Turning Plow or Tiller

[3v0]

Nice the see the old drill working flusher I am sure you have a lot of hours in that project.

 

[IgroRockwell]

I have 8 acres or so of rocky, glacial till soil in Maine that was heavily overgrown with red osier dogwood, thornapple, and buckthorn. To reclaim it I bought a 1964 Howard k80 Rotavator, a very heavy old beast. It did a great job chewing up the roots of the brush, but the big rocks kept breaking tines. I replaced the top link with a heavy-duty weighted shock-cord made from a doubled-up lifting sling. The cord absorbs enough energy that I no longer break tines. The big tiller just spits out any rocks smaller than a basketball and when it starts to bounce on larger rocks I just pick up enough to clear and let down again and keep going. I still have to retighten some of the tines (using grade 8 bolts and a 3 foot pipe) every half-day, or sooner in heavy rocks. Of course the tractor takes a pounding similar to what a backhoe would give it, so I put a heavy subframe under it to keep it together. So far, so good.

 

[jeff9366]

How about some pictures of the 1964 Howard K80 ROTAVATOR?

 

[lew61]

I'd been looking at pto tillers, and their cost, until a neighbor mentioned he had an old, rusty, harrow out behind his barn. So, rather than spend ~2-3K on a tiller, I spent about $20 on penetrating oil, a bunch of grease fittings, a tube of grease, and two new lower link pins (wonderful tool, a hacksaw). This was my first go at tilling with the L4240, and I'm pleased as punch. :thumbsup:

 

[IgroRockwell]

Sorry, I have no way to do a digital image at the moment, but here is a pic from the internet of a Howard k80. Mine is just like this, but without the depth wheels. I removed them to save weight and I control depth with the 3 point hitch.

 

[flusher]

Nice the see the old drill working flusher I am sure you have a lot of hours in that project.

Bought two of those MM drills from a neighbor for $275. Used parts from both to make one good drill. The other one is a lawn ornament. Probably spent 3 months on that project (part time since I also restore old tractors). Nothing like disassembling and restoring an ancient farm implement to get educated on that vintage technology :dance1:

 

[flusher]

Nice the see the old drill working flusher I am sure you have a lot of hours in that project.

Just noticed your location. I just returned from visiting my son, DIL and 3 of my grandkids in Guymon (on Pioneer Days weekend). Saw the parade, tractor pull and the rodeo. I'm still trying to work that OK dust out of my throat. I should be back to normal in a few weeks.

 

[3v0]

Just noticed your location. I just returned from visiting my son, DIL and 3 of my grandkids in Guymon (on Pioneer Days weekend). Saw the parade, tractor pull and the rodeo. I'm still trying to work that OK dust out of my throat. I should be back to normal in a few weeks.

Guymon is a nice community. I live about an hour west.

Moved here 8 years ago. Came to look at the place just after a good rain. Everything was nice and green. By the time we moved in there were huge cracks in the back yard. Mostly stayed that way. The locals tell me that we are supposed to get more rain then we have been.

I recall my dad rebuilding a drill. Lots of bits that have to work together.

 

[flusher]

Guymon is a nice community. I live about an hour west.

Moved here 8 years ago. Came to look at the place just after a good rain. Everything was nice and green. By the time we moved in there were huge cracks in the back yard. Mostly stayed that way. The locals tell me that we are supposed to get more rain then we have been.

I recall my dad rebuilding a drill. Lots of bits that have to work together.

Still dry as a bone in Guymon, which is in the center of the old 1930s Dust Bowl.
Two years ago the prairie West of town caught fire. It was finally contained about 300 ft from my son's house on the edge of town. Never a dull moment in the high prairie. If it's not fire, it's tornados.

 

[3v0]

Still dry as a bone in Guymon, which is in the center of the old 1930s Dust Bowl.
Two years ago the prairie West of town caught fire. It was finally contained about 300 ft from my son's house on the edge of town. Never a dull moment in the high prairie. If it's not fire, it's tornados.

Here I was thinking Boise City was the center of the Dust Bowl. We have pictures to prove it!