Have you ever seen a homemade TM?

[TimP]

I saw an isuzu 52 hp diesel new old stock motor on e-bay for like 3 grand, and a bigger one for like 4 grand. A blower is what 3-4 grand for a 59 68 blower? A big cat pump what about 5-600?. Then all the stainless and figuring I can see it being a project but you could build a big machine for probably 15-20 grand if you had a buddy or a shop to build it for you.

 

[Larry Cobb]

We have built TM's for over 20 years.

Every new design is thought out, but invariably some design issues always crop up.

On our 38 HP with #5MR blower, I wanted to go with the latest belt design for durability.

We contacted the Gates belt engineer, for their latest computer aided engineering design software.

After spending 15 hours on the new 5VX belt design, and a new stainless steel idler assembly, we thought we had covered all the bases. It should be durable and easy to change the belts.

WRONG....

Belts were showing premature wear.

After several conversations with Gates belt designers, they admitted that the new "computer aided design" did not have acceptable life. They actually had the expected belt lifetimes on the "factory" models of the program.

We eliminated the belt idler and increased the length of the belts in the new design. These changes increased the belt life to over 1000 hours on their factory program.

Design software and engineer consulting is generally NOT available to home builders.

Also, the evaluation of hundreds of material and product choices is very time consuming for a home builder. Aluminum and stainless steel puchasing is a time consuming exercise.

A home builder can do a good job, but it takes a tremendous amount of time to build a single unit.

Larry

 

[gasaxe]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4BT-Cumm ... 0264237939

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-Cumm ... 0268062004

 

[gasaxe]

We have built TM's for over 20 years.

Every new design is thought out, but invariably some design issues always crop up.

On our 38 HP with #5MR blower, I wanted to go with the latest belt design for durability.

We contacted the Gates belt engineer, for their latest computer aided engineering design software.

After spending 15 hours on the new 5VX belt design, and a new stainless steel idler assembly, we thought we had covered all the bases. It should be durable and easy to change the belts.

WRONG....

Belts were showing premature wear.

After several conversations with Gates belt designers, they admitted that the new "computer aided design" did not have acceptable life. They actually had the expected belt lifetimes on the "factory" models of the program.

We eliminated the belt idler and increased the length of the belts in the new design. These changes increased the belt life to over 1000 hours on their factory program.

Design software and engineer consulting is generally NOT available to home builders.

Also, the evaluation of hundreds of material and product choices is very time consuming for a home builder. Aluminum and stainless steel puchasing is a time consuming exercise.

A home builder can do a good job, but it takes a tremendous amount of time to build a single unit.

Larry

good points. i consulted with the dealer i bought the blower from and shelby electric in memphis on my stepdads 59 roots . On a 8 year old unit he has replaced belts once. I built a jack plate when we replaced the first set to make tension/ replacement easier. the first setup worked ok and would have been fine i just had a idea in my head i wanted to try. It worked out to be easier resetting the belt tension and keeping alignment. second set has been on 5 or 6 years. first set had about 2500 hrs on them not sure what its up to now. It runs at 15" about 3000 rpm if i remember correct. I think he had 20 k in that unit with all tools,hoses, tandem 7000lb trailer rx20 etc...


most bering supply/commercial electrical supply houses have standards for pulley size,diameters, # of belts loading etc. This stuff has been around for many many years and standards have been set. As long as your not trying to reinvent the wheel the resources are available to anyone. Thank goodness for the internet/google you can find alot of stuff on your own on the web.

 

[Mr.V]

I've seen a few,,,,one was a big slide in with a perkins diesel propane heat and a 56 blower,,,,,it's gotta be 10 years old and still out working every day

and a couple of pto's,,,,,,not the prettiest machines,,,,,,basically a pump blower and heat exchangers bolted to the floor but work fine and they're about 10 years old or more ,,,,,,the one out lived the van actually

I'd love to build one,,,,,,,,,,,,I'd pretty much copy a Judson though with a bigger engine (20-25hp)

 

[TimP]

I personally want at least a 59 blower plumbed right......52 hp diesel.....ala diesel genesis. But built like a judson maybe like the reactor to get a bit of heat with an LP burner.

 

[Greenie]

For "most" guys, cleaning out there for 100 hours is a better use of time than building a unit from scratch, it's always been this way and probably always will, as the generations go by we as a whole become less mechanically inclined not more.

 

[bob vawter]

You can't beat that little 4 cyl Perkins....