Shredder Upgrade

[wshytle]

This is one of those "roun-tuits". This shredder is/was almost identical to the IH wheel barrow style model (it escapes me at the moment). I bought it off cl a little over a year ago for $25 in pieces with a worthless 5 hp Briggs. I found a 6 hp Intek Briggs and it has served it well. I really like this machine but the one thing I didn't like was getting it back to the barn from the pond area (uphill). I have been thinking about doing this upgrade for quite some time so the other day when the Intek developed a leak in the plastic gas tank ($45 for a new one) for the second time I decided to take it out of action and finish everything, including the installation of the turning axle. Here are some pics of progress so far. The rains are coming so I'm being delayed. The pic with the handlebars is a before but after I upgraded then to 8" wheels. It had 6" solid rubber wheels prior. They had to go.

I used the axle channel from a cub along with the axle. I have a couple more hours of fab work for the steering and new fuel tank installation but I can now see the light at the end of that looooong tunnel.

I'll post the finished product in a few days.

Any input is always welcome but I won't quit the forum if not.

 

[dross]

It's not a new born baby but I think you did okay.

 

[proessler]

Wayne keep up the good work ! How well does that motor run the machine ? I used to have a IH 59M shredder mounted on a 12 or 14 hp CC,and could pull down RPM's, especially with fine screen on the discharge. The bar screen worked best for me. Are U going to have a tongue like a 4 wheel running gear wagon to pull it with a CC ?

P.S. My grandson just turned two!

 

[aschumacher]

Ah yes, bigger wheels!. The discharge chute on my Troy built chip/shreder is close to the ground and often have to stop to clear away the chips. I've got a 5.5hp on it and it does OK. A 6.5 or 7 would go on if this one quits.I Put a draw bar on mine a few years ago to hook on the back of the Cub...now I can move it around. For people that dont have one, they are heavy and a beast on soft ground, or a HILL !

 

[wshytle]

Paul-

Congrats on the two year old.

I have been running a 6 hp Briggs Intek and it does just fine (except for the plastic gas tank that has a history of separating at the seams). I have a yard full of sugar maples and they rain limbs constantly. I chip these limbs for the cats outdoor "box" and they really like it. I have just finished doing all of my own mulch around the plant beds, trees and such. It does great with leaves, small limbs, sweetgum balls, pine cones, and pine needles. The other day I accidentally put in an old gate hinge buried in some leaves and darn if it didn't shred it. It made one heck of a racket for about 10 seconds then, after shutting it down I noticed little silver shivers of metal in the mulch. I couldn't find anything else in the drum so I fired it back up and continued.

It is getting a tongue and 1 7/8" coupler. The only thing I won't like about the new set-up is not being able to back it very far.

Allen-

I really like the bigger wheels. I was having problems keeping the mulch cleared and the increased space paid off well. I have a Briggs 8 hp I/C I may someday install on it but I also have a kemp that needs an engine. I have a couple of 5 horse engines in the basement, a Briggs and a Honda but I need them elsewhere.

Dave-

No, it's not a new born but there won't be another like it in the world either. I'm thinking of painting it IH yellow and maybe even put a fraudulant decal or two on it. I don't think IH offered a pull behind shredder in the day but only you and I would know.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Wayne, nice job, and with a little humor as well.

I look forward to the final product. I'm curious as to how you'll make the steering tongue. I've had a far back burner project in mind of maybe making a wagon out of some of the spare Cub Cadet axles I have setting around here.

And just for the fun of it:

 

[thoffman]

I would think that if you could attach the tounge to the CC front axle and extend the tounge to the tie rod somehow that would work.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Tom, yes, but it's the how part, especially how the tongue is made to pivot that is of interest to me. I'll be watching to see how Wayne does it.

 

[wshytle]

Kraig and Tom-

I just finished making the swivel part of the tongue. It's too early to see exactly how I planned on it working. I would have to type like Dennis to explain lol. My main concern is the fact that the swivel will bear the strain of the pull. For this reason I plan to use a 3/4" grade 8 bolt welded to the top of the axle channel. I'm still trying to figure how to have a brace above the bolt as well.

In that picture you posted of the guy holding that 3+" stick is sort of funny. It would take 10 minutes to get that size stick chewed even if he were using the 7hp model. 2" should be the max anyone should try unless rot is involved.

 

[wshytle]

Here is the swivel part unfinished. It required a 2 1/4" drop because I used a wf front axle and, as yall know, the steering arms come off the bottom vs off the top with a nf. I almost used a nf axle for that reason but i already had the wf axle in hand. The blank end of this piece will attach to the tongue by way of a hinge.

The flat stock here is 1/2"x2" and the ball joint plate is 1/4". The real fun part is going to be drilling that 3/4" hole.

Everything will be easier to see and understand after the steering is together. BTW, the flat piece with the holes is where the ball joints will attach. I have to fab two links that will allow proper adjustment of the tow-in.

 

[aschumacher]

Wayne, 3/4" hole...would a 50 cal armor piercing round work? And a rat tail file to clean it up!

<font size="-2">Hindsight being a good planner, maybe you shudda put 'da hole in it first???</font>

 

[wshytle]

Allen-

How could I put the hole in first when I design as I go. Actually the hole placement will be determined next. It boils down to radius and clearance from side to side. I will weld the pivot bolt directly in the middle of the top of the axle channel so the hole will be roughly 6" back from the linkage plate.

I'd be finished but we're having spotty showers so maybe tomorrow.

 

[ewells]

Wayne have you thought of rotating the axle 90 degrees to the front and adding a plate to top and bottom of angle frame of shreader using axle pivot pin as axle piviot for turning and not using tie rods but pivoting whole axle to turn

 

[wshytle]

Ed-

I have a kemp shredder that's a pull behind and it has that steering set up (if I understand your idea). I've used it quite a bit and have noticed the pivot point can be strained because the axle is rigid. It doesn't have the "independence" the floating axle gives which avoids the strain.

 

[ewells]

Wayne when I was on the farm we had a pipeline welder that made farm wagons.He used what he called a 5th wheel steering that used a solid axle.It had a plate arrangement on axle another to the front bolster.On a wagon the coupling pole was made so the rear axle could pivot for uneven ground.I wish I knew more of how he made the turning arrangement. His wagons could be towed on highway and no weave like most farm wagons.I tried up to 70 mph and towed as straight as an arrow.They would haul heavy loads with no problems. The next time I am in that area I will try to find one and see if I can figure out more of how he designed that turning system

 

[wshytle]

Well, here are a few pics of the almost finshed product. I still have a few things to address plus the paint but it's together and being used tomorrow at a neighbors.

The last couple of pics are of the steering and tongue attachment. Projects like this helps one to understand why we have engineers. It's the little oversights that make you want to pull your hair out. Apparently my geometry sucks. I had to weld little stops to keep the steering from locking in the far right or far left position. I didn't have a piece of 1/4" fuel long enough so I have two fuel shut-offs. I'll remedy that tomorrow (even the little things can be long stories).

 

[jbaker]

Wayne that is VERY cool...what colors do you have picked out for paint

 

[wshytle]

I don't know yet Jeff. This thing is a bear to disassemble. I have quite a bit of mulching to do so I plan to use it as is for a few days. I have to at least prime it soon though. It has a lot of bear metal.

 

[glippert]

Wayne - Nice work. And, a sturdy metal gas tank, too!

 

[wshytle]

Thanks Greg-

I stole that tank from a Bolens 1020 scrap pile I happen to have. The inside of the tank is a beautiful gray metal with no rust. Go figure...

Right now I'm cutting rubber straps for the tank saddle to finalize and use today. The little Intek has a serious valve cover leak but I'm going to try it out for an hour or so before I get that addressed. I will have to disassemble the whole thing shortly anyway for paint.