Buying a new 3PT Sprayer-Help

[sunspot]

Hi All.
I'm looking to buy a new 3pt sprayer w/boom and handgun. I've been on the web doing searches and I've looked at previous posts on TBN.

A few months ago, I was at a TSC store and looked over the sprayers they had in stock. They were all Fimco and each and every one of them had some plastic piece broken, mostly valves. I was not impressed to say the least.

The brands I found were Cimarron, Competitor, AgSpray and I looked at Fimco.
Prices ranged from $850 to $980 FOB. I found a Fimco at Agri-supply for $763 Shipped.
I also looked at CropCare and they were $1,100 FOB.

Any opinions? Brag on your sprayer if you want to. BTW, building my own is out of the question at this time.

Cimarron Beaver Valley Supply Company - Cimarron Three Point Sprayers

Competitor from Moderm Ag. Dragon Products I'm leaning a bit towards this one. All galvanized metal. $851 plus shipping from TX to AL.

AgSpray. 55 Horizontal Sprayers

Fimco. 55 GAL 3PT. SPRAYER - Agri Supply

CropCare. 3PT Agriculture Field Sprayers - 55 Gallon 3pt Sprayers from CropCare Equipment

 

[Slade]

I'm getting the Crop Care 55 gal. sprayer, has all the features I want at a reasonable price.

 

[sunspot]

Slade,
I liked the CropCare also but SWMBO freaked a bit on the price. May I ask you what you are getting and the price? What drew you to the CropCare?

 

[EddieWalker]

I've been all over the board on what to buy. I thought about building one, but don't know enough about them to know which would be the good stuff to buy versus junk, and when pricing it all out, it was cheaper to buy already built ones. The 55 gallon tanks seem to be about the right size for what I want to do, which is weed control in my grass once or twice a year.

I'm disapointed that you saw so many problems with the Fimco. That was the one I was leaning towards. I'm still working on a few acres of dirt work, so there's no rush to buy a sprayer just until that's done, but figuring out what to buy has been a challenge.

I still might go with the Fimco due to my limited need and usage. Keep us updated on your seach and how it works for you. I'm not against spending more money if there is a need for it, or I get a better quality product, but hate spending top dollar on something that is rarely used.

Eddie

 

[Ford850]

I have a smaller Fimco 12v sprayer. It's a 25 gallon with boom and hand sprayer. It's made for a ATV but I got it to make it semi portable between a small trailer for lawn work and a carryall on my tractor for field work. I use it quite a few times per year and have had minor issues with quality. Fimco was great about replacing a pump diaphram and the wand for free, and they also sell parts direct if they can't warranty them. Keep in mind these manufacturers are only building the frame and boom, and assembling the rest of the parts from other makers. You can always swap out broken or worn parts with whatever you have available locally too.

 

[sunspot]

Eddie, are there any other brands that you looked at? I saw the AgSpray through a fence last week. There were no flaws that I could spot.
It was disappointing to the sad shape of the Fimco sprayers. I did include them in my links because they are the price leader but I don't want to be replacing any parts at least in the first few years on ownership.

In my TBN searching, I did find that the CropCare did get high praise but at least half was from the same member who lives in the dealers area.

Almost all the sprayers I found had the same Hypro CM6500C pump and most had TeeJet spray tips.

I do like that the Dragon/ModernAG sprayer is hot dip galvanized, even the boom. It looks like all the Dragon mowers are also hot dipped.

 

[lawn_king]

I have been using demco sprayers with hypro pto pumps for years. They are not cheap but they last for years and hold up to commercial use.

 

[OrangeGuy]

I purchase a Fimco 3 Pt sprayer several years ago. It has performed flawlessly. I believe the pump (Hypro), valves, hoses, nozzles, etc are pretty much standard.

OrangeGuy

 

[sunspot]

I looked at the Demco site. The sprayers do look nice. They have a 60 gallon insted of 55. A bit pricy, as you said, at $1,269.

OG, if I had not seen the Fimco's at TSC, I most likely would of ordered one from Agri-Supply.

 

[Barneyhunts]

I've used the Fimco 55 gal. boom sprayer (with handgun) and have had no problem with it. It was easy to set up (assemble) and use. Mine is the 3 pt. model with 10' foldable boom. I purchased the entire set up from Agri Supply and was pleased with their shipping time. I'd buy another one. My use is limited to food plots ... about 2 acres of spraying...and herbicides.

 

[Barneyhunts]

I should have added that I use it on the Kubota B7800 and not the Bx2200.

 

[Cottonhawk]

I have a Hardi.
Check them out Hardi North America - Spraying with HARDI Sprayers - Products.

 

[mjncad]

I have the FIMCO/Schaben 55-gallon 3-point sprayer listed in one of the links. I have a love/hate relationship with it. I have no problem with the overall construction of the unit; but it could use more features to make it less of a hassle to use. Of course features cost money.

1. I've made mine quick hitch compatible, which is the biggest modification to date.

2. I set up each boom section to be controlled by an individual ball valve.

3. I added tennis balls hanging from a rope at the end of each boom section to set height.

4. I put a jumper on my PTO "Lawyer Switch" so I could hop on and off the tractor with the PTO running and not worry about the engine being shut off.

5. I put a 100-PSI liquid filled gauge on it in place of the 400-PSI dry gauge that came with it. With all the vibration, the dry gauge is worthless.

6. Cam-Lock quick connections between the pump and fitting were added for convenience.

I wrecked the handgun on the first use when I was backing up, and the hose somehow came undone from the from the hose rack. The hose got caught under the rear tire, and before the hose broke, it wrecked the white plastic tee that the handgun is fed from, bent the hose rack where it's welded to the tubular upright, and bent the handgun barrel. All I needed was a new barrel; but those aren't available...you have to buy the whole gun.

Future modifications include:

1. A cheap Chinese knockoff of a Reelcraft self rewinding hose reel with 50' of hose. Swivel connections will be at the handgun/hose interface so I don't have to do the handgun do-si-do to rewind the handgun hose as I do now. I bought the Northern hose reel for $50 so if the nasty chemicals wreck it, no great loss.

2. Electric valves to control the master and boom section valves. With the quick-hitch adapter, it's a long reach to get to the main shutoff valve. I use a piece of heavy wire to extend the handle a bit. Also, hopping on and off the tractor to turn on or off a boom section got old quick. This will be the expensive modification.

3. Move the filter screen housing outboard where it's easy to see and get to.

4. Put a dump bypass line to make emptying the tank faster when cleaning it out. Currently it has to go through the filter screen which slows the draining process.

All of these sprayer regardless of brand come with plastic pipe fittings to reduce chemical attack; but NPT threads on plastic fittings are evil. The plastic is too slippery to get a good friction fit, and one extra 1/4 turn to many will break the female threaded portion of the fitting very quickly. If you add metal pipe fittings, use brass, stainless steel, or plain unplated steel to minimize the chance of chemicals eating at the galvanizing and getting into the rest of the sprayers machinery. NuFarm's Pro-Deuce weed killer even states very clearly not to use galvanized steel containers for their product.

The Tee-Jet nozzles work A-OK and I have no issues with them.

I like FIMCO for their customer service. Anytime I've called for parts or other information, the telephone is answered by a person instead of an automated phone system.

I got my sprayer and pump from Gempler's, and like FIMCO, they have humans answer the phone.

Bottom line...I should have made my own; but I was in the same boat as Eddie and didn't know enough to construct one.

I'll post pictures once I get my new PC up and running.

 

[rambler]

I got a Demco - 100 gallon - in the early 90's. Has covered several 100 acres a year with no problems.

--->Paul

 

[Oleozz]

I have a Crop Care (formerly PD Zimmerman) 110 gal with the 30 ft booms. Does an excellent job, have the electric sprayer controls so I can regulate the different booms and pressure from inside the cab. I bought mine used so saved some money but it was only three years old when I got it.
I am hoping that I can afford an EZ Guide 250 in the near future for better spray coverage, I'm wasting to much spray and also missing some spots.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I've got a couple different sprayers. One is a Hardi that I spent near $2000 on. The other is a FIMCO from TSC. I upgraded a few items on it as soon as I got it home. Total investment around $1000. With those additional improvments, the FIMCO is every bit as capable as the much more expensive HARDI sprayer and at a much lower cost. Too bad they aren't a top shelf product straight out of the box, but with the much lower initial cost, some issues are to be expected.

 

[dooger54]

I have the Fimco 60 gallon 3 pt. Other than normal wear and tear, it has worked fine. As someone already mentioned, plastic fittings are pretty much standard given the chemicals that are used. I have had to replace a few parts and there customer service is great. Always a human to talk to and never a problem getting the part I need. I would recommend them.

 

[flusher]

I've got a couple different sprayers. One is a Hardi that I spent near $2000 on. The other is a FIMCO from TSC. I upgraded a few items on it as soon as I got it home. Total investment around $1000. With those additional improvments, the FIMCO is every bit as capable as the much more expensive HARDI sprayer and at a much lower cost. Too bad they aren't a top shelf product straight out of the box, but with the much lower initial cost, some issues are to be expected.

Does your FIMCO use a pto-drive pump? If so, I guess that there's some type of bracket to mount the pump on the tractor. What pto rpm is needed to operate the sprayer?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Does your FIMCO use a pto-drive pump? If so, I guess that there's some type of bracket to mount the pump on the tractor. What pto rpm is needed to operate the sprayer?

It uses the standard fare pto pump that just about all 3-point sprayers use. I have a Hypro 6 roller pump on this one. It works with 540 rpm, but to achieve adaquate working pressure, you can get by with quite a bit less rpms. I generally spray at or near 50psi. that's possible at pto rpms around half of the 540 mark. Ground speed is important in the proper distribution rate. Rpms can be adjusted to coincide with gear selection to get correct ground speed.

 

[mjncad]

Here is the link to the photo gallery of my FIMCO 55-gallon sprayer modifications.

Picasa Web Albums - Matt - FIMCO Sprayer