FEL WeedWacker

[Gator6x4]

Well, I finally got tired of walking around 16 acres of fenceline with a weedwacker to trim grass. I tried the Roundup treatment too, but got tired of getting wet with the toxic mess. So, I decided to build a weekwacker that I could mount on the front end loader of my Kabota B2710 and weedwack in style and comfort. :thumbsup:

I build a bracket to mount a small hydraulic motor that would also "give" in case of contact with a fencepost. I plumbed into a single, detented control valve that hold the motor on in either forward or reverse motion and mounted it near the FEL valve.

The bracket is made from 2"x2" modified angle iron (see photo) that pivots outside of the bucket and will fold back against the bucket if it hits a post.
The return mechanism is nothing more that a spring. A large nylon washer is placed on the pivot pin between the bucket mount and the arm to allow smooth pivoting motion. The motor sits about 16" from the edge of the bucket.

The motor has a 3/8" shaft drilled for either a cotter pin or split pin. I made an adapter on my mini-lathe to accommodate either a trimmer string configuration or a brush blade. Adapter is held onto the motor shaft with a cotter pin. On the business end I configured a PVC cap drilled to accept either 2 or 3 strands of .105" nylon trimmer string (found at local TSC store) and held to the adapter with a bolt and lock washer arrangement.

The swath is about 14" when used with the .105" nylon trimmer string configuration in either 2 or 3 string strands. I also have some thicker weed stalks that required something more substantial than trimmer string, hence the brush blade. That assembly is also held on to the adapter with a bolt and lock washer. The bolt is safety secured to the adapter with a cotter pin thru the mounting assembly. I didn't want the brush blade to become a Fatal Frisbee while in use.

One additional requirement of mine was to be able to see what I was cutting without having to look backwards constantly. I noticed that with some of the commercially available trimmers, they were all mounted on the 3PT hitch that required eyes on the back of ones head to observe what was being cut or getting a stiff neck in the progress of constantly turning around. Wasn't going to have it. Look forward to see whats being cut.

Total cost was $0 for steel (around the shop stuff), $50 for hydraulic motor from Surplus Center, $110 for the control valve (also from Surplus Center) and about $50 for hydraulic hoses.

On a test run down some fence line, everything went smooth and it cut a nice clean path between fence posts. Then the deluge of rain started here in eastern NC from Tropical Storm Nicole. Since Monday, this week, we've had 20" of the liquid sunshine, and its suppose to stop by noon today, so I guess I won't be doin' too much week wackin' this week....at least not til the pastures dry out.

Enjoyed sharing one of my projects with ya'll, if anyone has any question, just ask. Sorry if the pictures aren't in any kind of order, but you should get the idea.

Tom

Copndoc3 could you add a vail to the motor portion to insure stand-off from fence posts. Your current design allows for the motor to move and then return to it's original position. My experience with trimming under fences is that T-Posts are hard on trimmer line. A vail to insure the trimmer only got within a specified distance from the post would in my opinion insure trimmer line longevity.

 

[dstig1]

I find this very interesting after spending several evenings with my Stihl brushcutter/weed wacker trying to get my 2 ac site back under control. I like the design and concept, but am puzzled about a couple things.

Where are the hydraulics coming from? Rear remotes? I don't have remotes, unfortunately...

The spring release for hitting objects looks to be backwards to me, unless I am looking at it wrong. Assuming that is on the right side of the bucket, it would appear you need to be going in reverse for it to break away when you hit something. I must be missing something. EDIT: I was looking at it odd. The bracket is on the other side of the bucket. Makes sense now.

You got me thinking.... I need to go back and look it over more.