Goldberg's the name...Rube Goldberg...

[PHPaul]

I've been wanting a way to trim ditches and under trees.

Sicklebar and disc mowers are just stupid expensive and it doesn't make any sense to spend four or five grand on something you'll use for 2 hours twice a year, if that.

They sell a commercial version of a 3 point hitch mounted string trimmer for compact tractors, but it's $1000 plus shipping and taxes, again more than I wanted to spend.

Being a serious packrat, I had most of what I needed to make my own. I had the gearbox, the trimmer head, the PTO shaft and most of the steel. Plus, it's a major hobby of mine, making my own equipment whenever practical.

I've got about $200 or $250 in it with pulleys, bearings, belts, shafts and what extra steel I had to buy.

I'm pleased with how well the Mark I works. I do have a couple of modifications in mind tho. I originally designed it to work on my Pasquali but between the articulation and slop in the hitch, it was nearly impossible to put the string head where you wanted it and keep it there. Works MUCH better on the Cabota. Not to mention power steering, air conditioning and cup holders...

The Pasquali has a 750 RPM PTO and I sized the pulleys to provide ~3000 RPM at the string head based on that.

The Cabota has a 540 of course. Add to that the fact that I'm running 18" of string (36" doubled over on both attachment points) and I'm running into a little issue with the string folding back in the heavy stuff. I've re-ordered pulleys to speed the string head up and I think that'll take care of it. I can always take smaller bites and just creep along in low range too.

I also need to fashion some sort of guard over at least the final drive belt. Big stuff like goldenrod tends to get under the belt and flip it off occasionally. Plus OSHA of course...

 

[George2615]

Necessity is the mother of invention. Great job PHPaul.

 

[CobyRupert]

18" of string.

That thing must sing!

 

[hawkeye08]

Nice, Mark II should have tilt function

 

[Mendonsy]

I like it!!
Doesn't your Kubota have a 960 rpm rear PTO setting also?? Mine has both.
It seems like that thing should fling weeds everywhere, but I guess as long as you are hidden in the cab it wouldn't matter.

 

[PHPaul]

18" of string.

That thing must sing!

She does whistle a mite! :laughing:

 

[PHPaul]

Nice, Mark II should have tilt function

I spent a lot of time trying to noodle out a way to do that and couldn't come up with anything that fit my budget. If I could afford a pump and a hydraulic motor, it'd be pretty straight forward.

I suppose top 'n tilt on the hitch would work to a certain extent before I ran out of flex on the PTO shaft.

 

[PHPaul]

I like it!!
Doesn't your Kubota have a 960 rpm rear PTO setting also?? Mine has both.
It seems like that thing should fling weeds everywhere, but I guess as long as you are hidden in the cab it wouldn't matter.

Nope, 540 only on the rear. With the engine firewalled, close to 600, but that's it.

It does throw crap pretty hard, I may fashion a guard around the string head at some point. For now, it's easier to just wash the winders on the cab when I'm done...

 

[CincyFlyer]

I like it!!
Doesn't your Kubota have a 960 rpm rear PTO setting also?? Mine has both.
It seems like that thing should fling weeds everywhere, but I guess as long as you are hidden in the cab it wouldn't matter.

Actually, it appears to be a Cabela tractor (which may be a TYM, as are some Mahindra models). Definitely not a Kubota!

 

[teg]

Great job.... Can you post more photos up close?