Landscape Rake Build

[GuglioLS]

After test fitting the bearings, they were taken off so I could add the swing offset cylinder mount to the boom......






1/2" SHCS were used, the boom is 3/8" thick so they should hold okay. They were bolted on as opposed to welding so in the future as any part wears out, it can easily be replaced.



Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

A grease fitting was added to the king pin sleeve. Since the flange bearings were added, that grease fitting was not really necessary as the king pin does not touch the sides of the sleeve. But what the heck, I've gone this far so why not? The boom and the start of the makings for the TPH mount were placed into position to get an overall look and feel for what's next. What is next? Hum I think I better start making the TPH Triangle. That will involve bending some 1/2" thick x 3" wide flat bar. Do you think I can do that with my log splitter? Will I have to heat the metal? or can it be bent cold? (45* angle).





Larry

 

[Renze]

Larry, to bend 75x12mm flatbar (3" x 1/2") i would use my pipe bender, put a strong tube against the pipe dies to create a flat anvil, then put a piece of C-channel against that, to act as a bending die, and hold a 1 inch round shaft against the pipebender cylinder to push this into the C-channel, while the workpiece to be bent, sits inbetween.

But since you got this nice shop press, i'd put the C channel on the workshop press table, put the round stock on top and just push that way.

As a rule of thumb, when bending flatbar, the width of the lower die (substituted by a piece of heavy hot rolled C-channel in most hobby workshops) should be 7 or 8 times the plate thickness.

so bending half inch flatbar would require a 3.5 to 4" die opening to get nice and straight bends. When using the round stock, instead of an official pointed bending die with a nose radius of about 5mm, the die opening better be a little wider, to reduce the force required.


By the way, what did those flanged bearings cost you ?? I was thinking of using an old truck wheel hub as pivots for my road scraper, but i'm afraid it will bend the truck rim completely, so when i need to reinforce the truck rim completely, it'll be even more work that to make a decent purpose built pivot.

 

[GuglioLS]

Renze,

Thanks for the idea to use C channel as a die, your idea came just in the nick of time too. I will try it just like you suggest. If the press does not have enough power, I can try it on the log splitter, if all else fails use a torch to heat it. On second thought I might just try it on the log splitter first because it has a sharp wedge to use as the anvil, all I need to do is find some heavy C channel, I think I have a heavy duty I beam that may work - I better go scrounge that stuff up. Thank you again for the idea.


Oh and I paid 24.95 USD for the flange bearings from Surplus Center ...
Surplus Center Item Detail

Larry

 

[3RRL]

Oh man Larry, that is going to be one heck of a rake. You must have a gazzilion bucks in it by now with all that steel, those bearings, cylinders and heavy duty hardware. It will be the best one on the planet, I'm sure.
Why do you need to bend steel for the 3pt "A" frame? Can't you fabricate one from square tubing and weld it together? If you already have the steel stock, consider sawing an welding instead?

 

[GuglioLS]

Rob,
Thanks for the generous compliments. As far as cost go, it's not that bad, I only had to buy about 75 in new steel, the plasma cut steel was bartered for my time to repair an antique 3 phase 250 amp MIG. Rake tines were 125, cylinders and flange bearings came to 200. Nuts, bolts and miscellaneous hardware I get from that Surplus City place in Albuquerque for 2 bucks a pound. Remember that place?
As far as bending flat bar, Isn't bent flat bar stronger than cut and welded? Plus I think bent steel (as long as it's bent in the right direction) looks better, to me anyway. And I have that 20 ton press I want to put it to good use.

I did not make any progress on the rake today, BUT I did make an Anvil and Die as suggested by Renze for my hydraulic press. I spent all day on that. I've been wanting to make an anvil for the press so this rake project was just as good an excuse as any.
Here goes the anvil and die project to bend steel for the TPH triangle mount....
Took a chunk of 3" dia round bar x 3" long, trued the ends, drilled a 1/4" hole clean through, then drilled a 1.5" dia hole 1.25" deep.





Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

Here is what happens when you forget to clear the drill shavings. What a tangled mess. After removing all that, the 1.5" drill bit was pushed into the anvil holder....





Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

After finishing that 1.5" hole, it was time to start milling out a channel for the anvil insert, the milled slot is 1/2" wide and 7/8" deep. The last pic shows the start of the anvil that will be inserted into the milled slot whick is CRS 1/2" thick X 2" wide X 4" long.





Larry

 

[mjncad]

MJ,

Yes, I am 25 miles from Albuquerque. No way would I do the tines, but if it's not really all that much, it might be worth coating the main assembly. Does it have to be baked on? as in it goes inside an oven? There will be three main assemblies that can be separated - the rake tine holder, the Boom and the TPH mount. Sounds interesting, I will have to investigate, see who can do it and what's involved to get an estimate. What colors are available? How long does it need to cure?

Larry

Powder coating is a dry process in which a the powder is positively charged and the item to be coated is negatively charged, or the other way around; but static electricity is the how the dry coating is initially adhered to the item to be coated by a spray gun device. Yes, it is baked on in an oven for about 20 - 40 minutes at about 400 - 450 degrees F from what I'm told. Once it's out of the oven and cool, it's cured. There are numerous colors available and a variety of glosses for those colors. This link at Eastwood Company: Auto Tools, Body Repair, Classic Car Restoration, House of Kolor Paint, Powder Coating will give an idea of the variety of standard and specialty powders that are available HotCoat Powder Coating Powders: Standard Colors. Of course your local powder coater's standard inventory will differ. You will save money by not requesting a specialty powder, and I still haven't found one for JD green...not that I've looked real hard.

JB weld, and Lab Metal can be powder coated. I haven't tried Lab Metal at all, so I'm going by their web site's information. Metal repair and patching compound - Alvin Products - Metal Restoration and Repair

Bondo does NOT work in powder coating processes, nor does Loc-Tite and its clones. Nor is soldered copper pipe recommended due to the solder's relatively low melting point. Ask the coater what can be coated and what can't. if you have threaded holes or studs, they can be masked by the coater. Just make sure they are aware of them, otherwise prepare to chase the threads with a tap or die.

Separating the assemblies would make it easier for the coater to hang the parts from the racks; but I've seen the guy I use powder coat complete race car frames. Again, it's all up to each shop...so inquire around.

This link will give you an idea of just how tough powder coating is. Picasa Web Albums - Matt - "Resistance i...

It's not invincible; but it is tough stuff.

 

[GuglioLS]

Two 45* angles were desired on the anvil business end. Two "V" blocks were stacked and clamped into the band saw, place the work piece bar on it's edge, clamp with a C clamp and proceed to cut down the length. As the blade neared the clamp, it was removed then placed above the blade so as to finish the cut......




The blade tracked perfectly square the entire 4" length of cut. The piece was then flipped over to cut the remaining 45* edge. A 1/4-20 hole was drilled and tapped into the center so as to retain the anvil in the anvil holder, which slips over the press stock anvil.





Now it's time to harden the anvil using an Oxy Acetylene torch.
Larry