Shearer Harvester Restoration

1926 Shearer Harvester #4

This site documents the restoration project of my Harvester.

I purchased the Harvester in Herne Hill (Perth, Western Australia.) after looking in a classified advertisement newspaper for a project to do.
Some do cars, I do old farming machines.
I paid $150, it looked mostly complete and on first impressions it looked easy.
Simply pull it apart, repair, clean, replace and just put it back together. EASY!!!!
Just new timber, new sheetmetal and a sandblast, repaint, new rubber and re-assemble and I,m done.

1926 Shearer Harvester #4

1926 Shearer Harvester.

Not a very good photo (with the afternoon sun low and to the right).



Next came time to get it home (10kms to Stratton) on the back of a tilt tray.
Tilt-tray reversing up the driveway. Tilt-tray reversing up the driveway. Coming off Tilt-tray. Coming off Tilt-tray. The project with fingers covered for safety.

Then the Disassembly. I took video film to help me remember how it came apart.
Broad elevator removed. Components laid out on the lawn. Components laid out on the lawn. Components laid out on the lawn. The bare chassis.
After removing the components I dismantled the frame, then took the items to a sandblaster for cleaning and undercoat. Painting of the fresh metalwork and remaking the timber chassis rails came next.
Re-assembly of the chassis. Re-assembly of the chassis. Re-assembly of the chassis. Re-assembly of the chassis. Re-assembly of the chassis.

Wheel Restoration.

The wheel after restoration.

To view a few photos Click here!

At this stage the chassis was finished enough to commence rebuilding the components.
The re-assembled chassis.

Elevator Boxes and Screwfeeder construction.

Now it was time to begin rebuilding the elevator boxes and screwfeeder.
This is quite a large component so there many photos to view. If you want to view the photos of the rebuild Click here!
The two boxes fitted after restoration. The two boxes fitted after restoration.

Shaker Box construction.

Not many photos of this component. If you want to view the photos of the rebuild Click here!
The shaker box before restoration.

Fan construction.

Not many photos of this component. If you want to view the photos of the rebuild Click here!
The Fan before restoration.

Broad Elevator construction.

Not many photos of this component. If you want to view the photos of the rebuild Click here!
The Broad Elevator before restoration.

This is as far as i've got. Technically this is not a "Broad Elevator" because it does not have an upright conveyor(elevator), but it has the same other components ie:fingers, beater and a peg drum. I am about to start repairing the Broad Elevator which is by far the most complicated component on the machine. I estimate it will take one whole year.

I have been restoring this Harvester since December 1998. (can't rush theses things). There have been a few delays along the way. Moving house a few times slows things down, I bought a Valiant AP5 as well but decided not to restore that after spending thousands realizing it would be thousands more and we wanted to buy a house with Land. We chose York Western Australia on 3 acres. Another factor in delay was as I've progressively added components, it's now a little overwidth so when I moved to this current house I had to dismantle quite a lot so I took the opportunity to repaint. Then I finally had the funds to build a shed with a concrete floor which is where it's sitting now. Thanks for taking the time to view. It is the first page I've written so send me a quick email and let me know what you think. Just click the link to open your email program with my address and send me some comments. Click Here!









Last update 09/01/2010.