[Donn Hewes]

Hi Mark, Not familiar with the A – 22. What make of mower was that? I have all the other parts you want also. Looks like I will be heading up by Jay fisher’s for a quick look at the Cornish fair ground on April 1. I will keep you posted. I don’t think it would be that hard to make a new pitman and figure the length. I would just make sure to set up the mower as best I could before measuring. Planning for lead, and getting the pitman square to the flywheel. determining exactly how far in front of the wheel the shoe is; etc. Then I think you can pretty safely make a new pitman.

[Donn Hewes]

We had a great weekend for the Mower rendezvous. We had five participants including me and it was a lot of fun. We worked on two different mowers that will both be set up with shafts for one horse use. I helped folks and demonstrated how different parts go together, but everyone else did all the work to rebuild these cutter bars and timing and lead. We even used a piece of a beer can to shim the outer shoe to perfection! Here is a link to a video of one of the mowers being tested!

next year I hope to do something similar and call it BYOM (build your own mower!).

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Mark, I have one here, I might be making a trip up to Jay Fisher’s in early April. $100. D

[Donn Hewes]

That looks really good. Simple and stout. D

[Donn Hewes]

Jared, Come on out, but be warned. no one gets to “just watch!”. D

[Donn Hewes]

I hear you. I was just giving you a hard time: it is a good point though. It is a easy to point out what “difficulties” a person might face, but they also have relax, and enjoy being with the animals. As with so many things, there is a balance out there. Wish I were home today, too nice to be at work! D

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Jared, I hope we aren’t spreading fear or anxiety! I like to think we are helping folks get a good, safe start to working with drafts.

[Donn Hewes]

Go to: macknair.com Norm is the kind of guy to ask him to find a good used one for you and he will.

[Donn Hewes]

One could certainly be purchased in in Pa. BW MacNair could well direct you in how to find one. I even vaguely remember a manufacturer of a brand new one. I will have to look for that. I think my friend Ken Gies did build a small one for minis. I think it is mentioned in the recent SFJ.

[Donn Hewes]

MCM, I think all your reasons for wanting a single horse make sense. I think for beginning teamsters to start with a single animal is totally possible. I just want to suggest that you not start under an illusion that it is the simplest arraignment.

Like Carl NY, I also start young animals single, but I don’t do it because it is the easiest way. I do it to ensure they focus on me for direction and leadership. While I don’t want a team of animals to look to each other for leadership or direction, as a herd they still look to each other for confirmation. They will react differently in situations where they are unsure if they are working single, versus when they are in a team. This is the pitfall beginning teamsters can fall into with a single horse.

I think this limitation can be overcome, by ensuring the animal and teamster are well prepared for each new task. Just some food for thought.

[Donn Hewes]

MCM, Just curious why you feel one horse is the best place for you to start? I think there are some good reasons to work with a single horse; many mentioned above, but I also find some beginning teamsters thinking a single will be the “easiest” place to start. While this may be true in some regards, I don’t think it is true in all regards. Just curious. As a barn / herd question I think barn animals can bond with almost anything. Being able to look over the gate at sheep may be all it takes.

[Donn Hewes]

I would love to hear more about your business plan. The problem we all run into, is whose definition of efficient will we use; or sustainable, or profitable. The reasons people use draft animals can be complex, and they can be efficient, sustainable, and profitable; but only if you are able to place them in the right context. To me that context must include a broader view of ecology, economics, and community, than is often found in the standard business plan. Good luck.

[Donn Hewes]

While the good Morgans sound great to me, I all ways encourage beginning teamsters to be open to as many breeds and sizes as they can. Finding healthy, trained animals of good temperament, that you can afford is a tell order to start. Nothing is more important to me than a safe beginning as a teamster. The experience and attitude of your first animals will play a huge part in that.

[Donn Hewes]

thanks Jeroen, I still like the idea of the independent shafts, but since I have no experience with them and the folks I am working with are probably already set up with shaft loops I think I will figure out a fixed shaft set up. Since I have not worked with shafts much it took my a while to figure out what the problem was. Someone tell me if I am wrong, but here is what think they where telling me.

With either fixed or independent shafts the far side could fall out of a shaft loop while you where working on the second side. The problem is where they go once the fall out of the loop. The independent one goes to ground while the fixed one waits for you to come and fix it. That is why the better shaft carrier to make sure it doesn’t come out. Makes sense to me anyway.

[Donn Hewes]

Jared, When you said the rivets where brittle and split I was wondering if they gave you hollow rivets or solid rivets. Lot’s of tack have hollow rivets in it, but this is NOT what you want for any important piece. The hollow rivet tool in the shop is very fast and is often used to hold something together until it is sewn.

The traditional solid copper rivet comes with a copper washer for general harness repair, and there is a special tool that drives the washer down over the rivet. For tug repair the harness shops also stock a slightly heavier (steel or copper) rivet that is built more like a nail. These work well with the metal strap as no washer is needed.

When I cut my tugs I was able to fit what had been the front end (no bracket, just sewn leather around a bolt) on to the D ring. the all-leather connection means it will conform to the ring’s curve a little. On the cut end I used a metal bracket or strap, that harness makers use and sell that had three holes in it for the solid rivets. This u shaped strap could easily be made at home, by bending 1/16? around a bolt. Then attach it to the end of the tug with enough room for the bolt sleeve. The bolt sleeve will now fit on the hames connection.

I believe Mid west leather also carries solid copper rivets. I have also used regular nails, but watch out for a weak nail head (also hardened nails) as the head may come off while peening. D

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