I’ve gotten advice on some of the design elements & thought I’d show my sorta good enuf build
I was trying to build a 3pt attachment that would let me hill up around my grape vines to cover the graft union for winter. I stole this design from Michigan State U
Two hiller discs to toss up soil, a coulter disc down the center to offset (some) of the steering torque from the hiller disc and a gauge wheel (cause it seemed like a good idea)
I was planning to oxy acetylene braze & weld this, but the temperatures have been in the 20’s and the acetylene went south for the winter. My neighbor had a 1970’s vintage Forney plug and play 220v arc machine that I brought back to life & I decided to teach myself to arc weld. 7018, I found out, doesn’t run well on old AC machines, so I wasted a day and a half learning how to grind out stuck rods. I finally got 6013 to light up and made a bunch of awful looking, but probably good enuf welds. Then the weather went worse and no way I was going to use his Forney outside where the plug is. Bought a Hone brand inverter welder on Amazon for $75 and a 5lb box of 6013 and finished it up. Suprisingly nice welds (for me) on 110v 90 Amp 3/32 rod. Hate the weld pool on 6013, but the farm store didn’t have much else.
The contraption attaches to a 3PT 2” receiver hitch that I use for my sprayer. Tubing is 2” square 1/4” wall
Tube frame is mounted to the front tool bar with 2 1/2” 3/16” wall welded into a cross shape with 1/2” captive nuts. Nuts were Grade 8 until I welded them.
Hiller discs and toolbar mounts were from Tilmor
Coulter disc was a bit of a challenge. I couldnt find a cheap ag hub, so I bought a scratch and dent 4 on 4” bolt circle trailer off ebay. Coulter disc was also ebay, but bolt circle was metric and not even close. Drill a 4” bolt circle, I said! Hadnt thought of it, but discs are probably Rockwell 50. And then work harden as you drill them. Ended up spot annealing and drilling with a cobalt bit. Also not easy to lay out a 4” bolt circle on something with a big hub hole in the center. Ended up welding up the hole and redrilling. Not saying how many times
Had to use something from the boneyard, so coulter mount is from the neighbors scrap pile. IH plow shank should be plenty strong ;-) but welding to 1” plate with 3/32” rod is not recommended
Overall, it sorta works. There are about 2000 ways to adjust it and I haven’t found the sweet spot (I hope)
Two current problems:
1). It’s hard to steer accurately when you’re 6” away from wiping out a vine. Coulter doesnt completely eliminate torque steer and I’m not all that good at steering 3pt implements that go whichever way the steering wheel isn’t pointed. Have about a mile of rows to do, so not a big deal to drive forward 50 yards and back up 10 to straighten out. Must ponder
2)Chickens. We free range our flock of a couple dozen (depending on how many the coyotes have taken off). As soon as the hear a diesel motor, they figure that I’m going to turn over some worms and they mob the tractor. They will try to peck stuff of the hiller disc, run under the tractor while its moving. Must remember to lock up
It’s been a fun build, I sorta learned out how to arc weld and drill hard metal, and I have a toolbar setup to use for a contraption to unhill the vines in the spring and weed the rows in the summer. Thanks to all the folks who offered advice!
I was trying to build a 3pt attachment that would let me hill up around my grape vines to cover the graft union for winter. I stole this design from Michigan State U
Two hiller discs to toss up soil, a coulter disc down the center to offset (some) of the steering torque from the hiller disc and a gauge wheel (cause it seemed like a good idea)
I was planning to oxy acetylene braze & weld this, but the temperatures have been in the 20’s and the acetylene went south for the winter. My neighbor had a 1970’s vintage Forney plug and play 220v arc machine that I brought back to life & I decided to teach myself to arc weld. 7018, I found out, doesn’t run well on old AC machines, so I wasted a day and a half learning how to grind out stuck rods. I finally got 6013 to light up and made a bunch of awful looking, but probably good enuf welds. Then the weather went worse and no way I was going to use his Forney outside where the plug is. Bought a Hone brand inverter welder on Amazon for $75 and a 5lb box of 6013 and finished it up. Suprisingly nice welds (for me) on 110v 90 Amp 3/32 rod. Hate the weld pool on 6013, but the farm store didn’t have much else.
The contraption attaches to a 3PT 2” receiver hitch that I use for my sprayer. Tubing is 2” square 1/4” wall
Tube frame is mounted to the front tool bar with 2 1/2” 3/16” wall welded into a cross shape with 1/2” captive nuts. Nuts were Grade 8 until I welded them.
Hiller discs and toolbar mounts were from Tilmor
Coulter disc was a bit of a challenge. I couldnt find a cheap ag hub, so I bought a scratch and dent 4 on 4” bolt circle trailer off ebay. Coulter disc was also ebay, but bolt circle was metric and not even close. Drill a 4” bolt circle, I said! Hadnt thought of it, but discs are probably Rockwell 50. And then work harden as you drill them. Ended up spot annealing and drilling with a cobalt bit. Also not easy to lay out a 4” bolt circle on something with a big hub hole in the center. Ended up welding up the hole and redrilling. Not saying how many times
Had to use something from the boneyard, so coulter mount is from the neighbors scrap pile. IH plow shank should be plenty strong ;-) but welding to 1” plate with 3/32” rod is not recommended
Overall, it sorta works. There are about 2000 ways to adjust it and I haven’t found the sweet spot (I hope)
Two current problems:
1). It’s hard to steer accurately when you’re 6” away from wiping out a vine. Coulter doesnt completely eliminate torque steer and I’m not all that good at steering 3pt implements that go whichever way the steering wheel isn’t pointed. Have about a mile of rows to do, so not a big deal to drive forward 50 yards and back up 10 to straighten out. Must ponder
2)Chickens. We free range our flock of a couple dozen (depending on how many the coyotes have taken off). As soon as the hear a diesel motor, they figure that I’m going to turn over some worms and they mob the tractor. They will try to peck stuff of the hiller disc, run under the tractor while its moving. Must remember to lock up
It’s been a fun build, I sorta learned out how to arc weld and drill hard metal, and I have a toolbar setup to use for a contraption to unhill the vines in the spring and weed the rows in the summer. Thanks to all the folks who offered advice!