Road Roller

[TRR]

For those of you who have built a roller, how do you ensure the axle is centered in the ends of the tube? I plan to use a section of steel pipe (24" to 30" diameter) and weld plate to the ends. How acurately does the axle have to be centered? Does it really matter since it is rotating relatively slowly? What about weight - is there a "rust right" weight for the roller? I was thinking a large pipe so I can add water (or antifreeze) and adjust the weight as needed. And what about the tow vehicle weight - should the roller be x% of the tractor weight?

 

[crash325]

For those of you who have built a roller, how do you ensure the axle is centered in the ends of the tube? I plan to use a section of steel pipe (24" to 30" diameter) and weld plate to the ends. How acurately does the axle have to be centered? Does it really matter since it is rotating relatively slowly? What about weight - is there a "rust right" weight for the roller? I was thinking a large pipe so I can add water (or antifreeze) and adjust the weight as needed. And what about the tow vehicle weight - should the roller be x% of the tractor weight?

Look up my thread on building a Sheep's Foot & Roller. For the center, use the 2 leg 90 degree and a straight edge. Do it from a few places as the pipe may or may not be a true round. Close is good enough.

Even good information on what NOT to do.

 

[Taylortractornut]

I cut my end plates with a torch with a torchh compass that I made. Center punch the plate and set the radius of cut and make it. THen reset the radius to make the cuts for the stub axles that fit the bearings. Cut those holes then push in the axles and check them for square and weld in.

 

[kubotakid USA]

Id think it would be best to get your center hole in the plate before you weld on tube, much easier to drill or especially torch, a nice hole, dont worry If your withen a 1/4 in youll never notice, Eric

 

[Taylortractornut]

The torch compass wid ll work almost as accurate as a drill press. One roller had a 1/16 out of round but that could have been in the drum itself. Te ones I built for the road dept for cold patching never had a problem We had to set them up with an indicator to check it out. Most of the stub axles are 1.5 and 2 inch diameters.

 

[JamesHW]

Can't help out with the construction, but the thread title put me in mind of a painting in a local museum I've admired since I was a kid. Thought I'd share:

 

[bcp]

Can't help out with the construction, but the thread title put me in mind of a painting in a local museum I've admired since I was a kid. Thought I'd share:

I hope that thing had brakes!

Bruce