[Donn Hewes]

Thanks for these thoughts. I have no problem using a 3/8 slot with 5/16 chain. Anyone else see this as a problem? I think the input to just make one makes a lot of sense. But hope I am not making paper weights! I will make some one a DAPNet paper weight if they want one! I will keep you posted.

[Donn Hewes]

Still working on the pricing for a short production run. Should have a price in a couple days. I am now thinking about making two slightly different versions. The first I call the “firewood hook” Made of plate steel, but not hardened, with the clevis pictured above 1 1/2 x 1/4 steel, and slots for 5/16 chain. And then make a “logger pro” slightly larger, thicker handle, made from hardened tool steel (hardened after it is cut), with a heavier clevis (5/16 x 2″ strap) and 3/8″ chain slots. This hook will likely cost 20 or 30 more than the basic one. I am thinking of making some of each.

[Donn Hewes]

I know my homemade nets are not pretty, but the horses sure like them. I have one horse that hates the flies much worse than everyone else; even she thinks these baler twine nets work great. Here is a link to a good photo.
can’t beat it for easy pezzy!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Donn Hewes.

[Donn Hewes]

Hi George, I think his welding rig DC, but I might be confused about that. Not sure how he had it set for amperage. I had tried some of the NOMcast rod already. It did make lugs stick on the wheels but I didn’t think there were on there very good. I was able to knock one off with a hammer. I have an old busted wheel I use for experiments. Of course I mowed on Sunday, you should have been able to tell by looking at the rain gauge! Mine went up and inch and a half!

Of course it is not scientific but both my mowers were working great on Sunday. Interns first day mowing hay and I don’t think he plugged once. The wheels I had relugged would not have been considered bad by everyone. They had at least 3/8 still standing in the center of the wheel and worn down more than half at the out side. When running the six and seven foot bars however I don’t think you can have too much traction.

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Peyton, First let me explain how the mower worked without the dolly wheel. the rod that goes from the evener bracket to the cutter bar head is called the draft rod. It helps triangulate and provide support to that critical part. The cool thing about this design is that while it needs forward support the cutter bar head also needs to be able to float up and down over the terrain. By being attached to the bottom of a swinging bracket it allows for the evener to move forward or back while the cutter head goes up or down, all while maintaining a constant pull.

With an Amish manufactured dolly wheel this float is provided by a plate that sticks out to the right. It is connected to the evener and is free to move forward and back. In order to get proper use out if it the stub tongue must be cut correctly. and the best way to go about that is to place the cutter bar on level ground (shop floor or drive way) and raise the tongue to the proper working height (or the height the dolly will be at. After placing the draft rod in the slot in the cutter bar head, make a mark where it touches the tongue. That should be where you would put a regular evener bracket if no dolly wheel was used and where the center of the sliding bar would be for a dolly wheel ( making sure it has room to move forward and back). I hope this helps. The big advantages of the Amish built dolly wheels for mowers is that they have figured out many details that are worth more than the cost of the dolly wheel.

[Donn Hewes]

The only problem with making the slots deeper is I would have to make it bigger over all, which is tempting as i could make the handle slightly bigger as well. Even another quarter inch would make a difference. I am planning to make a few small refinements before I make a match. So far the response has been encouraging. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Here is the prototype for DAPNet Hook. I like it a lot. The factory version will be hardened and have a little better hole alignment! Let me know what you think as we might start selling these. Donn

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[Donn Hewes]

Hi All, No scanner today, but I took a picture of a drawing. I will see if I can attach it. It would need to be cut in a shop that could cut with a computer, but 50 or 100 might be cheep enough. Then they would be easy to weld and assemble. I think the function looks good.

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[Donn Hewes]

This is great. One idea I have been kicking around is to have one cut out of flat steel. I will sketch a drawing of what I am thinking and scan it tonight. weld on threaded rod to bolt into a clevis swivel. Talk to you all soon, Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Michel, Is Aaron a person or a catalog? I was just going to check it out. Do you have a link. Thanks Donn

I have the begin of design in mind. I will try to share drawing this week. D

[Donn Hewes]

Hi All, Mark, that looks great. I have used a wooden drag similar to the Ohio drag to level after plowing and harrowing, but no steel and boards angle back a little. I know Jason Rutledge has used an old style grader to plow snow. I borrowed a tow behind grader a few years a go. It was good and heavy and went behind a forecart. Simple design, two wheels on the back. Blade pivoted in the center on a large heavy ring with good pins. You could raise or lower each wheel to adjust for side to side. With a three horse hitch I could push gravel, but I couldn’t cut anything. Grader too big and heavy. It also needed the ability to adjust left and right, and up and down while moving. It didn’t have that. It would be a fun project.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Donn Hewes.

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Ed, I was thinking about your horses and what I often tell folks when they find them selves in similar situations with horses of mine that don’t match too well. I think it is possible to pay too much attention to what is not “right” in the hitch. I suggest they develop the ability to “see” what is going on (being aware) and then ignore it. By ignore it I mean temporarily focus on what is “right”. You can control how fast they go; where they go and when they stop. The I suggest they relax and think about the difference between the two animals as a long term project. What small things can I do over time that will improve this situation? Line adjustment, different signals from my hands More voice or less voice?

The point is sometimes all the energy we are putting into a “problem” may be making it worse before it makes it better. Just some random thoughts. Hope things are going well up your way. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

I think constantly putting your horses in the hands of beginners can teach you (the teamster) a lot. About you, how you teach teamsters, your horses, and how they are trained and handled.

My horses and mules spend more time being worked and handled by other people than they do by me on an annual basis. These are all beginning teamsters with varying levels of skill and experience. I can’t wait to start to teach the next person to lead horses. Today, Daniel, who has been working with horses for about two months is just learning to lead my animals as a group. We are currently leading a one year old mule, his mother – a large Percheron mare, a year and a half old mule (without her mother – she is with her foal) a ten year old mule, and a tough 15 year old boss mare. He leads them all while I watch from close by. It takes a lot of practice to make this look easy. You need the means to communicate to those close by, but also those that are farther away from you. It also helps prepares you, and your horses for working in groups.

I used to worry about all the time my animals spend being handled and driven by all these people. There are definitely days when some horse or team has a tough day of teaching. But I have control of the teaching as long as they are my animals. I measure the effect of all this handling when I do work my animals myself. They are as responsive and well manored for me as I can hope for. I get all the control and movement that I expect.

I am not suggesting this is the solution to Anthony’s questions. Like Carl, I suggested that Anthony take this animal in hand and start to teach it to lead. I am just commenting on the fact that it is possible to teach leading to beginning teamsters, and have them work your stock. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Anthony, It seems like you have done a good job of transitioning to pasture. To me his antics have little to do with the grass, other than he feels good. When holding a horse by the halter or very short, there is not much room left to “teach” with. In a sense he is already to close and in your space. That way when he leaves he is just going “away”. And there is very little we can do to stop a horse that is going “away”. My two cents: Start by leading him single. I know this makes an extra chore, but some one else can lead the other horse. (teaching the apprentices how to effectively lead a horse). Now make him stay behind you. Often we were taught to not let them get their head past us, but for him, he should not get his nose past you. Hold him with two feet of rope. The reason for the rope is so he has room to not crowd you. The rope should be loose between you. Use your peripheral vision (like what Jay said) to ensure he stays where he belongs. Walk briskly like a person that knows where they are going. I usually have loop of rope in my hand and can easily use this to correct him by swinging it back against his chest as gentle reminder to stay where he belongs, and up in front of his face as a stronger reminder.

Not a regular trip to pasture, but as a training exercise, you should be able to turn when ever you want in any direction and he should be following you. He can only do this if he is behind you watching where you are going. You should be able to stop abruptly and he should stop and still be behind you.

Folks often grumble about how much time it takes to train horses, but in reality it does need to. In watching an old Buck Brannaman video, he mentions “after the initial training the only refreshers the horses need is leading with quality”. It is a great phrase. good Luck, Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi george, I find these questions interesting as well. I think I understand some of them and have guesses for the rest. Hopefully Carl will help us out.

When your horses are standing still and you want them to move over left or right; tipping their head tells them which way they are going, but turning their head means the front legs follow the turning head, and and makes it physically harder to move over, hind and front together. I use two hands with alternating touches when moveing over this way. Ideally I can give and take with each step they take.

I think the comment about reins inside is talking about a cart. Some folks don’t under stand that shifting the lines over the back of one horse is just like making a line adjustment. I like my school bus seat for sliding behind the slow horse and it is like a little line adjustment. It helps me illustrate the effect of our postion relative to the team to begining teamsters.

I am a little unclear on the backing suggestions. I am sure that backing and moving over in the woods while logging would be great if horses would take any step you want just for asking. But in the farm equipment world it seems tricky. Backing the spreader into the shed with out the lines, I don’t know how (or why) to do that. Of course, with 6 animals working they vary greatly in how they respond to pressure while backing. Some are very responsive to a light touch, and at least one mule and one horse need a heavier hand to start backing; I probably trained that into them. For begining teamsters my horses can be hard to stop while backing. Using a light touch while backing, makes it easier to keep them stopping each time you ask.

I also have been working with lines attached for about 20 years. Today, I alway suggest to begining teamster that there is a risk with each; tied or untied. Tied, you can always drop one and still get both back in your hands. With a buckle or knot you can get it stuck on something you didn’t intend. Recently I have been thinking that perhaps 90% of the lines are not connected, so I have been trying to teach myself to work that way. Boy is it tough to teach your self new tricks.

Over all I think Les probably just had really well trained horses that do as he wants. Certainly something to aspire to. Carl?

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