Restoring the Great Pumpkin

jeff, i have some 1-1/2" pillow blocks i`ll measure.......by eyeball....the housing looks to stand proud of the shaft by 1 3/16".......hope that helps?
oh-yeah, they`re "dodge" brand....
 
I checked Dodge and they are bigger than these I drew up. Thanks for checking. There might be a special model out there but from what I see the standards are not going to work. I have time and will some more. But I think I am going to assume I need to use the existing and move on like that while I look.

When I purchased this I knew that this might be the case and I would have to use the square head. I am not against that nor terrified of it either. Just means I need to engineer up a spring loaded guard and ALWAYS use push blocks. Never push any board through using my hands. Besides I hate to modify the machine since it is so original. I think I just located a very old electric motor for it complete with the flat belt pulley. If this turns out to be good motor, I might just install it on here and run it with the flat belt. :thumb: How many people have one of those in their Lab?? :)
 
Jeff,

What are the dimensions on your head : ie ... shaft = 1.5", cutter head dia = ? or ... max height above shaft surface to clear cutter knives =

Also,

I have read all the articles on OWWM about square head cutters, and I still haven't read anything about "why" they are so dangerous. I'm curious if anyone knows. The only thing I see about them on this unit is that they are slotted and "might" come flying out? I can't really see that risk being too great as long as the bolts are new and properly torqued and the assembly is clean and straight and balanced? Anyone know?

cheers from "just curious" in Stittsville
 
john, with a square head there`s lots of "air" behind the knife.....where on a round head there`s metal behind the knife.....with air behind the knife it`s possible for the cutter to grab large chunks of splintered wood/clothing or even flesh...but in the end if a fellow gets his hand in any cutterhead it`ll be a mess! i`ve never heard of a knife coming out of a square head like i have out of slip jointed shaper heads......in the moulder world square heads like on a w&h will eat a blank if the grain catches just right where it`s not so common with round heads.....tod
 
This says it all!

hbjointerfinger2bv1.jpg

There are rumors that they have a Siren call and you are drawn to put your finger out to caress it. Once it has your finger it is like snapping turtle and will not release it till it has drug you arm in up to at least your elbow. :rolleyes: Well that is what I heard anyway. ;)

I am going to look at the options but I am thinking square head and guards right now. Push blocks too.

The round head I have is 1.5" dia. Shafts and head is 3.25 dia. I think I drew it 3.5? If so that is even worse than I thought. There is no chance of getting pillow blocks that small.

Jeff
 
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Jeff, that sure is a scary looking finger eater you got there!

I have to say, it also looks like the knives are WAY too high in the head, as the splitter is way down low on the knife.....:dunno:

Good luck!
 
Your right Stu, I think they are the wrong knives. The effective dia of that cutter head is over 6" dia! The knives are all the way down too. When I got it the tables were jacked up as high as I would dare go with them. So I set them mid way and took my measurements for the alterations.

If I keep the square head the knives will have to be ground down and a new bevel put on them and get them in line with where they should be. But that isn't really going to help the finger eater. :D
 
Spent a few more hours cleaning, prepping and painting parts today. Lot of work and little to show for it. Except dirt everywhere in the Lab.

d3-base.jpg d3-parts2.jpg
 
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Coming together nicely. Is the black your final decision?
I like it. What color for the letters? Silver? Gold? Red? :huh:

Welllllllll, I don't like that glossy black so I am going to change to semi-gloss or flat. Still up in the air on that one but yes black is my final decision. ;)

I actually had 3 colors on the base in small spots looking at them. I have wanted a deep dark red but I have yet to find one that looks like I have in my head. The black looked the best of them.

As for the letter colors I am not going to say yet. I have something in mind and will just wait for Show and Tell. :D
 
I was hoping you'd go with the Cummins engine beige, and I was going to suggest a dark burgandy for the lettering...I think that would look very classy.
Another neat project from Horton and Horton. (Yeah I know, there's only one of you. But you get so much done in such a short time on these restorations, having a company of workers sounds more normal!:rofl::rofl:) Jim.
 
Stu, show me the base of that if you don't mind. How the shaft mounts to the jointer and the bracket it's self. What you have done is what I have in mind basically. Extension spring and all. :D

I am thinking a nice piece of mahogany or cherry with brass wear strip along the face. But it may end up being MDF and painted. :thumb:


Jim, I couldn't find anything close to that beige around here wthout having it mixed. And I didn't have anything good to match it to. I really wanted to try that color too. But I think the this will look great once it's all done.
 
Got this coming my way. Not much to look at right now but it has potential. Very old, probably very similar to the Pumpkin. 1910's or so. Hard to tell the size here but he says it's 100 lbs or better. Babbitt bearing so it has to be old!!

oldmotor1.jpg


oldmotor2.jpg


oldmotor3.jpg


Jeff said he it's been sitting outside for a couple of years. Dragged it in and hooked up the phase coverter and it didn't run. Walked over and it was running. :) Just so quite and smooth he couldn't hear it from 20 ft away. :D

Even has flat belt pulley on it! This looks promising!!

Jeff
 
Thanks Greg, that shows me what I needed to see on the guard. My situation is a bit different than his is or was. But basically the same idea I have in mind.

Didn't get much done but did get some more paint on some parts. the tables are basically 3 pieces, 6 if you want to be exact. The sliding bases. The (4) jacks that have the angles on them and the actual table. I for the slides done and installed on the table.

d4-base.jpg


Black and white cause I can't spoil the color combo till it's all done. :D

Biggest pieces left to clean are the tables. I don't have a weight on them but I can't pick up the smaller of the two. Just to take a guess this one, the larger one must weigh over 150 lbs. I can not lift it at all standing straddle of it. I can slide them around but thats it. Might be closer to 200? Doesn't matter but I am curious. I don't know what I would do without this lift!

d4-table.jpg



Someone mentioned 55 gallon barrels and I remembered there were some down in the barn I had forgotten about. So I grabbed one, cut off the top to use as an electrolysis tank. It's a few inches shorter than the table so I will have to take it out and flip it to get the other end. I really didn't want to brush these because of all the nooks and crannys in bottom. So the first one is in the tank being electrocuted now.
 
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