Anyone out there running a belt driven workshop? With my first tractor with a pulley I'm stuck trying to be creative with ways to use it! Will have to build a saw mill I'm sure. Then I'm thinking of the old machine shops that were all run by belts. Is anyone crazy enough to still run of these? Got pictures or advice? I'm not trying to determine if it's a good idea or not, just curious what you guys have put together!
- Thread starter Frantz
- Start date
PaGlenn
Well-known Member
- Location
- New Milford Penna
I bought this large 30" wheel at an auction a few years back. They said it came from the old Ferracute Machine Co. in Bridgeton NJ it is 10" deep. It is heavy. It might have been their main wheel. I use it has a decoration in my home.
farmerwithmutt
Well-known Member
The Amish use motors to power either
hydraulic or air compressor then transfer
the power with lines. Maybe hook up to an
air compressor and there's lots of air
tools out there. the Amish use l.p tanks to
store the air.
hydraulic or air compressor then transfer
the power with lines. Maybe hook up to an
air compressor and there's lots of air
tools out there. the Amish use l.p tanks to
store the air.
connor9988
Well-known Member
- Location
- Central Iowa
Belt up to a thresher at a show, run a hammer mill (this gives you and excuse to get a corn picker and run it too),find a large squirrel cage fan and put a flat belt pulley on it to drive it (similar to a
baker fan), find an old flat belt cement mixer, my personal favorite: our neighbor took an old model T transmission and put a belt pulley on one end and a keyed shaft on the other so he could run an elevator
in a grainery. He could use the different transmissions to get different speeds. I would think you could get a right angle gearbox and put a belt pulley on one side with a PTO shaft on the other and mount the
whole thing on a trailer and this would let you power most PTO devices.
I have attached a couple pictures: one of a cement mixer like I have talked about and another of a setup that could be used (with some work) to power different machines.
I have also attached some video of my VAC grinding corn with a Letz burr mill. You did not say what size tractor you had but there are certainly roles for small tractors in this as well.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pjAZ5_GrgsE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
baker fan), find an old flat belt cement mixer, my personal favorite: our neighbor took an old model T transmission and put a belt pulley on one end and a keyed shaft on the other so he could run an elevator
in a grainery. He could use the different transmissions to get different speeds. I would think you could get a right angle gearbox and put a belt pulley on one side with a PTO shaft on the other and mount the
whole thing on a trailer and this would let you power most PTO devices.
I have attached a couple pictures: one of a cement mixer like I have talked about and another of a setup that could be used (with some work) to power different machines.
I have also attached some video of my VAC grinding corn with a Letz burr mill. You did not say what size tractor you had but there are certainly roles for small tractors in this as well.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pjAZ5_GrgsE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
blue water massey
Well-known Member
These pictures are of the Welbeck Sawmill shingle shop
It's no longer in production but it's still in operating condition
every yr they have a wood working show they put on free and get it up and
running
They run it using a water turbine like in the last picture but the water wheel
is operational
everything runs off of a live shaft runs the length of the building in the
rafters
The whole thing could be run off a tractor and a belt if need be
It's no longer in production but it's still in operating condition
every yr they have a wood working show they put on free and get it up and
running
They run it using a water turbine like in the last picture but the water wheel
is operational
everything runs off of a live shaft runs the length of the building in the
rafters
The whole thing could be run off a tractor and a belt if need be
When I was a kid old man Yeager had a complete machine shop run by belts. drills planers saws mills ect. He had a central shaft run
through the ceiling and leather belts run down to each machine. It was one dangerous place when it was running. only saw it in
action once, was an experience.
through the ceiling and leather belts run down to each machine. It was one dangerous place when it was running. only saw it in
action once, was an experience.
Super Steve
Member
I have a few Amish customers that have wood working shops run belts powered by diesel engines. Pretty interesting setups.
A local Amish man, a couple years back, built a new cabinet shop that all equipment is belt driven from a main line shaft above. It is powered with a diesel engine. I have not stopped in but the town snoop filled me in at lunch one day and said it was all OSHA compliant. He claimed it had a dust collecting system hose run to each machine. I guess if you wanted to put in the time you could set up a machine shop as well. It would be kinda hard to compete with the CNC shops if it was set up to have an income. My radial arm drill press started out life on a line shaft.
Graham of New Zealand
Member
All the machine shops in New Zealand I knew when I was a kid the various machines were lined up in a row and driven by a high level counter shaft with flat belts coming down to each machine. As often as not the engine was a Brithis Lister diesel engine - they went for ever. Could be seen today aas a bit dangerous but seldon any mishaps. I believ people then were more concious of danger and could work safely around that equipment. Todays workers? I think another story. They seem to have to be protected from themselves.
47fivewindow
Well-known Member
- Location
- Davidsonville Md.
The old armory machine shop at Harpers Ferry W.Va., is fun to see.
shaun wallace
Well-known Member
Central Texas Tool Co in Abilene Tx has most all their machines running off lineshaft. Been there since the 1930s.
dr sportster
Well-known Member
I drove to the Smithsonian in Wash DC once to see a reproduction of one. Just to see that exhibit. Neat pics here.
I also would like to set up a shop run
from a line shaft. I have a number of
machines, pulleys and shafts. Don't
know if it will happen i also have
lumber to build it but taxes are
prohibitive. A picture of my large belt
driven machine, sawmill with a 14x14
can't on the carriage. Also a link to a
museum that runs a sawmill, woodworking
shop and gristmill with one water
wheel. If you look them up on YouTube
you can watch videos. A number of the
larger tractor shows have shops running
lineshafts.
Hanford Mills Museum
from a line shaft. I have a number of
machines, pulleys and shafts. Don't
know if it will happen i also have
lumber to build it but taxes are
prohibitive. A picture of my large belt
driven machine, sawmill with a 14x14
can't on the carriage. Also a link to a
museum that runs a sawmill, woodworking
shop and gristmill with one water
wheel. If you look them up on YouTube
you can watch videos. A number of the
larger tractor shows have shops running
lineshafts.
Hanford Mills Museum
How about some corn meal? This video is a little slow starting but it's belt powered!
Untitled URL Link
Untitled URL Link
Steve@Advance
Well-known Member
There is a cotton gin in Burton TX that has been preserved as it was back in the day.
It is powered by a 2 cylinder diesel engine, powered through line shafts. They start it up once a year and run some cotton through it. It is not at full production capacity, but everything is still there.
Quite a contraption! Would have been high maintenance, one problem would likely shut the whole thing down. It was a strange sound for everything to be running, then all slower to a stop when the engine shut down.
The tour guide said when it was in full production, the dust was choking. Not only choking, but flammable! When conditions were right, static from the belts would cause a flash fire to roll through building! Everyone kept their nose open to the smell of a hot bearing, something that didn't mix well with cotton!
Burton Cotton Gin
It is powered by a 2 cylinder diesel engine, powered through line shafts. They start it up once a year and run some cotton through it. It is not at full production capacity, but everything is still there.
Quite a contraption! Would have been high maintenance, one problem would likely shut the whole thing down. It was a strange sound for everything to be running, then all slower to a stop when the engine shut down.
The tour guide said when it was in full production, the dust was choking. Not only choking, but flammable! When conditions were right, static from the belts would cause a flash fire to roll through building! Everyone kept their nose open to the smell of a hot bearing, something that didn't mix well with cotton!
Burton Cotton Gin
gtractorfan
Well-known Member
Hope you're not letting the weather rust it to junk, looks like it needs to be inside. My dad had one like that for a while with a twin cylinder engine.
It is certainly possible to build up a "line shaft shop" and there are those doing it. If you look
and are noticing the old machines are still out there and come up for sale from time to time. Some
have been converted over to electric motor drive by different methods but can usually be converted
back. Most have a step pulley that matches the pulley on the machine, you want that if it is
around. You could make the line shafting with ball bearings or look for the old babbitt bearings.
Look around the Home Shop Machinists web and discussion forum and the Practical Machinist antique
forum. Ask those guys and maybe you can get a thread going on line shaft shops and learn some.
and are noticing the old machines are still out there and come up for sale from time to time. Some
have been converted over to electric motor drive by different methods but can usually be converted
back. Most have a step pulley that matches the pulley on the machine, you want that if it is
around. You could make the line shafting with ball bearings or look for the old babbitt bearings.
Look around the Home Shop Machinists web and discussion forum and the Practical Machinist antique
forum. Ask those guys and maybe you can get a thread going on line shaft shops and learn some.
All the Amish in my area use line shafts. Kinda funny to see a brand new cabinet saw or lathe and a series of belts running it. When they have 5 or 6 machines running at once you can imagine what it was like when that was state of the art in a big factory. Pretty neat.
1948CaseVAI
Well-known Member
Similar threads
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.
Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy