Need advice on building roller

[Case485Guy]

Here is a chart I found with some specs on the tanks, shows length x width dem. & shows shell/wall thickness X cap thickness
Might help some?? Good luck on the project, would like to pics when your done.


420-lb. Upright 30" x 54" .12 - .18

120-Gallon 24" x 68" .1875
150-Gallon 24" x 78" .1875
250-Gallon 30" x 78" .25 x .32
500-Gallon 36" x 120" .28 x .32
500-Gallon 30" x 156" .28 x .32
500-Gallon 41" X 104" .28 x .32
1000-Gallon 41" x 192" .28 x .34

 

[crash325]

I had a thread on building a roller & sheep's foot a while back. Lots of pictures.

A roller rarely gets over 2/3 MPH, so real bearings are a waste. Unless you are going to use it a lot and often.

A heavy wall pipe through the center is simple & easy. Then a slightly smaller pipe to pull or push with. I just used PVC pipe fitting for bushings and they seem to be holding up.

Go to search and type in sheep's foot & / or roller there have been several builds on the subject.

Note: The picture shows the bridle upside down.

 

[moored4]

sorry over looked your post .could of just said +1. you could could always fill the tank with concrete.i have seen several rollers made that way.

No problem! :thumbsup: Sometimes I'll read a thread and my spelling is so bad that I go to word to write what i want to say, copy it over and post it and by that time some one else has said the same thing! It just show that we both have great minds. :laughing:

 

[SandburRanch]

Being on a budget as most everyone is, weld a 2" or even a 3" pipe stub to the tank ends and make oak bearings to fit the pipe. Add a grease fitting as everyone likes to grease stuff. Wooden bearings were used on combines for years at a lot higher speeds than a roller.

 

[LD1]

I vote or the solid shaft thru the tank and a pillowblock on each end.

Allthough I'd go up to a 1-1/2" shaft given the weight and application. all you have to do is drill a 1-1/2" hole in the middle of each end cap, and shove the rod through. That would probabally be the hardest part right there.

But the take itself is pleanty thick and strong enough regardless of the nay-sayers. You posted the specs right there. 1/4" wall thickness and 5/16 end-cap thickess.

Then use some 1-1/2" pillowblocks:thumbsup: The bearings shouldnt cost more than $20 each online and visit your local steel supplier for the round rod. BUt I am just guessing, but I dont think it will cost more than $100.

Here is one we did to give you an idea of the hitch set-up and bearings. It holds 225 gallons and weighs ~700lbs empty:thumbsup:

EDIT: we did cut the shafts down to length when done so they dont actually stick out like show in the pics

 

[weldermike]

I vote or the solid shaft thru the tank and a pillowblock on each end.

Allthough I'd go up to a 1-1/2" shaft given the weight and application. all you have to do is drill a 1-1/2" hole in the middle of each end cap, and shove the rod through. That would probabally be the hardest part right there.

But the take itself is pleanty thick and strong enough regardless of the nay-sayers. You posted the specs right there. 1/4" wall thickness and 5/16 end-cap thickess.

Then use some 1-1/2" pillowblocks:thumbsup: The bearings shouldnt cost more than $20 each online and visit your local steel supplier for the round rod. BUt I am just guessing, but I dont think it will cost more than $100.

Here is one we did to give you an idea of the hitch set-up and bearings. It holds 225 gallons and weighs ~700lbs empty:thumbsup:

EDIT: we did cut the shafts down to length when done so they dont actually stick out like show in the pics

End of story, done! Looks nice. I borrow my dads every year and it looks like its been through a war due to the rocks, an occasional tack on the seam and its ready for another season. His has a stub on each side going through a 5/16 plate with a hole in it , and his roller has been around forever, hows that for cheap, smear it with some grease and go! Turtles pass me, so how fast you really need to go.

 

[Ruark]

Tomorrow I'm going to price out some 1" rod to run through it. There's a guy down the road that runs a welding shop and does agricultural trailer repair - you know, those big 3-axle cattle trailers, etc. - he can probably give me a tip, and sell me the steel, too.

If that's feasible, I can just stick on a couple of pillow bearings and I'm home free. The rod can be snug in the holes, so it can be welded up water tight. Wheel hubs would also probably work, but would run the cost up a little too much.

Actually it doesn't even need the bearings. The frame can have, say, 1 1/4" pipe that slips over the ends of the 1" rod, with a bunch of grease in it. That would be fine for a roller, just to be pulled over a pasture at 2 mph. But the bearings aren't expensive, I might use those anyway.

I thought about putting sand or concrete in it, but that would be TOO heavy: 3300-3500 pounds.

I'm picking up the tank Friday.

 

[sweettractors]

I would seriously consider minimum 1 1/2" diameter axle and maybe concrete in the tank. Ken Sweet

 

[LD1]

I would seriously consider minimum 1 1/2" diameter axle

Agreed:thumbsup:

 

[Hollow]

I think I'd run a shaft all the way through the tank, and use pillow block bearings bolted to the frame work.

That is exactly what I was thinking, or an old trailer axle. You could probably get one off an old junked boat trailer or something for a little of nothing. Which ever you find cheaper... :thumbsup:

 

[Ruark]

I talked to the welder/trailer repair guy this morning. He said a 1" axle wouldn't work, it would bend. Seems like if you had the pillow bearing right up against the end of the tank, though, it wouldn't have enough leverage to bend it....?? I did notice a couple of you recommended 1 1/2" axles.

I looked at some old trailer axles, and they are BIG - like 3-4 inches in diameter, with hubs on the ends. I don't see how I could get one of those through there.

Can you get pillow bearings to fit a 1 1/2" axle?

I'm still not sure what to do. Old 1" rod is easy to find, but if it will bend, I will have to go bigger.

 

[LD1]

I talked to the welder/trailer repair guy this morning. He said a 1" axle wouldn't work, it would bend. Seems like if you had the pillow bearing right up against the end of the tank, though, it wouldn't have enough leverage to bend it....?? I did notice a couple of you recommended 1 1/2" axles.

I looked at some old trailer axles, and they are BIG - like 3-4 inches in diameter, with hubs on the ends. I don't see how I could get one of those through there.

Can you get pillow bearings to fit a 1 1/2" axle?

I'm still not sure what to do. Old 1" rod is easy to find, but if it will bend, I will have to go bigger.

1-1/2" rod isnt going to cost much more than a 1" rod. I am not a steel supplier and I havent priced it, but I would guess a 10' stick of 1-1/2" should be in the $50-$60 neighborhood:thumbsup:

And the pillowblock bearings can be had in about any fractional increment. Probabally not the cheapest you can find, but baileynet.com has 1-1/2 PB bearings for $17ea

 

[Ruark]

baileynet.com looks like a good place; thanks for that tip!

 

[LD1]

check with surpluscenter.com too. I believe they are sponser here as well:thumbsup: I dont think baileys is, but have used them before:thumbsup:

 

[moored4]

I talked to the welder/trailer repair guy this morning. He said a 1" axle wouldn't work, it would bend. Seems like if you had the pillow bearing right up against the end of the tank, though, it wouldn't have enough leverage to bend it....?? I did notice a couple of you recommended 1 1/2" axles.

I looked at some old trailer axles, and they are BIG - like 3-4 inches in diameter, with hubs on the ends. I don't see how I could get one of those through there.

Can you get pillow bearings to fit a 1 1/2" axle?

I'm still not sure what to do. Old 1" rod is easy to find, but if it will bend, I will have to go bigger.

You aren't looking for plane "old rod" what you need to look for is shafting material. It is of higher quality and carbon content.

 

[LD1]

You aren't looking for plane "old rod" what you need to look for is shafting material. It is of higher quality and carbon content.

Plain "old rod" will work just fine if 1-1/2 and the bearings are kept in close. Personally for a budget roller I dont see the need to spend the $$$ for shafting material.

 

[Ruark]

Quick question: on the pillow block bearings, there are always two kinds: the non-locking collar with two set screws, and the locking "eccentric" collar, usually also with set screws. The eccentric is a couple bucks more. What's the difference? Is it important for what I'm doing?

 

[Hollow]

I looked at some old trailer axles, and they are BIG - like 3-4 inches in diameter, with hubs on the ends. I don't see how I could get one of those through there.

You would have to take a hub off one end, push it through and weld it up. Then remount the hub.

 

[crash325]

Sort of wish you had stated how much you are going to use your roller. Mostly on flat land, pasture, hills, rocky ground. Farm use or commercial.

For occasional use, no bearing are needed. See picture 1. Threw that thing together one day out of mostly junk. Stub axles made out of 1.5" water pipe. Just torch burnt hole in 1/4" plate that fit over stubs. It had a lot of miles on it, mostly level ground, but lots of rocks. No real wear when taken apart.

I don't really like stub axles, but since they were already there I just left them when making it into a sheep's foot. It's 2' in diameter and 6' long, filled with water.

After making it into a Sheep's foot a new bridal was built. Had some old connecting rods laying around. Split some aluminum pipe to use as bushings. The stub axles & connecting rods did not break or bend when it was picked up and moved.

It weights around 1,700 pounds. Know that yours will be a lot heavier, but doubt that you are going to be picking it up.

One thing I think you should avoid is having a bunch of metal sticking out past the bridle. As in hubs & bearings.

 

[LD1]

Quick question: on the pillow block bearings, there are always two kinds: the non-locking collar with two set screws, and the locking "eccentric" collar, usually also with set screws. The eccentric is a couple bucks more. What's the difference? Is it important for what I'm doing?

The difference is how they lock to the shaft. The eccentric collar holds better. But for your application, I dont see the need. Just a plain 2-set-screw type will be just fine.:thumbsup: