DIY Farm Impliments

[arizonian]

Originally Posted by camdigger

Did you get the ripper we discussed to deal with the poplar roots built?

A new project? We gotta hear about this one.

[randydupree]

Originally Posted by Ironman

Vibration would probably do it. I have noted in using the present undercutter, that roots tend to wrap around the blade and often increase the effort to pull it. I clean the knife at the end of the row. Some of the roots are garlic, poplar siphoning nutrients from the garden, and weed roots.
I feel that a back and forth motion, like wiping your feet, will help clear the blade.

I never thought about the roots,your plastic should help with the weed roots though.

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by randydupree

I never thought about the roots,your plastic should help with the weed roots though.

I expect so. The little buggers are up and I think one or two weeds poking up beside a plant can be easily got rid of.

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by arizonian

A new project? We gotta hear about this one.

No Cam, I never did, life took a turn and it's still sitting there

[Bountyhunter]

We grow our garlic in 48" beds and are fortunate that our soil is quite loose. We can pull ours by hand but then we are only at 2000 plants so far. Things may change as we expand tho and I may be coming to look at your cutter.

H

[Ironman]

You must have sandy soil which is nice.
Mine grow a monster root system, and I have not got further on my project yet, but it will happen.
Planting onions and potatoes at the moment.

[Ironman]

I have run through various ideas and tried different ways to link the eccentric to the cutter. One that I thought would work was using two tie rod ends from a 12,000lb axle. This would have worked with some more effort.
The whole project has been built from leftover scraps in my shop that I didn't have the heart to throw into scrap, so sometimes there are 3 pieces joined together to make one long enough..
I found out there are self aligning double row ball bearings that can function with the changing angles created by this mechanism. I had this piece of 1" plate 15 x15" that I had sliced off a piece 10 years ago. So I made a crude dogbone for the bearings, and chopped down a pto driveline and there we were. I tested it this morning and it works without a problem.
Just in time. We are harvesting garlic this weekend.

[toprecycler]

Looks like it may work. After this weekend test, you will be able to see the weak points and learn where you need to beef them up.


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[camdigger]

Looks good!

Good luck with the harvest!

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by toprecycler

Looks like it may work. After this weekend test, you will be able to see the weak points and learn where you need to beef them up.


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I doubt if it's weak, it just looks like heathens built it from dump parts, but I will use it for about 1-2 hrs a year. If it claps out I will redo it properly so it would deserve a coat of paint.
The main thing is that it pulls through the ground without any effort.