Side stepping the Dealers

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M-5

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Last year I broke a header pickup reel bar on my NH baler its just a 1.5 x 1.5 x 1/4" angle. I scabbed and welded it back . 2 weeks ago I broke 2 more bars . they are all breaking around the center teeth hole. and the cracks look like they have been there for a while.

I tore it down last weekend and found I needed to replace the cam bearings so I decided I need to go ahead and replace the bars. 225.00 per bar from any dealer I checked. So I called the local steel yard 40 bucks for a 20' stick. I had a small cheap drill press. but i figured I could buy a new cheap drill press and pay for it easy. so will have about 40 bucks in each bar and I have a jig made so it takes about 15 min to drill the holes on each one. Im fortunate the rain is holding me up an allows me to make the repair or it would have cost around a grand.
 
Darryl

You have to wonder why more people don't do that. It does not sound complicated. It is probably a function of time.
 
because most grew up with throw away and buy new mentality. I have always been too POOR to do that I had to fix what was broke to get the job finished. I had a belt break on the cloths drier a few weeks back. how many folks would have just bought a new one instead of buying an 8 dollar belt and taking 30min to put it on. Its the MALE Figures fault raising these kids and not teaching them critical thinking and how to fix things.
 
M-5":2fv9gwnp said:
because most grew up with throw away and buy new mentality. I have always been too POOR to do that I had to fix what was broke to get the job finished. I had a belt break on the cloths drier a few weeks back. how many folks would have just bought a new one instead of buying an 8 dollar belt and taking 30min to put it on. Its the MALE Figures fault raising these kids and not teaching them critical thinking and how to fix things.

IDK if that fully explains it. I know a lot of poor people who cannot change a tire. They sit in squalor before they will repair their washer. On the other hand, I have a friend who is 80 and has over a million setting in cash and he still fixes enerything.
 
Bright Raven":20b1gxoj said:
IDK if that fully explains it. I know a lot of poor people who cannot change a tire. They sit in squalor before they will repair their washer. On the other hand, I have a friend who is 80 and has over a million setting in cash and he still fixes enerything.

No, you know a lot of poor people who WON'T change a tire.
 
M-5":1278a9vd said:
Last year I broke a header pickup reel bar on my NH baler its just a 1.5 x 1.5 x 1/4" angle. I scabbed and welded it back . 2 weeks ago I broke 2 more bars . they are all breaking around the center teeth hole. and the cracks look like they have been there for a while.

I tore it down last weekend and found I needed to replace the cam bearings so I decided I need to go ahead and replace the bars. 225.00 per bar from any dealer I checked. So I called the local steel yard 40 bucks for a 20' stick. I had a small cheap drill press. but i figured I could buy a new cheap drill press and pay for it easy. so will have about 40 bucks in each bar and I have a jig made so it takes about 15 min to drill the holes on each one. Im fortunate the rain is holding me up an allows me to make the repair or it would have cost around a grand.

I hope this works out for you I suspect that the OEM bars were heat treated. You may start bending in the middle of the bars in heavy hay.
 
jehosofat":30tgutpb said:
Bright Raven":30tgutpb said:
IDK if that fully explains it. I know a lot of poor people who cannot change a tire. They sit in squalor before they will repair their washer. On the other hand, I have a friend who is 80 and has over a million setting in cash and he still fixes enerything.

No, you know a lot of poor people who WON'T change a tire.

I think some actually do not know how. I suspect you are correct, more just won't.

My point: Being poor does not necessarily provide an incentive to get things done. That probably explains why some stay poor.
 
hurleyjd":2bqln216 said:
M-5":2bqln216 said:
Last year I broke a header pickup reel bar on my NH baler its just a 1.5 x 1.5 x 1/4" angle. I scabbed and welded it back . 2 weeks ago I broke 2 more bars . they are all breaking around the center teeth hole. and the cracks look like they have been there for a while.

I tore it down last weekend and found I needed to replace the cam bearings so I decided I need to go ahead and replace the bars. 225.00 per bar from any dealer I checked. So I called the local steel yard 40 bucks for a 20' stick. I had a small cheap drill press. but i figured I could buy a new cheap drill press and pay for it easy. so will have about 40 bucks in each bar and I have a jig made so it takes about 15 min to drill the holes on each one. Im fortunate the rain is holding me up an allows me to make the repair or it would have cost around a grand.

I hope this works out for you I suspect that the OEM bars were heat treated. You may start bending in the middle of the bars in heavy hay.

if they are the are pizzpoor heat treated. the one that was not broken was bent and It straightened with ease in the press. most all angle is heat broken so each batch has a different hardness. I do have a forge and can heat treat if necessary.
 
ranchersswiss":kgecs7k4 said:
Well, it's a good thing that you had it repaired all by yourself. This is just amazing!

My point is we are not working on the space shuttle and Dealers have for years increased their margins and stocked less and less parts so they can capitalize on the service depts to repair equipment. Its likely not going to change because we have created a society dependent on someone else. I flat refuse to pay 5 times the money on simple parts . The dad-gum bearings were 40 buck a piece with a made in china label.
 
M-5":1os9ires said:
Last year I broke a header pickup reel bar on my NH baler its just a 1.5 x 1.5 x 1/4" angle. I scabbed and welded it back . 2 weeks ago I broke 2 more bars . they are all breaking around the center teeth hole. and the cracks look like they have been there for a while.

I tore it down last weekend and found I needed to replace the cam bearings so I decided I need to go ahead and replace the bars. 225.00 per bar from any dealer I checked. So I called the local steel yard 40 bucks for a 20' stick. I had a small cheap drill press. but i figured I could buy a new cheap drill press and pay for it easy. so will have about 40 bucks in each bar and I have a jig made so it takes about 15 min to drill the holes on each one. Im fortunate the rain is holding me up an allows me to make the repair or it would have cost around a grand.

Very nice.. I wish steel was that cheap here.
 
skyhightree1":3evne7a7 said:
M-5":3evne7a7 said:
Last year I broke a header pickup reel bar on my NH baler its just a 1.5 x 1.5 x 1/4" angle. I scabbed and welded it back . 2 weeks ago I broke 2 more bars . they are all breaking around the center teeth hole. and the cracks look like they have been there for a while.

I tore it down last weekend and found I needed to replace the cam bearings so I decided I need to go ahead and replace the bars. 225.00 per bar from any dealer I checked. So I called the local steel yard 40 bucks for a 20' stick. I had a small cheap drill press. but i figured I could buy a new cheap drill press and pay for it easy. so will have about 40 bucks in each bar and I have a jig made so it takes about 15 min to drill the holes on each one. Im fortunate the rain is holding me up an allows me to make the repair or it would have cost around a grand.

Very nice.. I wish steel was that cheap here.

I priced a some 4x4 1/8 wall square to and its 180 buck a 20'stick
 
M-5":3nowkvy4 said:
skyhightree1":3nowkvy4 said:
M-5":3nowkvy4 said:
Last year I broke a header pickup reel bar on my NH baler its just a 1.5 x 1.5 x 1/4" angle. I scabbed and welded it back . 2 weeks ago I broke 2 more bars . they are all breaking around the center teeth hole. and the cracks look like they have been there for a while.

I tore it down last weekend and found I needed to replace the cam bearings so I decided I need to go ahead and replace the bars. 225.00 per bar from any dealer I checked. So I called the local steel yard 40 bucks for a 20' stick. I had a small cheap drill press. but i figured I could buy a new cheap drill press and pay for it easy. so will have about 40 bucks in each bar and I have a jig made so it takes about 15 min to drill the holes on each one. Im fortunate the rain is holding me up an allows me to make the repair or it would have cost around a grand.

Very nice.. I wish steel was that cheap here.

I priced a some 4x4 1/8 wall square to and its 180 buck a 20'stick

Dag
 
M-5":ybbylans said:
because most grew up with throw away and buy new mentality. I have always been too POOR to do that I had to fix what was broke to get the job finished. I had a belt break on the cloths drier a few weeks back. how many folks would have just bought a new one instead of buying an 8 dollar belt and taking 30min to put it on. Its the MALE Figures fault raising these kids and not teaching them critical thinking and how to fix things.

You made my day Dash. I thought I was the only tightwad left that worked on a dryer. I remember growing up when I would have to help my father work on our washing machines and dryers when they broke. I would say "why don't you just get another one this one is wore out". But hed patch it back together. When I got grown and moved out I bought a brand new Roper dryer for $250. It was the cheapest one I could find. My plan was that if it ever broke down I was gonna chunk it and go get a new one. Never had a minutes trouble for 17 years. Then it quit. Even though now I could have easily went and got a new one, for some reason I couldn't help but tear it apart to make sure I couldn't fix it, even though I didn't want to. Opened her up, found a broke belt, and $17 later she fired up and is still going strong. That was 2 years ago. I agree that how you are raised plays a major role in your adult life and your decisions as well.
 
I have an old NH chain baler with lots of bent tubes between the chains, I have been progressively replacing them by cutting off the ends and welding new tube in between, made up a simple jig and they work well, very rarely get a broken shear bolt now. Just could not afford replacements and completely not viable going to the dealer for new ones.

Ken
 

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