Multi use tool bar-hiller, cultivator,

paulsharvey · Sep 16, 2023

Pictures of the existing tool. I had originally had a middle buster style plow, very similar, but 2x6 channel and old lawn mower blades as the plow, but I sent it with the old Kubota when I sold that. This frame was just an extra I built years ago, and never used.

That red iron stuff on the right side, is a lame attempt at a row digger, using old scrap I picked up on the side of the road. The angle is Way to weak, and the 'plow' bottom isn't nearly heavy or heavy-duty enough to cut more than 4 inches in sand, without bending or twisting.

2manyrocks · Sep 16, 2023

Sometimes see single row cultivators for about $75-125 in mid. TN. Hardly ever see a hiller with the two disc blades for sale used, however.

bullockcm · Sep 17, 2023

I live in NY with soil primarily consisting of clay and rock, so pretty much polar opposite of what you appear to have so my experience may not mean much. However, I have found primary/initial tillage or any tillage dealing with more than minimal trash requires a tool with both vertical and horizontal spacing between "points" as a general term. Your current design lacks spacing and clearance and unsurprisingly as you found behaves like a solid blade. Could also be described as similar result to a landscape rake or spike tooth harrow as well I expect.

Free material and experimenting can be good things but I would say for ground engagement your material is to lite. I would think 3/16" or 1/4" angle or tube would be a better choice. I have seen a number of different clamping solutions for the round rod normally used on hilling discs. 2 U-bolts thru a plate attached to the frame is one way. Another option is to use larger diameter pipe attached to the frame and then 2 set screws to hold the hiller rod in the pipe.

paulsharvey · Sep 17, 2023

This is the current garden area. It's going to get extended when I finish the property line fencing. As shown, the rigged up scrap attachment does tear up ground, but it doesn't really dig a furrow. Garden has been a mess every year, after doing a ton of handwork, you miss a week, and it's an uncontrolled jungle. Thought process is, if I can mechanize a lot of the initial bed work, and weeding (even just a bit) I would keep it under control.

2manyrocks · Sep 17, 2023

Ms. Rocks insists on having hilled garden furrows. I fabricated something out of what I had laying around that semi-works, but the commercial version that would allow you to adjust your row widths would seem a better option.

However, I seem to recall some guys built their own frames and then used the discs you posted earlier.

paulsharvey · Apr 1, 2024

I hate when people start a thread and never check back in; so, as a check back in; I had some crap metal laying around, mostly 30" 1-1/4"x3/16" thick angle, and other red iron type stuff; and wanted to play with the mig welder. So far, I've pretty much got the frame more or less ready; need to fab or buy lower arm pins; then the big question, how to attach the sweeps to the arms. Tool bar is 55" long