Hawkins Drafting Pty Ltd

07/04/2024

I was recently given an air compressor which had been submerged in flood water last year.
It had sat for months without being drained of water & cleaned, so I was dubious that it could be repaired, but the compressor my father bought in 1982 had expired & I was looking at $1000 to buy a replacement.
The first task was to lift the cylinder heads & check the pump.
I was surprised to see the bores were still very good, but the valves were too corroded to be repairable.
Although they stopped water entering, they were destroyed in the process.
The electric motor, once the vee belt was off, ran but the bearings were very loud.
After I drained the oil in the pump & flushed the mayonnaise until it was clear, I replaced the oil.
New valves were found on eBay to suit the 2.25 " bores, but had to be modified as the bolts were 8mm on mine, 6mm on the new valves.
Setting up & installing the new reed valve set was very tricky, the 2 valve plates need to be glued & sealed together before installation with the stainless reeds in place.
With new bearings, the electric motor ran almost without noise.
When it was reassembled today, I ran it to check the valves functioned correctly, then fitted the air filters & it ran up to pressure in less than a minute.
Now it just needs a decent clean before it's put into service!
Total price for the rebuild is just over $100.

14/12/2023

Always a pleasure to work with the team at All trades Trailers.
The quality of the products they produce has to be seen to be truly appreciated.

📸 Look at this post on Facebook
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17/12/2022

Working on the design of brand new Australian made machinery.
Started with a blank page & only the best components.
Can't say what it is im working on just yet, but the quality will be "Next Level"!

07/07/2022

Having a trade is always an asset.
From time to time I do my own little projects in my home workshop.
This time, its a project to make caring for my birds & animals easier.
I'm converting an old garden chipper/shredder into a vacuum for cleaning cages, but I'll also be able to continue using it to shred garden waste.

Having acquired the machine for nothing, it does, as you'd expect, have some pre-existing issues, a broken crankshaft being the most significant.
So what have I done so far?

-Removed the old engine with its broken crankshaft.
-Pressed the crank stub out of the rotor.
-Welded up & redrilled the base plate to accept the replacement 8hp engine.
-Sourced a suitable engine (Thanks John Hansen)
-Removed the vee belt pulley from replacement engine.
-Made a new fuel tank support. The tank on the replacement engine was in the way of the chipper inlet.
-Removed the welded in place rotor end spacer to suit the longer crank of the replacement engine.
-Back bored the rotor to position chipper blades correctly. The old engine had quite a different output shaft, despite being the same size and displacement.
-Balanced the heavily corroded rotor so we don't break another crankshaft.
-Made a new end cap to retain the rotor in the crank.
-Flushed the entire fuel system on the new engine
-Fitted an ignition coil. Unfortunately, the replacement motor didn't come with one. I didn't have the factory spec coil, so I've modified a 3hp mower coil I had on hand so that it now fits the 8hp engines flywheel & spark timing remains correct.
-Changed the engine oil. Clean oil & regular changes will extend engine life.
-Made new flail spacers as 3 of the old spaces were so corroded that balance would have been impacted.
-Balanced the flail sets & fitted them using new roll pins. At 3600rpm, we don't want a set of flails breaking loose because a roll pin has failed!
-Sharpened the blades. Original blades were case hardened. Sharpening them is a short term remedy as the hard outer case is now gone. New blades are already on their way.
-Made a new inlet fl**ge and pipe to suit a 100mm vacuum hose.

I know what you're thinking, it would have been cheaper to buy a new one!
My father was a farmer.
He taught us that, where practical, we should always re-use, re-purpose & recycle.
He was a man before his time in many ways

To be continued....

22/11/2021

I know, but its easier to position 34 holes with a template than mark each hole by the traditional methods I learned as an apprentice fitter & turner
Anyone want to guess what I'm making?

21/11/2021

I often do small projects in my home workshop.
I've made all kinds of items, bird aviaries, poultry processing machines, minibikes etc.
Can you guess what I'm making today? (My friends, please let others guess, you have insider knowledge!)

12/11/2021

More Circa 64 products.
Manufactured in Salisbury by my customer, Paul Rhinehardt.

The Modern Furniture Store is Australia's best furniture shop bringing you a contemporary range of Scandi Mid-Century home furniture. Visit our showrooms!

30/10/2021

Working with JPH Equipment this week, another manufacturer of premium quality, Innovative, local products.

JPH Equipment offer a complete range of Australian designed and built tractor towable compost turners, semi-auto bagging machines for sand, gravel and compost and more. With a range of Water Tankers, Loading Conveyor, Excavator Flail Mulchers and Remote Control Slope Mowers for farmers and municipal...

28/10/2021

Working with Circa64 again today.
Great to see a top quality, Australian made product from a local supplier.

Circa 64. Contemporary Sofas & Furniture. Australian Made & Designed. Brisbane, Qld, Australia.