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Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

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765489

Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#1

Post by 765489 »

Throwing this up so it means I have to do something about this during the summer. :mrgreen:

Laying up for a long time but hooked it onto the tractor and dragged it out of the bushes. Blades still turning on it. Shame to let it rust away, and since I'm downsizing I'm hoping this will be my "new" rotovator.

Front and back photos below. Will post more close up photos after this.
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kadman
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Posts: 2759
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2021 6:14 pm

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#2

Post by kadman »

The old Howard rotovator. Very much sought after, and valuable regardless of its condition. From a time when machinery was made to last a lifetime, not the throwaway crap thats made today. Nice one.

It saves the using the old shovel.
490808
Posts: 1487
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2021 1:10 pm

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#3

Post by 490808 »

Howard made some great machines.An old boss took his leg off with a walk behind one (old story I've told before he hit a buried drain cover the back end of the rotovator came up and he tried to control it and pulled it down on his leg).

That one looks fairly solid whats the parts availability if you need any?
765489

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#4

Post by 765489 »

I can source some things local, like oil seals and friction clutch plates for the slip clutch CO. I think I've even a few friction disks lying around in the shed somewhere. I can make the gaskets myself from Cork.

I was looking at some of the standen powervators and notice some of the parts such as the chain case are exactly the same part number as the e series parts diagram I have and they still supply parts to their own models, so may be an avenue.
765489

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#5

Post by 765489 »

The boards are straight at the back, which is critical for making level and fine beds. Nobody has used the back wheel of a tractor to straighten them out :mrgreen:
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I will have to replace the tyres and tubes on each of the depth wheels as they are bolloxed. I think the tyres are 5.5x12 4 ply tyres and 5×12 inner tubes. Will confirm this. Also one of the levers for adjusting the depth wheels is seized.

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765489

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#6

Post by 765489 »

One of the bars going to the toplink is bent. But the toplink is aligned ok to the pto shaft. I've had a lot of head scratching over this. The rotovator is not an offset model. I will do more head scratching and drink multiple cups of coffee over this as time goes on.
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A couple of areas where the body work may need some welding magic by my brother. Will not affect the operating of the implement but may as well get it repaired.
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765489

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#7

Post by 765489 »

There is a critical component missing which is the skid under the chain case.. Will need to source on of these as the new chain case will just get destroyed again. Chain case has multiple holes so if the powervator one done by standen is the correct fit I'll get a new one. I haven't opened the case yet to inspect the chain but fingers crossed everything will be ok in there.
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The gear box again haven't taken off the cover, the gasket seal as you can see from the gunk down at the bottom of it is banjoed but hoping the 4 gears in it are ok. They take a lot of abuse so again I'm hoping these will be intact when I open the cover.
765489

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#8

Post by 765489 »

And lastly I'm thinking about blades. Most of the early Howard's had L blades, normal and heavy duty. There are two problems with L blades being used on a rotovator

1. They put more strain on a tractor, power wise than say curved or S blades.
2. L blades create a pan in the ground due to the bottom L portion of the blade compacting at the bottom most part of the soil when rotating.

I'm going to try and see if there are S blades available that would fit as this would mean less tractor power and less compaction of the soil. When I say S blades, basically they are curved rather than a L shape.

I need to do more research on this bit as Howard did have S or "speed" blades. Just need to check that the two bolt holes are the same for the S blades.
kadman
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Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#9

Post by kadman »

Nice bit of kit, and well worth restoring.
Far superior to the tat on sale now. Get cracking buddy :lol:
765489

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#10

Post by 765489 »

kadman wrote: Sun Mar 13, 2022 12:57 pm Nice bit of kit, and well worth restoring.
Far superior to the tat on sale now. Get cracking buddy :lol:
I may need some advice on the painting :lol:
490808
Posts: 1487
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2021 1:10 pm

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#11

Post by 490808 »

Add Owatrol to any hand paint you use and use it neat or 50:50 with aluminium primer on bare metal to stop new rust.

It will add to the price but sometimes when you leave off a job and want to keep the rust off its handy.

I love the product but think the price is obscene.
765489

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#12

Post by 765489 »

Thanks for that CO. Will Deffo be looking at this when the painting is being done on it.
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Del.Monte
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Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2021 10:11 pm
Location: The Sunny South East

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#13

Post by Del.Monte »

Sorry, I hate old farm machinery with a passion and it brings back happy memories when I think of old the old crap I've put into Hammond Lane down the years. We used to get offered it all the time when we had a museum in Cahir and we used to tell people to bring the stuff in and we would pay by the ton. Old cars too - sorry kadman. :mrgreen:
'no more blah blah blah'
765489

Re: Howard series E rotovator restoration... fixup

#14

Post by 765489 »

It's surface rust Del. Machine is still operational... i hope.. This rotovator will be going until I croke it... or it crokes me :mrgreen:

Edit, wait till ya see the Hammond Lane tractor trailer I'm going to start another thread on. Good set of tyres.. I'm still deciding whether the rest of it is salvageable but I did use it about the fields during the summer and the axle didn't come apart from under it.. therefore it's "operational" :mrgreen:
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