Haybine Guard Set-Up

[Does’ Leap]

I am setting up a MD #9 mower with a 5′ bar to be pulled by a draft-cross and halflinger. I hope to be mowing with 2 teams next summer – the bigger team on the 6′ and the smaller on the mower below.

[IMG]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wFGLOwIGzzI/TyMUa_VJTgI/AAAAAAAABHQ/pabW72pZ20k/s800/P1030581.JPG[/IMG]
I am setting up the mower with haybine guards and adjustable hold-downs. This bar will have 3 stub guards with the rest rock guards. I have 5 hold-downs and would like to know if this is the proper spacing. Neither the stub guards or the hold downs are bolted yet, but I laid them out in a way that made sense to me. Hey Donn, if you read this I believe you suggested that I skip one hole after my last stub guard and lay out my hold-downs evenly from there. If I do that, there would be hole right under the adjustment bolt. This hole is to the left of the first hold-down on the bar and there is also one to the right of it. Anyone know what these are for? Because of that first hole, I ended up skipping 2 holes and starting my hold-downs from there. This configuration puts my last hold-down over my last guard at the outer end of the bar (see second picture as well). The 2 holes of the very end of the bar are for the grass board contraption.

Does this lay-out make sense?

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Here is a picture of how I think the various parts on the bar fit together. Starting from the ground up, rock guard, mower bar, wear plate, and hold-down on top. Is this correct?
[IMG]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-g2s__BOSO4Y/TyMUYN0f3zI/AAAAAAAABHI/nlh4kfKNntw/s800/P1030580.JPG[/IMG]

Thanks.

George

[Donn Hewes]

Hi George, Basically you want one hold down per foot. More will just add unwanted drag. From the first picture you can start four holes to the left. The second hold down will be right between the two holes in the bar (for the bar holder to go through when up). Space out three remaining hold downs with two bolts between. Use your cone nuts upside down when there is no hold down. Those nuts will settle into the bar. On your very first hold down Cut the left side off so it won’t hit any part of the knife head. Remember that they may not appear to hit, but then the grass pushes all parts to the back. Grind until nothing can touch.

Another thing about those hold downs. When I bolt the whole thing together those little wings come down tight on the back edge of the knife and hold my knife. I have been grinding the underside of both the little ears (left and right of each hold down) to make sure they don’t lock up my knife. I have asked a few Amish shops about this and none have ever noticed a problem. I think they just send them out and expect the horses to wear them loose. I have seen them wreck new knifes or other parts instead. I have also been experimenting with cutting those tabs right off. There are other hold downs that don’t have any thing on the back edge of the knife.

Good luck with that set up. Let me know if I can be of further help. Donn

[Donn Hewes]

Hi George, One more thing. In regard to your last question, yes that is how they go together. Try and keep your wear plates back against the bar. The adjusting bolt will sit better on the wear plate and not be tempted to slip off the back edge as your tighten it. In final alignment of all the wear plates, hold last wear plate and knife back against the bar and see if the remainder are relatively straight. You might slide one or two forward a tiny bit to make a straighter line. I prefer them all against the bar if possible

[Jay]

George, I agree with Donn. When setting my wear plates, I loosen the hold downs enough for the knife to run very easily, gently push the wear plates forward to touch the knife where it sits. I then spin the flywheel to run the knife at moderate speed then tighten the hold downs and spin it again to make sure it’s not binding. It often takes several tries to get it just right. Good luck. Jay

[Donn Hewes]

I have always done much like Jay describes. But it is easy to push one forward a little and then the next, and soon you have pushed the whole knife forward which is unnecessary. Perhaps a rubber band on the last knife section will keep the last wear plate back. Then you can move the rest forward a tiny bit if needed. Remember, just because a knife appears straight doesn’t mean that is the path it will follow when mowing. It will be pushed back to those wear plates. That is why we try to make a straight line of them. I would also push hold downs forward as the back edge of the knife can also gain support from touching the hold down. In general, I prefer to keep them all on the bar as much as possible. Contradictory, I know. When you have these two mowers running I hope to come up and drive one some day, I think it will be an interesting experiment. Donn

[Does’ Leap]

Donn and Jay:

Thanks for the replies. I am headed out to the woods for the next couple of days, but will be back in the shop with the mower soon. I just noticed that my bar is not too straight. Have either of you ever tried to straighten a bar? Are you looking for dead-nuts or is a minor sweep ok?

George

[Mark Cowdrey]

George,
Does it sweep up or down or fore or aft?
Mark

[Does’ Leap]

Mark:

It sweeps up. Here’s a picture:

[IMG]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AutsNWyB0yc/TyUyeKrmoGI/AAAAAAAABJU/4EH4T7dUOKw/s512/P1030584-1.JPG[/IMG]

George

[Jay]

My experience is that often they do have a little up sweep to them – I assume to counteract gravity. So far I haven’t tried to change the sweep on a bar. I would be inclined to try using that one. When it’s in position on the mower how does it look? Jay

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