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+--- Thread: Sheep shearing machine (/thread-3238.html)
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Sheep shearing machine - Black Forest - 07-18-2016
Someone on here asked me to post some pictures of my sheep shearing machine. I made a short video today of it being used to shear a really nasty sheep. This machine has evolved from a really crude machine to what I think is the best sheep handler ever built of the ones I have seen. It was never intended to replace normal shearing or even compete with it. I have a really bad back and two knees that needed transplanted. I cannot shear bent over anymore. So my goal was to build a machine that would take as much of the physical work out of shearing as possible. It was never intended to be a commercial product. Just a project of mine.
RE: Sheep shearing machine - Vinny - 07-18-2016
Wow, you work fast!
RE: Sheep shearing machine - Black Forest - 07-18-2016
Not bad for an old man eh?
RE: Sheep shearing machine - DaveH - 07-18-2016
Wow!
DaveH
RE: Sheep shearing machine - Pete O - 07-18-2016
Nice work, both the machine and the operation. Must have been a lot of hours gone into both the design and the construction of that machine. As you say, not going to compete with commercial shearing, but it would be a viable option to contract for small flocks. Can we see some detail?
A question arose for me at the end of the operation; why not release the sheep towards you rather than on top of the fleece? I'm sure you have good reasons, just wondering what made you go the way you did.
RE: Sheep shearing machine - turbo711 - 07-18-2016
Really liked the vid. Had to look at more sheep shearing videos too.
Thanx
Mark
RE: Sheep shearing machine - Roadracer_Al - 07-18-2016
Sheep spa. All you need is the hot rock massage.
RE: Sheep shearing machine - PixMan - 07-18-2016
Thanks for posting that BF, so cool to watch. I appreciate the speeding up to a perfect pace, makes it much easier to pay attention.
Perhaps a link to some of the other videos you have of the machine as you built it. Those show some of the details on how it handles the sheep so gently. They really don't seem to object at all, and that's what surprises me the most about the whole thing.
RE: Sheep shearing machine - f350ca - 07-18-2016
Wow, incredible machine BF. Your inspiring me,(weather willing) to get back at mine.
All the controls are foot operated? Are they proportional or on off?
The pen beyond the squeeze? Is that just there to let the sheep think there is somewhere to go rather than a dead end?
Seams a lot easier designing to work with inanimate logs than aware sheep.
Looks like you accomplished your task of making it easier.
RE: Sheep shearing machine - Black Forest - 07-19-2016
Pete, the reason for the sheep going off the back instead of the front is to keep the sheep contained so it can be exhausted into a catch pen in order to keep a numbers count and not to have sheep running around in the work area. In this video I didn't have a catch pen setup as I only sheared eight sheep and when done they hightailed it to their pasture just around the corner. Normally there would be a catch shelf on the back of the table to catch the fleece as it is sheared off so it never hits the ground. So when finished shearing the sheep I grab the fleece and throw it on the table. In this case I wasn't concerned about maintaining the integrity of the fleece so I just left them where they landed until I was finished. The shelf retracts when I step on the table tilt pedal to allow the sheep to land in the exhaust race.