ATTENTION TO BINDER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 December 1939, Page 3

ATTENTION TO BINDER

PREPARING FOR HARVEST. POINTS TO LOOK OVER. If the binder canvases were damp when the machine was left after last harvest, they will probably have set hard into folds by now. If so, they should be gently flexed and worked until they are pliable—violence may cause them to crack. Rub harness oil into the straps of the canvas, and if any of them look doubtful get them replaced. The land wheels may be tested for play; if you can rock a wheel much, then the bearings need adjusting. Leave them well greased. The wearing plates and knife clips on the cutter bar must be adjusted for wear. While the canvas is off is a good time to make a thorough search for all the lubricating points—both grease-gun nipples and oil holes. In particular look for the grease nipple on the bottom roller of the upper elevator. Go carefully over the knotting mechanism and lubricate the bearings of the needle spindle escepially well. If the binder is power-driven and you have occasion io adjust the safety clutch, do not let it be too firmly set, or it will not release when the binder meets an obstruction or the deck gets choked. Also lubricate this safety clutch well. Look at the back driving chain and adjust its tension until you can move it up and down through only about three-quarters of an inch at the middle point of its run. If you have got to the end of the adjustment and the chain is still too slack, take out a link. Take out the knife of thp knotter mechanism and grind it to an acute

angled edge so that it will need only a little rub with a stone each day of working to keep it sharp. When the canvas is replaced, do not fasten the cord too tight, because when the bottom roller is pushed into place it automatically tightens the canvas.