A wealth of good information here. I'm restoring an antique sickle bar mower that belonged to my Dad. The cutter bar had broken, and so, I was in the process of removing all the sickle blades. I tried grinding off the rivet heads and punching them out, but that just was not working well. So, I went to RUclips and found your video! If my Dad was still alive, he would have taught me what you just did, but he isn't and so, I'm grateful to you and all the RUclips folks who share their knowledge. THANK YOU!
An old vid but all the experts leaving comments is fun reading, I been doing this for decades on the old 501 just as you did here, I still hate heat,sweat and headaches that come with putting up hay.
Some good advice by c'caper down here, and I like to add that one should not really rivet the sections on like that, on the flat anvil; because there will be a gap in between the section and the knife's back. Better support the rivet on a corner of the anvil. Didn't understand this while I was shitting yellow, but picked it up later.
Did this all my life. We used a three-foot length of railroad iron in lieu of an anvil, and I had a shorter one just for emergency use in the tractor cab. Two thoughts -- put on another pair of gloves; hold on to your punch better and it won't drop through the hole (I always just used a big nut on the iron); get a bigger hammer. :) I finally got smart and bolt on my "sections."
With a nice, sharp cold chisel and the short length of railroad iron, you can replace a section right in the mower. Yes, there is a special tool for this, but it takes a long time and is a little less "romantic."
Hmm... those are good considerations! I was just following the example of the existing teeth, and I never thought about the stress on the cutter bar. Beyond supporting it on an anvil. Thanks,
I am a farmer . Never heard of grinding the teeth cause the edges are sharp and where out . Does it work ? Seems like you would grind off the hard cutting edges . I got a horse mower . Cool to see I can use the rivets instead of bolts . Good to see.
They used to make a stationary grinder specifically for sharpening bars. It's a stone roughly 6 inches tall and 4 inches wide that is peaked in the middle. You'd take your bar out and sharpen them on a bench. Nowadays, sections are so cheap that people don't sharpen them, but replace them. They can be sharpened until the serration is gone, so quite a ways. Type "sharpen sickle bar" in the search box on here and you'll see many different style sharpeners.
Yes but the tree next to him may have fallen on him first. And if he was stuck by lightning before that, neither the tree nor the grinder would matter.
2:39 The new section (tooth) should be flush with the bar (like the other sections). You should hold the section to the bar with a locking pliers while hammering. The gap that you have created likely will eventually cause the rivets to break due to metal fatigue of the rivets. Also the section with the gap will not align properly with the corresponding section of the other bar, which will adversely affect cutting efficiency.
I see you're using a ball peen hammer. The ball side is for rounding the heads of rivets. What you did is fine, but if you ever want a rounded head, use the ball side.
You are putting the blind rivets, not "pins", in upside down. It would also be an investment to purchase a rivet setter, made for setting blind rivets. The rivets, set as you are doing it, will add friction to your cutter bar, and the teeth will not necessarily be straight. I would also add that you cut your old rivets with a cold chisel or grinder to avoid unecessary stress to your cutter bar.
Never heard these called "teeth" before. Around here (Indiana) we call these "sections". I think teeth is probably a better term. Your accent says you might be from Canada? We go to the Steam Show at Blyth each year.
Same here in the UK. We always called them sections, and I'm going back to the 70s when we used them. Never heard them called teeth before, plus we sharpened them with a wet stone not a grinder.
Could you tell me where I could buy these teeth at?! I just recently started using mine again to teach the grandchildren how I used to cut hay! Awesome video, its been 20 years since I've ever replaced a tooth on one. Thanks!
Dear Drew Reynolds,we are manufacturer of sickle bar mower in China.We not only sell the sickle bar mower,but also sell the teeth.If you have demand,pls contact me by fredxucn@126.com Mobile/WhatsApp:+86-15966019173
I've been beating on the back of the bar for an hour now with a 4 lb sledge using a vise and the side of my utv bed. I can't hit it any harder. Any pro tips out there?
Ethan Gouge Hit the edge of blade, not the bar. Your trying to drive the section down to sheer the rivet. Hitting the bar does nothing except bends it.
A wealth of good information here. I'm restoring an antique sickle bar mower that belonged to my Dad. The cutter bar had broken, and so, I was in the process of removing all the sickle blades. I tried grinding off the rivet heads and punching them out, but that just was not working well.
So, I went to RUclips and found your video! If my Dad was still alive, he would have taught me what you just did, but he isn't and so, I'm grateful to you and all the RUclips folks who share their knowledge. THANK YOU!
An old vid but all the experts leaving comments is fun reading, I been doing this for decades on the old 501 just as you did here, I still hate heat,sweat and headaches that come with putting up hay.
Some good advice by c'caper down here, and I like to add that one should not really rivet the sections on like that, on the flat anvil; because there will be a gap in between the section and the knife's back. Better support the rivet on a corner of the anvil.
Didn't understand this while I was shitting yellow, but picked it up later.
I called John deere and asked how much new teeth are.
They referred me to a dentist.
Finally I learned how to do it I used to drill those and god damn that takes so much time Thank you so much!
Great video. You can use the ball end of the hammer and it will make the rivet heads round and equalize pressure to the knife bar.
Did this all my life. We used a three-foot length of railroad iron in lieu of an anvil, and I had a shorter one just for emergency use in the tractor cab. Two thoughts -- put on another pair of gloves; hold on to your punch better and it won't drop through the hole (I always just used a big nut on the iron); get a bigger hammer. :) I finally got smart and bolt on my "sections."
With a bigger hammer, you can often knock out a section with just one stroke. Saves a lot of time when putting in a whole "fill."
NEVER use thin blade for grinding, they will shatter
best comment
With a nice, sharp cold chisel and the short length of railroad iron, you can replace a section right in the mower. Yes, there is a special tool for this, but it takes a long time and is a little less "romantic."
Hmm... those are good considerations! I was just following the example of the existing teeth, and I never thought about the stress on the cutter bar. Beyond supporting it on an anvil.
Thanks,
Sharpen the opposite direction when grinding and the edge will be sharper throwing sparks away from cutting edge.
I am a farmer . Never heard of grinding the teeth cause the edges are sharp and where out . Does it work ? Seems like you would grind off the hard cutting edges . I got a horse mower . Cool to see I can use the rivets instead of bolts . Good to see.
They used to make a stationary grinder specifically for sharpening bars. It's a stone roughly 6 inches tall and 4 inches wide that is peaked in the middle. You'd take your bar out and sharpen them on a bench. Nowadays, sections are so cheap that people don't sharpen them, but replace them. They can be sharpened until the serration is gone, so quite a ways. Type "sharpen sickle bar" in the search box on here and you'll see many different style sharpeners.
Try using the ping side of the hammer. That is the purpose of that side of the hammer.
If that cut off disc shattered, as they do when you use them for grinding, it can cut into your leg in a second.
Yes but the tree next to him may have fallen on him first. And if he was stuck by lightning before that, neither the tree nor the grinder would matter.
If he grabbed the wheel to stop it spinning, it would cut him, too. I know you meant to say that.
If Dicks father is Toms son what is Dick to Tom?
Use the bolts, I havent used rivets in 15 years
2:39 The new section (tooth) should be flush with the bar (like the other sections). You should hold the section to the bar with a locking pliers while hammering. The gap that you have created likely will eventually cause the rivets to break due to metal fatigue of the rivets. Also the section with the gap will not align properly with the corresponding section of the other bar, which will adversely affect cutting efficiency.
Fish yes, I noticed that also.Not good.That increases the gap between the blade and the rock guard.
Thanks for sharing ....Enjoyed this video!
We use bolts more than rivets in our company !
teeth are called sections and the rivots go in the other way
AND THE THIN BLADES ARE FOR CUTTING
I see you're using a ball peen hammer. The ball side is for rounding the heads of rivets. What you did is fine, but if you ever want a rounded head, use the ball side.
There is a tool that has a concave face that you would hit with a hammer to make a round head. I have a video of me using it.
You are putting the blind rivets, not "pins", in upside down. It would also be an investment to purchase a rivet setter, made for setting blind rivets. The rivets, set as you are doing it, will add friction to your cutter bar, and the teeth will not necessarily be straight. I would also add that you cut your old rivets with a cold chisel or grinder to avoid unecessary stress to your cutter bar.
This is why the sickle bar servicer was made, thank god.
Never heard these called "teeth" before. Around here (Indiana) we call these "sections". I think teeth is probably a better term.
Your accent says you might be from Canada? We go to the Steam Show at Blyth each year.
Same here in the UK. We always called them sections, and I'm going back to the 70s when we used them. Never heard them called teeth before, plus we sharpened them with a wet stone not a grinder.
Hi, I just got mine at the local John Deere dealer.
If u had a grinder why didn't u grind off the rivets??? U could have done more and faster.
How to replace other knifes (down knifes)?!
Could you tell me where I could buy these teeth at?! I just recently started using mine again to teach the grandchildren how I used to cut hay! Awesome video, its been 20 years since I've ever replaced a tooth on one. Thanks!
Dear Drew Reynolds,we are manufacturer of sickle bar mower in China.We not only sell the sickle bar mower,but also sell the teeth.If you have demand,pls contact me by fredxucn@126.com Mobile/WhatsApp:+86-15966019173
Teeth should be tight to the bar before riveting. You are doing it upside down!
Bought from blade box
Blaits kese banti he
I've been beating on the back of the bar for an hour now with a 4 lb sledge using a vise and the side of my utv bed. I can't hit it any harder. Any pro tips out there?
Here's a tip: stop beating on it if there is no reason to do so.
Ethan Gouge Hit the edge of blade, not the bar. Your trying to drive the section down to sheer the rivet. Hitting the bar does nothing except bends it.
WEAR EYE, GLOVES, & EAR PROTECTION
are those B- teeth?
А зубчатые сегменты косят лучше проверено многолетним опытом
Зубчатые сегменты косят лучше зелёную, не перестоялую траву, попробуй покоси ими сухую и подопрелую....
You dont know how to rivet section blades on tightly......
They are called SECTIONS not teeth 🤣
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