Ripper

[PILOON]

The trick is to keep the bits cool with water , air, or cutting fluid.

Tried those hole saws as well! Really surprised me as I made about 7-8 holes with a 1" holesaw in 1/2" stock and the paint is barely scraped off of the saw.
Stll super sharp!
Also did a 3" hole in 1/4" stock with same good results.
What I did learn was to drill BEFORE cutting small pieces as the cutoff blades somehow heat harden the adjacent metal.
Lube and gentle feed does the trick.
Using hole saws in metal has opened up a lot of possibilities for me.


.

 

[J_J]

Tried those hole saws as well! Really surprised me as I made about 7-8 holes with a 1" holesaw in 1/2" stock and the paint is barely scraped off of the saw.
Stll super sharp!
Also did a 3" hole in 1/4" stock with same good results.
What I did learn was to drill BEFORE cutting small pieces as the cutoff blades somehow heat harden the adjacent metal.
Lube and gentle feed does the trick.
Using hole saws in metal has opened up a lot of possibilities for me.


.

I purchased some of the hole cutting saws with carbide teeth, and they cut very nice. A 1 in hole saw with carbide teeth, will cost around $21.00 . I have cut through 1/2 in steel fairly easy. I run the drill pres real slow.

 

[Shield Arc]

Here is one I built. 5" x 5" square stock, with 1" x 4" flatbar. It's not a matter of horsepower; I just don't have the traction to ever rip the shanks through the 1" flatbar.

 

[AKfish]

I've got the larger Landpride scarifier (ripper). Think it's 77". Couple of things that I've considered to improve the usefullness of mine - coulter blades - one for each shank.

When ripping sod or old fields; the chunks of sod tend to ball up in large wads. Enough to pack into the rear tires and lift the ripper upwards. I think having a coulter blade (like a moldboard plow) welded to the frame in front of the ripper tooth to cut a thin line through the sod or other vegetation will help with the sod clumps building up.

And modifying the 3pt mount on the ripper to fit a quick hitch attachment. The scarifier is not all that difficult to hook up - but I want more distance between the tractor and the ripper. Even with coulters, the ripper will lay over the sod similar to what a plow does and some additional clearance would be beneficial - IMO. And while making gradual turns with the shanks in the ground, the inside tire tends to fill up with material pretty badly.

My $.02

(Good job on the fab work - by the way.. )

AKfish

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Here is one I built. 5" x 5" square stock, with 1" x 4" flatbar. It's not a matter of horsepower; I just don't have the traction to ever rip the shanks through the 1" flatbar.

Hey, that's a good design! I wish I'd seen that before I spent all night drilling holes in my 4" tube.

 

[chickenman]

how i mounted my shanks

 

[Baby Grand]

Chickenman-
I like your quick hitch fab job - looks like a rugged, clean design.
Jim

 

[GT2]

Tried those hole saws as well! Really surprised me as I made about 7-8 holes with a 1" holesaw in 1/2" stock and the paint is barely scraped off of the saw.
Stll super sharp!
Also did a 3" hole in 1/4" stock with same good results.
What I did learn was to drill BEFORE cutting small pieces as the cutoff blades somehow heat harden the adjacent metal.
Lube and gentle feed does the trick.
Using hole saws in metal has opened up a lot of possibilities for me.


.

I also learned to pre-drill the 1/4" pilot first. That way your not working 2 holes at the same time.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I got some more done on the ripper last night. Due to the concerns brought up on this thread, I went ahead and welded a 1" X 1/2" flat bar to the underside of the ripper behind the shanks. I also cut some old bedrail that I had laying around to weld on either side of the top slots to accept the pins that hold the shanks in place.

Here's my problem now... I can't drill the bedrails. That metal is so hardened! I've sharpened the bits, used cutting oil, stepped up gradually in drill bit sizes; and I've still broken 3 drill bits. I've got most of the ten holes up to about 5/16" now. I don't know how I'm going to get them drilled out to the 1/2" that I need.

I may just scrap the bed rail and get some regular angle iron. Buying a stick of 1 1/2" angle will probably be cheaper than replacing all the bits I'll break.

 

[GT2]

I got some more done on the ripper last night. Due to the concerns brought up on this thread, I went ahead and welded a 1" X 1/2" flat bar to the underside of the ripper behind the shanks. I also cut some old bedrail that I had laying around to weld on either side of the top slots to accept the pins that hold the shanks in place.

Here's my problem now... I can't drill the bedrails. That metal is so hardened! I've sharpened the bits, used cutting oil, stepped up gradually in drill bit sizes; and I've still broken 3 drill bits. I've got most of the ten holes up to about 5/16" now. I don't know how I'm going to get them drilled out to the 1/2" that I need.

I may just scrap the bed rail and get some regular angle iron. Buying a stick of 1 1/2" angle will probably be cheaper than replacing all the bits I'll break.

Try slowing the drill speed way down, and place a piece of reg steel under the rail, not wood or air.
Or maybe heat up the spot your going to drill to cherry red and then let cool naturally (no water!).
I guess,
If you have to,