IH 80 snowblower

[stronger800]

Maybe somebody here could post the dimensions of their fan and a close-up picture or two.
I would think anything shaped like a fan and  what, 3/8 of an inch away from the diameter of the housing? Would work 

then he could show a fabricator. Or check for a donor in the scrap yards.  Weld extensions onto some random fan and size the hole to fit

[hillman]

37 minutes ago, stronger800 said:

Maybe somebody here could post the dimensions of their fan and a close-up picture or two.
I would think anything shaped like a fan and  what, 3/8 of an inch away from the diameter of the housing? Would work 

then he could show a fabricator. Or check for a donor in the scrap yards.  Weld extensions onto some random fan and size the hole to fit

I don't know of any scrap yards in Southern Ontario that has snowblowers.  He said his worked well so I don't understand how his fan  is missing

I am also unaware of Mennonites near the poster - I am 1 hour from Mennonites and Amish close-by don't do this kind of work, And they don't work much less than anyone else esp when you factor in driving

 I am very aware of custom shops and work for a larger manufacturer of forklift parts, We have  brake presses, lasers, horizontal machining centres, verticals, manual welding,robotic welding, turret punches, mills, saws, powder coat line, etc.

Pretty connnected with shops in the area but I am not too familiar with the posters area. I can't get ANYTHING done reasonable , We are too busy at work  so I have tried a few small shops. The last few things at a custom fab shop run by a Dutchman, impressive shop 

This week I got 2 ps. 11 gauge x 1 1/2" X 3" X 44" angle formed up $95 CAD cash !!!!!! what works in your area isn't necessarily the same as another area or country IMHO

[766 Man]

33 minutes ago, stronger800 said:

Maybe somebody here could post the dimensions of their fan and a close-up picture or two.
I would think anything shaped like a fan and  what, 3/8 of an inch away from the diameter of the housing? Would work 

then he could show a fabricator. Or check for a donor in the scrap yards.  Weld extensions onto some random fan and size the hole to fit

I can see any BOCES student that was in school for welding and fabricating doing that for a project.  It is not like repairing the warp drive on a starship.  If I did not have eyesight issues (can't be around any UV light at all) I could do it.  Like you said housing gap is important and dynamic balance is important.  What you do on one fan blade has to be near to exactly done on the others.  I can't tell from mine how the coupler to the gear box shaft is done but I can't imagine it is very complex.  I can measure mine but the eyeballs tell me the clearance to the housing might be a little more than 3/8 of an inch.  

[stronger800]

Shops are busy here too, but I could get that built for 500. I think.  Maybe not quickly though.  I’ve seen enough bent augers and fans that idk how worried I’d be about perfect balance on that. Obviously, closer would be better.  Did they have three blades or 4?  4 would be easier to build I bet. Big backing plate to hold it all square.  Ooooo, backing plate, with about 2” angle iron blades, with flat plate welded to them to make the rest of the blade body. With a sized bore up the center. Just tested it in my head, and it’s working 

[stronger800]

I see, 3 blades.  I think I’ve seen old mystery blowers that only had 2, and I know some newer ones have 4

[766 Man]

14 minutes ago, stronger800 said:

Shops are busy here too, but I could get that built for 500. I think.  Maybe not quickly though.  I’ve seen enough bent augers and fans that idk how worried I’d be about perfect balance on that. Obviously, closer would be better.  Did they have three blades or 4?  4 would be easier to build I bet. Big backing plate to hold it all square.  Ooooo, backing plate, with about 2” angle iron blades, with flat plate welded to them to make the rest of the blade body. With a sized bore up the center. Just tested it in my head, and it’s working 

  3 blade but I would imagine 4 would improve the performance.  I remember one time when I worked for Central Tractor I had a customer who was in maintenance at Eastman Kodak.  He got tired of his Dynamark tractor mounted blower (on a Dynamark 18 HP tractor) throwing snow "like an 80 year old woman."  remade the fan into a 4 blade assembly and reduced the driven pulley size by ten percent.  Said it blew snow like a champ with those modifications.  

[stronger800]

I think my walk behind is 18hp.   I gotta  get that out 

[hillman]

1 hour ago, stronger800 said:

Shops are busy here too, but I could get that built for 500. I think.  Maybe not quickly though.  I’ve seen enough bent augers and fans that idk how worried I’d be about perfect balance on that. Obviously, closer would be better.  Did they have three blades or 4?  4 would be easier to build I bet. Big backing plate to hold it all square.  Ooooo, backing plate, with about 2” angle iron blades, with flat plate welded to them to make the rest of the blade body. With a sized bore up the center. Just tested it in my head, and it’s working 

500 USD is currently about $655. I would have to look at mine closer to make a better guess but I think you are close but a little low. Shop rates are crazy 

 I posted a complete #80 for $1000 (about $760 USD) with the fan already removed and hydraulic chute control - I would try to get it for $800 CAD. If the poster was to buy it I can give him a contact that would buy the hydraulic control for probably $300. I built him one for his 80 a few years ago and now he wants one for his #70 but I won't build one as cheap this time 

.That's a no brainer to me

[stronger800]

 If that’s close to him, sure. Even less as most guys wouldn’t look twice 

[hillman]

13 hours ago, stronger800 said:

 If that’s close to him, sure. Even less as most guys wouldn’t look twice 

since you are a reasonable person I will share my experiences with fab shops. 

 First of all the price of material is got out of control,and  shops charge whatever they feel like charging.("This week I got 2 ps. 11 gauge x 1 1/2" X 3" X 44" angle formed up $95 CAD cash ")

I used to have a few older guys who were highly skilled do machining for me. I do not have a mill, lathe or brake press. The younger guys don't seem to be able to do jobs in a reasonable time and I don't have a lot of faith in it being done right the first time. 

 At work the older guys would slip something through their machine after hours or lunch because they were old school machinists. Now the guys are button pushers and can't do anything without a program.......and then there's the programmers who take a half a day to program something that should take 30 minutes. 

The highly skilled fab shops are disappearing around here and I am still looking.  for one. I was looking at the fan on the orphan blower this morning , I think I could make that one. Balancing didn't appear to be a priority on it and its a 4 blade made from common channel iron, does the poster have a torch and a welder and a machine shop to make a hub? 

Doesn't matter if Bob's Repair or Freddie's Fab shop in Rochester NY can do it they aren't here

[stronger800]

I know a machinist in Rochester, but a good one just north of him in Victor, closed up a few years ago.  

I agree.  I try to deal with the old guys I grew up watching my father deal with, but they are all Old now, and their sons or younger (50) guys that have taken over, act, like you say.  I use to get flywheels or heads machined, over night.  Maybe wait one day. Not anymore. So I’ve started visiting the Amish and Mennonite shops a bit.  One did a flywheel for me in one day this summer. Asked for $100.  Gave him $150. 
ten years ago, my buddy would have done it for me in an hour, but he’s weeks behind, jittery, and can’t find help, so I don’t even ask anymore. 
 

I’ve absolutely seen those fans that just look to be made out of c channel. Straight. No angle. They must work?

[stronger800]

Local injection pump shop is about the same.  They did one for me, and   I got one from InjPumped (1500 miles away?) last year.
 InjPumped was quicker. 

[hillman]

10 minutes ago, stronger800 said:

Local injection pump shop is about the same.  They did one for me, and   I got one from InjPumped (1500 miles away?) last year.
 InjPumped was quicker. 

I would consider using him when the time comes I need an expert!

The border is becoming a problem. I looked into shipping the radiator to the new member here. I have to get a Tax ID number if he has a business or his SIN for the US government to collect tariffs from him( lets not turn this into a poof) just letting everyone know whats going on

[stronger800]

I don’t know much about international sales. I don’t even get out town much 

[CIHTECH]

14 minutes ago, hillman said:

The border is becoming a problem

I just had to pay to get a gear "unlocked" from customs

[stronger800]

I’ve bought a few things over the border.  Seller told me he needed to label them “lawn mower parts”, not “tractor parts”, and border wouldn’t be a problem.  

[yellowrosefarm]

pdf

It's a 3 blade fan. I'm wondering if some type of leaf vacuum fan could be the basis for making one.

[766 Man]

2 minutes ago, yellowrosefarm said:

pdf

It's a 3 blade fan. I'm wondering if some type of leaf vacuum fan could be the basis for making one.

  I've got an 80 and the fan construction is very simple.  Any kind of picture or diagram along with key dimensions should be all that is needed.  A first year vocational school student (here that would be BOCES) should be able to do that with ease.  

[766 Man]

50 minutes ago, stronger800 said:

Local injection pump shop is about the same.  They did one for me, and   I got one from InjPumped (1500 miles away?) last year.
 InjPumped was quicker. 

  A Mennonite has a shop down in Dundee, NY (southern Yates County) and I took him an Ambac 100 pump to put a new head on.  I figured he was 75 percent of what D & W charges and delivered ahead of his promised deadline.  It's been four years and no problems with the pump.  About the only disadvantage is he is first come first serve so no emergency service.  

[766 Man]

1 hour ago, stronger800 said:

I know a machinist in Rochester, but a good one just north of him in Victor, closed up a few years ago.  

I agree.  I try to deal with the old guys I grew up watching my father deal with, but they are all Old now, and their sons or younger (50) guys that have taken over, act, like you say.  I use to get flywheels or heads machined, over night.  Maybe wait one day. Not anymore. So I’ve started visiting the Amish and Mennonite shops a bit.  One did a flywheel for me in one day this summer. Asked for $100.  Gave him $150. 
ten years ago, my buddy would have done it for me in an hour, but he’s weeks behind, jittery, and can’t find help, so I don’t even ask anymore. 
 

I’ve absolutely seen those fans that just look to be made out of c channel. Straight. No angle. They must work?

  Most Mennonite tradesmen around here are 60-70 dollars per hour and they hustle.  No padding the bill with extra time.  I took the radiator off of my Farmall M to have the filler neck sodered to a Mennonite shop and his rate is 40 dollars per hour and I got billed for 2 hours.  He pressure tested it and I thought the bill was very fair.  I figured if I even found a shop in town (non-Mennonite) the bill would have been at least 200 dollars.

[stronger800]

I believe they are $60 or 80 in this area. Which is almost free. Neighbor gave a contractor $600 to install a glorified screen/storm door last week.  (Yes, just screw it to the existing frame, she said he did have to remove one piece of molding and trim it). (2 hours total).  Cost of $180 door not included.  
( And she wasn’t complaining )

[ChrisNY]

1 hour ago, 766 Man said:

  A Mennonite has a shop down in Dundee, NY (southern Yates County) and I took him an Ambac 100 pump to put a new head on.  I figured he was 75 percent of what D & W charges and delivered ahead of his promised deadline.  It's been four years and no problems with the pump.  About the only disadvantage is he is first come first serve so no emergency service.  

D&W did a pump for me last year. Not impressed in the least. Will not take another one there. 

[yellowrosefarm]

8 hours ago, 766 Man said:

  I've got an 80 and the fan construction is very simple.  Any kind of picture or diagram along with key dimensions should be all that is needed.  A first year vocational school student (here that would be BOCES) should be able to do that with ease.  

There is a picture in that pdf link

[hillman]

27 minutes ago, yellowrosefarm said:

There is a picture in that pdf link

 

[hillman]

Took some pics today

The $600 snowblower with chains  ans it's fan made from common channel iron.very clever design  but note the blades that are welded to the one piece blade are not lined up too good and a nice little tool box for shear pins and wrenches 👍