When parts cost more than it's worth, but...

Last weekend we were putting hay up in the 3rd mow in the middle of the barn with 2 elevators, one to get the hay up into the barn which would drop the bales onto the second elevator that went up higher to get it to where we're stacking. Got about 1/2 load done when the chain on the second one broke. It was just a cobbled up elevator my dad put together from sections he found, and it's maybe 20 ft. long.

The chain was even worse, pitted, rusted, stretched and weak. We used to have atleast 60' of chain around that we replaced on the other elevator on the south side of the barn, but I finally put it in the scrap yard a few years ago. Boy we really coulda used that chain....

It may have been weak as well, but it was still better than what we had on an elevator we only use every 5 years or so, mainly because we have to swipe the motor off the fuel pump and reverse it to run the elevator. I finally got all that taken care of today. I bought new chain at Fleet Farm. Got lucky because it was on clearance so it was cheaper, but they only had 32' and I needed another 5, so I bought a roll of plain 55 as well and a few separate links with the teeth on them to fill in. For a motor, I dug in the shop and found a 1/4 HP motor that used to run a bench grinder, and was the same size as the other one we always have to steal. I put a new cord on it and Voila!!

Now we've got a shorter 20' elevator that is easy to manuver compared to the 35' pipe elevator that hasn't been moved in 15 years, and the other 30' grain/hay elevator we got at auction that is on wheels and has overkill for a motor (5 HP milker motor) which makes it really heavy to lift onto a draw bar.

As for the motors, it doesn't stop there either.... We stole a motor off a small grain auger we got at another auction which was 3/4 HP., only it spun the wrong direction and it was exposed to fertilizer so the wireing diagram was gone to reverse it. We fiddled with it for a while before we gave up. Mean while the 3/4 HP motor on the air compressor is burnt up and it's only 2-3 years old!! (motor that is...)

Hmm.... I fiddled with the 3/4 HP motor today and got it spinning the other direction today as well, which happens to be right for the air compressor so now I've gotta mount and re-wire that, reverse the motor back for the fuel pump and remount that, and I've already got a new cord on the 3rd motor and it's mounted on the short elevator.

Isn't Musical Motors FUN!?!?!?

Donovan from Wisconsin

Donovan from Wisconsin

With prices of things the way they are today, it seems to make sense to rummage through what you have and maybe neatly stockpile or store items that may be of use or have some potential use, I hate keeping a lot of junk around, but do maitain a small storage yard that I frequently go over to and take things that I will use, more building material related and scrap steel, but it can be a fun activity and it's a blast to see what becomes of it when you are done.

Overall it wasn't too bad, the cost of the new chain was right around $90, plus the larger pulley for the motor was another $6.

My dad has been saving quite a few 1/2 sheets of plywood and 2x4's from work which we'll be useing quite a few in the next week in the straw mow by the walk-in door. The overhang above it has fallen apart so we need to rebuild it so we can put straw up next weekend.

Donovan from Wisconsin

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