Trencher and poorboys stump grinder

[sandman2234]

Many years ago, I built a trencher to keep from having to spend $40 to rent a trencher. Although the design has a few flaws, it works rather well considering who built it. On one of the first trips thru the backyard, it encountered a buried concrete block that previous owner had tossed into a hole to stop his dogs from digging. Never even slowed down the 13hp Ford 1100 I had pulling it. I found it when I went to lay the pipe. Later I needed to dig up a stump, and used it to cut the roots, but got carried away and did the whole stump.
The teeth are 1/2" by 3" flatbar, with stellite hard surfacing rods welded back and forth across the face.
Lately I have had a rash of shear pin failure, but have decided that the teeth might need sharpening. (and straightening the bent ones).
One to one gearbox, capable of digging about 11" as setup, but with longer teeth, I can probably extend that to about 18". The Ford 1100 won't pull it any deeper than that, and haven't had a need to try it with the JD2555 I recently purchase.

Chain was just put on there to transport from the backyard, don't ask what the rope is doing.
David from jax

 

[andrewj]

can i have it? haha. very nice. I am always amazed by the stuff you guys create.

 

[automech]

nice job! what did you use as a gearbox? which way does it turn?

 

[Jim_WV]

Pretty neat looking attachment sandman , thanks for sharing /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[sandman2234]

Andrewj,
Guess I better hang onto it, but in reality, it is a very simple design. The 3/16" plate guard was the hardest part, and I had some excellent help with that from a company called Ray's Sheet Metal just north of Gainesville, Fl.
The gearbox is simply a 1:1 and the wheel throws the dirt at the back of the tractor, which was very interesting since I dug about 15 feet of trench without the guard, when I first built it. It was throwing a rooster tail 40 feet in the air, covering me and the tractor in seconds. Wish someone had taken a picture of that!
Here is a couple of pictures of a gearbox like the one on the trencher. It is a spare I got, in case I tear up the orignal one.
I also have a couple about the same size, or a little bigger that are 3 way boxes, meaning one imput and two outputs at right angles. I am still looking for something to use them for.

 

[sandman2234]

Thanks for the kind words concerning the trencher. It was copied from a small trencher that was powered by a small gas engine, spinning a wheel about 8" in diameter. Not my design, but I made it from stuff I had. Only thing I have purchased is the drive shaft, and a handfull of shear pins.
The work on the guard was done as a favor and was a life savor. It wouldn't have been near as pretty if I had done the guard by myself.
David from jax
I think highly of Ray's Sheetmetal everytime I use it!

 

[beenthere]

Neat idea. Interested in what machine you salvaged this from.

From the pic, it looks to me like there is a pretty sharp angle where the PTO connects to the gearbox, that would be reduced if the top link was several inches longer (or the attachment point on top was moved several inches forward). As it is shown, doesn't look like it would reach the max depth with the shroud 'parallel' to the ground. Maybe just the way it's hooked up now.

For trenching those paddles look good. For stump grinding, more 'teeth' and some 'cutter' teeth (in line with the direction of rotation) like striking with an axe, followed by some 'rakers' across as they are shown. Just a thought as to how it might chew up wood better, and maybe the same arrangement would work for trenching too.

I like the concept and design.

 

[sandman2234]

I agree that there are design flaws, especially for a stump grinder. However, it saved me $40 the first time I used it, and that was many years ago. (almost 20 years ago). I had never used a mill before, and was trying to learn as I went, on someone else's equipment.
I have a couple of bent teeth from it bouncing when it is cutting stumps. If all the teeth had been the same length, and about twice as many of them, and probably a little shorter for stump grinding, it would have been better.
It works pretty well as it is, so I just use it and don't worry about it.
If I don't get the shear pin problem fixed by sharpening the teeth, I may go for a design change, since I have my own milling machine now.

As far as the machine I salvaged this from... well none really.
The gearboxes were part of a wharehouse full of parts a friend purchased. I got involved in helping him remove them from the wharehouse, and dispose of a lot of it. He made some serious money on it, and I got to pick and chose a lot of the parts I have used over the last 20 years.
The frame for the trencher is simply channel iron, 6" I think, without going outside and measuring it. Gearbox mounts underneath, and has a QD type taperlock bushing holding it to the shaft. The wheel is just a turnaround wheel from some cable pivot point, part of that wharehouse of stuff.
I actually have a couple of gearboxes, and one more pivot wheel, so all I would need to build another is a taper lock bushing, a driveshaft, to build another.
If I ever do, I will use 3/4" plate for the teeth, to give them more strength. Probably send them out for heat treating, instead of using stellite hard surfacing rods.

You are correct about the top link being too short. I merely hooked it to the JD2555 to transport it. I usually use the Ford 1100 to drive it, although it is almost more than the little tractor wants. I need to invest in a long top link, because the flail mower needs one also.

David from jax

 

[gotrocks]

Man, that is a great looking attachment.
It dosen't look it's age. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have been wanting to see something like that.
Can you tell me what ratio most brush hog gear boxes have?
Do you think higher than 1:1 would work on that type use?
Of course the dia of the working blade would have some bearing on the final performance. Thanks for a little disertation/speculation on this.
<font color="blue">Happy New Year </font>

 

[sandman2234]

Another use for this spinning wheel was considered. Since it has those holes in it, I thought about cutting a 4" hole in the side of the guard, and welding a short pipe on it. Then making some blades to bolt to the side of the wheel over those holes. That would make a way to get rid of sticks and limbs, by making them into chips/sawdust.
I guess if I ever need it, I can do it. Right now, a friend gets all of them to burn to heat his house, so it isn't an issue. Just a thought for someone not able to burn, etc.
David from jax