Re: (ET) Mower decks (was: E.T. membership)

[Bfayette aol com]

Why can't an existing deck for a gas mower be modified?  They generally 
have an arrangement of pulleys and belts, with a shaft and pulley for each 
blade.  Just remove all that and make cutouts for the electrak motors. If 
necessary, weld up something to mount it on your tractor with. It seems to 
me that if you find the right deck, it would be a straightforward 
adaptation.

Regards,

Brad


In a message dated 6/10/2004 5:09:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time, lelie ford 
com writes:

> 
> 
> The ET's deck is stamped.  Yet several other companies built ones as big 
> or bigger of spot welded sheet
> metal; there's a 48" Sears deck (ca 1969) of that type in my dad's barn. 
>  For a small run that's cheaper
> than stamping.  Design and location are the most important things.  I 
> would love a bigger deck, as others
> have built.  There are several ways of doing it.  Fiberglass might not 
> be the cheapest one, but it might
> be the quietest.
> 
> PS, does anyone know that Bill ever had a run of decks stamped?  Just 
> curious....
> 
> Larry Elie
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elec-trak-bounces cosmos phy tufts edu
> [mailto:elec-trak-bounces cosmos phy tufts edu]On Behalf Of Chris
> Tromley
> Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2004 4:56 PM
> To: Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
> Subject: (ET) Mower decks (was: E.T. membership)
> 
> 
> Keith Stieg wrote:
> 
> ***************
> The improvising has caused Bill to close his doors, Now we have to try
> to open them up!  Buy sending the membership fee it's a chance that
> might work. If not we can order new decks from YOU!
> ***************
> 
> Uh - Hmmmm?
> 
> As the new guy here I've stayed out of the
> how-to-deal-with-Bill's-departure discussion.  I didn't know Bill had
> the stamping dies for mower decks.  Not that anyone would want them,
> mind you.  The setup cost involved with large stamped parts means you
> need to make *lots* of them before they become affordable.  My take on
> this is that those volumes will never happen again.
> 
> But who says a mower deck needs to be stamped steel?  I can pop a mold
> off mine and produce fiberglass decks affordably.  I'm a mechanical
> engineer, so I should be able to do a pretty good job of adapting them
> for the new material, making them so they fit well, last well, etc.
> They should even be easier to repair than a steel deck.  They wouldn't
> be suitable for a restorer, but my tractor is a tool.
> 
> Is there a substantial demand for mower decks?  How many types are
> there?  I can see keeping one of each in "stock" and available for sale,
> not building another until there's a hole in my inventory.  That's a
> cottage industry I could handle.  Expanding this concept, are there
> others here who can produce critical parts?  With a little effort
> identifying our needs and people who can fill them, we 
> might find we're
> not as bad off as we think.
> 
> Chris
> 
> 
> 
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  Brad