Rotary Cutter Woods M5 Rotary Cutter

[jb tuggers]

Does anyone know about the Wood M5 rotary cutter? Is it slip clutch or shear pin? I found one for $350 in pretty good shape but the seller didn't know very much about it. Are they any good?

 

[RickB]

M-5's were sold with either shear bolt drive or slip clutch. They use a gearbox design particular to many Woods cutters that uses the blade bar to set the downshaft bearing preload. My personal opinion is this is just about the dumbest way to adjust tapered roller bearings I have ever seen. But to be fair, they did it for years on many models. If the gearbox has any kind of lubricant in it at all, and the blade bar isn't covered in the same stuff, it probably is OK at $350. But I would not own one.

 

[kebo]

Woods has a good reputation for building quality equipment. For $350 and in pretty good shape, you probably should jump on it with or without a slipclutch. A slipclutch can be added for about $90. Can you get any pictures??