Chain harrows

[Reg]

These look SO SIMPLE that I have to believe someone has worked it out (-:

Just looking at the links and how they hook together, almost like stitches from something knitted.
Anyone figure out how to chop re-bar into short lengths, wrap them around say 2 or 3 different diameter steel pipes to bend them into shape for a harrow and hook 'em up ?
It might take 30 or 50 of them, but once the geometry is figured and the jig built I bet it would be quick.

Heck, it might even be worth buying a cheap hydraulic pipe bender from HF (-:

 

[G.P.S.Investments]

I don't know how they look cause my puter must not be working right for I don't see no photos:laughing:
No offence

 

[Reg]

I don't know how they look cause my puter must not be working right for I don't see no photos:laughing:
No offence

Your computer must be broken in a very unusual way for you to be seeing photos that are not there, as implied by your use of the double negative (-:

 

[hr3]

He must be an English teacher GPS..

 

[bobodu]

I used to make chain armor. What you want to do is wrap a whole length of round rod around a mandrel (it'll look like a garage door spring) and cut the links off with an angle grinder as you slide them off the end.

 

[Reg]

I used to make chain armor. What you want to do is wrap a whole length of round rod around a mandrel (it'll look like a garage door spring) and cut the links off with an angle grinder as you slide them off the end.

Thanks for your reply.
That would help me if I wanted coils or simple round links.
Chain harrow links are bent around in 3 directions and (at a guess) could probably be made by bending re-bar around a pair of pipes that are criss-crossed, perhaps it takes three pipes and maybe not at 90 degrees to each other, maybe different diameter pipes.
Again, my guess, but one could then slide the pipes out to release the completed link, which would have it's two ends as the "teeth".
I was just asking if anyone here had figured it out and could post some details.
My ability to imagine in 3D is very limited (-:

BTW, I am NOT an English teacher, or even an English major, though it is my primary language.
My initial post did not indicate that there would be pictures for the reading (of English) challenged, sorry to disappoint.

 

[sweettractors]

These look SO SIMPLE that I have to believe someone has worked it out (-:

Just looking at the links and how they hook together, almost like stitches from something knitted.
Anyone figure out how to chop re-bar into short lengths, wrap them around say 2 or 3 different diameter steel pipes to bend them into shape for a harrow and hook 'em up ?
It might take 30 or 50 of them, but once the geometry is figured and the jig built I bet it would be quick.

Heck, it might even be worth buying a cheap hydraulic pipe bender from HF (-:

Most good chain harrows are built out of high grade 5/8 inch 1060 steel because you want long life from your machine, I believe after a few uses, rebar would wear down pretty quickly. Just my humble opinion. Ken Sweet

 

[rd_macgregor]

A couple of years ago, when I was shopping for a chain harrow, I ran across a video on a manufacturer's web site which showed the manufacturing process. It was pretty involved...especially assembly of the finished harrow. Sad to say, I can't find that link again (I tried, really!). I finally found a used 12-footer for a couple of hundred dollars. I'd never have been able to build one for that, even if my time was free.

BOB

 

[hr3]

Sorry Reg.. but here ya go..

 

[Reg]

Not sure if this link will work;
http://www.williamhackett.co.uk/agriculture/media/tine_action.gif
This looks like two very simple parts that could be sprung together.
The loops on the right hand end of the horizontal piece hook to the bottom of the V of the next horizontal piece, AFTER that piece has a vertical piece attached to it - repeat until long enough.
To make it "by hand" one would probably hammer the loops shut after assembly.

Thanks for the reminder Ken, every time I think through things like this you step in and remind me - or the nagging little voice wakes me up and says - "but soil is ABRASIVE !"
(-:

 

[BHD]

I may be wrong here,

But I would think one would need some type of furnace to heat each rod up to a cherry red and then put it through a series of jigs to form the two different pieces,

I really do not think making the jigs would be that hard, but to handle the red hot parts, and to form them would take some thinking to make the dies and tools to make them, and to handle them hot.

 

[bobodu]

Those bends can be easily made cold with a two prong fork thingie clamped in a vise. Feed your round rod through a pipe cheater. The ends can be closed with judicious use of two small pipe wrenches.

 

[Reg]

OK, I think I've done enough thunkin' on this.
Some time this week I will probably strip some solid copper wire (scraps of Romex) and hand bend it into the shapes shown on the Hackett site.
My guess is that the bend radii MATTER and they most likely have some important and fixed relationship to the rod diameter.
So, if I mic the copper wire and bend it around different drill bits until I get things right I should be able to scale it all up if/when I decide to try it on thicker steel stock.

I don't know if I'll ever get up to high carbon steel, or how thick I will be able to go if I do.
4 or 5 ft lengths of black pipe seem like reasonable bending levers, so whatever I can do with those will probably set the upper limit on stock - unless I resort to heat - and I might.

Maybe I'm not ALL done with the thunkin' part after all.

 

[bobodu]

Wow....the "links" some people will go to...
Mics,copper wire...radii mattering???
It's a tool to drag in the dirt!!!
I've built FELs, dump trucks,windmills...even a whole tractor using nothing but bits of string and six soybeans for measuring.....

 

[turnkey4099]

OK, I think I've done enough thunkin' on this.
Some time this week I will probably strip some solid copper wire (scraps of Romex) and hand bend it into the shapes shown on the Hackett site.
My guess is that the bend radii MATTER and they most likely have some important and fixed relationship to the rod diameter.
So, if I mic the copper wire and bend it around different drill bits until I get things right I should be able to scale it all up if/when I decide to try it on thicker steel stock.

I don't know if I'll ever get up to high carbon steel, or how thick I will be able to go if I do.
4 or 5 ft lengths of black pipe seem like reasonable bending levers, so whatever I can do with those will probably set the upper limit on stock - unless I resort to heat - and I might.

Maybe I'm not ALL done with the thunkin' part after all.

Seems it would be far quicker and perhaps cheaper to buy a used one. My neighbor has one rolled up in a fence corner that hasn't been used in over 20 years.

Harry K

 

[Reg]

Seems it would be far quicker and perhaps cheaper to buy a used one. My neighbor has one rolled up in a fence corner that hasn't been used in over 20 years.

Harry K

Yep,
LOTS of them 2,000 plus miles from me (-:

 

[POC]

I made one that works pretty ok out of a piece of chain-link fence......

 

[Inky05]

I made one that works pretty ok out of a piece of chain-link fence......

My thoughts, Exactly!

 

[turnkey4099]

My thoughts, Exactly!

And truck tire chains work as well or better - they are heavier. I made one with just one PU chain for smoothing a new lawn. About killed myselft trying to drag it.

Harry K

 

[Reg]

Already done it with the chain link fence and (optionally) old tires.
That works FINE for seed beds, lawn re-seeding, etc.
I want/need something with a bit more bite in it, e.g. to break up horse manure and scratch up existing pastures.