Mole plough design questions... US doesn’t use them

[Dadnatron]

i live in the Lexington KY, USA area, and need some of my pastures drained to a greater degree. Typically, in the US, we place drainage tile (perforated pipe) for drainage of fields. This can be a massive undertaking and cost.

While I need some drainage on my property, at least at this moment, laying or paying for drainage tile to be laid is not in the near reasonable future. As I was looking at options, I noted mole drainage in Europe and Aus/NZ. We just don’t do it nor have access to either machines or information in the US, so I am here, hoping for some info to help me build my own.

My tractor is a bit light, JD 5100e, with 700lbs fluid in each rear tire. 100hp with a weight of approximately 9000lbs (4200kg) 4wd.

I have a single shank 3pth subsoiler which I can pull at max depth of about 20”. But it’s design seems to tear the surface soil up and create a lot of surface roughness. There is no Coulter nor closer on the back, both of which adds to the roughness of the final work.

I’ve thought about simply adding a triangular ‘shin’ to the shank, which is a squared off 1” and buying/building a bullet and expander for this machine. I suspect it would be the easiest set up, but it would be very close to the tractor and would be at the whim of the hitch movement.

To add to the request, I would like to pull water pipe for in pasture waterers as well. I believe this can be done relatively well with a modified mole plough, but again, I have no experience.

My soil is Maury loam to a depth of about 14” with dense red clay below that. I need to place the water lines at least 18” deep to get below our frost line.

So the question I come here to ask is what ‘design’ would you recommend for my needs? If I understand correctly, the single sliding beam is a good design, but requires quite a bit of hp. I need to drain a relatively small area, so long parallel drainage is not my requirement. I’m not opposed to ‘pre-ripping’ at a shallower depth prior to final mole ploughing, as I suspect I’d only need to put in 20-30 moles to meet my needs.

My land is mostly on a slight grade, so I believe if I could stay roughly on grace, the water would run/drain without issue. Runs would be downhill at a max of 200yds but most less than this distance.

Basically, I need to build something which will fulfill my needs, but can be reasonably pulled by my tractor. I’m not opposed to ordering some “essential parts” to make it work well, but I suspect I can fabricate most of whatI need here.

What is the bullet, shank, and expander typically made from? Do you have a recommendation about what is worth “making” vs ordering Premanufactured?

How much harder is it to pull a sliding beam.double beam design compared to a wheeled version? Obviously the beam would be easier to build, but if I can’t pull it, then it makes no difference.

How much difference is pulling difficulty is a 3pth vs trailing, be wheeled, vs whatever else is out there?

Basically, what are your recommendations for my needs?

Thanks

 

[JackoTS90]

just Use your single shank ripper, then roll the moles with your wheel or roller if you are that worried. They should settle with time. To bury water pipe just lay the pipe where you want it, add a bracket to the shank and then feed it through the bracket to start. You may need a helper to feed the pipe so it doesn’t get too damaged. I guess yours is like the one in the pics just bigger?

 

[Exfarmer]

I dont think your tractor would pull a mole plough satisfactorily./ They must maintain a constant depth other wise the mole will not leave a good channel. Also the resulting drain must have somewhere to discharge or you will encourage wet spots. Normally moiling is done here over and at 90 degrees to a drainage system with gravel above.
Moiling must be done when the soil is reasonably damp and plastic, done properly moles can last 20 years or more, but you will really need a beam moler and at least 150HP or a tracked machine
gooogle Miles beam mole plough

 

[Kidds]

Most of the moling I have done is with a 2wd IH574, I can't see why your JD wouldn't pull a single leg with ease.
Finish is improved if your mole plough/subsoiler has a disc in front of the leg.
Leg is just one of those weld on bucket edges but the pointy ones not just bevelled on one side. Bar at the bottom is 1.5-2".
Put "Browns single leg mole plough" into Google and search the images, you'll soon figure it out.

 

[Lincsman]

How deep does your frost go in winter?

Also remember if you mole on ANY gradient make sure there are drains at the bottom of the slope to catch it, or all you will do is get water there quicker to make it flood.

 

[brentnz]

Ideally a mole plough needs as much length as possible between the blade and the front ground contact point. However, Given the small size of your project I would make do with what you have.

Build yourself a steel blade with a torpedo on the bottom. You need something like 6 inches of torpedo leading infront of the blade to make it hold depth properly. We use a 3 inch cast plug on the back that bolts on but is free to rotate. This makes it wear more evenly. The blade has hard facing on the leading edge.

Depth is controlled by tilting the blade. You will have to use your top link I guess.
3.5km/hr is about top speed.

Bolt a pipe chute on the back when you need to lay pipe

The plug:

 

[Fruitbat]

I seem to recall a correlation between the diameter of the plug and horses required to pull it.
50 to the inch springs to mind.

 

[Dadnatron]

I have a ditch at the bottom of the hill, to which I intend to drain and there appears to be enough of a natural gradient that I think it should move well. The area I would like to drain, drains on its own, but there is often a saturation which will last for a week or more. Given this is going to be a new horse pasture, I'd like to encourage it to drain faster and prevent a mud pit if possible. I know drainage tile would work, but I'm looking for other, less expensive alternatives, at least for the interim.

My frost line for waterers is about 12-14". I have been told to bury my water lines at 18".

My subsoiler has a 24" leg, but I don't think my 3pth will allow it to go that deep. I believe it bottoms out at a max depth of about 20". Right now, there is simply a straight chisel point on bottom, and I can pull it without issue at the max depth. I need to get out and see how deep I can really get it, because if I can get it to 20", then perhaps I can simply add an expander. The current tip is NOT a round and long bullet, however. It is just a straight shank with a regular subsoiler type chisel point.

Almost every mole plough I see has the long bullet, which would be ideal, but could I have luck by just adding an expander to the back of a regular subsoiler? I've seen a similar setup on a Whites of Bocambra design. But I don't know how intact the channel would be in such an instance. (The second pic is of my subsoiler, yellow paint. The top of the worn paint is 16" and the total length of the shank is 24")

 

[Exfarmer]

Neither of those will give anything like a drainage hole.
In fact if you can pull your subsoiler at full depth, I very much doubt your land will be good for mole drainage.
Dig a pit and then take a sample of the soil and squeeze it hard. Is it like plasticine, if not forget it.

 

[yellow belly]

Your clay subsoil needs to hold a mole

Put your subsoiler in to full depth then did down to see what it does
If you have moleing clay it will leave a channel

You do need a round mole with an expander these are normally 3 inch mole with a 4 inch expander

But 2 inch and 3 inch can work but may not last as long
The small area you cover could easily be remoled more often

Very dry weather can cause mole calapse when it rains heavy after
Or standing too wet soon after moleing cand cause calapse

I do mole into open ditches by backing the mole blade over the ditch a lower it into ditch

Ransomes used to make a mounted mole we pulled with 105 hp 1975 built tractor
One could be built locally some one my have a picture


Now I pull a twin leg with 300 hp

As you probably know for high pulling you need well ballasted tractor
At under 4 mph 7 tonnes is the optimum for 100 hp

 

[Dadnatron]

I have a couple questions about HP.

1. Is there an advantage to a towed/trailed version vs a 3pth version? Which version would pull 'better' given depth and everything else being the same?
2. Is there a significant advantage to a wheeled version with depth maintained by the wheels?

 

[Exfarmer]

I have a couple questions about HP.

1. Is there an advantage to a towed/trailed version vs a 3pth version? Which version would pull 'better' given depth and everything else being the same?
2. Is there a significant advantage to a wheeled version with depth maintained by the wheels?

Mounted moles are useless, they jump about and the resulting mole quickly breaks down.
The trailed moles do not use wheels but the beam which drags along the top of the ground keeping a level drain.
These do not give any weight to the pulling tractor so you will need a big machine up front

 

[Glenn Walton]

Mounted moles are useless, they jump about and the resulting mole quickly breaks down.
The trailed moles do not use wheels but the beam which drags along the top of the ground keeping a level drain.
These do not give any weight to the pulling tractor so you will need a big machine up front

Good advice here, mole ploughs must be floating to follow ground contour. Best mole ploughs here: https://www.rataequipment.com/products/cultivation-and-aeration/action-mole-plough

 

[Matt L]

Not wishing to discourage your mole plough but a lot wrong with that I’m afraid.

Trailed on a beam with a free floating drawbar is needed so the towing vehicle does not influence the mole in any way.
Depth needs to be capable of 600mm for most arable mole drains.
Lateral sway side to side is also bad as the bullet can move around causing kinks in the mole, weak spots for failure.

Matt