Auger rebuild

[wroughtn_harv]

A couple of years ago a company gave me an auger that they no longer needed. It had originally been a twelve inch with a Pengo head for a Bobcat two and nine sixteenths round coupler.

Some sorry son of a southern siberian sheep chaser had used the auger to the point where it was now a ten incher and would probably work to cut a hole in warm butter. I'm sure the only thing more stupid than their abuse of the auger was the complaining they were doing about it not working right.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's another view. Please note the fishtail (centerpoint or pilot) is closer to being a nail than a screw. Most folks don't understand that the fishtail not only centers the auger. It also initiates the boring process.

I've seen with some manually operated power augers where a quarter of an inch wear on the corners of a fishtail meant the difference between success and failure under some conditions.

It isn't there for show. Being properly tuned is just as important for the fishtail as it is for the cutting teeth on the flights.

Also note the wearing off of the outside teeth holders along with the wearing down of the flights themselves. These boys must have had their heads so far up their back sides daylight was weeks away. Of course management that would allow this to happen got just what they deserved.

Oops! This picture is after I cut away the wasted teeth holders with the portaband and grinder. What is here is the new pad where I'm going to weld on a new tooth holder.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is the auger after rebuild. The welding was all done with 7018 because of the wear. 7018 is the poor boys hard facing. In fact the flights were welded up on edge a hundred percent with the 7018, cheap insurance against instant wear.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Thought you'd like that. That's Stubby. She's taken over the forge for her eggerling duties once a day.

 

[Bird]

Good picture, Harv, though for some reason, I doubt it's the one you intended. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's a close up on the fishtail. Note the wore one versus the trick one. The trick one has fractured carbide in a matrix applied to the leading edges. It's meaner than a junk yard dog two more pups than ninnies.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Nah Bird, I figure since this is show and tell I'd to a little show and tail, sorta like they do in the military classes to keep everyone awake. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

What makes me sick about this whole episode is that auger originally cost between four and six hundred dollars depending who you are where you bought it. I put in about seventy dollars worth of parts and three hundred dollars worth of time not including the placing of my two inch hex coupler assembly. That's another fifty plus seventy five, parts and labor.

If the auger had been maintained properly it would have lasted through probably three tractors without a rebuild.

If you have an auger and it isn't cutting maybe you can post a picture of it and I can advise you what I'd do to make it work. Note: not what's right but what I'd do. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

A great pictorial and "heads up" on the science of augers, Harv. I never woulda thunk that the lead screw was that significant, but thinking about it now it makes oh, so darn much sense! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif