on the winch is removed when not in use
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_3144.jpg)
Yellow handle to the left of the storage box is supposed to engage the belts. The belts are new now so hopefully after a little use, it will function properly.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_3145.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_3146.jpg)
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Looks great! Hopefully it will work as well as it looks.
Richard
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Mike;
Excellent job! I can't wait to sit in seat and try it. And Bill can't wait to push it! Don't forget the drink holder and canopy.
Dave
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Fantastic! GREAT job, Mike!!
Stephen
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Mike,
To echo everyone else ... yep, looks super! Are you going to have it at the railroad for the Spring Work Weekend?? There won't be anything to mow but we'd love to see it in person.
Stewart
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Thanks for the kudo's.
That's the plan Stewart. Maybe even sooner. I would like our regular bunch to look at it real close before we need to use it.
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Mike The mower car looks great, looking forward to seeing it in action on the railroad. How fast will the mower operate while cutting grass?
Questions / Questions Thanks Fred L. Kuhns
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Fred, it is not self propelled. I am hoping that the Brookeville can push it at an idle in 1st gear, and cut just fine. So an answer to you question is unknown at this time. Watching some you tube videos, those tractors with the same mower move pretty fast.
Could shoot for 2nd at an idle if things work real good. But I'd rather go slow and not break anything than hurry along and break something that we would have to manufacture.
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Thanks to the help of Brad, Rowmow is now loaded on my trailer and ready for it's Saturday morning ride.
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Cool!! Thanks, Mike!
Stephen
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When I was growing up in North Beverly in the late 40s and early 50s, a local farmer cut hay with a sicklebar mower like this, pulled by his horse, "Sam". I watched them do it many, many times.
Maybe a farm horse could be used to pull this rig along the track, sort of like a canal boat. It would pull easily and at a slow pace. I'm half serious about this. If it worked in a hay field, why wouldn't it work here? It would save diesel fuel from having a locomotive push it. It would definitely be "green", and would lend a true old-fashioned atmosphere to a mundane task.
Richard
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And a true, old-time "atmosphere" for the operator!
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...and for the track crew.
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Oh, c'mon gang, a few horse "buns" never hurt anyone. And it is "all natural". How often would you do it anyway? It's not like the horse cars at Disneyworld. They run continuously and they have folks follow along with brooms and containers down there on Main Street.
The WW&F could become a one-horse railroad.
Or, Iron Horses and a real one now and then.
I double dog dare ya.
Richard
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I don't know about trackside, but that would be an interesting way to mow Alna Center fields.
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Courtney was the shutterbug again. I combed through and found these three photos.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_3255.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_3258.jpg)
Dave is taking it all in still. That seat must be comfortable
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_3261.jpg)
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Looks good. How did it work?
I like the "loco motives" assembled for the occasion.
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Dick;
Except for a minor belt issue before we actually started cutting, Rowmow 1 worked quite well. Mike did an excellent job. I would recommend Rowmow 1 Manufacturing to any two foot gauge railroad in need of MOW equipment. There's already talk afoot about improvements such as a kill switch. I'm hoping for a longer cutting bar. And, yes, the seat is comfortable!
Dave
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That belt was a surprise. But now is the time to find things like that out. Easy fix. The kill switch I had already thought of, but just never put any effort into it. Now I have looked it all over and that is another easy fix.
I am still on the fence about a longer cutter bar. Our ditch line in places is at the end of the mower tip now. We will need to put some thought into it before any length can be added.
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How easy is it to switch out cutter bars? If it's not a big deal, perhaps we use the shorter bar for a first pass, then swap bars and selectively cut where the longer one can fit.
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Fantastic! Big thanks to Courtney for taking the great pics!!
Stephen
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I especially like the one of the potentate on his sedan chair about to be conveyed by his retinue of slaves. ;D
-John
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I especially like the one of the potentate on his sedan chair about to be conveyed by his retinue of slaves. ;D
-John
.All that's needed is some laage fiirhns waving slowly.....:)) How DOES that work for some folks??.
Dave has to the touch, foah shuah!
Notice HWWNBN'd close by...
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Wait until the slaves roll the potentate's sedan chair
off to the end of the line. :o
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3 bolts James. plus 2 at the end of the pitman rod. Fairly easy. But we would have to make the bar and build a new longer knife section. Nothing that a little time can't take care of. Can definately be done though. We have the techology.
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Citizen McNamara is lucky the Omnipotent Potentate is so benevolent and has a sense of humor. Otherwise he might be smited and thrown to the locusts. The OP will be holding tryouts for fan wavers after breakfast on Saturday. HWMNBN will assemble candidates in the yard. Sycophant experience is a must.
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I think the fan waving will/could serve two purposes: 1) Keeping OP cool and comfy, and 2) Swatting the mosquitoes in his direction... ;)
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Get serious guys or this will be moved again to the Silly list!
Tom C.
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As James noted this week in the Work and Events thread, we finally gave Rowmow a workout today.
The biggest problem is with things working loose. The first thing we did after mowing 3/4 of a mile was loose the bolt for the pitman arm. Luckily it was quickly located with the bushing still attached.
Repairs were made along with a few other loose bolts tightened with loc-tite.
We mowed in yard limits after and I found one of the belts fraying on the side so a tension pulley was re-aligned. And some loose teeth tightened.
We also found how well the break away feature works. We hit several stumps and one grounding rod, and in Daves case a mound of dirt.
Dave and HWMNBM both operated it today to familiarize themselves with it.
I am pleased with how it operated. Always room for adjustments though.
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I thought ROWMOW1 performed great today. Yes, some parts worked loose, just like happened when Big Joe was used in its early days. Mike will work through these issues pretty quickly, I suspect.
The big deal today was, despite the teething problems, ROWMOW1 cut a 4-foot wide swath along nearly the entire active main line track, both east and west sides. May not sound like much for a 66-foot-wide ROW, but this will keep the goldenrod and other brush from growing right up to the track and brushing the cars, freeing the summer cutting crews to work on other areas of the right-of-way.
Thanks, Mike.
- HWMNBN
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Don't look now but it looks like we are being invaded
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/100_3420.jpg)
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Bravo Mike! Sounds like it was a rousing success.
Losing a few nuts and bolts isn't too much of a setback. I had a snowblower once that used to shake itself to pieces and I'd spend as much time putting it back together as blowing snow. The vibration of a gas engine is pretty tough on threaded fastenings.
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A fairly common occurance happened to Rowmow on the July 4th mowing. The section bar broke. I had a broke bar that I was going to use as a pattern and make a new bar. Now I have to. We will have spares on hand, as soon as I get them made.
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Mike, I wonder whether Loctite would help with nuts coming loose problem. I had some success with it in the past with a mowers that vibrated pretty badly. I see that they now have two grades, one that allows loosening the nuts with just handtools, and a stronger one that requires heat also.
www.loctiteproducts.com/threadlockers.shtml
I am NOT an agent for Loctite.
Oily
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Hi,
Another possibility is lock rings. It is a flat washer that has tabs that you bend up withe screwdriver. I used them when I worked at Electric Boat building submarines. They hold through just about any vibrations.
Erik
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Steve, I had one bolt I could not get out at home. That was the one that worked loose. I put in a longer bolt because some of the threads got buggerd, and loctited a nut to it. Essentially double nutting it. That solved that problem. I had used a couple of bottles putting it together because I knew it would shake.
The steel is on order, and hope to have it this week and cutting again Saturday. But that depends on the delivery.
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Another option for loose nuts is to either drill them or look for the equivalent sizes in aircraft nuts and then wire them in place, which is what jet mechanics do. What sizes would you be looking for? I may have a source.
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There was only one that fell apart. Not really a problem.
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Mike I find that in cases like this giving the offending part a good thump with a hammer is just what is needed.
It doesn't actually help the problem.....but you feel a lot better. :)
Keith
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I think they call that peening Keith. ;D
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I think they call that peening Keith. ;D
Yes....but it is also called being upset when applied to things like alarm clocks!
;D
Keith
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3 new bars have been made up, one with new serated teeth on the outer 2 1/2 feet. I will install it hopefully Saturday and try to break it again.
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Awesome, see you Saturday!
Stephen
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Fantastic work on the Mower car. Great job on it. One question is it self propelled or does it need to be pushed?
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Pushed by the Brookville using the slowest gear.
dwight
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Dwight, would you hazard a guess as to how many mph that is, or perhaps what fraction of an mph?
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Unknow by yours truly. But it is so slow it makes for a boreing job. unless you are up frount running the mower.
dwight
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Instead of mph maybe it should be calculated in mpd. Miles per day 8)
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2 miles an hour, in about the thickest grass. Third gear was working in the finer grasses. this is probably closer to 5 to 7mph. But if you try to walk that far with a weedwhacker, cutting the same amount, it is much slower.
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Mike, you and all who helped must be very pleased with those production rates. Thanks for the info, and Congratulations!
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Like anything, once the bugs are worked out, things go better.
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Never thought of this early enough to get a good picture, but this photo shows just how far the mower reaches. Does an excellent job getting the grass and such away from the cars. And makes the tracks look neat, as one local photographer told me as we were cutting.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/ROWMOW1070513_zps8e493016.jpg)
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I took this Saturday morning...ROWMOW1 does a great job!
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5465/9235664082_b33c0ee250_o.jpg)
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Never thought of this early enough to get a good picture, but this photo shows just how far the mower reaches. Does an excellent job getting the grass and such away from the cars...
I remember riding a year of two ago (before ROWMOW 1 had made a pass), and the grass and particularly the goldenrod was rubbing against the cars. This is a huge improvement for railway passengers.
Thanks Mike and Stephen. ROWMOW 1 does do a great job!
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Keeping the grass mowed back from the track is a great help in allowing the ballast and ties to dry out after a rainstorm, too. Good work, Mike and crew!
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Nothing like Yankee Inginuity.....
Definitely a cut above the previous method.
Ira Schreiber
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I took a chance and snapped a couple action photos today. And nothing broke. I am glad I got that curse out of the way.
He who must not be mentioned did a fantastic job manning the controls. He just wished Dave would have tightened the bolts.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/Rowmow1a_zpsd6a455fa.jpg)
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/Rowmow1_zpsdcc9421c.jpg)
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Dave hasn't quite finished the RowMow1 Maintenance Program so he doesn't have his tech certificate yet,
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Dave, bought mine at Napa. ;D
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Well, no good can come of this.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/1214141350_zps4e44497f.jpg)
Actually this is still Version 1. Extension 1.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/WWandF%20Ry/Mower%20Car/1215141733a_zpsc7efd884.jpg)
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How long of bar do you want? Wayne and I live here in Lancaster County, the land of horse drawn mowers. There are plenty of long bars down here.
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I am going for 7 1/2 feet. The sickle bar will be on the last 4 feet, keeping the mowing area the same, with the thought it does not add additional wear and tear to the works. A full length bar may be too much for it.
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I am going for 7 1/2 feet. The sickle bar will be on the last 4 feet, keeping the mowing area the same, with the thought it does not add additional wear and tear to the works. A full length bar may be too much for it.
Will there be two options for ROWMOW1 - i.e. make a trip with the present device, and then make a trip with the extension?
ROWMOW1 is already very impressive; I can't wait for ROWMOW1A!
-John
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Looks like Rowmowia ... isn't that on the Black Sea?
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What? Rowmow 1 is mia? LOL. Yes, John. Mow the entire line with the 4 foot bar. Then swap bars and do where possible with the longer bar. The distance actually gained is only going to be 3 to 3 1/2 feet, but that will be that much more we can cut quicker. Other ideas are also in the works that will allow us to do more, but this is the easiest and cheapest way for now.
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Since a foot or two of the current bar is used up passing over the ballast slope, the additional footage cut by the longer bar will be a substantial improvement percentage-wise.
-John
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Perhaps we can make a few more trips with the weed killer which will take care of the growth on the ballast and ties so the ROWMOW1 can be set for outboard of that point. Bob and I noticed that an additional spray nozzle on each side of the arms pointed out at about a 45 to 60 degree angle would cover even more of the outboard growth.
Just a thought with apologies for suggesting something that will require someone else to do work.
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Bill,
In case you haven't noticed, a lot of posts require someone to do work. Always welcomed as a fresh idea. Discussion before action.
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Here you go Mike or Fred.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l604G2TtRvI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l604G2TtRvI)
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Here's a low tech version;
http://youtu.be/dVv597m848s
I think the girl is extra.
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Mowing yards here in Lancaster County is Woman's (and girls) Work. They mow every Friday afternoon.
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Well, mow power to 'em!
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Still puttering on the extension. Went as far as I could this morning, now need some bushings and make a longer pitman rod. And before the questions start, the knife section is the same length as the shorter bar, 4 feet. It was kept this length hoping that the stress will be about the same on the bolts, bushings, etc. I thought about going to a John Deere style pitman rod and connections, but it requires too much modification. Hoping to have this on the machine before the grass dies.
(http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m573/miketrainnut/Mobile%20Uploads/0719151014_zpsdevmmh0f.jpg)