Not Quite Farm Engineering or a Quick Bodge.

exmoor dave

Member
Location
exmoor, uk
The old boy is pretty hot on digging thistles, but now approaching 80yrs old I thought I'd make him a lighter weight digger..... productivity should defo go up ?

20200502_202102.jpg


Micro mattock set in some new (hence this thread rather than my usual haunt) aluminium tube.
End of tube flattened abit so it feels abit like the real digger
 

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
The old boy is pretty hot on digging thistles, but now approaching 80yrs old I thought I'd make him a lighter weight digger..... productivity should defo go up ?

View attachment 875371

Micro mattock set in some new (hence this thread rather than my usual haunt) aluminium tube.
End of tube flattened abit so it feels abit like the real digger
You spoil him :)
 

tinman

Member
Location
Ulster
they should of been 6mm at least the first day but you done what you could with what you had, least you spot welded them together on the flat so it should help.
anything heavier would throw her off balance so for now it should suffice.
altho id doubt they were made out of MS the first day, or one would hope not at least.
they aren't hard to get to so repairing them again if you need to wont be a 3 day camel ride to get back to where you were neways.
 

Haythers

Member
Location
Lancashire
they should of been 6mm at least the first day but you done what you could with what you had, least you spot welded them together on the flat so it should help.
anything heavier would throw her off balance so for now it should suffice.
altho id doubt they were made out of MS the first day, or one would hope not at least.
they aren't hard to get to so repairing them again if you need to wont be a 3 day camel ride to get back to where you were neways.
Thanks for the advice, I did wonder myself if they were made out of some kind of harder steel and kind of wish I’d have cut seams out to weld in rather than spots but it’s done now. Anyway we’ll see how it goes found somewhere I can buy the whole thing for £150
 

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
I needed a pump for treated digestate. Problems with progressive cavity and submersible chopper pumps clogging with fibre took me to diaphragm pumps, but the valves were too small. Made this out of an old geared motor, a few laser cut pieces to fit into the tyre, and a bit of fabrication. Had to buy two ball check valves, but these are the weak point, still ragging up after a bit of use.
 
Was sent to find the water leak on the Nissan.
The plastic bottom of the rad had been rubbing on the belly plate and worn through. It was only a single point it was leaking. The first attempt of a tek screw failed as it just pulled the thin plastic away. The second attempt with sealant putty suitable for fuel tanks and a whole host of other things, which is supposed to set under water and be able to stand high pressures... fell away as it didn’t stick to the slightly damp plastic...
So I did what I did when I poked a hole in a cubie with a loader spike when I was trying to shift it with the old Nash one time... used a nut and bolt and a bit of rubber!
0D80CA48-E8DC-4541-A71D-0BCB66126DCC.jpeg
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I was lucky that the hole was near the bottom hose hole so I could get a spanner in (a piece of paper between the head of the bolt and the spanner holds it on nicely)

heat lamps aren’t good work lights, but they’re nice to lie beside.
 

Sharpy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Was sent to find the water leak on the Nissan.
The plastic bottom of the rad had been rubbing on the belly plate and worn through. It was only a single point it was leaking. The first attempt of a tek screw failed as it just pulled the thin plastic away. The second attempt with sealant putty suitable for fuel tanks and a whole host of other things, which is supposed to set under water and be able to stand high pressures... fell away as it didn’t stick to the slightly damp plastic...
So I did what I did when I poked a hole in a cubie with a loader spike when I was trying to shift it with the old Nash one time... used a nut and bolt and a bit of rubber!View attachment 906395View attachment 906396View attachment 906397View attachment 906398View attachment 906399View attachment 906400
I was lucky that the hole was near the bottom hose hole so I could get a spanner in (a piece of paper between the head of the bolt and the spanner holds it on nicely)

heat lamps aren’t good work lights, but they’re nice to lie beside.
Next time try Sticksall. Manitou header tank with a 12mm diameter hole has lasted 3 years so far.
 

VP Adams ltd

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Hereford, UK
The qualification criteria isn't strict.
No bale string. No hammers bigger than they need to be and measurements taken in dimensions more accurate than thumb widths

.... didn't realise any of that was even possible? .... some times if I want to be really professional I ask the kids to help ..... they have smaller thumb!!
 

bitwrx

Member
We need to stir some slurry under the slats in the pig sheds, but we're too cheap to buy a proper tool. So I've "developed" this economical alternative.
One second hand submersible agitator (ex AD plant, end of life for them, just worn in for us). New start-delta contactors, cable and plug.
Two lengths of new steel.
One short piece of re used scrap steel.
Three offcuts of new steel from another project.
Seven new stainless bolts, 12 new washers and five new nuts.
Two new lifting shackles (stainless, natch), and the chain block we bought years ago but hardly ever use.
Four new casters (the cheapest ones that would feasibly do the job).
Here she is:
IMG_20200921_182343.jpg

IMG_20200921_182400.jpg

IMG_20200921_182431.jpg

Handles terribly, but that's probably just because our workshop floor is rough as F.
Not a bodge because I used new steel and fasteners.
Not farm engineering because it seems I've forgotten how to weld with the stick welder at some time over the past 15 yrs, which was the last time I used the old Pickhill Bantam for anything.
Will be interesting to see whether it actually works or not...
 

Pan mixer

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Near Colchester
Very interesting
What tethers it wen u turn on
Bit like one of my injector earetors only hell of alot bigger
I was a bit worried that this might cause a bow wave of slurry rushing around the tanks. Very impressive though just the sort of stuff us farmers have to get up to to make the business carry on.

We need a follow up report on how well it worked and I am wondering (as, ahem, the instigator of this thread) whether some sort of mark out of 10 could be awarded for some of the entries.... I would be rating this an 8 at present and 10 if it worked for a year
 

bitwrx

Member
Very interesting
What tethers it wen u turn on
Bit like one of my injector earetors only hell of alot bigger
Gravity. Hopefully. It's got some heft; 324 kg according to the data sheet. But it's lost about a foot off the diameter of the propellor due to corrosion/erosion, and a fair bit of the gearbox casing has worn away.
Apparently it developed 4600N (460kg ish) of thrust when new, so maybe half that now, possibly less. I think it'll be plenty for our application, but not enough to make it go swimming round the tank on its own. In the first instance, we'll be putting it up against the wall of the tank just in case though.
I was a bit worried that this might cause a bow wave of slurry rushing around the tanks. Very impressive though just the sort of stuff us farmers have to get up to to make the business carry on.

We need a follow up report on how well it worked and I am wondering (as, ahem, the instigator of this thread) whether some sort of mark out of 10 could be awarded for some of the entries.... I would be rating this an 8 at present and 10 if it worked for a year
Thanks. It's a fun little project. I'm hoping that if it works, it'll be here for a few years yet. It only has to stir the tanks when we empty them, so once every 6 wks or so

Will certainly do a follow up. I'm pretty apprehensive about it all TBH. But the worst that'll happen is I'll have to switch it off and send it all on for scrap.
ETA: Although that box section has got bale spike, or wheelie bin lifter written all over it, so won't be going on a scrap wagon just yet. Nor will the new nuts and bolts, obvs. :ROFLMAO:
 
Last edited:

Pan mixer

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Near Colchester
Gravity. Hopefully. It's got some heft; 324 kg according to the data sheet. But it's lost about a foot off the diameter of the propellor due to corrosion/erosion, and a fair bit of the gearbox casing has worn away.
Apparently it developed 4600N (460kg ish) of thrust when new, so maybe half that now, possibly less. I think it'll be plenty for our application, but not enough to make it go swimming round the tank on its own. In the first instance, we'll be putting it up against the wall of the tank just in case though.

Thanks. It's a fun little project. I'm hoping that if it works, it'll be here for a few years yet. It only has to stir the tanks when we empty them, so once every 6 wks or so

Will certainly do a follow up. I'm pretty apprehensive about it all TBH. But the worst that'll happen is I'll have to switch it off and send it all on for scrap.
ETA: Although that box section has got bale spike, or wheelie bin lifter written all over it, so won't be going on a scrap wagon just yet. Nor will the new nuts and bolts, obvs. :ROFLMAO:
You don't have to defend anything used in the construction here, new stuff, old stuff, lathes, cnc whatever.
 
We need to stir some slurry under the slats in the pig sheds, but we're too cheap to buy a proper tool. So I've "developed" this economical alternative.
One second hand submersible agitator (ex AD plant, end of life for them, just worn in for us). New start-delta contactors, cable and plug.
Two lengths of new steel.
One short piece of re used scrap steel.
Three offcuts of new steel from another project.
Seven new stainless bolts, 12 new washers and five new nuts.
Two new lifting shackles (stainless, natch), and the chain block we bought years ago but hardly ever use.
Four new casters (the cheapest ones that would feasibly do the job).
Here she is:
View attachment 908941
View attachment 908942
View attachment 908943
Handles terribly, but that's probably just because our workshop floor is rough as F.
Not a bodge because I used new steel and fasteners.
Not farm engineering because it seems I've forgotten how to weld with the stick welder at some time over the past 15 yrs, which was the last time I used the old Pickhill Bantam for anything.
Will be interesting to see whether it actually works or not...

I have found, after a similar 15 year break with my Pickhill Bantam, that the addition of a pair of glasses has returned some of my lost skills
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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