For MortL sickle bars

Contacts for spares and services

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TrevorJ
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For MortL sickle bars

Post #1 by TrevorJ » Wed Apr 27, 2016 1:01 pm

Hi. I hope someone can help.

I have a neighbour who is trying to chase down some blades for his old Mortl sickle bar mower. There must be none around our way, because he told me he even tried over Germany without any luck.

I though, if any would know, the CMN would have a member who'd know what blades from other models might fit, or what UK company still makes them.

At this time I don't have the model particulars, but he's back tomorrow.

Anyone out there with some insight?


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Re: For MortL sickle bars

Post #2 by Mrsmackpaul » Wed Apr 27, 2016 10:06 pm

if he has the measurements of the blades Im sure there would be a match even if its a bit bigger just grind it till it fits
He would need a old fashioned spare parts man that doesnt just look on the computer or in the book as he will most likely never find a match that way

Paul
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Re: For MortL sickle bars

Post #3 by TrevorJ » Thu Apr 28, 2016 2:19 pm

Hi Paul, yep that's what he's settled on doing as he bought blades today.

I went up this arvo to get model details as well as part number, only the blades and fingers had any numbering. I presume the sickle mower is a MortL -- 6ft wide and has 31 blades 30 fingers.

They blades are notably smaller than what's on offer these days.

OK details for anyone who might know.

Finger is N19

The blade section is N3675R with the MortL logo on them, so maybe someone has an old book with conversion to other older bar models.

The width of the blade at the base is about 57½ mm and the distance from center to center for the retaining rivets is very close to 40mm



Checking the Agco cutting parts volume 1, near the end of the catalog there was a reference to 16 shape sizes listed and none had holes less than 50mm.


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Re: For MortL sickle bars

Post #4 by Mrsmackpaul » Thu Apr 28, 2016 9:21 pm

could some high tensile steel plate be used your mate can cut drill and grind them to the right shape and size and then hard face the cutting edge and grind sharp
Mind you I dont think the blades on these types of mowers are super hard anyway

Paul
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Re: For MortL sickle bars

Post #5 by TrevorJ » Fri Apr 29, 2016 4:00 am

He has bought the blades already. He also got a drilling press to do the job. I figure these blades will be very hard, he's a capable guy, and optimism knows no bounds. :-)

How hard the job will be will depend if the new blades are just case hardened or actually good quality blades which are of uniform hardness.


As a side note: High tensile plating or small rhs section. That's the problem with Australia's steel industry and a reason I don't shed any tears over the @sehats dying off - [in a sarcastic tone] yes please where do I buy #14 or #16 gauge high tensile steel sheets ... ok how about 3 mm high tensile bisalloy or equivalent for all these small jobs I want to do ... no ... ok I could get #16 gauge but not unless I want to buy a 10t roll of sheeting. er ok skip that, I guess when I have the time and money I'll get some imported. OK how about some 50x50 high tensile rhs with 3mm walls, no not anymore not since the 90s ... sigh. [/__] Never put all the eggs in one basket, the mining boom was never going to keep on going.


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Re: For MortL sickle bars

Post #6 by Mrsmackpaul » Fri Apr 29, 2016 11:05 am

wonder if a base cutter blade off a cane harvester would work grind it to shape dunno about drilling holes in it Pratco that was here have shut up shop now and they would help people out with odd things once

Paul

And your right about the mining boom what a joke cant believe thought it was going to last so long
Your better to die trying than live on your knees begging


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Re: For MortL sickle bars

Post #7 by TrevorJ » Fri Apr 29, 2016 2:02 pm

I think base cutter blades, depending on where they were sourced from, are a bit softer as they bend easier than the hay blades. The main issue I foresee, would be grinding them to half their thickness.

I think in all my time carting beside cane harvesters, I've only seen a couple of the topper (which used hay blades) blades bend, and back in the day of Mizzis, the toppers were often amongst tree branches ... people with none existent headlands. :roll:

Though I realise the cane industry dropped off in productivity and innovation efforts, it was a mistake for the local steel industry to abandon the needs of agriculture sector in general.

I also think this coal downturn is a bit engineered, there is quite a bit of maneuvering behind the scenes, especially with the various mine owners "obviously" not wanting to pay the wages they do to their work force, and easy to see they really would like to pull fly in "cheap as chips" workers. (Though the law in Aussie land is supposed to endure everyone gets "fair pay," there are a great number ready to work around that, especially those who exploit the working backpacker market.)


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Re: For MortL sickle bars

Post #8 by TrevorJ » Tue May 10, 2016 12:33 pm

An update:

Apparently the blades which the neigbour bought for about four bucks a piece, drilled easy with an ordinary metal drill, so I'm guessing only the cutting edge has been hardened or made of an alloy that work hardens. He's about half way through grinding them to the narrower profile required.

I couldn't find any blades that matched the originals.

So if anyone is thinking of buying a second hand sickle mower that has blades with 40mm between centers, consider yourself warned -- you're up for a bit of work each time you want to change blades.


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