sickle knives

[Killer_A-C 0]

Here is a pic of the knives I got from Sickle Service.They are part # 207-231.Price was $4.42 each..Had to drill holes in 3 of them for the sickle head to attach....

[CarlH 117]

[CarlH 117]

Rivets are available from McMaster Carr #6 x 1/2" = 3/16" x 1/2" McMaster Carr PN 97300A665 @ $6.39 / lb

[HubbardRA 12]

Matt, How did you drill the holes in the sickle teeth? The Simplicity ones I have can not be drilled with a regular drill bit. I tried several bits and the cutter tooth just ruined the bit.

[Killer_A-C 0]

Ancient Chinese Secret...

[CarlH 117]

Inquiring minds want to know....

[Roy 0]

Carbide or CBN bits. Diamond bits as a last resort. There is also abrasive water jet or laser machines that can do the job.

[Roy 0]

Another method from another site: "There is a technique for drilling hard materials. To do it you will probaly need a drill perss, but perhaps you can devise some way to manually do it. This is a common method for drilling glass, and it should work on hard steel, too. Get a peice of thinwall brass tubing the same size as your hole, perhaps an old section from a broken radio antenna or perhaps you can find the tubing at a hobby store. Mount the tubing in a drillpress. Securely clamp your thing to be drilled in the press. Make a dam around where you want to drill with either tape or clay. Put a mixture of valve grinding compund and water in the dam. It's a mixture siicon carbide powder. Wear safety glasses. Drill, don't use too much force, as it may bend the tubing. You will have to keep letting the slurry to seep under the tubing once every few seconds, to replenish what gets sqeezed out or breaks down. Using this method, you should be able to drill even a hole without losing the temper of the metal. It should leave a nice hole and I think that it's safe becasue you don't have to worry about a carbide-spade bit breaking. If the material was tungstun carbide, there, you would need some diomond or synthetic sappire solution. Some companies also sell bits with tungstun grit on them. The method above may be cheaper."

[country 0]

quote:

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Originally posted by Killer_A-C
Ancient Chinese Secret...

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Off subject, but if the Chinese have all the secrets, then why do they have to steel/borrow US technology to industrialize?

[johnmonkey 4]

I had some drilled out at a machine shop. He used a milling machine. I think the rpm's were slowed down. I forget if he used a drill bit or and end mill. He did use cutting oil. jh