MODIFY BRUSH HOG SOME MORE

[patrick_g]

Pat, yeah I could change over the wheels for a bigger print too, but then I'd need to get other wheels. I want to use the same Quick attach wheel system for everything... at least that's what I'm attempting to do.
I'll draw up a couple of ideas.

You are intending to only have one set of wheels, right? Will having a larger footprint inhibit the working of any of the other implements? In soft freshly worked dirt little wheels can sink in quite a bit and then when hitting harder dirt suddenly get more "flotation." A larger footprint will tend to "swamp out" that effect.

Pat

 

[3RRL]

You are intending to only have one set of wheels, right? Will having a larger footprint inhibit the working of any of the other implements? In soft freshly worked dirt little wheels can sink in quite a bit and then when hitting harder dirt suddenly get more "flotation." A larger footprint will tend to "swamp out" that effect.

Pat

The wheels have to work on the back of the rotary cutter. I don't think inflated wheels would last long after the first cut of rocks sending shrapnel to them. The other consideration is my budget. That means buying more wheels. I'm still trying to keep within my low budget goal by using what I have ... as low budget as possible. So far I have managed. They may not be the greatest wheels, but they are like 15" in diameter and 4" wide tread.

 

[patrick_g]

The wheels have to work on the back of the rotary cutter. I don't think inflated wheels would last long after the first cut of rocks sending shrapnel to them. The other consideration is my budget. That means buying more wheels. I'm still trying to keep within my low budget goal by using what I have ... as low budget as possible. So far I have managed. They may not be the greatest wheels, but they are like 15" in diameter and 4" wide tread.

I'd just go ahead with the wheels you have and see what happens. If everything is a raving success except sinking in soft stuff then you can consider some larger ones, maybe with shrapnel deflector shields in front of them.

Another cheap idea is to make a couple of bullet proof larger wheel/tire combos. You can make a non-inflating custom W--I--D--E tire/wheel out of car tire material. The tail wheel on many cutters is made like that, just not wide enough.

Even a short length of large ID scrap pipe could be made into a W--I--D--E wheel with a good sized footprint. Probably be pretty rock proof.

Pat

 

[3RRL]

Well, I figured out a way to drill the holes in the quick attach wheel base. Here it is with the holes on the side. I draped it over my milling machine and rotated the head over to one side. Then I primered it, but kept it here at home so I can match the receiver bases for the rotary cutter and the boxbalde to be sure they will line up and fit properly.
Then I went up to camp with the other pieces.

 

[3RRL]

I brought up all the other pieces including the 2 x 2 tube that I slit in half to make the reinforcement for the rotary cutter body. Here they are laid on top of the rotary cutter. But before I could weld them on, I had to cut them to length and also notch out the ends where they overlap the angle iron on the cutter. I did all that with my Harbor Freight portable band saw that I bought last year but have never used before. I got it on sale for like $49 bucks back then. If anybody is interested in how that worked, I'll post a review about it. It was sweet to easily saw steel at camp for a change.



Anyway, after I cut the reinforcing bars I welded them to the rotary cutter and primered them. It made an immediate difference as to the sturdiness of the body.
I also finished painting the other part of the quick attach wheels, then assembled and greased that part up. The Zerk fitting work I did came out nice to lube the pins and bushings. Now it is ready for the base part which is still at home.




The receiver base for the boxblade will have to be different than for the rotary cutter, since the two implements are different height. I might make a spare receiver base for when I make a rock or landscape rake. I'm thinking it will be about the same height as the boxblade. After I make the receiver bases for each implement, I'll bring all that up and work on plumbing the hydraulics at camp.

 

[sandman2234]

I bought one of those Howse lightweight bush hogs used and abused. The gearbox mount cracked, the bolts got loose, and cracked it some more, and the blades created a circular pattern on the deck. I used flatbar on edge to reinforce it the same way you are, except I ran the flatbar back to the point where the side ends and the rear angle starts. Thought that might give it more stability, but who knows, since I rebuilt it for a guy to mow shooting lanes with it. I used 1/2 inch plate as the base for the gearbox mount, and two pieces of flatbar on edge to create a piece of channel out of it. I was going to use a Volstro Rotary head to make the gearbox hole, but my buddy grabbed a torch while I was getting the Volstro out of the box. He doesn't understand the fine art of a nice milled finish, (but he is good with a torch).
Keep an eye on that formed channel mount for the gearbox, as it is only 3/16" thick on the 6' mower I had to fix.
David from jax

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Regarding the gauge wheels on your box blade sinking into the soft dirt. Would not your position control take care of that condition at least on flatter more even ground? Does your tractor have draft control?

Just wondering

 

[3RRL]

David,
That center gearbox mount plate is pretty thick on mine, thicker than 3/16" for sure and more like 3/8" thick. The angle iron is 1/4" thick. Anyway, I'm hoping for the best with the added reinforcing. My wheel mount base will also add more.

Regarding the gauge wheels on your box blade sinking into the soft dirt. Would not your position control take care of that condition at least on flatter more even ground? Does your tractor have draft control?

Just wondering

Yes, both position and draft control, so I can use the position control to lift the entire cutter if I want. I could set it so it sinks a little but not too much. After a couple passes, I'll let the wheels take over. So yes, you are right.
On the other hand, I've gotten pretty good with my boxblade and so far I haven't needed them. I've read so many threads about having gauge wheels on them or back blades that I decided to make the wheels so I could use them on the boxblade instead of just on the rotary cutter. I'm making the Quick Attach Wheels mainly to be more versatile ....so I can use it on other implements if I want.

 

[dbdartman]

Rob, been following this project, as a spectator, since it's inception. I have two comments:

First, I'm green with envy at not only all your equipment, but at your ability to use the same. IMHO, you've created art.

Second, concerning your reinforcement of the mower deck, I'd have continued the "over-kill" by adding pieces between the ones you added because knowing my luck, making the outboard area of the deck stronger, it would fail, catastrophically, in the center.

Keep up the good work, I'll be watching, & thank you for sharing!

 

[3RRL]

David,
Thanks for the kind words.
I was looking at those other sections too. One thing is I will be adding a flat plate from the center to the rear. They are 3/8 thick and 4" wide 'cause that's what I've got in the scrap pile. On those flats is where the base mount will be welded. So that should help too.

I got the dog leg design for the boxblade to where I like it and it will not hang over the back of the box, so I can use my rear blade when not using the gauge wheels. As I explained above, the boxblade (and future rake) receivers will be two pieces. A tube which will be welded to the box blade and remain part of it, and a dog leg piece to let the wheels touch the ground and have 5" or 6" adjustment. the Quick Attach Gauge Wheels will sit on the dog leg part.
When not in use, I'll take the wheels and the dog leg off.
Here's my idea.



I got the steel tube already and need to slit it in half, but had to buy the dog leg pieces and also the base for the rotary cutter. They didn't have the solid steel pieces in the scrap section so I had to pay full price ... set me back $180 bucks. But divided by three implements, that's getting a set of hydraulic gauge wheels for only $60 bucks a piece.

They were not part of my original design, so I'm not gonna count that towards the Rotary Cutter project, but rather a separate project since the wheels can now be shared among all kinds of implements....sound fair?

 

[patrick_g]

But before I could weld them on, I had to cut them to length and also notch out the ends where they overlap the angle iron on the cutter. I did all that with my Harbor Freight portable band saw that I bought last year but have never used before. I got it on sale for like $49 bucks back then.

I got one of those on sale at HF too and it is way better than a hand hacksaw most of the time. On the other side of the coin, if you use the Milwaukee version of that electric hacksaw you will find out what a REAL TOOL is like. There is just no comparison. The Milwaukee is way more powerful, cuts way faster and will take abuse and last forever it is built like a tank.

I won't be using an electric hacksaw all that much and bought the HF knowing it was a mere shadow of the real thing but it will do the job if you are not in a hurry. It came with a spare set of brushes and I hope it lasts long enough to need them. Both are a good deal but the HF is a good deal, cheaper.

I recommend the HF to anyone who would be an occasional (hobby) user. Buy some real blades, the one that comes with the saw didn't last very long at all. Good blades will make the little lightweight HF unit work way better than with the nearly worthless stock blade.

Pat

 

[MJPetersen]

They were not part of my original design, so I'm not gonna count that towards the Rotary Cutter project, but rather a separate project since the wheels can now be shared among all kinds of implements....sound fair?

Rob It's right and fair if the accountant goes for it.

I think that your compromise of lower attach, but clear rear blade is great. Wish I could make the neat little drawings like you do in your CAD program. They sure help get a pic of what you're thinking.

Mike

 

[3RRL]

Pat,
I know there are better saws out there but this one is about $200 bucks less. (that pays for the steel I just bought )
For $50 bucks and only used at my rural camp, it's great for what it has to do. For a tool like this (a hand held band saw), it's not so much the machine tool as much as it's the blade ... as you suggested. If you put the same crappy blade on a Milwaukee, it'll cut just as bad. There's only so much pressure you can put on any of them before the blade breaks anyway.

Don't get me wrong, I know the difference between a good tool and a crappy one. I've worked with plenty of both. IMHO, the key is knowing your intended application for it. That reminds me, I guess it's the same reason you bought a HD top of the line rotary cutter and why I bought mine? You use yours to landscape and level dirt and I don't.
LOL ... I just had to get that in there.

Mike,
I was trying to make myself feel better since the steel costs another $180 bucks, but now I feel better since I saved more than that on that hand held saw I bought last year. I use my old CadKey99 to draw. It's the same one I use for work (when I have some). I just recently learned how to make bitmap images from the CAD drawings so I can share them. Had no clue until my wife showed me how to do it.

Can you imagine, my wife knows nothing about my trade or CAD. But she knows computers and programs. So she browsed through the help section and showed me how to do it.
Of course I told her "Well, I never needed to use that feature before TBN"

 

[SkunkWerX]

Ahhhhh....The ol' dog leg mount, yes...hmmmm.... I see.

APPROVED!!

Very good idea for making it truly a "Quick" Change assembly.

Keep up the good work, Rob!

 

[3RRL]

Hey Skunk,
Always good to hear from you. It's getting closer now that I got the steel picked up. Maybe start working on it tomorrow?
Hey, I been looking at your tiller project. I posted over there on your thread with some questions.

 

[patrick_g]

Pat,
Don't get me wrong, I know the difference between a good tool and a crappy one. I've worked with plenty of both. IMHO, the key is knowing your intended application for it.

Didn't mean to put you on the defensive. Note, I own the HF unit like yours due to the $ difference and my anticipated use.

If the HF unit doesn't last and my use tends to be more HD than anticipated then I can buy the real tool but I suspect if the HF lasts long enough to get my $ out of it in use, I'll be happy. I bought the extended warranty which lets you just walk in and swap the broken one for a new one. Some tools aren't worth buying even with a warranty like that. I think the HF unit meets the minimum requirement.

I finally did break a blade on my rotary land leveler. It broke at the center of the bolt hole. After 6 years of brutal abuse I wasn't surprised. A new set of blades with shipping is almost $100 but for about $1.25 per month I shouldn't complain. Apparently it broke in three stages, widely separated in time so far as examining the broken edges reveals.

Do you have a link to a vendor with carbide edged bolt on scarifiers to use with the new blades?

Pat

 

[3RRL]

Hope you were Ok when that blade broke. That could be scary.
Instead of bolt on, braze on carbide inserts with silver solder. Then use a green silicon carbide wheel on your angle grinder to sharpen.

 

[patrick_g]

Hope you were Ok when that blade broke. That could be scary.
Instead of bolt on, braze on carbide inserts with silver solder. Then use a green silicon carbide wheel on your angle grinder to sharpen.

I haven't found the blade yet but need to do so before mowing that area again. Luckily there was no damage caused but I'm not sure how long it will take to find the darned thing. Seems the price changed between the time I phoned in my order and it arrived. Higher of course, probably ridiculous shipping charges. I'm keeping the other old one as a spare and have been musing about welding the broken one together with splints on both sides (equal treatment for the twin for balance) Might magnaflux or do a dye penetrant test to see if there are any cracks too small to see.

It is amazing how much vibration a 22 inch by 3 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch blade can cause by leaving the scene and leaving its twin to do all the work at about 500 RPM. Talk about the tail wagging the dog! I couldn't get the clutch in fast enough! (Imagin a paint shaker built for 55 gal drums!)

Pat

 

[3RRL]

I started working on the receiver mounts today. I'm going to make some extra receptacles like on the boxblade for future implements such as a rock or landscape rake. First thing was to saw it all up and then fly cut the pieces so they fit into the underside of the wheel frame. Here are pictures of the added steel I need for them. That should keep me busy for a while.



Larry, I added this video especially for you. It's using a fly cutter to mill a large surface down without having to take too many passes back and forth. My mill is moving at 40" a minute. That is a 2" wide bar in the vise, 14" long. I wish the lighting was better, but I was getting bombed by chips.

 

[sandman2234]

Must be nice to have power feed on the X axis (or any of them for that matter). My 2J machine isn't equiped with such luxury devices.
I do have a Maho with those fancy powerfeed features including Digital Readouts on all three axis, Cat40, universal milling from Vertical and Horizontal heads along with a removable horizontal table, leaving a vertical table in it's place. However, I don't have the power converter to be able to run it, so it just gets to sit there looking green. Maybe one of these days...
David from jax