Hiller

[RealJimbo]

So, Inever did find a hiller this year that could lay down two hills between my tires (42" inside spacing). So . . .

I bought 3 16" middle buster moldboards from TSC. Why did it come to +$190 when ASC has them for like 15 a piece? And ASC has 12" too. But anyway . . .

I plan to mount them individually to shanks so that they can be moved laterally on my two-row 4" tool bar. I figure I can also move one out to extreme side for ditching work.

This is going to be quite a project for someone such as myself with very elementary weld/fab skills at best.

 

[RealJimbo]

Ok, so I got two different middle buster moldboards. I first ordered (3) 16" moldboards from TSC. That was just shy of $200, AND I had to pick them up at the store. Then, because I want to be able to experiment, I purchased (1) 12" from ASC. The moldboard was ~ $16, and the shipping an additional $15, delivered to my door.

Lesson learned up to this point . . . check ASC before you buy anything at TSC.

 

[RealJimbo]

Trying to decide on pin size. I plan two pins per arm, and I am thinking of getting the 1" X 2" clevis pins from Grainger. I am going to check the bolt sizes on my two bottom plow, since I figure there will be comparable stress on both.

I have no idea about 1018 hardness . . . I hate to purchase a bunch of pins - they are like $7 a piece - and find out they don't work. But I hate to pay for shipping more than once.

Looks like it's time to get the tape measure out again, lay out the pieces I have, and push the button.

 

[nwngunner]

are you planning on putting in a break away pin in it some place? I would pin the tooth to the shank with a hard pin, put two pins in your tool bar. One at the top will be a harden pin and use a grade 2 bolt for the 2ed one. About a 3/8 should do it. That way if you hit a rock or a root it will cut the bolt and not twist your plow or your shank. your local hardware store will have the pins you need, there is no need to go to Grainger.

 

[swick1]

If you need help with shear pin sizing we need dimensions of your attachment, shear pin location, and tractor weight. Good luck!

 

[nwngunner]

If you need help with shear pin sizing we need dimensions of your attachment, shear pin location, and tractor weight. Good luck!

Do you have a chart for shear pins?

 

[swick1]

What kind of chart?

 

[RealJimbo]

I plan the shear at the bottom. My two-bottom plow uses a 5/8 shear bolt, and I found out this year plowing new ground that they do, in fact, shear.

I am taking many ideas from the CountyLine middle buster at TSC. I don't recall them even having shear protection, but mine certainly will have. The hard part of this build will be attaching the moldboards to the vertical arms. IIRC the TSC model used 3/16" boxed plate. But theirs is welded on to the arm, and I anticipate a pivot pin and a shear bolt.

 

[swick1]

The further you place the shear bolt from the point of rotation the smaller it will need to be and the less damage it will do when it breaks because the pin gets smaller but the material it slides into stays the same thickness.

Get us some dimensions and your tractor weight so we can help you size and locate it.

 

[jobguy]

What does ASC stand for?

Ok, so I got two different middle buster moldboards. I first ordered (3) 16" moldboards from TSC. That was just shy of $200, AND I had to pick them up at the store. Then, because I want to be able to experiment, I purchased (1) 12" from ASC. The moldboard was ~ $16, and the shipping an additional $15, delivered to my door.

Lesson learned up to this point . . . check ASC before you buy anything at TSC.

View attachment 271277View attachment 271278

 

[TraderMark]

ASC=AgriSupply Company
They have several locations mostly here in the south.

TSC=Tractor Supply Company
Lots more locations than ASC but more ranch oriented than dirt farming like ASC

 

[VPFarm]

It seems that I was thinking about the same basic thing as you were/are.

I'm working a new property and started a 1/2 acre garden late this last fall (even got a small crop). I'm currently planning for spring and gathering/manufacturing equipment over the winter for it. I decided for the sake of time and ease to use a few of the furrowing blades (shown in your post) and attach them directly to my single row cultivator C-shanks. Those will be attached to a heavy 2x2-in tool bar I'm having drilled to mount under the same cultivator I purchased used then stripped & re-painted to match my tractor.

I plan on first loosening the soil with the cultivator tines (6" deep or so) and then make several nice furrows on a second pass with three of these blades (8" front width, 11" back) to give me two beds spaced 21" . We'll see how that works out but I'm worried about the C-shanks having too much give/flex.

Plan-B, a better plan I think, is in the works as I do a little research on these forums regarding Hiller discs and attaching these to the same 2x2 toolbar I'm having made for the cultivator. I know this is a better setup but I'm trying to avoid the cost right now of the clamps and disc assemblies. I think my little home-made toolbar project will be useful for a number of other attachments and as I figure out my soil issues. I plan on expanding this to an acre or two after I learn the land/bugs/weeds a bit better in my new ranch/farm.

--David