Middle buster plow

trialsguy · May 20, 2006

Is there a trick to getting the plow to plow deep, well what I need to do is trench as deep as trench as I can with it. Do I need to angle the head any certain angle or just straight up plum with the world? I am going to use it to run underground wire about 650 feet and I want it to go as deep as possible. the 2nd pass seems to just skim over what I have already trenched. I have added about 50 lbs to the plow to see if that helps,

trialsguy · May 20, 2006

Is there a trick to getting the plow to plow deep, well what I need to do is trench as deep as trench as I can with it. Do I need to angle the head any certain angle or just straight up plum with the world? I am going to use it to run underground wire about 650 feet and I want it to go as deep as possible. the 2nd pass seems to just skim over what I have already trenched. I have added about 50 lbs to the plow to see if that helps,

KiotiJohn · May 20, 2006

Adjust your top link to change the angle of the plow. If you shorten the top link by loosening the nut and turning the turnbuckle you'll see the front go down. This will allow a more aggressive cut and send the plow deeper.

When you don't want to cut so deep, lengthen the top link and the front will raise.

If that's not deep enough, you may be able to change the drop of your hitch arms by moving to another hole setting on both sides. Just look at where the vertical uprights connect to the hitch arms and move to the other hole.
John

KiotiJohn · May 20, 2006

Adjust your top link to change the angle of the plow. If you shorten the top link by loosening the nut and turning the turnbuckle you'll see the front go down. This will allow a more aggressive cut and send the plow deeper.

When you don't want to cut so deep, lengthen the top link and the front will raise.

If that's not deep enough, you may be able to change the drop of your hitch arms by moving to another hole setting on both sides. Just look at where the vertical uprights connect to the hitch arms and move to the other hole.
John

OkieG · May 20, 2006

Did the extra weight help? If the main shaft of the MB is vertical, physics usually takes the plow as deep as the 3PH will allow, even in pretty hard ground.
How deep do you want to go? I've noticed that the main shaft on MiddleBusters is sometimes shorter than on SubSoilers, which affects maximum depth. On my small tractor the MB is able to get pretty low to the ground and it will cut less than 12" deep.
Adjusting the toplink, as John mentions, can deepen the depth of cut, but probably not by more than a couple inches. A SubSoiler may get you a few inches deeper yet. Beyond that, you might consider renting a trencher.
Check out this thread: Homemade Subsoiler Ripper for MiddleBuster.

OkieG

OkieG · May 20, 2006

Did the extra weight help? If the main shaft of the MB is vertical, physics usually takes the plow as deep as the 3PH will allow, even in pretty hard ground.
How deep do you want to go? I've noticed that the main shaft on MiddleBusters is sometimes shorter than on SubSoilers, which affects maximum depth. On my small tractor the MB is able to get pretty low to the ground and it will cut less than 12" deep.
Adjusting the toplink, as John mentions, can deepen the depth of cut, but probably not by more than a couple inches. A SubSoiler may get you a few inches deeper yet. Beyond that, you might consider renting a trencher.
Check out this thread: Homemade Subsoiler Ripper for MiddleBuster.

OkieG

RonMar · May 20, 2006

Are the arms on your 3PH set to go as low as they can? Most middlebuster designs I have seen have the crossbar that connects to the 3PH arms right above the top of the ripper shank. In order to get the shank as deep as possible, the arms need to be able to nearly drag on the ground when fully lowered. What might also be happening is the crossbar is riding on the pile of dirt on either side of the ditch on the second pass. I am running into this right now while trenching with a middlebuster/ripper for irrigation pipe. I was going to make up a little "V" plow to attach to the drawbar to force that material away from the trench.

At some point though, the increased downward angle of the 3PH arms is going to cause an upward force on the impliment when the ripper tooth starts to dig in and the force tries to drag the arms back up level. this could be lifting the tooth back up and keeping it from digging in any deeper. If yours is like most I have seen, the ripper tooth is at about a 45 degree angle when the ripper shank is vertical. You can try shortening the toplink which will increase this angle(tilt the shank forward and make the ripper tooth a little more agressive and hopefully force it to pull deeper. The additional weight you mentioned might also help. Mine will pull to full depth though with no additional weight and the shank setup vertical.

What type soil do you have? Could you have possibly hit a harder layer of clay or hardpan that the ripper tooth is having trouble penetrating?

RonMar · May 20, 2006

Are the arms on your 3PH set to go as low as they can? Most middlebuster designs I have seen have the crossbar that connects to the 3PH arms right above the top of the ripper shank. In order to get the shank as deep as possible, the arms need to be able to nearly drag on the ground when fully lowered. What might also be happening is the crossbar is riding on the pile of dirt on either side of the ditch on the second pass. I am running into this right now while trenching with a middlebuster/ripper for irrigation pipe. I was going to make up a little "V" plow to attach to the drawbar to force that material away from the trench.

At some point though, the increased downward angle of the 3PH arms is going to cause an upward force on the impliment when the ripper tooth starts to dig in and the force tries to drag the arms back up level. this could be lifting the tooth back up and keeping it from digging in any deeper. If yours is like most I have seen, the ripper tooth is at about a 45 degree angle when the ripper shank is vertical. You can try shortening the toplink which will increase this angle(tilt the shank forward and make the ripper tooth a little more agressive and hopefully force it to pull deeper. The additional weight you mentioned might also help. Mine will pull to full depth though with no additional weight and the shank setup vertical.

What type soil do you have? Could you have possibly hit a harder layer of clay or hardpan that the ripper tooth is having trouble penetrating?

trialsguy · May 20, 2006

I havent had a go with the extra weight on top yet, it was dark and I wanted to beable to see what I was doing. I hope that I am calling this emplement the right name. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif The guy I got it from said it was a middle buster plow, the thing will slip right into the sod and soil, it is like a double edged plow splitting the earth and laying it to the outside of the ditch and the blade is about 14 inches wide maybe a bit less I am just guessing with out measuring it. It works really well but I cant seem to get it deeper than the plow blade is tall if that makes since. I will try the top link adjutsment to one way or the other from vertical. The arms will almost drag the ground when unhooked from emplements, so I think they are set ok Thanks for the quick replies

trialsguy · May 20, 2006

I havent had a go with the extra weight on top yet, it was dark and I wanted to beable to see what I was doing. I hope that I am calling this emplement the right name. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif The guy I got it from said it was a middle buster plow, the thing will slip right into the sod and soil, it is like a double edged plow splitting the earth and laying it to the outside of the ditch and the blade is about 14 inches wide maybe a bit less I am just guessing with out measuring it. It works really well but I cant seem to get it deeper than the plow blade is tall if that makes since. I will try the top link adjutsment to one way or the other from vertical. The arms will almost drag the ground when unhooked from emplements, so I think they are set ok Thanks for the quick replies

KiotiJohn · May 20, 2006

The attachment is a pic of a middle buster, also known as a potato plow. Is this what you have? It sounds so in your description.

As you can see, the crossbar can limit depth. These plows are not designed for DEEP trenching, a subsoiler would probably work better. Of course, you can modify this implement by adding some length to the mount the plow is on.
John

KiotiJohn · May 20, 2006

The attachment is a pic of a middle buster, also known as a potato plow. Is this what you have? It sounds so in your description.

As you can see, the crossbar can limit depth. These plows are not designed for DEEP trenching, a subsoiler would probably work better. Of course, you can modify this implement by adding some length to the mount the plow is on.
John

trialsguy · May 20, 2006

yep thats what I have, I think I will go out and give it another try thanks.

trialsguy · May 20, 2006

yep thats what I have, I think I will go out and give it another try thanks.

Farwell · May 20, 2006

I have reached the conclusion that my 3pt will not allow my middle buster go any deeper. I am thinking about doing a modification so I can get the middle buster deeper.
It may be easier for you to get a sub soiler and extend the blade somehow to get the depth you need.
Farwell

Farwell · May 20, 2006

I have reached the conclusion that my 3pt will not allow my middle buster go any deeper. I am thinking about doing a modification so I can get the middle buster deeper.
It may be easier for you to get a sub soiler and extend the blade somehow to get the depth you need.
Farwell

KiotiJohn · May 20, 2006

Check out this old thread on LAYING PIPE

This is done with a subsoiler and is a very ingenious way to dig and pipe at the same time. Thanks to WVBill

John

KiotiJohn · May 20, 2006

Check out this old thread on LAYING PIPE

This is done with a subsoiler and is a very ingenious way to dig and pipe at the same time. Thanks to WVBill

John

flusher · May 20, 2006

My 230V/200A service cable from my pole to the house is 330 feet long and is in 3" conduit and is buried 24" deep. Is this what you're installing?

I have 115V/20A service running in 12" deep trenches to several sheds. This is direct burial (UF) cable and requires a GFI circuit breaker per the NEC.

All of my electrical utility trenching was done with a Ditch Witch 1330 trencher rented from Home Depot.

I have a 21-hp Kubota B7510HST and a KK combo middle buster/sub-soiler. I've used the MB to dig 12" deep trenches for 4" landscape drain pipe. Took me 2-3 passes to get this deep. Did the trenching during the rainy season when the ground was soft.

I'll use the sub-soiler to dig 8" deep trenches for 1" PVC pipe for my in-ground sprinkler system. Saving this work for Sept. Too late to plant shrubs and a lawn this year because the temperature here in the North Valley is in the 90s already. I'll wait until it cools off after Labor Day.

flusher · May 20, 2006

My 230V/200A service cable from my pole to the house is 330 feet long and is in 3" conduit and is buried 24" deep. Is this what you're installing?

I have 115V/20A service running in 12" deep trenches to several sheds. This is direct burial (UF) cable and requires a GFI circuit breaker per the NEC.

All of my electrical utility trenching was done with a Ditch Witch 1330 trencher rented from Home Depot.

I have a 21-hp Kubota B7510HST and a KK combo middle buster/sub-soiler. I've used the MB to dig 12" deep trenches for 4" landscape drain pipe. Took me 2-3 passes to get this deep. Did the trenching during the rainy season when the ground was soft.

I'll use the sub-soiler to dig 8" deep trenches for 1" PVC pipe for my in-ground sprinkler system. Saving this work for Sept. Too late to plant shrubs and a lawn this year because the temperature here in the North Valley is in the 90s already. I'll wait until it cools off after Labor Day.