Hi All, I bought this bench some time back & have decided I need to use it to cut a heap of firewood I have in my paddocks. It has a 26 inch blade. So far,I made the table slide better than it did,plus tinkered a bit with any bits that needed refreshing. I'm trying to ascertain the speed that this thing needs to spin,in order to be at peak working power. My original thought is to have this thing be easily portable,as it will be moved from paddock to paddock & even to a different location. It would be desirable to just back the tractor up & connect a shaft to it.Tractor PTOs usually run at 540 RPM.I already have the adaptor & shaft.(made,but not connected yet) My other option is to utilise an old belt-pulley I have in the shed.This,however adds more weight & complexity to my portable bench.Likewise if I add a petrol engine & belts to it. Do you guys think a direct connection to my tractor PTO is gonna be fast enough to spin the blade properly? Thanks.. Jim
I don't want to insult you Jim, so I'll assume you realise those things are from a different time when farmers not-infrequently were killed or horribly injured by machines such as that. Its use requires the utmost care. I doubt you could get any kind of accident insurance for its use, either.
I've seen them mounted on the tractor's 3 point linkage and driven by the right-angle pulley attachment often fitted to the PTO. That way you don't have to carry anything, and can do the job anywhere the tractor can go - which is saying a lot.
If that is a 26" diameter blade, I think 540 rpm is the speed that was traditionally used, for the same reason you have given.
Hi Grumpy, These things sell well at clearing sales & are still commonly used.The Mobilco type portables bring big bucks...
I will be adding a guard to cover at least some of the blade,plus I'll have the blade assesed before use. I have cut a heap of small logs into 7 ft lengths & want to cut them into one foot pieces.I will be standing clear of the blade....when I get to the last 2 ft lengths ,I'll cut them with a chainsaw.I ain't going face-to-face with that blade,only side on...from a few feet away.
As a purely engineering comment, provided you anchor the bench to keep it from moving relative to the tractor, I think your solution can function as intended.
I've seen people use unguarded piledrivers on 3 point linkages to drive fence posts, Jim - they do a beautiful job in no time at all, and it's all good unless you get your hand in between the driver and the post. There are lots of pieces of gear used traditionally on farms that would make an OH&S inspector faint or run screaming from the scene.
I'm not criticising your judgement, but this is a public access site and we need to take a responsible attitude.
If cutting 7 ft lengths into foot pieces looks like you would be standing right where you can get hit by the log to me..and that's when (not if) the saw picks the log up throws it down the paddock.. The saw looks in need of hammering by a saw doctor and a sharpen/set (sharpening a bench saw for cutting across the grain is is totally different than sharpening for cutting with the grain ie cutting timber).. Personally you couldn't pay me enough money to use that old thing, Ive used alot of number 1 saw benches in sawmills over the years cutting timber,even a few old breast benches that are no longer legal to run in a business due to how dangerous they were....Just my 2c but don't risk it if your not sure on it be safe....
Hi Grumpy, Yeah,I hear you...we do need to be as safe as possible. I often work alone for days at a time,fixing stuff & building things,so I have learnt to double-check everything & block,brace or over-engineer when possible.Having said that,you can never allow for everything that can go wrong,so keeping alert & wearing safety gear helps too.
Chris, I've taken your advice on board. I just found a local bloke who has worked around this stuff for a long time.He's gonna drop in & educate me a bit. I have beefed up the bench since the pics were taken,& was considering a lever type thing to keep the logs in place, rather than having them just sitting there. Anyway,I look forward to hearing from the local guy..
And thanks for the update, quite a few members here will be waiting to here what the local guy has to say.
It is amazing what the 'cow-cockies' come up with at times to keep something running, or to meet their needs in the field. I once bought a Model T Ford engine from a cocky for a restoration I was doing at the time, pulled it down and found the number 2 piston made of iron bark timber. It also had a piece of circular flattened corrugated iron nailed to the top, as the spark plug had burnt a hole right through it at some stage...this would have occurred sometime during WW2, when parts were hard to get. As some wise person once said, " Necessity is the mother of invention" All good stuff.
Please do not PM me asking for support. Please post your questions in the appropriate forums, as the replies it may receive may help all members, not just the individual member. Kindest Regards, Darryl
You can tell when you have the revs right because the blade will "sing." A bit of practice and you will be able to hear it easily. We had a Grays three man bench running from a 130hp Ford Super Six PTO years back for cutting house frames.
