I cut the first hay field and the mower broke down Hopefully I can get this fixed.

I found a major problem with the Hesston PT-10 hay mower. And I think it has been broken for a while.
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[@nightsailor1]

The reason farmers are so humble is because life's lessons are persistent. Nothing wrong with improving your equipment.

[@reppfarms4493]

Agreed! Much less trouble with a disc mower (I have a JD 920 MoCo). You will get to the point where better equipment is well worth the $$$

[@jerrywoodlee2345]

If I was looking forward to seeing the springs replaced. But I understand you only have so much time for filming. I enjoyed the video in spite of a few problems.

[@hunterdan2002]

If the hay is dry, don't bother tething it. Just rake and bale. The less you work it, the better the quality.

[@danbentsen]

Some farmers call it -turnin a windrow over

[@batpherlangkharkrang7976]

Hi.... Evan thanks you for showing your video homestead bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋 bye 👋👍👍👍

[@wgoconnor33]

Evan you and your wife are the real deal, good job

[@johnsnider3394]

Need to get cylinder locks so you won't need the hose clamp

[@bpdp379]

@@johnsnider3394I would’ve stacked clamps like washers….would that work?

[@brandonrichardson6750]

I would look at getting another cutter bar so you have 2 in the event of a emergency you just change it out and keep cutting.

[@anthonya.perrysr4887]

This is an amazing channel. We farmers don’t make mistakes, we learn how to do things right. School of hard knocks 🤪

[@jzeck2]

They actually make a sickle bar riveting tool that makes removal and riveting pretty easy. It puts the right dome on the rivet so you can remove them easily next time.

[@ronatwell5379]

My hat's off to you, Evan. My wife used to say I was the most patient man she had ever seen, but I think you have me beat. When I mowed with a 3 pt. sickle mower, I only replaced the sections that were worn badly. I didn't even know that you could get "high profile" hold downs. My rock guards were the single type and malleable so that I could beat them up or down to put the right pressure up against the sections. Might have to do that once or twice in a season because there are rocks in the ground here, and they were always being knocked up or down. Occasionally, one would break or the wear plate would be so worn that it were not providing a good cutting edge for the section to rub against. Hang in there!

[@craigwiest772]

Revealing the different hats that a farmer wears. Even a simple task like bailing hay ends up being difficult. And this is just the first half of the job. Nice job. You’ll get there.

[@JEANEREANO]

Chuckling here😄, "It's like, Cutting Hay is a Rain Dance !" 💃💃💃 🙌 Rebecca !

[@matthewens509]

The soaked with sweat shirt at the end of the video says it all. Keep up the good work sir.

[@prebenRiisSrensen]

It's pretty easy to hammer in rivets when you're angry!

[@shirleybewley6646]

Boy! Ain't one darn thing, it's something else!

[@colleenmccowan5083]

Evan, you seem able to deal with all the frustration really well. Especially in those hot conditions. I struggle to deal with anything when it gets that hot! Good for you! Love watching the REALITY of farm life!

[@truegrit8280]

I was thinking, when U pulled the bar out, it was catching and not easy to get out. And then when U put the bolts on I kind of thought they might catch and not go in t0 the slot. Thats life, live and learn. U do a great job as an all-around handy man as they say. GREAT VIDEOS.

[@Jerram89]

6:04 with that transition I thought we were about to watch an ad for Black Rifle Coffee!

[@rancancookcanoy9768]

Cutting hay is liking washing your vehicle. If you want it to rain just wash your vehicle or cut hay. Good video. Thank you.

[@jakeschisler7525]

I started watching another KZbin channel and they are dairy farmers in New York. It's a family and Andy he shows how they have to always be fixing their equipment. So you are in the same boat as they are

[@timboslice3755]

Praying the rest of mowing and baling goes smoothly for you!

[@dylanvanduzer1302]

Place the cuttings bar on a edge and hit the knife with the hammer knife will break right off

[@janetdupree6353]

It amazes me that it is raining in July. In Southern California, where I live, summers are dry. Our rainy season is November to April when we receive 90% of our total rain for the year. I enjoy your videos.

[@stephaniewilliams1410]

Oh man, it’s always something. And one thing is dependent on another crucial point. I guess if it were simple and straightforward everyone would be doing what you do. Great job and a m a z i n g patience!

[@theburnhams2925]

Cutting hay in "iffy" Wx is analogous to washing the car (or leaving windows down), hanging out laundry, etc. Many things "work" (if you need rain...)

[@jefffortney4261]

Evan, you and Rebekah are doing a great job with your homestead.

[@stevenjoseph1459]

I have to say Evan. you do have an eye for detail....hopefully you'll be able to continue with your expertise in solving the problems with the antique dinosaurs...happy farming.

[@jimwilliamson7598]

Tip: You can lay the edge of the cutter bar against some solid steel and hit the section with a good hammer and the section itself will cut the rivets. Rerivetting is very easy with ball pein hammer. Use exact diameter rivets.

[@garywest-cl7id]

My thoughts to. Never seen anyone use bolts in a cutter bar.

[@johnsadler8637]

Once we got the angle grinder, we just ground the head off and punched the rivet out. Mostly though, the section had already broken the rivet off. But yeah, whacking it with the bar against a hard edge will do it.

[@CountryViewAcres]

I tried that, but the Sickles were in such bad shape they just bent up and didn't sheer the rivets.

[@TheGrimReaper1]

Looks like a combine cutter bar to me, ie for straw. I’m in England so might be a different set up over there but ours were always smooth. I still have a new box of them in the garage, have been there for fifty years since we sold the farm. I kept them as I thought they might come in handy for something.😀 Ps I have just seen those double fingers and a bit more convinced from a combine set up, and why not, no point in duplication of effort.

[@ThompsonsWorkshop]

Evan, for your hydraulic stop, cut a length of pvc that has an inner diameter of the rod. Split it in half, cut it to whatever length you need the stop to be at, then hose clamp it around the ram.

[@christopherpyle3503]

Just go with the rivets. You don’t have to change the cutter sections that often. Also, you might want to change both springs while you’re at it. Good luck

[@virgilpalmer2427]

I can't believe that equipment broke down....it looks brand new....😂

[@georgemoomaw9437]

To quote Rosanne Rose-Anna-danna - “It’s always somethin” I still think with all the surprises and set backs, you are living a dream. The challenges, and being able to surmount them are big parts of that dream.

[@billydeesullivan537]

I really don't miss working on those damn sickle mowers.

[@jimbucher1049]

Your so cool and calm all the time when you have problems...good job and good video..take care and be careful...see you again soon.

[@reidburnfarms2296]

Every time we cut hay my dad say time to make the rain come 😂

[@teenagefarmer]

That sucks about the mower!! Hope you get it figured out. Keep up the good work

[@garystlaske7703]

Great Video. If I lived closer I'd help you. I love fixing things.

[@primalfury2011]

Rivet em! You took them off easy

[@charlenepartlow7880]

Just catching up over the past week or so. So much going on in our lives. It's good to be back !

[@richnusser6079]

It’s a good thing you can wrench on most anything. That is a must if you don’t have a boat load of money to pay others to do it.

[@janetlutter9925]

I used to help my dad change mower blades good job

[@danielchapa2112]

If you do decide to go with the bolts do a quick pin with an old flat chisel on the end of those bolts so you don't lose them in your field when they come loose. You can always smooth them out with a hand file if you ever need to remove them.

[@jamesmorrison1884]

Hello Evan lots of fun. I did all the knives on my machine and I just left it the same. I find the rivits are easy to change that's me. We have had rain rain rain here to much the fields have lakes of water. Have a great day.

[@officialweldingfarmingarch2041]

Its good to see you making the machine your own! My experience with sickle mowers like that, is that they're reliable (once gone through) and very low-cost (long term) to keep in the field. They'll do a great job, and mine would cut at 4.5 mph easily with everything set correctly. Keep going, it should be well worth getting this one fixed up, it should give you years of good use after this.

[@shamrock56gargan96]

Still learning the ole mower😊

[@Dan-qy1rg]

I have done what your going through too, put the wrong sections on or bent a skid plate or two. I even broke my nose working on a JD 1209 haybine, I was changing out the guard. Those tension spring for the floating head are not easy, I think you did a good job getting it off. You'll get it done, your a resilient fellow. Good luck on the cutter and the hay. Hope you have a good week, take care!

[@whspioneer89]

I hit the backside of the triangle knives with a hammer. It usually sticks out past the cutter bar. Hitting the knives they shear the rivets right off flush with the bar

[@greggandjanetprice3851]

My dad had me rebuild the sickle bars each winter and we would turn the sickle where the knives facing down into the vice so all you had to do is use a shop hammer to hit each rivet one time and it would shear off quickly it did take practice but you could rebuild a sickle bar easily

[@greggandjanetprice3851]

Had problems sending text but it attached to previous text

[@stehan1422]

Hey Evan, you remember the old adage when it comes to machinery...if it moves not only is it dangerous, it will eventually break...but lucky for you the machine didn't collapse on the weak shoe, (always look for the silver lining...) reinforce the shoe with some degree of angle (Unknowing what clearances you may have under the mower, either bolt in place or weld it) using any good piece of steel or angle iron if that's all you have laying around. I hope you get the spring in soon too. Lastly, you can get spacers to go over the hydraulic rod so that you can take off that loose collar, and that circle clamp. I'm not sure if all Tractor Supply has them over by you, but I believe they carry them.

[@ianhaggart1438]

Nice one.. glad you can still find parts.. . The tractor seams quite happy on the mower to.. iv had many a fun 😮 time changing blades on combine header 30 + feet ones by the time your finished the other side of the shed was always covered in rivets or parts of any way 😉 😅. Stay safe 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@rt3box6tx74]

It turned out 15-20 yrs ago we could buy a new sickle bar ready to install at almost the same price as replacing all the blades. After that we always had an extra one ready to go. Just had to be careful we didn't get it buried in the back of a fully loaded barn. I had my help cleaning up scrap steel one winter and they made the brilliant decision to bend one of those 30 ft sickle bars that was stored outside into a pretzel to get it loaded on the scrap trailer. SMDH, must'a took 'em half a day to bend that springy bar. Some ppl can't be left unsupervised, even with the simplest tasks.

[@rt3box6tx74]

This video is exactly how farming really is even when you aren't runnin antique equipment. You spend more time fixin stuff than you do farmin. Then there's the time spent waitin for parts because dealerships and parts companies have turned into order centers. They no longer invest in keeping inventory of commonly used items. I don't understand how they've stayed in business under the current mode of operation. I'd have opted for the rivets if they were locally available. I'm sure glad that spring is still available. You probably need to change to the solid, cast cylinder stops. They don't move, though they can rarely break.

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

Evan lives in the general area I do, I'm on the Kentucky side of the southern, lower Ohio River Valley and he lives basically across the river by a number of miles, we share the same climate almost and similar habitats and forest (the valley has some peculiar effects on climate, we often experience temperature inversions that keeps bad, thick soupy air in the valley), in the summer it's so hot and humid that a quick updraft can cause it to rain fiercely at almost any time. Prediction goes out the window,

[@jwszewczyk]

A lot of sickle bars have a special tooth on the end that looks like a tooth and a half with 3 mounting holes. It's a one piece cutter and it apparently helps to keep the end of the bar from balling up. We use a Rowse mower that has a bar like this.

[@tinashields9599]

WE used Hesston haybines for some years here on the farm, and periodically my Dad would buy a whole new cutbar. That is another option for you and might be the best. I remember well helping him put those cutbars back in, they would tend to catch as he shoved it in. Probably a two person job. Good luck.

[@DarkVoidIII]

How many times do you look at the old equipment and wonder if it would be worth buying new equipment with a warranty? You make some hard decisions, but I reckon they're the right choices for your situation! If you can fix something and get extra mileage out of it, keep doing it. You have excellent mechanical skills, so hopefully this will pay off in the long run, or at least break even. Never give up! It's always fixable! 😀👍👍

[@CountryViewAcres]

Not me it's a scam

[@DarkVoidIII]

@@CountryViewAcres I thought as much. It didn't have the right look to it anyway. Talked way too much about getting something. Scammers are always the same.

[@johnsadler8637]

I was cringing when you put the bolts in. We never considered those - I’m not entirely sure high-clearance guards were an option back in the early 70’s. But popping rivets off and peening them wasn’t so bad.

[@kenmorford6156]

I have run a PT7 and a PT10 for years I have never seen a down stop, the head should be resting on the shoes with the spring support, also you should be able to get anything for that mower from AGCO but of course everything isn't cheap for it. I have replaced several bearing for it over the years. You did make the end knife correctly, one thing you should get on hand is the powerband or drive belt for it, they last about five years on average before they start slipping. I still run rivets in my cutter bars but I have the tool and boxes of rivets for it. The tool allows you to replace knifes with out removing the cutter bar and it came with the mower when you bought it brand new but not sure it you can actually find it anymore. Also just a heads up, all the pulleys and sprockets are held in place with wedge lock keys, they don't have the standard square key with a set screw, the key is wedge shaped, you hold the pulley or sprocket in position and tap the key in to lock it in place, they can be a real pain getting out even with the removal tool, I have had to drill them with a small drill bit to relieve the pressure so I could get them out.

[@frrapp2366]

i am helping a neighbor who does custom hay work , raking hay with a big wheel rake lots of the time she is baling before i get done raking. you should be able to buy a set of graduated depth spacer blocks(aluminum split donuts) to put on the cylinder, probably just need to bite the bullet and change out the hold downs if the bolts are rusty just cut the nuts off if you hit a rock in the field(or tree limb) and brake a guard or section you will appreciate the bolt on sections . my neighbor hit a shooting target in the field the other day and did 500$ worth of damage to her disk mower but was lucky a new cutter head is $20 grand id you have to replace the whole gear drive good luck and stay cool

[@NutsNBolts24]

My dad had a stopper on a hydraulic ram, he took a piece of PVC pipe. Cut it in half, cut to desired length of course. And then a couple hose clamps and it's going no where.👍

[@harleybuente5532]

They made a complete sickle bar with all new sections Soups has them.

[@edwardwatson6289]

When I used a sickle bar cutter I sharpened the blades with a file. They lasted a long time. I had three bars so always had at least one sharp.

[@jacobjahns4905]

You can put shims in hold down to space it up to get clearance

[@therealdiddypop4150]

We switched our combine platform sickle from rivets to bolts as you have done. Had clearance issues as well. A grinder solved the problem. Just take a 32nd or 16th off the top of each one and plan on replacing with new if you ever need them out again. If I can avoid it, I will never go back to rivets. For in-field repairs all you need is a wrench, a punch, and a hammer.

[@evaarnim]

praying for your repairs to go smooth

[@russellsutton9014]

Those Haybines came with a rivet tool! Maybe you can find one on line

[@HMSSfrigate12]

We used to refer to the wedge s as sections, so you could replace the individual section as needed

[@bobcole9274]

When the "hold downs" are bent, you can bend them back. I have ysed a tube about 3 ft long. good video

[@jasonmushersee]

you need the 2 in1 rivet tool then changing sections easy as apple pie. sickle/guards no big deal but is the drive belt still available that's why in 1989 we abandoned our two pt10's cutting wet tough lodged hay wrecks that belt there's no slip clutch on these haybines stuff just breaks & breaks & breaks your pocket book. there's several woodruff key's in that long pto shaft going back to haybine gearbox i used to put small size woodruff keys in there for shear protection. watching your hay videos brings back memories still can't believe i put a 6pt buck through our pt10

[@stevedrew5425]

It's like when you wash your truck. Rain for sure

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

Those heavy steel spring assisted dock ramps, some use those coil springs for lift, don't be hanging onto that thing when one of those springs lets go, a lot of violence and tremendous noise will follow shortly.

[@Timberland-Farms]

An overhead garage door place might be your best bet for a “right now” fix, they typically have large springs like that in stock and might be able to make you one. Also when turning the plugs out it’s almost impossible but putting them back in, put the spring in the vice with 3-4” sticking out the top or side to thread the plug back into it. The spring will coil “open” making install easier

[@wmkess]

Would putting the insert in the deep freeze overnight and the spring in the oven or under the torch work? Sometimes thermal expansion and contraction can work in your favor.

[@Timberland-Farms]

@@wmkess no not with springs. The plug is actually oversized to the spring and heating spring loses the heat treatment

[@ivanmkennedy]

Love this channel, but I would like fewer videos with more content in each one. That seems simpler. Thank you for keeping us up to date though.

[@lbfishin2156]

you should end up with a good running mower when done, at least till the next break 😁

[@157-40_T]

Love your dedication with older equipment but I do not have your mechanical skills so I will have to buy new and get implements on a service contract. I cannot see me doing the level of work, mechanically, you are so good at.

[@LedgemereHeritageFarm]

Rule of thumb on my farm is “if it ain’t broke it ain’t mine.” Dodging raindrops here in ME this year. Not ideal, but it rarely is. Good Luck😊

[@AppalachianRancher]

Airhammer with a chisel on it works great

[@darrenlane1850]

were still working on the first cut because of rain and damp mornings Newfoundland canada

[@PWRanch]

Wow Evan you are one patient man, I would have gave up on that old cutter, not worth the money that the spring cost. Lol I'm not sure the scrap yard would want that old rust bucket. You put all that time and money in that old mower and still have a hunk of junk. Get a used disc mower.

[@kennethlowe6337]

Evan great sorry your having so much trouble. If you ever have trouble getting the springs there is a company named Service spring give them a call and they'll talk you through how to measure them. When you put the plugs back on the new spring heat the ends with a torch and bend them out a quarter inch that'll take the fight out of them. 👍🇺🇸

[@mrclaus859]

Thanks Evan

[@doncc6080]

I'm not criticizing but like so many of us we put things off and then it bites us at the wrong time. Hope you get all the parts you need plus the longer rivets or bolts. I guess you could get out the sickle mower for the second field.

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

When it rains it pours, sorry about that Evan. Hope you can find all those new parts you need for the hay mower. Should cut like a new one when you get these parts. Good luck, stay safe and have fun when you can. Fred.

[@rg1599]

We have used a tool that punches out the rivet and turn around it rivets.

[@csnanny1882]

I am guessing your better half is working, I like to see her on video s with you. I don’t want to miss the new cow she is getting. I take it you are getting plenty of rain. Here in S. Florida we are to. I am wondering if you have been canning tomatoes, You haven’t said anything about your garden. Anyway I hope you get your hay in and put up. God bless you both,stay safe. ❤

[@jackiebinns6205]

Lord your easy going ! Thats a good thing for a farmer 😳

[@thomasfenlon2363]

thank you for video. I have been wondering about used mowers

[@georgedavidson1221]

I use to use an anvil to take the blades off You set the cutting bar on the anvil then hammer down and it will cut the rivets then punch them out

[@harlonlantz4094]

Evan,oil that sickle bar with use motor oil.Enjoyed the video.😊

[@oxfletch]

That is way too toxic to smear all over animal food.

[@therealdiddypop4150]

@@oxfletch I'm guessing you're not aware the mixing agent for fly control in back-rubbers for cattle is diesel fuel. Per label.

[@harlonlantz4094]

@@oxfletch my grandfather done this to his mower and it never made his cow's sick.

[@oxfletch]

​@@therealdiddypop4150 Personally I think I'd substitute canola oil or even kerosene, but even so ... diesel is still way better than used motor oil which is known to be carcinogenic.

[@paulborgmann6453]

Awesome video Awesome video

[@kennethnuckols3185]

Feeling the frustration brother. Stay on point

[@jaydee7454]

Low profile jam nuts and countersink bolt heads

[@margaretwilkinson9140]

we enjoy your videos young man!

[@markpriddy1]

Good video

[@peterkoster5053]

Probably should unhook the haybine from the tractor when welding. I was always told that welding could fry some parts of the computer in the tractor.

[@arlodewald5378]

I have another idea ? Try cutting a piece of plastic water pipe in about half if it's not big enough to just to cut a slice long wise . Than cut it to length .

[@jimtann904]

Evan re the ram shaft slipping on the baler you could make a saddle to fit over the ram shaft similar to your tractor loader rams when you serviceing for safty

[@bombardier3qtrlbpsi]

When i didnt see that you didnt have the high clearance hold downs. In my 488nh changed all over to bolts and keepa spare with me. Machine holds a spare cutting bar on the pipe frame. Hopefully no rain till yget the field baled.

[@CountryViewAcres]

Not me it's a scam

[@miguelavelasquez8056]

Even to bad about your hay cutter its going to be a mission to replace the cutters on your hay mower but im sure you will figure it out thanks for sharing

[@anthonyblalock1790]

I always went back with rivets. Aggravating but they don’t catch

[@winterhorse290]

That,s the way things go. You are either cutting hay or working on the cutter. I my case it was always working on the bailer

[@kd5inm]

What about tack welding the nut to the sickles and then grinding the nut down, or cutting threads into the sickles and threading a bolt into it and grind bolt stub off.

[@coyroberts8356]

Thanks ☺️😊

[@outdoorstudios2022]

Hello Evan