We finished the extension feeder today. Here are some photos of how we brought it back to life.
Here it is today. Thanks to the many friends who helped make it come together.
Here's how it sat for a long, long time.
It was all there, but it has helped thresh a lot of grain and was in need of some TLC.
Worn shaft and bushing - There was not originally any babbitt or other sacrificial bearing material. It was just steel on cast.
Feeder chain and slats
Before painting it, I took the chain down to bare metal with Evapo-Rust. I never would have thought it would have worked, but it actually does what it says it's supposed to do.
Riveting white oak slats
Backing method
Completed chain roll
Making the new shaft - The old shaft was worn and rotted in the bearing areas.
Milling the keyseats
Planning and working on the keys
Straightening the sides and return board brackets
The bearings were bored, faced, and fitted with oil-impregnated bronze bushings. One was cracked and had to be welded. Both were so worn out that they required a little JB Weld work. We swapped the two bearings so that the shaft loads the more solid side of the cast.
Working on new tensioning blocks - The old blocks for the rear shaft were worn and broken. A captured square nut in the block is used to move the shaft fore and aft, adjusting chain tension.
Old and new
Making sure the new parts fit
The front end coming together - This replacement floor was cut out of what little remains of a Case threshing machine on my grandpa's boyhood farm. A lot of sheet metal, shafts, and angle irons from that machine have been put to other uses over the years. We put the worn side (from inside the threshing machine) up.
Riveting
Putting the return boards on
Wrapping the rear shaft - We fabricated this piece from the longer piece cut out of the front end. It has to allow the shaft to move for chain adjustment.
Giving it a spin - You could actually turn the feeder by hand with the bare shaft, but this allowed us to spin it at operational speed. This photo shows the slip clutch that lets the drive sprocket freewheel if something locks up the feeder chain.
The last rivet
Finished rear
Just like we found it in the grass, only now it's ready to go to work on July 14th.
Here it is today. Thanks to the many friends who helped make it come together.
Here's how it sat for a long, long time.
It was all there, but it has helped thresh a lot of grain and was in need of some TLC.
Worn shaft and bushing - There was not originally any babbitt or other sacrificial bearing material. It was just steel on cast.
Feeder chain and slats
Before painting it, I took the chain down to bare metal with Evapo-Rust. I never would have thought it would have worked, but it actually does what it says it's supposed to do.
Riveting white oak slats
Backing method
Completed chain roll
Making the new shaft - The old shaft was worn and rotted in the bearing areas.
Milling the keyseats
Planning and working on the keys
Straightening the sides and return board brackets
The bearings were bored, faced, and fitted with oil-impregnated bronze bushings. One was cracked and had to be welded. Both were so worn out that they required a little JB Weld work. We swapped the two bearings so that the shaft loads the more solid side of the cast.
Working on new tensioning blocks - The old blocks for the rear shaft were worn and broken. A captured square nut in the block is used to move the shaft fore and aft, adjusting chain tension.
Old and new
Making sure the new parts fit
The front end coming together - This replacement floor was cut out of what little remains of a Case threshing machine on my grandpa's boyhood farm. A lot of sheet metal, shafts, and angle irons from that machine have been put to other uses over the years. We put the worn side (from inside the threshing machine) up.
Riveting
Putting the return boards on
Wrapping the rear shaft - We fabricated this piece from the longer piece cut out of the front end. It has to allow the shaft to move for chain adjustment.
Giving it a spin - You could actually turn the feeder by hand with the bare shaft, but this allowed us to spin it at operational speed. This photo shows the slip clutch that lets the drive sprocket freewheel if something locks up the feeder chain.
The last rivet
Finished rear
Just like we found it in the grass, only now it's ready to go to work on July 14th.
