Here are some shots of the replacement and repair (new steel guides) on my Oliver #5 picker. Also replaced the wood blocks the chains ride on and put on new idler sprockets, with double bearing. I also added a 4.5" x 24" sheet of UHMW plastic on the long chain return side.
Hope you enjoy.
Perry
-- Edited by Perry Duncan on Thursday 12th of April 2012 06:15:14 PM
The gathering chains look pretty new, too. How long did the job take? One of my NI324s may benefit from a simiar r/r. I like the plastic. I don't know Ollies, but I assume that was not original. Where did you get it? Did you fab up the guides yourself, or fix up some salvage pieces?
Chains are new. Old ones were about to let go. It took about 3 wks. off and on to get it all together. I had new steels made for the short side. Two pieces. We had to guess on the angles on the ends as the old ones were shot. The polyethene sheet came from McMaster Carr, as did the new Truss head 5/8" 1/4 x 20 sheet metal screws. Could not find any locally. The old long chain had worn a valley in the steel, I added the poly., as it should last longer than I will need it! Very slippery stuff and impact resistant also. For the steel plate on the long side, I had the shop cut a 1.25" piece off the worn edge and make me a new 1.25" section and I welded it in place. Much cheaper that replacing the whole plate. The chains had been riding on the steel guides and they were all worn out. It runs much more quiet now. We will see, in the fall how it works.
Sounds like you did nice work. I am would like to hear how that McMaster Carr polyethylene holds up after you finish the year's picking. Funny about the corn--ours was too wet around that time, too. Even after the DRY year (SW IA), the corn was still 18.9% moisture and the stalks were green and almost juicy. We waited, and are going to try again this weekend.
