middle buster
- Thread starter deerefan
- Start date
Farwell
Platinum Member
Not sure of the quality, but TSC sells the one that I use and I am happy with. I can't get is as deep as I would like to but in rougher soil areas I remove the middle buster blade and replace it with a sub soiler blade. This tears the ground up and cuts most of the smaller roots. I then put the middle buster blade back on and I get down a little further. I usually have to finish the trench with a shovel to get it as deep as I want. Once the upper soil is broken, it is much easier to dig by hand.
Farwell
Farwell
Bob_Skurka
Super Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2003
- Messages
- 7,503
I have a Howse sub-soiler, middle buster, trailer hitch combo. It was under $175. I only would recommend the modular units that allow you to easily switch from a sub soiler to a middle buster.
The Sub-Soiler blade get down deeper than the middle buster blade by several more inches. Mine used 2 bolts to swap out the blades/tralier hitch, I took out the bolts and inserted "top link pins" so now I can change the implement blades without any tools.
What type of water pipe are you going to bury and how deep do you need to go? Some types of pipe can simply be pulled into the ground by attaching a hook to the back of your subsoiler (drill a hole in the trailing edge, attach a cable or similar, then attach the other end to the pipe (with a screwed on end piece) and simply pull the pipe into the ground. You will only get about 10" to 12" deep with this method, but it is an easy way to get it under ground. Depending on your soil, you may need to make a pass with the subsoiler alone, then come back and follow the same path to pull the pipe. It is much easier than any other way I know, but only is good if you can live with a shallow burial for your pipe.
Similarly you can easly bury wire/cable/irrigation tubing using the sub-soiler. Simply attach a 90 degree elbow pipe (again drill a couple holes in the trailing edge of the subsoiler, use muffler clamps or similar to attach the elbow to the back side of the blade, run the wire/cable through the pipe from the top and out the back, tie it off at your starting point and drive slowly while feeding wire/cable/irrigation tubing, etc down the pipe).
I also used the sub-soiler/middle buster frame to make other implements. My pallet forks are the most often used implement I hang off of the same frame. I have designed a turf cutter, but have not built it yet.
The Sub-Soiler blade get down deeper than the middle buster blade by several more inches. Mine used 2 bolts to swap out the blades/tralier hitch, I took out the bolts and inserted "top link pins" so now I can change the implement blades without any tools.
What type of water pipe are you going to bury and how deep do you need to go? Some types of pipe can simply be pulled into the ground by attaching a hook to the back of your subsoiler (drill a hole in the trailing edge, attach a cable or similar, then attach the other end to the pipe (with a screwed on end piece) and simply pull the pipe into the ground. You will only get about 10" to 12" deep with this method, but it is an easy way to get it under ground. Depending on your soil, you may need to make a pass with the subsoiler alone, then come back and follow the same path to pull the pipe. It is much easier than any other way I know, but only is good if you can live with a shallow burial for your pipe.
Similarly you can easly bury wire/cable/irrigation tubing using the sub-soiler. Simply attach a 90 degree elbow pipe (again drill a couple holes in the trailing edge of the subsoiler, use muffler clamps or similar to attach the elbow to the back side of the blade, run the wire/cable through the pipe from the top and out the back, tie it off at your starting point and drive slowly while feeding wire/cable/irrigation tubing, etc down the pipe).
I also used the sub-soiler/middle buster frame to make other implements. My pallet forks are the most often used implement I hang off of the same frame. I have designed a turf cutter, but have not built it yet.
Holzster
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2004
- Messages
- 267
- Location
- North Texas (40 Miles South of OK)
- Tractor
- Kubota L4330 HST
Bob is right - I have the TSC combo one - I bought another center plow that was deeper then the one that came with it ($10.00 extra) that i can go 14-15" deep - I can not drive with that one on as it would drag, But it is usefull.
Farwell
Platinum Member
DeereFan,
They have a King Kutter listed at $118 and change but it does not come with the sub soiler blade. I paid $110 for mine about a year ago and ordered the sub soiler blade separate but am not sure how much extra the blade was, it was less than $20. Don't think mine is a KK brand because it is painted yellowish orange and I think KK products are painted red but not positive.
If you get a chance to look at their catalog, at one time they had the combination sub soiler/middle buster, they may still carry it.
I do not know the different brands of middle busters but I think that some company makes a much heavier duty version for the larger horse power tractors.
Farwell
They have a King Kutter listed at $118 and change but it does not come with the sub soiler blade. I paid $110 for mine about a year ago and ordered the sub soiler blade separate but am not sure how much extra the blade was, it was less than $20. Don't think mine is a KK brand because it is painted yellowish orange and I think KK products are painted red but not positive.
If you get a chance to look at their catalog, at one time they had the combination sub soiler/middle buster, they may still carry it.
I do not know the different brands of middle busters but I think that some company makes a much heavier duty version for the larger horse power tractors.
Farwell
Bob_Skurka
Super Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2003
- Messages
- 7,503
<font color="red"> They have a King Kutter listed at $118 and change but it does not come with the sub soiler blade. I paid $110 for mine about a year ago and ordered the sub soiler blade separate but am not sure how much extra the blade was, it was less than $20. </font>
I'm not sure that we are talking the same type of blade change here. When I change my middle buster to a sub-soiler, I change out the blade and the down shaft. The Sub-Soiler reaches down several inches deeper because the shaft is longer that the shaft on the middle buster. So it is not just changing the plow head, it is changing the head and the shaft that I was referring to in my post.
<font color="red"> Don't think mine is a KK brand because it is painted yellowish orange and I think KK products are painted red but not positive. </font>
King Kutter uses a yellowish/orange paint. Howse uses red paint.
I'm not sure that we are talking the same type of blade change here. When I change my middle buster to a sub-soiler, I change out the blade and the down shaft. The Sub-Soiler reaches down several inches deeper because the shaft is longer that the shaft on the middle buster. So it is not just changing the plow head, it is changing the head and the shaft that I was referring to in my post.
<font color="red"> Don't think mine is a KK brand because it is painted yellowish orange and I think KK products are painted red but not positive. </font>
King Kutter uses a yellowish/orange paint. Howse uses red paint.
Farwell
Platinum Member
Bob,
On my middle buster the only thing that is removable is the blade itself. I take it off and put on the sub soiler blade. Wish I had the one that you have because several times I wanted to go deeper.
The red color came from my looking at TSC's web site. The one they pictured was painted red and had the name King Kutter in the item description. I think mine is a King Kutter and thought that they changed colors.
Farwell
On my middle buster the only thing that is removable is the blade itself. I take it off and put on the sub soiler blade. Wish I had the one that you have because several times I wanted to go deeper.
The red color came from my looking at TSC's web site. The one they pictured was painted red and had the name King Kutter in the item description. I think mine is a King Kutter and thought that they changed colors.
Farwell
ronbo3
Bronze Member
Yes, TSC changed the KK colors from red to yellow almost two years ago. I bought a carry-all from TSC, and noticed that the red ones were $50, and the yellow ones were $75. When I asked what the difference was, I was told KK colors were changing from red to yellow, and all the red implements were marked down.