Front Mounted Sickle Bar

[Rivertrac]

Been toying with this idea for the past couple years and thinking about using our B2620 with the front snow blower mount and fabricating a "socket" to fit the hitch like on the blower. Problem I am having is trying to figure out how to change the rotary motion of the PTO to a back and forth motion for the sickle. We have a 4 foot sickle bar that would be perfect so looking for ideas. Anyone have any viable suggestions?

 

[Daren Todd]

To power the sickle bar, you would need a arm hooked to one side of the ratating portion. So when it is at 3 o'clock it has the teeth extended all the way out and then at 9 o'clock the teeth are retracted the other way.

Seems like it would put a lot of stress on one side of your drive train. The one we had was a 3ph mount and was counter balanced on one side to balance the weight of the arm

 

[ShaunRH]

I don't know if you have an FEL or not with that unit or front hydraulics, but you could use hydraulics from a PTO or even direct electrical with a home made electric actuator system. You could even use a custom built reciprocating hydraulic system (not a standard pump). The PTO could turn an eccentric that pushes a hydraulic ram in and out, which pushes a ram attached to the sickle bar, I'd use really small rams! You could do the same pneumatically.

I can think of about a dozen ways to do this, and have drawings I rigged up to do a 20hp Craftsman lawnmower using it's mower belt drive. The hard part is the hardened sickle bar!

 

[coachgeo]

look at how an old train does it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACUPIyUhlXc

 

[Rivertrac]

In retrospect I probably should have included a photo of what I am trying to accomplish. The snow blower hitch has a PTO drive line mounted in bearing blocks which should handle any loading. I need to figure out some sort of excentric link to handle the rotary to back and forth motion but what I really need to know is what RPM I need to get the right cutter motion. I think 540 is too fast and would wear out the sickle rather quickly. Any one have specs for this?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Your really going to have issues, the mid PTO does not spin at 540RPM it Spins at 2500RPM you will need a reduction gearbox and a concentric drive to make it work.

IMHO your going to cost way more than the worth to make it work for you, but I like making things that are out of the ordinary for my tractor.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Getting a 5:1 gear ratio is easily doable with belts,a sickle doesent require a lot of power to operate, biggest hurdle is getting the stroke length correct.
I see only a few times where a sickle mower would be useful, hardly worth putting in front, in my case the offset type is more useful (under trees and mowing ditches and wet areas where i cant drive tractor)

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

On the negative thinking side of things, first time that thing digs into something it's Toast! Tractor would just push it till it became a pretzel!

 

[Daren Todd]

Foolish question. Is the sickle bar already mounted to a 3ph?

 

[Rivertrac]

The B2620 has two speeds for the mid PTO if I remember the manual correctly but will have to reverify that.
Yes I agree there are not many uses for a front mounted sickle and under trees is my primary intended use. I will have to be very careful regarding hitting something in front of the sickle which will be riding on skids plus the snow blower mount has hydraulic lift. If I can put together a workable solution then the next mod would be the ablility to shift it to one side or the other for more versatility. Also the sickle is not mounted to a 3 pt, I think it originally came off a Gravely walk behind.

 

[project_x]

I think you could put some gauge wheels on the bucket to protect you from dropping to low...

 

[Tooljunkie]

Hyrdaulic drive would be the most practical in regards to versatility. Then it could be mounted in a spring- loaded type of coupler, in case of contact with something. My sickle pops out of a socket if i tag something. Pto pump and a motor on mower. Could plumb hoses and tank, no control needed. Maybe a valve to set speed.

One thing i find that escapes me is the knowledge to figure out pump and motor volumes. Im assuming pumps that can be converted to motors would be the most practical- then buy two the same. Convert one and- dere ya go....

 

[Rivertrac]

Project-X: No bucket/FEL involved, just the snow blower hitch.

Tool junkie: hydraulic drive wasn't a solution I had given much consideration. Looks like I need to review more closely, I'm starting to like your ideas!