Trailer with small diesel driving multiple things and a PTO

[Jason14j]

I am thinking of converting a 20 foot trailer to be a mobile workshop. A single 20 or so HP Diesel would spin a long shaft extending the full length of the trailer. Pulleys along the shaft would drive various items such as a welder/generator, air compressor, pressure washer, hydraulic pump, lastly a PTO would exit from the back for whatever else you want to run like a mixer or chipper. Ideas?

 

[SimS]

Jason;

This sounds like a clever idea if you can configure that many pieces of equipment in the space available. Some of the issues will be: How do clutch and de-clutch each machine from the line shaft? How will you achieve 540 rpm for the PTO equipment? Gear box or pulleys? Still I like the outside the box thinking. Good Luck

SimS

 

[rjmack]

sounds like a water wheel mill from the old days.

 

[Transit]

Keep track of the HP requirements of your tools. Pay attention to belt drives, the slower the rpm the heaver the belt must be to handle the torque.

 

[Jason14j]

Very good point about the speed determining belt sizing. I would have made that mistake. I'm thinking of choosing a gearbox ratio that will keep the engine at its peak torque RPM while turning the shaft at 540 RPM. Each tool would have its own pulley combination to operate at its designed speed. What about a tractor engine/gearbox?

 

[sandman2234]

Typically automobiles use gear reduction in a transmission with the final output at or very close to a direct drive. Since your already turning as slow as you want to go, you are going to need to overdrive the output. Considering an automotive style transmission is fine, but only if you turn it around and drive the output shaft, using the imput shaft as a final drive. Horsepower ratings are going to become a problem when you start overdriving the output speed.
David from jax

 

[Jason14j]

I have an old 67 chevy truck that will be getting a transmission swap soon, maybe I can use its old 3 speed manual in this project. From what I can find online 1st is 2.94 to 1, 2nd is 1.68 to 1, 3rd is 1:1, and Reverse is 3.14:1. I also found a new 40 HP gearbox for a bushhog with a 1:1.47 ratio. Lets say the engines peak torque is at 2500 RPM, and I need 540 RPM to turn the driveshaft. I could use the reverse gear and the gearbox to do it. Here's my math, please correct me if I made a mistake or doing something dangerous. 540 x 1.47 x 3.14 = 2492

Replacement Rotary Cutter 40 hp Gear Box | eBay

 

[Taylortractornut]

Its called a line shaft. I worked in a machine shop one time that had one and the newest machine was Monarch Lathe from the 30's. THey had one belt driven shaft from a 50 HP electric motor in the top of the building and and 2 lathes, a horizontal and a verticle mill and a bandsaw and a grinders and a Drill press. The end had a fan and a belt to a water pump.

In my opinino youd need some fairly older bet driven stuff to make it easier. I d opt for a diesel generator with switch box to the other implement and a a mecanical drive for the pto Grandad had an old WW2 Machine shop truck. He bought it for the machinery. All the old pics I saw showed its pto running a line shft set up like that under the floor The Amish have a few shops set up on line shafts some driven by a tractor pto some of Duetz motors. most use a tensioner to tighten the flat belts on the heads.

THese line shafts usually work better on older belt drice equipment. THough Ive seen some Amish setups that ran newer hydromatic type lathes and such.

 

[sandman2234]

I thought about the machinery end of it when posting, but that line shaft is just a little before my time, lol... I didn't see my first machine shop until I was way on my way towards thirty, lol. Now if you want to discuss NC machines, we can talk, lol....
David from jax

 

[Taylortractornut]

Im just 31 lol just been in alot of old shops thats all.