POST YOUR PICTURES OF WEED SPRAY EQUIPMENT

[JRP]

Share your "build it yourself" sprayer photos on this post.

I built this spray boom. The design requirements were:
1. No tools to install.
2. Folds if you hit something.
3. Spray with center section or all three sections
4. Fit in a pickup.
5. Light enough for one man to handle.
6. This one is 21' unfolded.
7. Proper spacing and heigth - minimal drift, good coverage.
8. Uses standard Tee-Jet components.

This is the sprayer tank. I added an angle frame with two wooden hooks. Hooks are suppost to break before the boom bends. I need to paint this.

 

[JRP]

The center section uses 1 1/2" EMT conduit at the top section and 1 1/4" square tubing as bottom. EMT pivots in the wooden hook if the sprayer snaggs something. 1 1/4" is a standard size of metal tip brackets.

 

[JRP]

A wing is added to each end with industrial door hinges. Total width 21'.

 

[JRP]

The hinge is not vertical, but rather points forward. This makes the boom wings want to stay folded out or stay folded by gravity. I also use a gas filled cylinder on each side. This is the shock absorber thing for your SUV hatchback. It dampens swinging and keeps boom straight.

This thing is cool. When I bump a tree it just folds up, and unfolds when it has passed the tree.

 

[JRP]

This view shows the gas shock and wing folded. The force of the shock also acts to keep the wing folded.

The rubber block and pin help prevent the hinge from twisting. Actaully, a longer hinge would be better.

 

[JRP]

This is the assembled rig. The sprayer tank came with one big brass five nozzle thing that was suppost to spray 30'. It sprayed very wide very very poorly. A recepie for a drift lawsuit.

I tried my rig before I painted it. The coverage with the good quality tips was great, and drift was not detectable. The weed kill was vary complete.

 

[HomeBrew2]

DANG, THAT'S a spray rig !!! I have nothing that compares to that but I wouldn't mind hearing about nozzle spacing, main bar and wing length, etc ... so I can run your design thru my washer with hot water so it'll fit my baby.
Cheers !

 

[JRP]

In a few seconds the wings fold. With two flow valves I can spray all, or the center section only which is just right to put roundup on the drive.

Once the two banjo fittings are loose the boom just lifts off the wood hooks. It stores on two nails in the shed.

This has been a very easy and rewarding project. If you have a smaller tractor you could scale it down. There is no heavy loads so it is a good practice job for your welding skills, and the lack of thick metal make it good for smaller MIG welders. Use good quality spray tips. I like Teejet XL. Wylie sprayer makes and sells big big big spray rigs. 800+722-4001. I visited their store and got all the parts at prices less than TSC. They know sprayers. www.wyliesprayers.com

And just think of how happy the wife will be when all the weeds are gone!

 

[JRP]

Thanks Homebrew2.

I think Teejet is a leader in Ag spray tips. Just read the catalog. I spaced the tips at the exact 20" recomended spacing and spray 12" - 16" off the ground. The spray pattern overlaps by 50% so you spray the weed from both sides. The guys at Wylie are pros that only work on sprayers and they fixed me up.

Remember that it is all about good coverage and no drift. If you wipe out a neighborhood, nursery, or a cotton crop with 24D then you could loose your farm, so be careful.

 

[bdog]

I made this last week. My only regret is the tank is too small. With 125 gallons I can run for about an hour. 250 gallons would have been much better and still with in the capabilities of my tractor. With my 20 foot boom I can spray an acre every 5 minutes at 5mph so I can take out a lot of weeds in no time. This is the second sprayer I have made. The first was small with an 8 foot boom and electric pump. This one has a pto pump with electric controls, agitator line, etc. It is definitely the way to go and it keeps the chemicals mixed up for you. I also bought all my stuff from wylie sprayers and they were helpful in answering my questions on setting it up.