7 replies to this topic

[bja105]

Christmas is over, now it is time for me to work on a few winter projects.  I have to get some tractors and implements ready for the garden.  I have a sleeve hitch cultivator that I will be using, but I want to build something with my new welder.  I also need to learn to weld, but that is a different discussion.

 

I have lots of hand hoes, and my favorite is a stirrup hoe.  Here is a picture of conventional hoes on the right, and a stirrup hoe on the left.

 

I want to build a cultivator with a few stirrups.  I am sure I can do that with scraps, maybe bending and sharpening junk lawn mower blades.

Here is a picture I found of a cultivator on an Allis Chalmers G.  I don't know if it is a factory cultivator or a home built.  These are L shaped instead of U shaped.

 

I know I could buy wide, flat sweeps and adapt them to my Brinly Hardy cultivator, but I want to build this cheaply.

Any thoughts?  What am I overlooking?

[Bmerf]

I have one of those stirrup type hoes, love it. Free out of dumpster years ago. Sharpened the edge, works wonderfully. I’ve thought about making something similar for the tractor. My thoughts were something like these:

 

 

Only a little longer at the “V”, Same principle as the “L” shaped ones, only less side torque on the upright.

 

 

 

[Ryan313]

Like Bmerf said, the uprights will have a good amount of torque on them with that style cultivator. For this application, you would probably want to use some kind of hardened steel; lawnmower blades are hardened. The problem is that most of the time hardened steel will not bend (without breaking) unless you heat it up. Hardened steel is also more difficult to weld. Just some fuel for thought.

[HowardsMF155]

Agri-Supply has a "beet Sweep" up to 18 inches wide that I think would do what you want.

http://www.agrisuppl...362/&sid=&eid=/

[Bmerf]

Agri-Supply has a "beet Sweep" up to 18 inches wide that I think would do what you want.

http://www.agrisuppl...362/&sid=&eid=/

These would be a nice project and fairly easy to make. Old mower blade: cut, welded, and sharpened; with some kind of adapter to your cultivator tines or standalone attachment. Break it, reweld it. Could be made any width you like, but any wider than about 18" (9" per side) probably should be supported on each end just like the stirrup hoe.

By the way, how are you planning to use this? Making 2 and dragging one behind each tire?

Good luck with that new welder. Take pictures and share when completed.

[JD DANNELS]

Farmers in this area many years ago used to use a ground driven rotary hoe in the fields They were primarily used to break up the hard surface so water could penetrate in clay soils.. I still see a few in junk piles and they would be a neat impliment cut down to fit a garden tractor.

Edited by JD DANNELS, January 12, 2013 - 07:55 PM.

[OldBuzzard]

I saw an Allis G with a very interesting cultivator on it at the Wellington Oh show last Sept.

 

 

The front reels are larger in diameter than the rear which makes the rears churn the dirt.

 

They are also movable from side to side to account for different row widths.

 

Pretty slick bit of engineering.

[Deerefarmer41]

I use what were call cut-away knives. We used them years ago, cultivating corn and sugar beets. They are of the "L" shape design. At that time he knives were set approx. 2" apart (a left & a right) This space would be when the plant passes thru, cultivating about 12" out each side. Have them set up for the garden tractor. Most of the time I have the knives set about 6" apart for garden work.

 

Have a small section of an old rotary hoe, the wheels are only about 6" or so. Would like to find more of them and make a complete set for the garden tractor. This size wheel allows you to work at a lower speed. Think at one time they were used a lot in onions. The tines are actually round rod, bent to churn up the soil. Have them mounted on a handle and used by hand. Would be much better to be setting on the GT.