Now for something high-tech

[JÞB]

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@Ben wrote:

Hi Blokk,

You can probably guess what I am going to reply.

Spoiler

I already have one!

Not to be used for rough weeds and small trees. Should be used for grasses only and even then early in the morning when it is still moist with dew. The blade has a razor edge that can be damaged if used on thick hard stems. Back in the day... and even now... they spend as much time re-sharpening as they do mowing. During serious harvest time they would bring a peening jig with the to the field to fix flaws in the edge.

When used by an experienced mower, their motion looks like a nice graceful dance shifting weight from foot to foot as they go.

That is a tool that I would be wielding and I am looking for something that would make my better-half's life easier.

Ben

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Didn't you even post a picture of an edge press for one?

I've used one or two myself.  Much like a two man saw, you just swing and let the blade do the work.  Keep the blade sharp!

Any man that doesn't understand has never either,

1. Tried to converse with another sailor on a ships deck OR;
2. Held a collicky infant.

Move your hips and Rock!  Everything else, will eventually fall.

[JÞB]

And, since you already have manpower to utilize and maintain the EMP proof version (You did post a scythe blade cold-forge press once didn't you)

"Tanning and Working Bull-hide" might be a nice TEOTWAWKI book to add to the library.

No offense to the Lovely Mrs. Raynard!  

Spoiler

I still am hopeful that TEOTWAWKI won't happen without TANSTAAFL and mankind will grow up.

[Ben]

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@JÞB wrote:

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@Blokk wrote:

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@Ben wrote:

Have any of you purchased one of these yet?

Since my better-half took over the mowing I would love to get one for her. She already has an army of robots in the house to sweep and mop so this is a logical extension of what has worked great inside the house.

Can any of you comment on what looks like a great idea?

Ben

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Ben, here is an EMP proof version:

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Just missing...

Spoiler

The Whips which made that a "Labor Saving" device (For the Masters)

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There is more to that video that just the cutting down. But also the "standing up".

When wheat was cut it was gathered into sheaves, bound with some stray stalks and then stood up to dry. The scythe work resulted in the cutting in a nice pile while the weed-whacker would require a good raking before the wheat could be bound up. Going a bit farther,  I have seen some scythes with a crib built into the working end that would gather the stalks as the cut was made and create an even neater pile.

Ben 

[warren_scott]

After cutting down the wheat/oats/whatever, and standing it up, and tying it, and getting it into a bundle wagon, you then need to thresh it to separate the grain from the straw.

You can do it by hand, or by combine, or the 100 year-old way with a steam tractor and threshing machine:

Or https://youtu.be/hRz6Lx07omc

Not quite what you would think of as high tech for today, but 100 years ago it was the best thing going for farmers.

And then you still need to clean the grain, grind it to flour and then mix and bake before the bread is done....

[Ben]

The guy running the steam engine in the video I posted previously said that once a year he is using to do exactly what you mentioned Warren!

Now guessing that the steam engine you showed is similar in size to the one I saw...

That is 20 horses worth of power to thresh the grain.

Give me plenty of reason to have steam engine around ... just in case.

Ben

[JÞB]

Ben, There is something very interesting about that steam thresher's power train.

Did you notice?

[Ben]

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@JÞB wrote:

Ben, There is something very interesting about that steam thresher's power train.

Did you notice?

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You mean the belt being flipped over to get the opposite rotation?

I observed the same thing with the belt from the main crank shaft driving the speed regulator on the engine of which I had posted that video. I asked about it and it was just to reverse the direction. The engine I was looking at topped out at 250 RPM so I guess the rubbing is not a so bad at low speeds.

Now did my magic eight ball guess what your magic eight ball was asking about?

Ben

[Ben]

Since I am back on the steam engine topic and have the images on this machine...

 

 2-HP base and bearing machined first steam engine. Technically OK but I think I can do better. I will re-do that work since I generally write better code the second time (smiley-wink)

 

 Full steam engine casting set as first received.

 

 First part of a shipment for two additional steam engines.

 

 Remaining parts to complete engine #2 and #3.

Engine #4 is being or will soon be machined by the manufacture of the steam engine casting parts. Just incase I do not get my machined before TEOTWAWKI, I want to have at least one ready to go.

Ben

 Edit: Stupid image up-loader deleted the images!

[JÞB]

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@Ben wrote:

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@JÞB wrote:

Ben, There is something very interesting about that steam thresher's power train.

Did you notice?

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You mean the belt being flipped over to get the opposite rotation?

I observed the same thing with the belt from the main crank shaft driving the speed regulator on the engine of which I had posted that video. I asked about it and it was just to reverse the direction. The engine I was looking at topped out at 250 RPM so I guess the rubbing is not a so bad at low speeds.

Now did my magic eight ball guess what your magic eight ball was asking about?

Ben

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You are exactly half right!

Count the number of edges on that belt!

EDIT: After some picture manipulation I was incorrectly seeing a Möbius_strip  That would be an interesting way to extend belt life but, not here.  Put that in you pocket for TEOTWAWKI

[Ben]

A Mobius strip!

Completely escaped me until you pointed it out.

Ben