Aerator "Spoons"?

[Chadtoolio]

Aerator \"Spoons\"?

Hello all,

I am looking to build an aerator and have looked at all of them at the local home improvement stores and am not very impressed. I don't have a doubt in my mind that I could build one better, however I am concerned about building/purchasing the spoons . I want them to be hollow so that they can get plugs from the soil and am assuming tapered so that the plugs can be easily ejected. How can I bend them? What guage steel should it be? How can you make them tapered?

Or am I wasting my time and should I just buy them? If you suggest this route do you have any place in mind? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif and how much are they?

Thanks,

Chad

 

[Darren]

Re: Aerator \"Spoons\"?

The Millcreek spoons look like a piece of stamped metal that's formed into a tube and then sharpened. The way the cutting end is formed and sharpened makes the opening a bit smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of the body.

That way the plug isn't totally jammed into the spoon and moves up to the area where a cut out allows the plug to drop out. I don't know if the spoons are hardened or if it's something else to do with the metallurgy but once the spoons bend sideways they can't be straightened without cracking or breaking.

If I recall correctly, replacement spoons run a couple of bucks. On a 60" aerator there are 18 wheels with 6 spoons each for a total of 108 spoons.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Aerator \"Spoons\"?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
Or am I wasting my time and should I just buy them? If you suggest this route do you have any place in mind? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif and how much are they?

)</font> Try LESCO. They sell the spoons that you need. Unsure of the price.

 

[Chadtoolio]

Re: Aerator \"Spoons\"?

What if I got some round tube, say 3/4" with about a .125 thick wall and cut it to 6" lengths. Then I took those tubes and cut them straight down the center. I would need to taper them. If I had a cone shape mold and a tapered punch, I could make the shape that I need. Even just the tapered punch with the tube supported by a anvil or something and knocking the punch inside the tube should get it to the general shape. Right?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I checked on the Agrifab site and the cheapest thing that I found was 2.50 a piece. For all the pieces that I need to build this, I could get expensive if I wanted to buy half of it. Besides am I building it or buying it.

Any ideas appreciated,

Chad

 

[Darren]

Re: Aerator \"Spoons\"?

Stamping and then forming a spoon isn't a big deal. To cut one from tube is going to involve several operations. The Millcreek spoon is 8.5" long. The stamping has four holes which form openings for the two bolts to attach the spoon to the disk on the axle when the spoon is closed into a tube.

In addition the stamping has a 2 7/8" long, 1/4" wide slot formed on the centerline at the top and equivalent notches on both sides that form the other slot when the spoon is formed. That slot slides onto the axle disk.

There's also a 3 1/2" slot (made from two notches) near the bottom for the plug to fall out. Millcreek uses formed washers that conform to the spoon on both sides of the bolt holes. The stamping is made so that the taper is built in once it's rolled into the spoon.

You're in for a lot of handwork. I think you're better off spending the $200 to $300 for a set of spoons. Before you make a decision get a spoon to eyeball it yourself.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Aerator \"Spoons\"?

By the time you get them cut, slotted, tapered, and mounted, you're going to have $2.50 invested in each, plus a lot of time.

IMHO

Been there, tried to save a buck, spent $1.50.... Probably going to do it again too, so don't let me talk you out of it, but give it some thought. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

--->Paul

 

[Chadtoolio]

Re: Aerator \"Spoons\"?

Rambler,

I would strongly consider buying them for a 1.50 a piece. Where did those come from?

Chad