Making a two horse mower from a one horse.

[OldKat]

@reb 17941 wrote:

Thanks for all the help so far. I have thought about selling this, but it is in really good shape and it was also a gift from a nice older gentleman who really wants to see it cleaned up and used, but on the other side I want a machine I can use with my team. What I am thinking right now is an off set pole fabricated out of steel, it would be offset about 18”+/-. So here is more questions, with this offset will the mower still handle and function as it should? Has anyone here done somthing like this before? If need be do you think I could heat and straighten the timing bar? What are others using for paint on these mowers? Again thank you, and I’m sure I’ll have other question, I hope you all don’t mind.
Richard

Now that I look at the picture of your mower with a two horse mower as a point of reference I agree with Carl & Donn that this probbaly was a one horse rig from the get go.

I was also looking at the timing bar and thinking that it didn’t look right. I would take it off and put a rosebud torch on it and try to straighten it out. I don’t think you are going to screw anything up if you go slow and easy. I’ll get back to you on the paint and scheme as I am researching that right now.

I am going to see if I can run down the guy that I mentioned that had a one horse mower and see if he still has it. He use to live about an hour away from me, but moved about 3 years ago and I have lost contact with him. If I can find him and he is still reasonably close I will see about getting some pictures for you of his mower; assuming he still has it.

[OldKat]

@reb 17959 wrote:

My team is 58″ and around 1000#. On most things I use 28″ single trees and a 40″ evener and that seems to work well.
Here is just a quick thought on what I was thinking for a pole offset PIC
Also another Question, can someone tell me about side draft and the rod that goes from the heel of the bar to the point of hitch. How might this work with the offset pole?

Properly braced, I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. I do think that the offset that you would build would not need to be quite as much as you have on your edited view.

[dehutch]

While I claim no expertise, I’m almost positive yours is a one horse mower. After a 6 month search I recently acquired a McCormick one horse which I assume is an earlier version of the McCormick Deering you have. One horse mowers are apparently scarce and appear to command a premium. You could probably sell your one horse and buy a properly setup team mower in good condition with the proceeds. Somebody will put your one horse to good use. There are one horse mower guys always looking for a mower like yours.;)

[Author]

Posts