My projects - farm repairs and minor fabrication
- Thread starter California
- Start date
California
Well-known member
Dad used to have a permit to buy poisoned grain, to put it in gopher runs that he encountered when digging a planting hole. I don't know if it made any difference.
I've since learned by backhoeing out stumps, that under the location of a dead tree is where the gophers site their headquarters. Its common to dig out a big ball of fine soft grass, likely the regional baby gopher nursery. Because - at a tree location is the only place in the orchard never disrupted by discing.
The gophers here are so bad that Luther Burbank, famous for inventing new fruits and vegetables by cross-pollinating, gave up and moved his operation 10 miles east. He donated that first experimental farm to the neighboring cemetery ....
I've since learned by backhoeing out stumps, that under the location of a dead tree is where the gophers site their headquarters. Its common to dig out a big ball of fine soft grass, likely the regional baby gopher nursery. Because - at a tree location is the only place in the orchard never disrupted by discing.
The gophers here are so bad that Luther Burbank, famous for inventing new fruits and vegetables by cross-pollinating, gave up and moved his operation 10 miles east. He donated that first experimental farm to the neighboring cemetery ....
Last edited:
Lowensenf
Member
I find the details about the performance of the various welding machines you've 'been through' the most valuable posts, I've a Lincoln Tombstone and a medium-size set of gas tanks for welding and brazing. I am always interested in (frank, 'real world experience') reviews of these wire feed machines flux core and solid wire mig.
So, thanks for taking the time to share!
So, thanks for taking the time to share!
jjef
Active member
Quick easy three point implement stand made this for my 6' back blade, it's crude but works well and keeps pins for tractor off ground and always stays on blade. Notice I have hydraulic top link, when planning location of stand made sure it didn't interfere with full extension and retraction also marked pin holes on stand when implement was on tractor.
Attachments
jjef
Active member
Another pretty crude fab welding project on my other used and abused relic. Quick easy bracket to mount rear remote hydraulic multiplier. I can reach the lever to change circuit in operator station so it's like having two rear remotes for a fraction of cost. Works well.
Attachments
jjef
Active member
Small repurposed farm type garden trailers? 1st is your general big box stor cheaply built dump lawn trailer, long abandoned with a broken axle and rotten tires I repurposed some old JD front axle spindles and tires, inserted spindles in some heavy gauge square tubing I had lying around, used some old round tubing and 3/16 angle for extra support. For some reason I cambered the spindles on axle mimicking larger heavy duty trailers completely unnecessary lol. Second is 2k running gear I bought, built deck, sides front and back, using old decking, and scrap 2x wood repurposed steel mostly angle iron, rectangular tube cutoffs for stake pockets and the back is from an old repurposed fork lift forks. Got my kids out painting, slobbering left over paint on the wooden deck and sides. Added rear pin hitch to back of trailer so I can pull two trailers at once with an old jd212 I bought for parts but got running pretty good lol.
Attachments
Last edited:
California
Well-known member
I have two of HF's tiniest trailers, 40x48", rated 1k. The first one I bought new and built as a jeep trailer, light enough (only 150 lbs) to detach and turn around by hand if I had to back out of some impossible down/side slope in the woods.
Second one I located abandoned in a pasture and bought cheap. Its the exact size of an IBC Tote. I had to put 12" tires on it before it would tow over the steep disced ground in my orchard (instead of just plowing, especially when backing up uphill). 2300 lbs with a full tank is gross overload but I don't need highway safety. Greasing the wheel bearings annually hasn't smoothed the rust flakes in there and quieted the grinding sound but that's harmless.
These make great farm mini-trailers.
That looks great. I should build one like it!
jjef
Active member
I believe it's farm tough running gear, bought from northern tool on when I was attempting to sell pumpkins roadside. My pumpkin growing days are over lol however it is actually pretty decent lighter duty running gear for the price I paid. I'd be happy to go more in depth on the trailer build. Note that they only have one steer axle and even using a small garden tractor crawling I have struggled to back it successfully at times.I have two of HF's tiniest trailers, 40x48", rated 1k. The first one I bought new and built as a jeep trailer, light enough (only 150 lbs) to detach and turn around by hand if I had to back out of some impossible down/side slope in the woods.
Second one I located abandoned in a pasture and bought cheap. Its the exact size of an IBC Tote. I had to put 12" tires on it before it would tow over the steep disced ground in my orchard (instead of just plowing, especially when backing up uphill). 2300 lbs with a full tank is gross overload but I don't need highway safety. Greasing the wheel bearings annually hasn't smoothed the rust flakes in there and quieted the grinding sound but that's harmless.
These make great farm mini-trailers.
That looks great. I should build one like it!
California
Well-known member
Yes please!
jjef
Active member
Ok I'll try and keep it short and to the point lol. dimensions are 4x8 used old treated d2x8s for stringers and end caps for decking used 2x of various widths leftover from projects, had a few Timberloks lying around so I used them on end caps. Mounted stringers to running gear with carriage bolts. Ran angle iron around perimeter after decking trailer on ends had it facing up , on sides down mounted angle iron to decking using carriage bolts and oversized washers on back side welded all joints solid. Used old cutoffs for stake pockets and made the sides removable. Other side I used 3 old door hinges and leftover ceder 1x so it folds down. Pins to hold hinged side up are old repurposed bolts drilled a hole in bottom to run hitch pins through. Latching mechanism is old pieces of scrap with eyebolts welded to top on hinged side. Used old angle cutoff and Added second pin hitch on back of trailer below the one that came from factory (easier access) put repurposed forlift headache rack on back of trailer cause if I'm hauling longer stuff than trailer I'd rather have it hang off back instead of over my head on os of tractor. I like this running gear it was fairly inexpensive 200 bucks at time, it's held up well and all wheel hubs come from factory with grease fittings and several on steering axle. Quick tip from a former wood butcher, always crown the boards, Ground or sanded all sharp corners on steel and wood. Got kids to participate and slobber old paint on wood. Any questions please ask.
Attachments
Last edited:
jjef
Active member
Easy project to turn your single use trailer ball into a pin hitch also. Just weld an eyebolt to one side. Been doing it for years never a problem I've safely pulled smaller pin coupler trailers for years or regular ball coupled trailers especially after most ATVs started putting standard size receivers on them plus it beats spending 50+ bucks on a combo or removing and putting a ball back on.
Attachments
jjef
Active member
Crude prototype for weed control around hundreds of new tree plantings, that I can't carefully spray round up around. Required One 10yr old curve shaft, cheap weed Wacker that won't die, one broken cut up foldable lawn chair and 1 chunk of old garden hose. Works as expected without damaging tree trunks will probably change it up as time goes on. Took an hr to build welds on thin walled tube are not up to my lackluster standards but are strong also u-bolted back of frame thru the rear plastic guard.
Attachments
Last edited:
jjef
Active member
Have long thicker old stripped out bolts lying around make a light duty hitch pin out of them drill small hole in bottom for a clip (drill press and cobalt bits are invaluable in this procedure) use a old washer on top. Been using for years no problems on lighter duty applications.
Attachments
jjef
Active member
Imo the best and most rewarding farm welding and fab projects are fairly usable as envisioned, not aesthetically pleasing but functional, built with repurposed scrap parts and pieces lying around that usually cost nothing to make or modify but some time.
Last edited:
jjef
Active member
Walking around in 90+ temps removed 5' gear drive boxstore tiller, remembered I built a drag for it out of an old grow table from a decommissioned greenhouse, dragged my 1k foot driveway today, used to pull behind tiller in field anyways, used scrap steel angle around lower frame welded a piece of 3/16 angle on front lower border, and a scrap tube on rear border. Not recommended in tiller manual but welded hooks on frame to drag behind tiller used 7018 electrodes, also not advised to side load it either, I have for over 5 years no problems yet. The old chain attached to drag can be angled to help push material in the direction you need it to go.
Attachments
jjef
Active member
1st upgrade to "under new tree Wacker"2.0. mounted old casters from an old tile bridge saw on guard, welded a cross brace in between casters, cambered casters inward for maneuverability and keep them off tree braches. Need to wack lower dropping the non castered front by lifting up back still supporting it on rear casters works good. One reason for replacing this Wacker up north is im 6 ft and disliked bending constantly over to use. Welds on paper thin scrap metal are getting slightly better.
Attachments
California
Well-known member
Great creativity! I've thought of strapping a battery hedge trimmer onto a little luggage hand truck, for similar weed trimming in my apple orchard.
When we were installing 5 ft slender poles and then netting around new trees, I used a golf bag on its wheeled carier, from Goodwill, to carry the poles.
jjef
Active member
Last 5 yrs I've struggled with weed control Ive started to spray roundup in the spring and fall around slightly older trees however have been advised not to spray near brand new trees for the first year. I've also struggled using a regular straight shaft Wacker from damaging tree trunks. I've also cut and chipped countless overgrown trees and used chips around tree bases with mixed results, when using my conventional straight shaft wacker 1st few rows ok subsequent rows not so much lol. This seems much quicker requiring a lot less concentration and does a pretty good job, and actually rolls pretty well plus I'm not hunched over.
Last edited:
jjef
Active member
Great idea with the luggage cart I can see how it would help in controlling the weed eater in delicate situations and so much easier on operator wheeling it around in established rows. I've thought about other ways to put a dolly on my newer higher qaulity Husqvarna straight shaft however no way was I about to cut and weld on a more expensive Wacker. I have thought of using hose clamps to mount a bracket to shaft and attach wheels to the bracket. I'll see how long this decade old curved shaft will last, hopefully I'll find another one in someone's garbage before this one finally dies lol.