Not Quite Farm Engineering or a Quick Bodge.
- Thread starter Pan mixer
- Start date
JohnBoy
Member
- Location
- Southern Ireland.
I'm refurbishing an old tipper trailer and replacing the locking bar as part of it.
Seperately I've been building a small forge as a project. I don't own an oxy torch set and don't really see the cost/benefit for my usage. A forge could be a fun thing to play with and the cost was minimal. I invested 30 euro in fire bricks and around the same in a burner. everything else came from "stock"
it's lined with some leftover vermiculite board and the regulator is from an old roofing torch.
I was looking for this guy https://www.cbf.uk.com/products/view/1136/342 but couldnt find him locally and shipping was more than the price of the part so I said f*ckit lets try make one. I welded some pins to a bit of steel and started folding rebar.
Unfortunately I'm almost out of gas in the bottle that was lying about so the flame wasnt as hot as it could have been and the steel was only orange but it did the job. a bit of welding and grinding and it should be good to go.
Seperately I've been building a small forge as a project. I don't own an oxy torch set and don't really see the cost/benefit for my usage. A forge could be a fun thing to play with and the cost was minimal. I invested 30 euro in fire bricks and around the same in a burner. everything else came from "stock"
it's lined with some leftover vermiculite board and the regulator is from an old roofing torch.
I was looking for this guy https://www.cbf.uk.com/products/view/1136/342 but couldnt find him locally and shipping was more than the price of the part so I said f*ckit lets try make one. I welded some pins to a bit of steel and started folding rebar.
Unfortunately I'm almost out of gas in the bottle that was lying about so the flame wasnt as hot as it could have been and the steel was only orange but it did the job. a bit of welding and grinding and it should be good to go.
Attachments
Advice/comments on a project I've been thinking about for a hydraulic powered drill to start fence posts off...
Background, I'm a hobby farmer, retired so have time on my hands. I used to have somebody come and help me when I had fencing to do but he's not often around so I've started doing it myself. Bit of a pain using the post hole thumper on my own as I need to do it very carefully and keep getting in and out of the tractor to straighten things up.
I use an iron bar to give the fence posts a start but that only goes down about 18 inches and more times than enough as soon as I start thumping in a post I hit a stone. I've been thinking that a powerful drill might be a better way to drill deeper, and today I saw on another thread that someone used a generator and a 110volt SDS drill with exactly that idea in mind.
My thought was to design something using a hydraulic motor coupled to a suitable chuck - or a chuck might not even be required, just a tube type connection between the hydraulic motor and the drill ( 26mm and 600mm long seem to be available)with a bolt acting as a shear device - same as on my Lister post hole borer. The motor would be mounted on hinged framework fixed to the front end loader and just connected into the tractor hydraulics via a actuating valve on the framework.
I know this is all rather "wishy washy" at the moment, I just wanted to sound the practical engineers out as to possible pitfalls to look out for be - are hydraulic motors powerful enough etc.
Thanks
Alchad
Background, I'm a hobby farmer, retired so have time on my hands. I used to have somebody come and help me when I had fencing to do but he's not often around so I've started doing it myself. Bit of a pain using the post hole thumper on my own as I need to do it very carefully and keep getting in and out of the tractor to straighten things up.
I use an iron bar to give the fence posts a start but that only goes down about 18 inches and more times than enough as soon as I start thumping in a post I hit a stone. I've been thinking that a powerful drill might be a better way to drill deeper, and today I saw on another thread that someone used a generator and a 110volt SDS drill with exactly that idea in mind.
My thought was to design something using a hydraulic motor coupled to a suitable chuck - or a chuck might not even be required, just a tube type connection between the hydraulic motor and the drill ( 26mm and 600mm long seem to be available)with a bolt acting as a shear device - same as on my Lister post hole borer. The motor would be mounted on hinged framework fixed to the front end loader and just connected into the tractor hydraulics via a actuating valve on the framework.
I know this is all rather "wishy washy" at the moment, I just wanted to sound the practical engineers out as to possible pitfalls to look out for be - are hydraulic motors powerful enough etc.
Thanks
Alchad
clbarclay
Member
- Location
- Worcestershire
How long is a piece of string.
Hydraulic drilling augers on excavators have purpose made hydraulic motor units, which include gear reduction and bearings to withstand the loads built into them.
For putting in the odd small post, I start by making a narrow deep hole with a long crow bar, just driving it in and wiggling it around repeatedly. When that is done enough, pour water into the hole and then put the stake in and drive it down.
Hydraulic drilling augers on excavators have purpose made hydraulic motor units, which include gear reduction and bearings to withstand the loads built into them.
For putting in the odd small post, I start by making a narrow deep hole with a long crow bar, just driving it in and wiggling it around repeatedly. When that is done enough, pour water into the hole and then put the stake in and drive it down.
- Location
- Near Colchester
I always use a water jet, tee of 1/2 inch galv pipe, tap in one side of the handle, blank on the other, bottom of the tee hammered a bit flat. coupled to a honda pump this will lubricate a hole that the post will follow. You can feel your way around stones too.
simmy_bull
Member
- Location
- North Yorkshire
When you say post hole thumper do you mean a tractor mounted post driver?
Sorry should have been more precise, yes its tractor mounted - one of the old fashioned David Thomas (?) ones, which ideally need a helper to guide the post while its been thumped in.
Alchad
My dad had a Parmiter post knocker which worked off the tractor hydraulic control, it had a clamp to go around the post on 3 sides, he got a bracket made up so that the post could be held on all four sides to stop it going wonky. If there was two of us, it was quicker and easier for me to hold/push the post with a pitchfork to guide it straight 
- Location
- Worcestershire
Best thing I’ve made this week (jib Hoist ) thought after first use should have made that 10 yrs ago.
simmy_bull
Member
- Location
- North Yorkshire
Ah yes I see your problem. I bet that gets old fast getting in and out the tractor all the time.
Could you run to investing in a masted type knocker that you can put a post cap on to control things a bit better for one man fencing?
- Location
- west mayo ireland
More info please....need to do something like that soon....what size your beams? What capacity you expecting?
- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
And how do you work out the safe load?
- Location
- Darlington
Less than the load that bends it
I assume it is not finished, as there is no stop to prevent the hoist running off the end, and as you say - there is no SWL value written on the beam.
Yes, but it's good exercise! Would love one of the mast type, keep looking out for one local at the right price, but the hydraulic drill project is keeping my brain active as well.
Alchad
- Location
- Scottish Highlands
Get it done properly or don’t do it at all. Speak to someone who can do the calculations and keep you on the right side of safety and the right side of the law.
- Location
- Worcestershire
Jib hoist.
Just use all my guess work and what steel was spare looks strong enough to me what more can you do.
The safe working load ? Is point less as nobody knows how heavy the thing is there lifting any way. (Joke but true)
Max I’m lifting is 150kg flat plate.
My safe working is 20kg Which is more important to me
Is now a stop on the end well spotted just in case somebody is stupid enough to run it of the end. If it can happen it will. And hope to paint it to
Completely agree do it right or not all. Coded welder if that means anything to any one. I have posted in the Not Quite Farm Engineering or a Quick Bodge
Just use all my guess work and what steel was spare looks strong enough to me what more can you do.
The safe working load ? Is point less as nobody knows how heavy the thing is there lifting any way. (Joke but true)
Max I’m lifting is 150kg flat plate.
My safe working is 20kg Which is more important to me
Is now a stop on the end well spotted just in case somebody is stupid enough to run it of the end. If it can happen it will. And hope to paint it to
Completely agree do it right or not all. Coded welder if that means anything to any one. I have posted in the Not Quite Farm Engineering or a Quick Bodge
- Location
- Scottish Highlands
Was nice knowing you. Would you be happy with HSE doing an inspection on it? With your children/ wife / husband walking underneath it? If no to any of these, I suggest you get it right or take it down. Farms kill enough people as it is without taking unreasonable risks.
Last edited: