F.E. Myers Air Blast Orchard Sprayer Information

[Jstpssng]

Your trees need pruned.

It pays to be careful about what's in the background when you post a picture here.
But you are right.

I don't know Jack about sprayers but have been following along here for a while because I find what he is doing impressive.

 

[Seven Gables]

Yeah, just about to start the pruning, never ending job but one of the most important. Just a one man band.

 

[r8f1k]

I don't know much about sprayers other than an ATV sprayer. So what is so cool about a

F.E. Myers Air Blast Orchard Sprayer ?​

Not really sure!!! I grabbed it at an auction for under $10 and I have been getting it back up and running. I like getting things that used to be something, back to their former state of usefulness.

Today, I was able to get the fan off and start the process of giving it a polish. I think debris will stick to it less if it is smooth and shiny. Was actually pretty easy to get it off. I was worried it was going to be a bear to remove. I also pulled the hubs off just to check and make sure they were well greased and they were not. I've had quite a few hubs off in my day and these had to be greased once and once only. The hubs had a decent amount, but it was about the consistency of semi-cured RTV or soft tub and tile caulk. It was time to clean them up and repack.

I have a liquid filled 0-600 PSI gauge for the port that is on the front of the sprayer, however, since I am making a from scratch control panel, I wanted to add a gauge to the center of the control panel with 18 LED's around it. Those LEDs will light up based on which spray nozzles are running. I will have 4 total configurations. I'm lucky to have my dad still around who was a union electrician for 35 years, specializing in low voltage service, alarms and vaults, so he is helping me to get the controls up and running.

Back to the gauge, I was thinking of using a one wire oil pressure gauge like you have in a modern vehicle. I do not want to have a capillary line where there could, as noted by Seven Gables, pop and lead to a leak in the cab. My thought behind the gauge in the cab, is in the past I have had to spray after work and it can be twilight or dark. It more or less gives me another way to monitor the sprayer without having to worry about checking it from a distance. It's not a 'have to' item, but I would add it if I can find one!

Tomorrow, I hope to pick up some red paint to repaint the wheels inside and out. I am also working on turning a pillow block bearing 180 degrees. I have determined that there is NO POSSIBLE way that the previous owner could utilize the zerk fitting, so I am going to turn it 180 degrees so that it can be greased a lot easier. I am also considering a remote zerk to make it even easier. After a close examination, I THINK that the previous owner would take a handful of grease and smear it around the back of the bearing hoping to get some in there, which would explain the EXCESS of grease all over the bearing support and the rooster tail inside the hood of the sprayer. I think some of it made it into the bearing, but it seems a zerk would make it much easier and much less of a mess.

 

[r8f1k]

Update: Pulled the main drive shaft out in order to replace belts and bearings. Belts look to be original. It just has that look……

 

[r8f1k]

The input side of the PTO shaft is rough. I am going to have to do some work on the end of this key way

 

[r8f1k]

The fan and the nose cone are polished and mounted

 

[r8f1k]

I pulled the flange bearings out and the housings look good, I ordered new bearings and I will redo the zerks to make them easier to get to.

 

[r8f1k]

Fan guard installed with new inserts into the fiberglass.

 

[r8f1k]

The red wheels are what they seem to have in photos and mine were red too. Not exactly the same red, but very close.

 

[r8f1k]

Welded up the end of the shaft and ran it through my mill. 3/8 key way was pretty easy. Waiting on new key stock.