Flail Mower Gearbox: Anyone heard of Vapormatic?

SensibleNick · Apr 21, 2010

I'm on my way to building a flail mower, and the one area that I'm lacking a good parts source is the 90 degree gearbox. I've considered using a differential from a RWD car, but that's ugly and large. The thought was to weld the Diff up, and use the 4:1 ratio to my advantage.

Yesterday I found Vapormatic: A company who sells components to retailers, and they have a nice little PTO 90 degree 1:1 gearbox the VTE5801.

I was just wondering if anyone else has used one of these on a project?

finnfarmer · Apr 21, 2010

Why dont you ust finde a trailed forage harvester and take the gearbox from there ? Exactly the same thing just possibly cheaper.

SensibleNick · Apr 21, 2010

finnfarmer said:
Why dont you ust finde a trailed forage harvester and take the gearbox from there ? Exactly the same thing just possibly cheaper.

Believe me I've looked: The few ones I've found are double the price of the new gearbox.

I've looked around for old farm equipment and various other things that'd do the job, but they're so rare, end expensive when they pop up.

The Gearbox (new) is £115 plus VAT... I was genuinely surprised.

finnfarmer · Apr 22, 2010

Pity you arent a bit closer we have two "frames" as well as the gearboxes for trailed foragers lying in the yard, that you could help yourself to. We are about +- 500km from you across the water in Finland. But ｣115 isnt that bad a price at all.

:laughing:

RJA.Ilex · Apr 23, 2010

Vapormatic supply parts to alot of the farm supply shops in the UK.
They have been on the go for several years (5+ atleast). I can't say that I have delt with them directly but the parts I have used have been ok (top links and PTO shafts).
I think they now do alot of parts relating to classic and vintage tractors.

Hope this helps

SensibleNick · Apr 23, 2010

RJA.Ilex said:
Vapormatic supply parts to alot of the farm supply shops in the UK.
They have been on the go for several years (5+ atleast). I can't say that I have delt with them directly but the parts I have used have been ok (top links and PTO shafts).
I think they now do alot of parts relating to classic and vintage tractors.

Hope this helps

Cheers RJA.

I actually rang a dealer in Shropshire first... (D'ya know Knockin? That's where I grew up) ... and when he didn't seem to give a toss about helping someone if it meant work for him, so I tried someone in Hereford.. an entirely different way of working there, and they're totally on the ball. Despite finding out a day later that there's a Swedish dealer, I'll be sticking with them. The pound's buggered right now: kinda works in my favour

The Gearbox should arrive in a few weeks. In the mean time they've supplied drawings so I can model the gearbox and build it into the model of the Flail: it'll fit the moment I get it

RJA.Ilex · Apr 25, 2010

can you post some more details on this project, I assume the intension is to mount the flail behind the trator and run it off the PTO! Are you making the rotor or do you have a source for one?

Cheers

SensibleNick · Apr 25, 2010

RJA.Ilex said:
can you post some more details on this project, I assume the intension is to mount the flail behind the trator and run it off the PTO! Are you making the rotor or do you have a source for one?

Cheers

Yup: you're absolutely right. As soon as I've designed it I'll be posting like a man possessed.

I'll be making it all.

(erm.. apart from the gearbox.)

Vapormatic · Apr 27, 2010

I thought you might like to know a little bit more about Vapormatic.

Vapormatic have been supplying replacement parts and accessories for all major makes of tractor for over 60 years.

Founded in Devon, England in 1949 the company originally started producing a market leading device for vaporising TVO (tractor vaporising oil), enabling farmers to save money as petroleum became more expensive after the War.

Today the company has a range of over 18,000 parts suitable for vintage to modern tractors and sells to over 90 countries around the world.

Vapormatic was purchased by John Deere in 2001.

I hope this is of interest. A more thorough version of our company history and the complete range of products can be found on our website.

SensibleNick · Apr 27, 2010

Good stuff

If only the (your) webpage had prices on it... instead I have to ring around suppliers... Not in itself a big problem.

The Little Gearbox I've ordered looks fantastic. I'm rather looking forward to stroking the aluminium casing