Shearing sheep with a Model A

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Rich P. Bingham
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Shearing sheep with a Model A

Post by Rich P. Bingham » Tue May 17, 2022 11:09 am

His mechanical shears are run by a belt from the machine head to the rear wheel. Too bad we cant see the whole arrangement more clearly. I'll bet the same outfit was rigged on a Model T or two before this update ! :lol:
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Rich Eagle
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Re: Shearing sheep with a Model A

Post by Rich Eagle » Tue May 17, 2022 1:09 pm

It is intriguing. It would be fun to see the whole apparatus.
You may recall these young fellows using a model A to make Ice Cream 48 years ago.
IcCrm1.jpg
IcCrm2.jpg
Copied from 16mm.
When did I do that?


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Rich P. Bingham
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Re: Shearing sheep with a Model A

Post by Rich P. Bingham » Tue May 17, 2022 1:24 pm

Yup. I remember that well ! Fun trying to figure out who's who from a rear view. I'm beginning to doubt we were ever that young !! :lol:
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Re: Shearing sheep with a Model A

Post by Rich Eagle » Tue May 17, 2022 3:47 pm

Heinrich tells me that is a goat being sheared. :lol:
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Re: Shearing sheep with a Model A

Post by Rich P. Bingham » Wed May 18, 2022 10:37 am

Alas, Bartholomew and Heinrich got into quite a scuffle over this until Medford intervened with a 100x high resolution enlargement which finally proved to Bartholomew the texture of that clip definitely indicates the animal is an Angora goat. I don't know why anyone questions Heinrich's observations. He's never been wrong.
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Re: Shearing sheep with a Model A

Post by Luke » Mon May 23, 2022 5:11 pm

I don't want to shatter any romantic illusions, and I quite realise it's cool to believe the Model A is providing the driving power for the shearing head, however it doesn't appear quite right to me when you look at the photograph closely.

As I see it the 'top' pulley (ie. the one at the head end) is being driven in an anti-clockwise direction, seen from the camera - you can see the lower belt section is straight where it's under power, whereas the top section is slightly curved upwards on the overrun. Extrapolating further (and admittedly there are limitations in doing this from the old photo) I don't believe the angle is correct for the belt to be driven from the rear axle as one might first suppose. Rather the series of pulleys and belts etc that lead off towards the rear suggest to me there's possibly a donkey motor somewhere aft of the cab?

From a practical perspective it also doesn't make a lot of sense utilising a 40hp motor for a single shearer (my 2-stand shearing unit uses a 1hp electric motor). If it were providing the power for a whole gang it would be ok, however I think this is just a somewhat quaint portable shearing machine mechanism that's been usefully clamped to the transporting vehicle.

That said this is merely my surmise. As you say, Rich, it's a shame there's not another shot of the mechanism itself - I wonder if there's any more detail available from the source of the photo?

Luke.


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Rich P. Bingham
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Re: Shearing sheep with a Model A

Post by Rich P. Bingham » Mon May 23, 2022 5:47 pm

Luke, thanks for your observations. What you say is certainly reasonable, although looking back a couple of posts and 58 years, it seems "abuse of power" didn't concern the crew who decided to run an ice-cream freezer with a Model A any more than it did the sheepherder! :lol:
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Re: Shearing sheep with a Model A

Post by A Whiteman » Tue May 24, 2022 6:38 am

That is an interesting picture, although I think there are three shearing units attached with two shearers working (the front guy, an unused unit then the second shearer to the back - his handpiece arm can be seen with some fleece on the ground to the right of the picture).


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Re: Shearing sheep with a Model A

Post by Rich P. Bingham » Tue May 24, 2022 4:34 pm

I'll apologize first: :oops: :oops:

Shearin' sheep with a Model A,
I knew I was in luck !
Run three shears off the rear wheel,
Pack 'em on the truck

Pull that throttle down babe,
Pull that throttle down,
Wool-sack stompin' mama,
Pull that throttle down !

I grabbed me a Targhee,
I sheared her nice and clean,
Next one was a Dorper ram,
Man that buck was mean !

He stomped on my drive shaft,
He thumped me on the head,
We wrestled 'round for half an hour
Before that sheep was shed !

Pull that throttle down babe,
Pull that throttle down,
Wool-sack stompin' mama,
Pull that throttle down !

I'll take ya honky-tonkin',
We'll clean up real nice,
We'll pick off all the ticks 'n' fleas,
Have our beer on ice !

We'll get some peace with that last fleece,
And wave the bands bye-bye !

Sung to the tune of "Pistol Packin' Mama". If you can relate, you just might be a sheepherder. :lol: :lol:
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