Starting to finish

Last winter we took this old set of drills apart.  Our plan is to rebuild them, hook them up to a hitch, and tow them behind an air cart that will deliver seed and fertilizer to be planted in the ground.  Reynald spent a couple weeks rebuilding the two air carts.  They are as good as new now!

Our next project is to put the drills back together!  It's a bit overwhelming, but we are determined to get as much done as we possibly can before spring work starts.  We won't use this piece of equipment until September 1st, but once we get busy in the fields this spring, there won't be much extra time for repair and rebuild work.  We're not quite at panic mode, but close!!

My first task was to put these two straw pickers together.  They go between the packer wheels to help drag straw through.  We like to carry a lot of straw residue, which is a blessing and a curse.  At times, too much straw can pile up and stop the packer wheels.  These straw pickers help avoid that....most of the time!

Straw pickers that are completed in the back.  The two square rods are what I will build the two additional ones on.

These spiders go on the square shaft.

And two bearing hangers per shaft.

And here they are, finished!

While I was doing the straw pickers, Reynald was putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle.  We had to clear out all these parts to make way for a wedding reception this fall!  Now that we have gathered everything back together, Reynald is working hard to remember what goes where!  I think he has it all figured out, but there were a few moments of  "what did I buy this bolt size for?"

Reynald is smiling now.....

but he was frustrated more than once during this "figuring out and remembering" process.

 Once I finished the straw pickers, I set to work, replacing the rusted bolts on the Stoess straighteners.  Three drills had the straighteners on, the other four I will need to put them on.

Tools of the trade....an air drill, a cordless drill, an end wrench and nuts, bolts and lock washers!

These are the rusted bolts and nuts that I am replacing.

Shiny new!

Boxes of bolts, lock washers and nuts.

These are the Stoess straighteners.  You can see the plate on top of the green angle iron,, that I am replacing the bolts on .  These straighteners  help keep the seed boot in place.  Photos of that to come later.