Finally got round to installing the new gearbox into the waterwheel drive room. For those not following developments, this is to replace a belt drive system that I used to work out the gearing (35:1). The problem with the belt drive was that it needed to be very very tight in order to transmit the power - but at the same time, the genny has to be rubber mounted to be quiet. That meant that the genny was being pulled sideways by the belts, and misaligning, causing slip at higher power levels.
So I bought, at a very reasonable price, a re-furbished gearbox from llewellins gears in Bristol. Its an ex-mining machinery gearbox, and huge. The output shaft is 4" diameter.... It aint gonna break.... It weighs about half a ton - my tractor can only just lift it. Its been sat outside the door for a while now, awaiting a plate to mount it on that I ordered nearly a year ago - they lost the diagram. I then ordered a new one late last week from Luffman Engineering in Tiverton, who made it in 48 hours from scribble to metal. Incedently - it fits perfectly.
First job - get it through the door
hmm - its a bit tight
good job I have an understanding wife- not many wives would be happy to see sack barrows in the kitchen, let alone half ton gearboxes in the laundry....
I managed to get it up and onto the plate (the plate alone is a hefty two man lift) - and with a bit of jiggery pokery and scaffold poles, its in (basic) place.
sorry about the blurs - I discovered afterwards that my 1 yr old sprog has decided to poke the lens on my camera - but with a face like this - what would you do?
{insert gratuitous cute baby pic}
