Brown Thumbs Polish Shredder Head Build

[Brown Thumb]

Still waiting on my motor. I think the head got here faster from Poland.
I needed 2 more pieces of aluminum to finish the infeed shoot and back they arrived faster from farther away.
Picked up some 1/8 x 2 alumunim to make the gear covers with.
What a PITA. But got the big one roughed out.
I don't have access to a Tig welder Anymore.
I tried the alumunim brazing rods, they work Kinda.
lots of practice needed but it turned out Ok.

 

[Knucklehead]

Ford introduced the new all aluminum body F150. You'll need some way to weld, maybe aluminum wire for mig, aluminum studs for stud welder, and aluminum converter for paint shop. I remember those aluminum Town Car hoods that were so hard to work with. It's going to get worse.

 

[deluxestogie]

But...but...but it don't rust.

Bob

 

[Brown Thumb]

Ford introduced the new all aluminum body F150. You'll need some way to weld, maybe aluminum wire for mig, aluminum studs for stud welder, and aluminum converter for paint shop. I remember those aluminum Town Car hoods that were so hard to work with. It's going to get worse.

Screw them new Fords.
Ill send any I get to my buddy that spent the 80,000 bucks for the tools, clean room, training Ect.
I don't think he has even seen one yet.
I don't know what the big deal is.
We have been fixing aluminum for yrs.
I somehow got to get out of the business, body's too old for this crap.
The insurance company's are out of control.
The stress is not worth it anymore.

 

[Knucklehead]

Shoot, wait till some of those cast aluminum frames start coming in for frame pulling with cracks all in them.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Shoot, wait till some of those cast aluminum frames start coming in for frame pulling with cracks all in them.

I hope to be Dead.
Or at least out of the business.
All the computers and monitoring systems in these cars are enough to drive me nuts.
I don't want to be fixing these things in ten yrs from now.

 

[AmaxB]

Yeh makes ya miss the pre mid 70s I have a neighbor bout 3 houses down with what looked like a 68 / 69 pickup. He hardly ever drove it one day I seen it in the drive for sale I damn near went down and bought it. Set there less than 4 days and was gone, thing was in good shape too. I used to have a 69 ford three on the tree I put a big block in it that had been bored an was distended to go in a mustang. The kid wrapped the mustang around a light pole before he put the engine in it. I got the engine for about $400 bucks that truck would run. I loved and miss that truck.

 

[Brown Thumb]

The Good Old Days, YeeHaw.
She don't bog down with the new motor. But loves to lockup the cutter head Now.
She works a Lot Better Tho.
Low case destemed no problem.
Med case, I have to be careful. She will jamb.
I Got to give Power Powermatic Credit.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I have found that when I get jams it is because I am over feeding. It's easy to do, the leaf just gets sucked down into the rollers so easily and quickly. Before you know it I'm dumping a ton of leaf into it and get a jam. A steady pace lets me shred with no jams. The other issue I see is also one of perception. With the Powermatic you have a very small roller length so you really can't over stuff it too easily. With the Polish shredder the head is so wide it tempts you to force a handful at a time into the rollers.

Also, Are you using any kind of oil? Lucas says to spray the rollers with oil. I tried it a few times (actually with glycerine) and never noticed a difference.

 

[Brown Thumb]

He told me oil also. I don't want oil on my Baccy.
a big heavy Flywheel would keep her turning.
I Got to find a 1 hp. motor that will fit in it.

 

[Brown Thumb]

I stole this gearmotor off a new paint mixing machine I don't use.
1/2 hp. 70 rpm. Its Gonna be a bugger to hook up. It has 1/2 in. square bar stock for the drive end hole.
There went Compact out the window since I have to mount it on the outside

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I wonder if there is an optimal RPM. I know Lucas uses 200 rpm but I wonder if 100 or 300 rpm would cut down on jams. Mine turns at about 190 rpm and I do not get jams as long as I pay attention and feed at a steady, even rate. It'll be interesting to see what 70 rpm does.

 

[Brown Thumb]

I got it rigged up and working per say.
It works a lot better. It will jamb tho with leaf in med+ case feeding it too much.
It will unjam by turning it on and off a couple of times. No wasted Beer. That is the baccy beer pond on the right on the table.
The motor is explosion proof and I don't see the wires to put a drum switch in to have reverse.
The shred I think looks better? The stems seem to get cut up more and not as stringy going slower.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Picked up a 1 hp motor Cheap too.
As long as the gear head will take the abuse I should be set. I can hook up reverse now.
R&D is way over budget.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/AO-SMITH-1HP-...HZ-1725RPM-FRAME-56C-/350700213358?nav=SEARCH

 

[Brown Thumb]

She should be ready to fire up in the morning, I got to get a few more bolts.

 

[Bex]

What a guy thing this thread has been - 1/8hp, 1/4hp, 1/2hp, now 1hp motor. Soon comes the manual transmission with some forward gears and reverse and the electric winch.....Looking forward to a video of this finally doing its thing.

 

[Knucklehead]

Don't forget the beer koozie sized cup holder.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Don't forget the beer koozie sized cup holder.

I prefer a shelf.

 

[Brown Thumb]

I got a 12 qt. storage container that fits thru the machine and it filled to the top fills a hefty storage jumbo bag perfectly.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Lets see if I can figure out to make a Vid.
The shredder is still being tested per say.
Once I am 100 % happy I will tear her down, Powder coat her and finish the wiring.
I have a half of tub left of little big gem destemmed ready to go.
Lets give this a try.