Reciprocating Spader recommendations?

[Thaddeus]

Does anybody here use one? Where did you get it, and what did it cost? What is the HP requirement to run it?

I am thinking seriously about getting one, to handle up to 5 acres.

thanks in advance

Thaddeus

 

[Bird]

I've never even seen one; only pictures on the Internet.

 

[Darren]

I bought a Tortella 205F last year because it's the only one I could find that had the multiple speed gear box and a hydraulic cylinder to shift the machine over to cover the tire track. It chops about a 6' width. As for cost, let's just say I could have bought two Kuhn tillers of equivalent width for the price. The machine took about six months to reach Baltimore from Italy after it was ordered. I bought it through Ferrari Tractor in California. I haven't used it yet since I have to modify the three point and the hydraulics on the tractor.

Celli (sp) is another spader manufacturer that has stocking dealers in the US. Tortella and another manufacturer, the one that invented the spader, did not have stocking dealers in the US when I checked. I have some brochures filed somewhere. I'll try to find them.

Whatever tractor you plan on using to run the spader will need either a hydro trans or a super low crawler gear to be effective. Spaders can go down to 14" deep. The model I have will do 12". Needless to say you have to go very slow especially the first time.

 

[Darren]

Here's a link to a spader article on Ferrari Tractor's website.

http://www.ferrari-tractors.com/spade_article.htm

 

[queen of spades]

Product Review: Spaders

http://www.brewtpowersystems.com/spader.html

http://www.gramegna.com/eng01/

http://www.gramegna.com/images/serie_20.avi

 

[firemen122]

After looking at this, couldnt you just build a ripper and bust up the ground? Make the rippers adjustable length so you can fracture to the depth you want. Just thinking a poor mans spader.

 

[Renze]

rotary spader, soil preparation cultivation equipment: Imants.

http://www.imants.nl.http-lb.bit.nl/upload/UK_17.pdf

This is a rotary spader, less costly, less maintenance. Its a Dutch company, but they do have a USA sales office.

 

[slowzuki]

I can see why there aren't any here, our rocks would ruin it in less than an acre I'm pretty sure unless there is a slip clutch. I wouldn't even be able to get it in the ground before it hit a large rock.

 

[queen of spades]

I can see why there aren't any here, our rocks would ruin it in less than an acre I'm pretty sure unless there is a slip clutch. I wouldn't even be able to get it in the ground before it hit a large rock.

After pulling out 1' x 1' x 6" boulders from a garden last weekend, I'm not willing to invest in a roto-spader. Customers would not be willing to pay what I would need to charge to stay on top of maintenance and repair.

 

[slowzuki]

The problem fom me is 1'x1'x6" is a small stone for me. I've been working on a neighbours field to get it ready to replant. It has been worked since the 1700's but not plowed since the 1970's. I took dozens of 1 m x 1 m x 0.5 m rocks out just from seeing them poking up.

The car sized ones I have been drilling with a rock drill and using a cracking compound. Once I sink a plow into the ground next year my problems will be compounded!