Raising DRs from the dead

The Photo Album is a place for "Shop Shots" as well as pictures and descriptions of projects that we are working on. Show off your Shops, Machines, and your Projects!

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modela
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 1:00 am
Location: Oregon

Raising DRs from the dead

Post by modela »

My name is Jim Marshall and I am a new member. I thought a good way to get to know me is to look at some of the things I did this year. The two DR mowers pictured below. A friend of mine and I took these mowers on (I wish I had taken a before).

There were three of these old mowers (none functioning) and our project was to make two good ones. I guess the best way to describe them was fatigued, abused, unloved by a cadre of volunteers for Mt Pisgah Arboretum. My friend and I did it for free, donating the parts and labor.

So, here goes:

When you don't maintain things bad things can happen. This is what happens when a bearing locks up.
Image
This is the drive reduction. We built it up and turned it back on the lathe.
click here
And this is the gearbox. Rebuilding included cleaning, replacing bearings and restoring shafts.
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Finished and painted gearboxes (urethane over epoxy primer).
click here
Piece welded in to reinforce fatigue breaks.
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Multiple pieces after welding, sanding and grinding. Ready for primer and paint.
click here
Pieces after priming and finishing. The decks were riddled with metal tears and fatigue cracks. One deck had to be reinforced around the back with a 1/8" x 1 1/2" flat bar after heating and bending the existing metal.
click here
The two after finishing and put into use.
click here
Well, anyway, you get the idea here. It is one of those projects that if you would have known the amount of work you never would have started. Lynn and I put in 82 total hours on these and $360 for the pair including bearings, shafts, and paint.



Jim
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steamin10
Posts: 6712
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 11:52 pm
Location: NW Indiana. Close to Lake Michigan S. tip

Re: Raising DRs from the dead

Post by steamin10 »

I love doing such things. It seems a lot of time, but the results are eye appealing. I hope they work as good as they look.
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
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