Look at what I "built" today

[k0ua]

This is really more of a modification than a complete build, but this morning while out working in the yard on road repair and clean up with the tractor, the wife said "I wonder if we could put the sprayer on the tractor somehow". The little sprayer had been her idea in the first place, and I had knocked together a little wooden platform on wheels with a tongue to pull it behing our little JD lawn tractor. We have used it for a while like this, but she hated the times she had to back up with it behind the lawn tractor (jacknife) and I hated taking it down our steep hills full of water, (can you say push you into a ditch?) So her idea of putting it on the back of the tractor seemed like a good one to me. I started hunting up some steel, I wanted a 2 inch piece of square tubing, but didnt have any of that size, so I just used a piece of 2 inch angle iron, ground to fit the hitch reciever in my home-made ballast barrel, ( I knew that thing would come in handy for something when I put in it, I just didn't know what!) So I drilled the holes for the 5/8 pin and the screw holes and tore the little cart apart (took off wheels and tongue) added a little scrap of wood, and WAH-LAH. a mounted sprayer on the 2" hitch reciever. Then on to the electrical, I used the existing Kubota power wires under the left fender for the work light, re-ran and taped them back up, put on a 2 prong waterproof power connector (trailer hitch style, and put in some no-oxide grease), and hooked it up. Worked good, and way more fun to use than pulling the stupid cart behind the lawn tractor. The last photo is just to show, we are getting a little green-up here now, and have some flowers. This is to make you northern boys and girls jealous:laughing: It was a beautiful day here today, and worked out all day in it. I had a rough week at work, lotsa stress, and I am tired tonite, but boy was it a good day. Thats it from Branson, today.

James K0UA

 

[magicheater]

That's what its all about, having fun with your tractor and coming up with creative ways to do things using it! :thumbsup:

 

[Beefie]

I like it, looks like it is used for spot spraying? Nice ballast barrel too.


Beefie

 

[jcliburn]

Hopefully not too stupid a question, James, but how is the tank fastened to the platform?

I have a sprayer like that, but my method of attaching it to a platform (using bungee straps hooked to eyebolts) doesn't work very well; the tank shifts a bit too much.

Thanks,
Jay

 

[k0ua]

Thanks for the kind words, The tank is attached with machine screws 1/4-20 through the plywood, into already threaded inserts in the tank (this is the way it came). We use the sprayer for many things, The wife uses it to feed flowers, I use it to wet down the concrete mix I put on my road to patch potholes. ( much cheaper than asphalt) much easier to place, no tamping, just wet the hole, dump in the sackcrete, smooth it with a pushbroom, and wet the top 2 or 3 times. It is best to do it after a rain event as the ground moisture will keep the mix wet by itself until it sets up.. wears pretty well, and a lot less work and a lot less money. Now that said this is a mess of a road, and I would not do this to a nice looking finished driveway, but to a heaved up chip and seal roadway.

James K0UA

 

[jcliburn]

The tank is attached with machine screws 1/4-20 through the plywood, into already threaded inserts in the tank (this is the way it came).

Thanks for the info.

Unforch, mine doesn't have the threaded inserts.

Jay

 

[k0ua]

Hopefully not too stupid a question, James, but how is the tank fastened to the platform?

I have a sprayer like that, but my method of attaching it to a platform (using bungee straps hooked to eyebolts) doesn't work very well; the tank shifts a bit too much.

Thanks,
Jay

Jay what about some plumbers strap and your bolts to tighten it up. Put the strap on the grooved area of the tank.. maybe that would work.

James

 

[boggen]

Thanks for the info.

Unforch, mine doesn't have the threaded inserts.

Jay

wait for a sale and pick up some straps at a local hardware store. straps i am talking about is what folks use for tieing stuff down onto a trailer or in back of a pickup truck, instead of using chains.

granted cost maybe a few more bucks than plumbers strap. but *shrugs* being able to just use the rachet already on the strap to snug the straps down might be easier for ya to get things nice and snug.

 

[mjncad]

Where did you get the hooks on your ballast-barrel? I've been looking for a couple like that.

 

[k0ua]

Where did you get the hooks on your ballast-barrel? I've been looking for a couple like that.

Oh, man, your making my head hurt tryin to remember:laughing: I am not sure, if it was TSC or the local huge hardware store in Harrison Ar. called Millers hardware, I am thinking it was Millers.. but not for sure. sorry.

James K0UA

 

[sixdogs]

Thanks for the info.

Unforch, mine doesn't have the threaded inserts.

Jay

Mine has had cheapo bungee cords on for years.
That way I can drain it easily by just sliding the tank drain over to the edge,
When it's full and bungee cords attached, it stays put.

 

[jcliburn]

wait for a sale and pick up some straps at a local hardware store. straps i am talking about is what folks use for tieing stuff down onto a trailer or in back of a pickup truck, instead of using chains.

Good call. This is precisely my plan. I saw a pic some time ago here on TBN where, in the background of the photo, there was a sprayer strapped into a loader bucket using the straps you describe, and I said to myself then, "That's how I need to secure my sprayer."

It's not spraying season yet, but it won't be long. I'll be on the lookout for the straps.

Thanks,
Jay

 

[mjncad]

Oh, man, your making my head hurt tryin to remember:laughing: I am not sure, if it was TSC or the local huge hardware store in Harrison Ar. called Millers hardware, I am thinking it was Millers.. but not for sure. sorry.

James K0UA

Thanks for the reply. I'm SOL on TSC as there aren't any here. I'll have to check a couple of the larger hardware stores the next time I wander into Denver. Surprisingly McMaster-Carr didn't have any like that the last time I looked.

 

[k0ua]

I checked TSC yesterday, and did not find them there, so I am pretty sure it was the local hardware store.

James K0UA

 

[FredH]

Lehigh 10 lb. 3-1/2 in. Zinc-Plated Steel Rope Binding Hook - 7222-6 at The Home Depot


Home Depot : They are called other things but most commonly known as Rope Hooks .

I Have a similar type tank , mine does have the threaded inserts in bottom but I have been using the ratchet straps to hold it down until now . In the process of changing the skid I have it mounted on . I use my old 3 point carry all to put the skid on . Was tired of dragging the hose around and then having to coil it back up . Have now mounted a auto hose reel with 30' of line on the newly attached back of skid , but am still in process of hard plumbing pump to selector valve to hose reel and to broadcast nozzle .

Fred H.

 

[mjncad]

Thanks Fred, I'll take a look for those the next time I'm in Home Despot.

 

[Boeing]

Guys,
I want to build a simular 3pt sprayer but haven't got a tank or sprayer yet.
I've priced available sprayers and they are OVER $500
What I DO have is a 100 gallon tank, one of those encased in a tubular steel cage things. I'm thinking that I could mount it on a rear arm platform or tow it on a small trailer. (only put 75 gal or so for weight) see photos...
Build a boom out of 1/2" PVC. then presurrize it with a 12V air compressor.....
....I KNOW one of you guys has built something like this.....please advise....I HATE to spend $500 for something I'd use 3 times a year.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Guys,
I want to build a simular 3pt sprayer but haven't got a tank or sprayer yet.
I've priced available sprayers and they are OVER $500
What I DO have is a 100 gallon tank, one of those encased in a tubular steel cage things. I'm thinking that I could mount it on a rear arm platform or tow it on a small trailer. (only put 75 gal or so for weight) see photos...
Build a boom out of 1/2" PVC. then presurrize it with a 12V air compressor.....
....I KNOW one of you guys has built something like this.....please advise....I HATE to spend $500 for something I'd use 3 times a year.

Is the 12V air compressor going to be better than a 12V pump? If you get a little Shurflo diaphragm pump you have your system built. The trick is sizing your pump and your nozzles to match.

 

[RPW]

-Boeing- what you've done is pretty much what I'll be doing with my 275gal totes. I'll be using a couple of lengths of PVC pipe or possible copper to make my booms. Set up in a way to allow at least 12ft of spraying for my pastures.


Good luck.

 

[Boeing]

I appreciate the ideas...
I had a 12V pump on a boat years ago and it worked great for the sink and shower.
HOW....do I "size" nozzles? Think we can "screw" nozzles into PVC? I see that most spray booms are 140" which would give about 6' per side....and they use 3/4" piping with some kind of supporting bar across the top.. What I DO NOT know about is the number and size of nozzles that a 140" boom sprayer can support. It makes sense that the more or larger the nozzles the more pressure would be needed. I see 12V pumps that move 200GPH and 260GPH.....HOW do I take that knowledge and apply it to nozzle volume. The spray boom should be simple but we want it to spray and not dribble. Who knows this type of info???? We need a sprayer engineer..... :confused2: