homemade tedder?

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  • June 24, 2009 at 5:29 am #40662
    near horse
    Participant

    Hi,

    I was wondering how difficult it would be to take an old ground drive rake and use the gears and drive setup to build a tedder – one of those models that has maybe 4 bars w/ teeth (like whitehorse makes?) – any thoughts on this idea? Also, which way does the cylinder rotate that does the tedding? the same direction as the wheels or opposite? You can tell me it’s a waste of time and effort – I’ll live.

    June 24, 2009 at 9:16 am #53047
    Rod
    Participant

    I bought a Grimm GD reel tedder last year for $150 and after a few adjustments it works fine. If you can find a used one it seems it not worth the trouble to try an make something.

    June 24, 2009 at 4:22 pm #53050
    near horse
    Participant

    I agree Rod but, and I hate to keep complaining about it, out here you’d need to add another zero to your $150 if you could even find an old tedder. Believe me, I certainly don’t relish recreating the wheel – so now it looks like if I want/need a decent piece of horsedrawn equipment that I can afford, I need to take a 1000 mile road trip (or more).

    I do have a junk side delivery rake – that’s where the idea came from.

    June 24, 2009 at 9:46 pm #53048
    ngcmcn
    Participant

    Geoff,

    Grimm tedders are plentiful in the N.E. cause they were built in Rutland Vt.an they started making them along time ago.So they’re around. As far as changing over a side delivery rakes, I betcha you could do it. The Grimms have pawls in each wheel hub so if one wheeel is turning the other moves at a different speed. I have used them with only one belt which comes off the wheel and drives the bars and tines. The frame is basic fabrication, the cylinder(roll bars) run on on pillow blocks. Go for it. Cylinder turns the same direction as wheels.

    A few years ago we were seriously looking at cutting one down(a rake) to make a single horse rake.

    Good Luck
    Neal

    June 25, 2009 at 12:07 am #53046
    Carl Russell
    Moderator

    The IH reversible rakes had a differential with a shifting fork, so that the axle could engage the bars in the opposite direction. The bars also are adjustable so that the tines can be positioned to toss the hay into the air. And the gear ratio is different than when raking, probably 2x as fast when tedding.

    I would say that you could probably succeed if you find some way to remove the sprocket and turn it around on the axle so that the bars rotate the other way. You may need to drill new holes for the bolts holding the tines on and experiment with the right angle so that the hay doesn’t just get balled up in the works.

    Yeah IH tedder/rakes, and Nicholson and Grimm tedders are hedgerow junk around here. I actually have a couple, but I bet shipping would be ridiculous, besides they’re part of my “gold mine”, waiting for the day when i can cut them apart to make some kind gizmo.

    Actually, I meant to say that Nicholson tedders were made in England, so they are not as regionally located.

    Carl

    June 25, 2009 at 12:23 am #53049
    Donn Hewes
    Keymaster

    Geoff, One possibility is that you don’t need a tedder at all. With lower humidity and good weather in summer, most hay out your way is probably made with out one. I mowed yesterday, and it will rain tomorrow night. That is tedder time. I can ted tomorrow and see if the hay is dry enough to bale before it rains or ted it Friday after it rains and then go to baling. Just a thought.

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