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D. R. Mercer Traction Engine, type 1, factory assembled, unpainted. |
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The Mercer tractor has a very English appearance. It is alcohol fired, though a butane gas/ceramic berner is available. |
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For my (Eric) purposes the Mercer has a couple problems:��for one, the tractors English appearance doesn't mesh well with my other American live steam engines.��The second problem is that the alcohol burner proved dangerous and lacks performance. |
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Here is the cylinder. It is a D-valve cylinder. The fancy thing on the left is the safety valve. the thing behind the valve chest is the lubricator. |
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Here is where you can really see the advantage that the Mercer has over other small steam tractors: gland nuts on the valve and piston rods and full Stephenson valve gear. |
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In the cab. |
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To start the process of my modifications I degreased and painted the tractor.��I also started a new burner which I will touch on later. |
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The smoke stack is not yet installed because it still needs some modifications before paint. |
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The color scheme was inspired by Case steam tractors. |
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This is a model of a Case 28-47 Threshing machine. It is difficult to see but I had modified the cab and fuel bunker of the tractor as part of the "Americanization". This is visible in the background. |
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The Thresher is a nice model but it needs a few details added. |
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Costruction of the Thresher is almost 100% metal-- except the fabric flat belts. |
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Belts. |
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Case logo. |
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Here is the Thresher set up for use. The feed conveyor has been unfolded and the "wind stacker"(the large tube that says Case on it) has been swiveled out. |
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Tractor and thresher. In this picture you can see that i blocked the side entries to the tractors cab with sheet metal-- also part of the "Americanization". |
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As you can see, they make a nice pair. |
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On to the problems with the thresher. The bottom of the feed chute is hllow and open. This is visible unless you view the thresher from the top. |
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It is lacking some agressive looking devices called "band cutters" that should be visible here at the feed conveyor opening. The Dymo label, that designates what size thresher this is, also has to go. |
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These are the materials needed to both build the band cutters and close in the bottom of the chute. In the back is the industrial double stick tape that I will use to hold things together. |
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The band cutters are made from aluminum flashing that was folded on Henners bending brake and slotted to have teeth on my table saw. |
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Here is the finished band cutter assembly they are set at different heights on the bracket because the real ones oscillate when the thresher is running. |
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The finished band cutters installed in the feed chute of the thresher. This is the last thing the wheat will ever see-- a little scary. |
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The bottom of the feed chute is now fully enclosed. The galvanized steel was cut on Henner's shear. |
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Back to the Tractor. These boxes are the fuel bunkers that will mount on the back of the tractor. The addition of these bunkers will really give the tractor an American look. |
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This is the metal etching primer that I will prime the bunkers with. The primer is sitting on a Scotch-Brite pad that I used to prep the bare brass surface. |
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The smoke stack is back. Here is a nice little lip that Henner made. it is silver soldered to the top of the stack. Compare this to the fancy, British looking flare at the top of the stack in the first photo of this album. |
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The bunkers look clean in a fresh coat of primer. |
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