3 pt Conversion - measurements needed

[Thomas]

john_bud,
Looks like you got it all figure out...great work!

What do you suggest the best food etc.. for wild apple trees,for I have couple that looks if there lacking something in there diet.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[john_bud]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

Hi,
I finally got the last bit of painting and had some time to re-assemble the sprayer after painting. The mechanicals are all back together and everything looks pretty good. The tractor picks it up fine, too. I don't have the plumbing re-connected yet. There are some details to be figured out to allow control from the tractor seat. A buddy at work also suggested that being able to select left nozzle, right nozzle or both for spraying may be handy too. I may add that later.

While I make no claims to being a welder or fabricator, this came out ok. Hopefully, there may be some inspiration for other in the photos....

John Bud

 

[LarryT]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

I like it John Bud! If possible I'd sure like to see some pics with it attached to the tractor when you're fininshed. I'm gonna need something similar soon and sure like seeing others projects to help with my own.

Thanks for sharing!

Larry...

 

[Harv]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

Looks mighty fine to me, John! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

That left/right option seems like a must, at least for what I have to do. A good chunk of what I need to spray includes a narrow strip between the fence and the road. I'll have to be on the road, spraying as far to the right as I can.

BTW -- I'm running real short on tinkerin' time these days, so I might wind up just buying a unit from the dealer. I'm using a new dealer now (mostly 'cuz the other one went out of business), and these guys have all the pieces and parts to make just about any sprayer configuration you could ask for. Haven't talked turkey yet, but I think they can bring it in for under $500 for a 25-gallon, electric pump w/10-foot boom.

You made it look like so much fun I was looking forward to the project, but the weeds will be here soon in Californy, so I gotta be ready.

I'll be anxious to see some real live "action" shots of your machine. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[john_bud]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

Harv,

Did you say $500 or an electric pump unit? Ouch! I would want to really investigate the power of the electric pump if I were you. A 10 ft boom would need what, 4 or 5 spray heads? That's a bunch of fluid, will the pump be able to handle it? Flow and pressure are both needed in the right proportions. Did you consider using the PTO to power the pump? The retail price on a 540 RPM roller pump similar to what I have is about $70 locally. Also, the 25 gal is very small for a 10 ft boom. I can go about 30 min with mine and I have a 30 gal tank and only a 5 ft boom. If everything is equal, you would go dry in under 15 min! That's a drag /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif.

I have made an assumption that you are a "computer guy" /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif, so here is a link to the company that made my sprayer. They have prices for systems from small to huge and they sell individual parts. May be a good reference for you...
Oh, mine was about 35% lower than the listed price at my local Farm&Fleet store, bought 4 years ago.

http://www.broyhill.com

I was actually going to make mine PTO driven, but buying the new pump or making a pulley system for the old one, and the price of the 3pt drive shaft didn't seem like a good buy. Not when I have a 3 hp engine that works fine. Now, if it ever fails.....

Best of luck!
John Bud

 

[john_bud]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

Harv,

Here are two Broyhill sprayers. One electric and one gas engine powered. The gas one is a slightly more modern unit than mine.

John Bud

 

[Harv]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

John -

Thanks for the info. Sounds like I should check into Broyhill.

I haven't gotten any firm prices from my dealer, but I think the ballpark estimates went something like:

30 gallon poly tank w/12VDC pump, hose and wand = $250
9 or 10-foot boom = $100
3-pt mounting jig = $75

That's $425, plus good ol' 8% California sales tax = $459.

I think I asked for a 25 gallon tank, but in fact 30 gallons is what they offer. Attached is a picture of some units offered from a California outfit called "PBM Supply & Mfg., Inc.".

My intention is just to spray about 2 to 3 acres of weeds immediately surrounding the home structures on our 42 acres. For the past couple of years I've been doing this with my 4 gallon Solo backpack sprayer, and I have to fill it up 5 or 6 times to get the job done. Hmmmmm... That doesn't include that fence line I talked about earlier. You're right -- even 30 gallons may be cutting it a little close if I want to do it all in a single pass.

I'm also wondering about just how efficient I'm going to be with a tractor-mounted boom sprayer. When I did it by hand, of course, I had total control over how much I applied, and I certainly didn't spray anything that didn't need it. What has your experience been?

BTW - when I asked my last dealer to find me the best price on a small PTO-driven sprayer, he came back with a quote of $1,100. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif That's when I started looking at the electrics. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[Gfsimon]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

Harv, I couldn't understand how you could use 4 gallon sprayer and only fill it 5-6 times for 2-3 acres. Until I read: "I certainly didn't spray anything that didn't need it". That's the key. I have a 25 gallon electric sprayer that I use on my 3 acres of grass. Depending on ground speed, I usually have to fill the sprayer 8-12 times. The problem with boom sprayers is they spray everything - good for fertilizer, bad for weed control. Personally, I wouldn't purchase anything less than a 50 gallon sprayer (which I am currently searching for). Anybody in the MN area want to buy a 25 gallon sprayer /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Jerry
<font color=orange>SE Minnesota</font color=orange>

 

[Harv]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

<font color=blue>I have a 25 gallon electric sprayer that I use on my 3 acres of grass.</font color=blue>
<font color=blue>I usually have to fill the sprayer 8-12 times</font color=blue>

YIKES!!! That's up to 100 gallons per acre, or 12 times as much as I'm using now!!! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

If those numbers are correct, Jerry, the cost of the sprayer will be the least of my expenses. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Regardless, I'm starting to believe that the next size up (55 gallons) might be a better investment.

 

[Von]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

Harv,
I think Quality Farm & Country sells a 55 gal. 3pt. sprayer for $390 with a handgun kit for an extra $70. The pump is extra, but they can be had for about $65. This way you don't have to make anything. I use a neighbors 300gal. boom sprayer like the ones farmers use to spray broad leaf weed killer. Most of my neighbors use the same sprayer and product, we all have 5ac. lots (all lawn). Cost is about $50.00 for the weed killer and it is the stuff that they spray to control weeds in corn. It works quite well, I spray about once every other year, some do it every year. I use about 185gal. of mix to do all 5 acs. and get a good kill on all weeds. The booms is shorted to cover about 12' so you can get around the trees. If I didn't have use of this sprayer I would get the 55gal 3pt. for sure. Keep searching, you find one cheap out there somewhere.

 

[Harv]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

<font color=blue>I use about 185gal. of mix to do all 5 acs.</font color=blue>

That's better, Von. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Now we're talking about 37 gallons / acre.

When I was using my backpack sprayer with Roundup last year, I experimented a little bit with covereage. Using about a 1.5% mixture, I varied the amount I applied to different sections of several acres. On the heavy side, I used a coarse spray that left the grasses and broadleaf weeds glistening, even dripping with the liquid. On the light side, I used a very fine mist and was careful to not hit any portion of the weeds more than once. The latter, of course, gave me a lot of coverage, but required zero-wind conditions.

2 to 3 weeks later, they were all dead. You couldn't tell which area got how much spray.

My conclusion is that, at least with Roundup, I would have to really keep that tractor moving to get the most out of a tankful of mixture. That's okay with me, but I'm wondering just how easy it will be to maintain decent control of the spray. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

I'd be curious to know just what weed killer you use. You got a name for it?

In the meantime, I'll keep looking around at sprayer units. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Von]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

Harv,
You can control the amount and shape of the spray with the tips and the pressure that you use. I can't remember the name on the stuff that we use. It is a broad leaf weed killer that does not hurt the grass and contains 2-4D as its main ingredent. 2-4D is a salt that kills rats in Calif. so do be careful! But to be serious for a second it is nasty stuff if not handled right, just need to use common sense. It will leave the grass so this might not work for you, and round-up may be the better choice. If you have any questions just ask, be glad to help.

 

[Gfsimon]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

"YIKES!!! That's up to 100 gallons per acre"

Yup, sounds like alot, but for each 25 gallons of water, I only add 1 cup of weed killer. I forget the name of the stuff I'm using (summer was a long way off /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif), but maybe I should try something a bit stronger?

Von, The stuff you're using looks like what I need! When you get a chance, can you check what percentage of 24-D it is? What are the rest of you using for a broadleaf weed killer?


Jerry
<font color=orange>SE Minnesota</font color=orange><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by gfsimon on 02/21/01 07:45 AM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[john_bud]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

Harv,

With a quote for $1100 in one hand I can see where $459 looks good! (sort of /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif)
I use my sprayer for 3 things;
1)Spraying apple trees for bugs and the lawn for bugs - they are BAD in Wisconsin/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif
2) Spraying fertilizer and broadleaf killer on the lawn and around said trees
3) spraying roundup on the trails on my timber land

Here's the "hot tip", after spraying roundup, purge the hand sprayer and hose BEFORE your apply fertilizer to your wifes flower garden. (don't ask)

I like the smaller boom and only 2 nozzles. It could be a pain when spraying a big field but I don't do that! But when spraying around trees, I get minimal overlap and on trails, they cover a 6' wide area same as 1/2 the trail. I can also do smaller paths and not wipe out the whole forrest.

If you do get the 10' boom, you could add hand operated valves to allow only one (1) nozzle on the outside edge to spray. If you are clever (and bored), you could make a manifold and valve each nozzle to custom your output pattern to the job at hand. Say, that's a good idea! I think I will add that to mine! Thanks Harv /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif!

I did notice a recurring theme between tractors and sprayers on this board. "Bigger is better, as long as it physically fits your land!"

Best of luck,
John Bud

 

[Harv]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

<font color=blue>after spraying roundup, purge the hand sprayer and hose BEFORE your apply fertilizer to your wifes flower garden. (don't ask)</font color=blue>

Okay, I won't ask, but it's only 'cuz I can't stop laughing. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

... laughing because it was you and not me!

<font color=blue>Say, that's a good idea! I think I will add that to mine! Thanks Harv! </font color=blue>

Uhhhh ... you're welcome? /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

<font color=blue>a recurring theme between tractors and sprayers on this board. "Bigger is better"</font color=blue>

I wish you hadn't said that! I started out with 20 gallons in mind, then 30 and now 55. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

I'm now afraid to buy small for two reasons -- 1, I may not get as good coverage as I originally thought, and 2, if it works out well, I will probably start spraying more and more of my 42 acres. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Thanks for all your input, John!

 

[Bird]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

With all this talk about electric sprayers, there's one factor that may, or may not, make a difference to you, and that is that the 12 volt pumps put out about 60 psi, great for most purposes, but will not spray high enough for most trees of any size. When my brother bought his Kawasaki Mule a few years ago, he also got a 50 gallon spray rig, long hose and wand (about 50' of hose I think), 5 nozzle, 8' boom on the rear, pressure gauge, valves to switch from wand to boom and to regulate pressure, trailer type with pneumatic tires and 1 7/8" ball hitch. It's a great little rig for pulling behind his Mule or my Kubota except for the fact that you can only get about 20 up the trees. I think he paid about $500 for it; has the Kawaski name on it, but made in the USA for Kawasaki. It uses a ShurFlow (don't think that's the right spelling) pump that's just like the water pumps used in a lot of RVs.

Bird

 

[Harv]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

Bird -

Thanks for the caution about spraying trees with an electric pump. That never occurred to me.

The good news is that in my case it doesn't matter. Although my dad did have a nut tree orchard and some scattered fruit trees, they're all but gone now. It seems they couldn't handle the natural environment without some serious help, and during the last two years before his death, Pop had to pretty much neglect them. By the time it was my turn, it was a matter of where to stack the dead wood. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

Your brother's rig sounds just about perfect for my needs. I'd turn it into a 3-pt'er, like John Bud did, and I'm still waffling on the best length for the boom, but if your brother decides he doesn't want it any more and one of you happens to be passing through California ... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

BTW - It's "Shurflo" (you couldn't have gotten much closer without actually nailing it), and the brochure says they put out about 50 psi.

 

[dmccarty]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

Harv,

I saw what you need at the Farm Show a few weeks back.

It was a tractor that looked like a big bug out of a Spielberg movie. The thing was big and yellowish colored. It had four big Ag tires at least six feet tall with a large cab coverd in glass. The tractor must have been 20 feet long and had spray arms that covered 100 feet of ground in a pass! I'm telling ya it looked like some Atomic Experment Gone Wrong and nows its in a 1950's movie! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I think you really need this! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

There actually was a farmer there who had just bought one with the 100 foot spread. It may have had a spread 10-20 feet beyond 100 but it was huge no matter what the actual size. It most be some serious Dollars!

Hope this helps! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Dan McCarty

 

[Bird]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

Harv, you'd think after owning 3 or 4 and rebuilding a couple, I'd have remembered how to spell it, wouldn't you?/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Bird

 

[Harv]

Re: 3 pt Conversion - Project Wrapup

<font color=blue>it looked like some Atomic Experment Gone Wrong</font color=blue>

Thanks, Dan! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I'm gonna put that one on my wish list right after the Unimog. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

And Bird - if I had to choose between being able to spell it right and being able to rebuild it, I'd throw the whole alphabet out the window. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif