shaft question

[Donn Hewes]

In the next week or two I hope to make a couple sets of shafts for mowers. We will be working on these one horse mowers at the rendezvous. Since I don’t work with shafts much and don’t own any, I had a couple questions. Liz Brown is getting me the general dimensions from a pioneer forecart. In most shaft applications it is not practical to have the shafts raise and lower independently. For shafts mounted to the front of a dolly wheel It would be easy (maybe easier) to have each one going up and down independent of the other. Any reason why this would be a bad thing? We are leaning toward steel pipe shafts like a pioneer, but I hope to find one gauge thicker of pipe. the mower will take some effort to move around and there is always side draft. Ash would be another option.

[Livewater Farm]

Donn I tried this at one time and found it to be a hassel backing the horse into the shafts
was hard to get the other shaft into the shaft loops once one side as lifted and in
yuo have to move horse forward to place the second shaft and the first would drop out
with the shafts attached together you set one loop than the other and back in a little further
if you have alot of play in your shaftloops it may work
Bill

[Jay]

I agree with Bill, having the shafts fixed together will make hitching alone much easier.
I made a 1 horse mower out of a #7 last year without a dolly wheel, using 2X3 oak for the shaft inserts in to the square tubes. I believe the back end of the shafts were 34″ apart and the fronts were 28″ apart. I tried the mower several times before it left and found it worked well with a 1500 lb, 15.2 hand horse. I had a 5ft bar on it. Jay

[dominiquer60]

When using run of the mill shaft loops with shafts I agree with Jay and Bill that using fixed shafts is easier. However, after spending a bit of time down here in FL with the fancy Combined Driving crowd, I really like the ease of the independent shafts. To use these with ease, you need a way to attach the shafts at the heart girth without having to slide thru. Something similar to the Swedish military, harness or a safety shaft loop like the carriage crowd down here. Here is an example of hitching with the later, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCN3Yx9VJnA. I really like the way this woman goes about hitching her horse, she does a lovely job setting her horse up for a successful hitch and workout. Here is a link to the the modern quick release shaft loop and the modern shaft design being used with it, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5TYJZk1i1c. I don’t expect anyone to change their farm harness and shafts around for this fancy system, but for someone doing a lot of single work, especially youth, elders or ladies, set up in one of these ways, the independent shafts can be a nice low stress option to consider.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by dominiquer60.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by dominiquer60.

[Donn Hewes]

Thanks Erika, That is a nice set up. Jay, I assume your shaft were not bent or curved, just angle the brackets to create the desired spacing?

[Livewater Farm]

Erika watched the video of the woman hitching one thing I suggest no ever do is hook the tug before the hold back is hitched asking for a problem if horse moves and cart runs up on the horse
just saying
Bill

[dominiquer60]

That is a valid point Bill. Everyone has their way of doing things. Shaft loops, tugs, with hold backs last is the way that I was formally taught myself, if the horse moves forward without tugs, other bad things can happen. I think that this woman has the key to both problems, a horse that doesn’t move while hitching. This woman is going to represent our country at the International level this summer so she probably has just as valid a reason to do it the way she does it, as the rest of us have reason to do thing our own ways. Regardless of the order that she uses to hitch, I really like that she has a calm methodical way of going and the horse is a mirror of her actions.

Independent shafts are rather poplar in Europe right now. I imagine more farming an forest vehicles like the Sv5 forest wagon will be making use of them. It will be an interesting trend to watch.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by dominiquer60.

[Donn Hewes]

One thing about steel pipe shafts is you could custom bend them. A little curve down and away at the front might be nice. Also the back end of the shafts could come up before coming forward so it would hit the horse higher on the hind end. Not sure how important that is as most don’t seem to have that curve. I don’t know enough about the use shafts to have a strong opinion about the video, but where the shafts attach seems almost a handle. Perhaps that can’t come off anyway? It was nice to watch the horse stand and wait. She was clearly conscious of her lines and the horses attention on her. very patient and methodical.

[Jay]

Donn, yes, the shafts were angled in though the wood was also shaped to curve slightly. Jay

[Jeroen]

In Europe we use in general independent shafts on 4 wheeled carts and fixed shafts on two wheeled carts. When you use independent shaft it should be with shaftholders in stead of shaft loops. A metal half loop with a leather strap that straps the shaft firmly to the side of the horse.
Looks like this:

[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.

[Jay]

You have described the problem as I understand it, Donn. Jay

[dominiquer60]

Yes that sounds like a good description. Erika

[Jeroen]

Hi Donn,

I have had to use shaft loops on individual shafts and hitching when you don’t have help is not ideal. However when you need to you can make an extra turn with your belly band back through the shaft loop holding the shaft down and keep it from falling out of your loop.

I have fixed shafts on my forecart and it goes well even on slopes, but my shaft loops can slide over the back pad.

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