How To Make A Homemade Boom Sprayer

Rsw05 · Apr 30, 2015

From: Rsw05, New Member

I would like to construct a 48" Boom Sprayer for my riding mower. Does anyone have plan(s) they would share, or know where I can find plan(s).

HCJtractor · Apr 30, 2015

For a small sized one like that, I would just copy one of the common Fimco sprayers. And really ,for a narrow spray pattern like 48", I think a boom is unnecessary. I spray a 40 foot pattern with a single spray head on a big tank I built. I also doubt you can build a system for much less than you could buy one for. But if you have a tank, a small 12V pump, and a spray head, all you need are plumbing fittings. Even for my big 275 gallon system, I just copied the small 25 gal Fimco, but with a bigger pump.

AaronS · Apr 30, 2015

Welcome to the forum. Agreed, if you don't have a sprayer yet, new ones with boom are inexpensive these days. If you already have the tank but no boom, I've made cheap ones using small angle iron, spray tips from Rural King, and the appropriate size hose. For 48" you should only need 3 nozzles, depending on how close to the ground your boom will be.

Here is one I made several years ago. I didn't go by any plans.

dwilliams35 · Apr 30, 2015

I'll never get another boom sprayer again: I've got a Fimco boomless on a UTV that throws a 30' swath. no worries about knocking the boom around with brush, less of a problem in high weeds, etc. etc. etc.: the boomless is just way too easy to deal with.

HCJtractor · Apr 30, 2015

Here's one I made out of a 275 gallon tote. But the principles are the same. It shows how effective a boomless nozzle is. This one throws a nice pattern up to 49 feet.

But unless you already have a tank, it's probably about as cheap to buy one already assembled.

AaronS · Apr 30, 2015

dwilliams35 said:
I'll never get another boom sprayer again: I've got a Fimco boomless on a UTV that throws a 30' swath. no worries about knocking the boom around with brush, less of a problem in high weeds, etc. etc. etc.: the boomless is just way too easy to deal with.

That works out in a wide open field. What if you want to spray a lawn where you have to worry about landscaping?

I had a boomless and went back to a boom. I prefer it for my food plots because with the boomless I had it sprayed an arching swath, and the wind would blow it everywhere including on me. Not as much of a drift problem with a boom with nozzles pointing straight down.

mx1alex · Apr 30, 2015

Little home made job I built. The boom is pvc and the spray solution actually runs through it. It's about 8' wide. MY only complaint is the the pvc will get to bouncing out towards the end of the boom.

HCJtractor · Apr 30, 2015

AaronS said:
That works out in a wide open field. What if you want to spray a lawn where you have to worry about landscaping? I had a boomless and went back to a boom. I prefer it for my food plots because with the boomless I had it sprayed an arching swath, and the wind would blow it everywhere including on me. Not as much of a drift problem with a boom with nozzles pointing straight down.

Those are good points. I spray food plots so overspray isn't important. And I try to spray on calm days. Regardless, the sprayer is the same, so it just depends on the design of the boom or spray jet. Neither are very complex.

dwilliams35 · Apr 30, 2015

AaronS said:
That works out in a wide open field. What if you want to spray a lawn where you have to worry about landscaping?

I had a boomless and went back to a boom. I prefer it for my food plots because with the boomless I had it sprayed an arching swath, and the wind would blow it everywhere including on me. Not as much of a drift problem with a boom with nozzles pointing straight down.

Not really a problem on mine. It's got 3 nozzles: one is a standard "boom" type nozzle in the center shooting straight down, the other two shoot out to the sides: you can turn any of them off individually. I do that pretty regularly spraying fencerows, just shut down the center and one side, then just spray the fence off the other side. You could just as easily shut off the outer two and have about a 5' "boom" sprayer action.
Drift is more of an issue of droplet size than anything; I really don't have that problem with the one I've got; if there's enough wind to blow it back to me, there's probably too much wind to be spraying anyway. I do use it to spray my own lawn as well as the pastures. I went through 2 boom type rigs, now that I've got this I'll never go back..

Ed of all trades · Apr 30, 2015

dwilliams35 said:
Not really a problem on mine. It's got 3 nozzles: one is a standard "boom" type nozzle in the center shooting straight down, the other two shoot out to the sides: you can turn any of them off individually. I do that pretty regularly spraying fencerows, just shut down the center and one side, then just spray the fence off the other side. You could just as easily shut off the outer two and have about a 5' "boom" sprayer action.
Drift is more of an issue of droplet size than anything; I really don't have that problem with the one I've got; if there's enough wind to blow it back to me, there's probably too much wind to be spraying anyway. I do use it to spray my own lawn as well as the pastures. I went through 2 boom type rigs, now that I've got this I'll never go back..

Do you have electric valves or manual ones? I would like to make something like yours. what was the cost? did you hook it to an atv sprayer? ect. Thanks Ed