Specifications

MEASURING FLIGHTING

PITCH:

Pitch is the distance from one hill to the next measured parallel with the shaft. Do not be concerned about minor variations in the pitch.

OUTSIDE DIAMETER -- (O.D.):

Outside Diameter 3/4" to 1" less than the diameter of the tube it goes into and most often the same as the pitch.

INSIDE DIAMETER -- (I.D.):

This is the hole size in the flight into which the center tube or shaft fits. An accurate measurement here means a closer fit. Remember if you call for a pipe size that the pipe is measured on the inside (a 1" pipe will require a l.34" hole size in the flight.) Tubing or shafting is measured on the outside of the shaft or tube (a 1" tube or shaft will require a 1" hole in the flighting).

THICKNESS: This dimension is measured at the shaft at the thickness part of the flight. Most sizes are stocked in standard and heavy duty. Your option.

TOTAL LENGTH: This is how many feet you need to the nearest foot, flighting is stocked in 5ft. lengths for ease in shipping. Most sizes are shipable via UPS in 5 ft. lengths. Multiple pcs. can be screwed together thus limiting the shipment only by weight per package. Multiple packages can be shipped to one address. If you require 28 ft. of one size for example you will receive 5 pcs. 5 ft. long and 1 pc. 3 ft. long. R.F.S. charges $4.50 per package to wrap and handle UPS shipments. We have found that this is by far the quickest and least expensive way to ship. Each piece is machine cut, so they can be slid on your shaft and butted or slightly overlapped and welded.

HAND: Either Right or Left (see drawings).

LEFT HAND RIGHT HAND

Remember that the flights are like the threads on a bolt Right or Left Hand.

REPLACEMENT FLIGHTING SUPPLY: R.F.S. carries a huge inventory in order to get you what you need quickly. We do not carry a parts list or what machine takes what flighting. It would be impossible to do so. Therefore we need you to measure your old flighting and tell us what you need. If you should have any questions our trained staff will work with you. Remember replacing worn flighting is economical, easy, and brings your equipment up to or surpasses O.E.M specifications. You may order direct or inquire as to the nearest R.F.S. dealer in your area.

MOUNTING: For years many manufactures would tell people that they could not replace flighting on their equipment, because of stretching and special mounting practices only available at their factories.

Before modern flight rolling equipment was available, this was true,' tolerances were quite loose and flights were stretched when mounted in order to bring the inside diameter down to meet the pipe or tube. R.F.S. produces flighting on the most modern and accurate flight rolling machines in the world, as a result the flights slide onto your center tube with a minimum of clearance (be sure to remove the old flights). In order to allow the shaft to slide onto the tube there must be some clearance. The recognized standard is -0, + the material thickness. R.F.S flights are generally closer than this. It is recommended that you simply wedge a pin or a nail in between the flight and the tube in order to place the tube in the center of the flight hole, this keeps the flight from shaking when rotating. If you wish to stretch the flight down this can be done by welding one end of the flight to the tube and attaching a fence puller or come-along to the other end and pushing against the center tube while pulling on the flight. When welding the flighting back on your tube simply tack weld every 12" or 18" (use the old weld pattern as a guide). Be sure to rotate the weld spots around the shaft so they are not all on one side. Overwelding or welding on one side can cause the tube to warp.

FLIGHT HISTORY: The first flight was used centuries ago, crude sectional pcs. were hammered from iron circles and mounted on wood shafts, examples have been discovered by archaeologists in ancient Greece, and they believe pieces were used to transport water to irrigation canals. Archimedes also designed an early ship propeller using flighting.

In the mid 1950's machines began appearing that could produce continuous flighting. These machines produce flights from coils of steel as we do today. However those machines only worked the outer 2/3's or so of the steel strip. While this was a vast improvement of sectional flight, tolerance were hard to hold and it produced flighting with a distinct line or mark showing the worked area. A few places still practice making flights in this manner.

In the early 1960's machines were produced that could work the entire steel strip at once producing a smooth surface and work hardening the entire strip. This also led to more accurate dimensions. Much of the worlds flights are still produced this way.

The latest technology allows flights to be produced with a thicker outer edge where flights do the most work and begin to wear first. This is called "SUPEREDGE" (TM) *. The greatest advantage of this is that it gives longer life to the flight without adding weight to your unit. It simply puts more material in the area that does the most work. SUPEREDGE (TM) is becoming the new standard.

OTHER FLIGHTING INFORMATION: Some of the later augers and combines augers have double flighting on the end or pick-up area. This is simply two pieces of flighting screwed together and spaced out evenly on the shaft. This does help some with pick-up and wear. Do not confuse double flight with short pitch flights.

Some time ago was there was flighting produced with a bent edge. This was used at the pick-up end of the auger in an attempt to increase capacity. While it did help some it also had a tendency to wear rapidly at the bend and throw the grain forward rather than into the tube. Modern technology now allows flight to be produced with a cup, this is where the entire flight is cupped forward, thus holding the grain in toward the center. This increases capacity and reduces breakage. Generally this is used only on the loading end where the flight is exposed, once grain is in the tube it has nowhere to go but up the tube. Many seed companies use cupped flighting throughout their augers to reduce breakage. The best way to reduce breakage or cracking in grains or beans when augering, is to have sufficient clearance between your outside tube and your flighting, use cupped flighting, keep your auger full and run at reduced R.P.M.'s. R.F.S. carries cupped flighting in most popular sizes.

Another item that can be extremely helpful, particularly if you have an end or piece that is wearing down but not completely gone. This is Ribbon Flight, a heavy flight that is rolled to your original flights outside diameter and pitch. Ribbon flight is then clamped to your old flighting and welded to it. Ribbon is particularly good for reconditioning heavy flights such as feed wagons. Do not confuse this with the thin material that is squished together in a coil and then pulled out to match your flight. Ribbon flight is rolled to your flighting size from heavy material.

DIFFERENT PITCHES:

Short pitch flights are used to slow material flow, generally used when feeding another auger, or to counteract "fall back".

Standard pitch flights are the most common. This is when the pitch distance is equal to the outside diameter.

Long pitch flights are used to speed up the flow of the material.

An engineered pitch change is generally at least 20% different from the outside diameter dimension.

CROSS SECTIONS OF FLIGHTING:

Helicoil flighting is tapered from the center to the outer edge. We measure thickness at the inner edge (thickest part of the flight).

Sectional flight has the same thickness across the flight. This is produced by cutting a circle from a plate of steel and stretching it to the desired pitch. Each piece can only be 1 pitch in length.

SUPEREDGE (TM) flight is a continuous flight rolled with a thicker outer edge where most of the wear occurs. This gives you longer wear without adding any weight to your unit.