Mower Tongue

[Russel]

Hi all

I found a company that sells american white oak. I wanted to get some to make a tongue for my No.7. I know the length of the pole should be about 14 foot but what about the measurements at where the tongue attaches to the mower and where it attaches to the neckyoke. Is it supposed to taper? Im not at home at the moment so I cant measure on my mower.

[Donn Hewes]

Yes there is a taper, but even more important is to get the right fit inside the mower. If you can’t do any final fitting at home with a hand planer or a saw you might want to measure it carefully before you order. They taper even inside the mower.

[mitchmaine]

hi russel, saw the photo of your mower with an old pole in it. the hole drilled horizontal through the pole a couple feet ahead of the casting is the hole that takes the yoke that holds the evener and is hooked by a solid rod back to the cutter bar. from that hole forward it is about 10 1/2 or 11 feet to your neckyoke. the verticle hole just behind it holds a rod that bolts through the cutter bar holding it up for transport.

[Russel]

Thanks Mitchmaine

I have all those parts, I just removed them to paint them. I could shape the pole at home. What dimension beam should I get? Also what other wood could I use for the tongue? What do you recommend?

I found a company that imports wood from all over the world so I can get almost any wood.

[goodcompanion]

I would think that most any straight-grained hardwood would do a fine job. Mahogany or teak, for instance. An ideal pole has perfectly straight grain with no knots or grain weaving in and out of the piece. Who knows, maybe you have some acacia or eucalypt locally that would fit the bill. White oak was used just because it was domestic, common, and had the basic properties needed for a pole.

I have a mower here that requires 3″x5″ at the socket. If you can get a good beam you can chalk a line for the taper and cut with a regular circular saw, flipping it over to finish the cut from the backside. Then finish with a jackplane.

[blue80]

Lots of old mowers out here have raw pine log as the tongue. Just square off the mower side with a chainsaw so it attaches to the mower nicely, and the pine pole tapers down to about 3-4 inches at the neck yoke end….

[goodcompanion]

@blue80 26242 wrote:

Lots of old mowers out here have raw pine log as the tongue. Just square off the mower side with a chainsaw so it attaches to the mower nicely, and the pine pole tapers down to about 3-4 inches at the neck yoke end….

I’ve seen this too. Doesn’t look showroom pretty or anything, but it does the job. Also is proof that unbroken, straight fibers are what you need.

[Mac]

@blue80 26242 wrote:

Lots of old mowers out here have raw pine log as the tongue. Just square off the mower side with a chainsaw so it attaches to the mower nicely, and the pine pole tapers down to about 3-4 inches at the neck yoke end….

Same goes here, except we often use a cedar or hickry pole thats had the bark taken off. Works quite well, but aint real pretty.
Mac

[Big Horses]

Yep, seen LOTS of lodgepole pine poles…. I like Douglas Fir if I can find it. I wouldn’t waste the money going to hardwood out here…I’m sure I can find a better use for it. That being said, the people in hardwood country can most likely get that cheaper than they can get what we use….. so for the original poster, I’d just use what you have available and enjoy!
John

[Russel]

I have Populus tremuloides (Quaking Aspen) growing all over my farm and it does have a straight growth pattern. Does anyone know if it could be used for a mower tongue though?

[Donn Hewes]

As mentioned above, most any wood can be used for a mower tongue. Make the pole diameter greater if it is a lighter wood. If you are not sure set the prospect between two blocks (a foot from each end); now jump on it in the middle, if it breaks don’t use it, if it doesn’t it should be OK. Donn

[Does’ Leap]

Russel:

I wouldn’t make a pole out of p tremuloides. My experience is that it is very dimensionally unstable (i.e it twists as it dries, despite the straight grain) and it is relatively weak and soft for a hardwood.

George

[goodcompanion]

I would second that on the aspen. My brother used to build towers out of it for Boy Scouts. They would completely deteriorate within the year. Are there maybe some acacias or eucalypts locally that might serve, or a mahogany type wood? I don’t know too much about South African woods, but in Australia we had a mahogany-like species that they called “Queensland Maple.” It was of course not a true maple. But it was very dense and straight-grained, and widely used for making plywood, furniture, and such.

Stay away from “dimensionally unstable” woods as George said. The last thing you need is to be mowing along happliy and suddenly end up being pulled through a rift in the time-space continuum by your mower pole.

[Russel]

I have eucalypts but they check VERY badly radially. Anyone know of methods to stop radial checking?

Wood is quite expensive here and the sizes need for tongues are hard to come by. Almost all buildings are made with cement and bricks. Most forestry is for pulpwood and paper.

[near horse]

Russel – could you glue up some dimensional lumber to get your size and then shape it (essentially laminated).

[Author]

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