Homemade Subsoiler Ripper for MiddleBuster
- Thread starter OkieG
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Barnboy
Gold Member
HGM & 3RRL,
How right you two are. The angle between the vertical shaft and the mounting bracket is the weak link. The narrow bracket face, with the mounting holes in it, does not extend all the way to the vertical main shaft. The side pieces of the mounting bracket bent right where they meet the vertical shaft.
A little heat from a torch and a few swings of a small sledge hammer straightened them out pretty well. I've welded a small piece of steel into the gap on the underside of the bracket and reinforced it with a small, but sturdy gussett.
In this picture, the frame is laying on the ground, face down, to show the filled gap and gussett. You can see the side of the bracket is pretty straight now.
I checked the apparatus several times during the test runs along my friend's old water line. I couldn't figure out why the paint was flaking off where the bracket meets the vertical shaft. A little later, I figured out why!!
OkieG
How right you two are. The angle between the vertical shaft and the mounting bracket is the weak link. The narrow bracket face, with the mounting holes in it, does not extend all the way to the vertical main shaft. The side pieces of the mounting bracket bent right where they meet the vertical shaft.
A little heat from a torch and a few swings of a small sledge hammer straightened them out pretty well. I've welded a small piece of steel into the gap on the underside of the bracket and reinforced it with a small, but sturdy gussett.
In this picture, the frame is laying on the ground, face down, to show the filled gap and gussett. You can see the side of the bracket is pretty straight now.
I checked the apparatus several times during the test runs along my friend's old water line. I couldn't figure out why the paint was flaking off where the bracket meets the vertical shaft. A little later, I figured out why!!
OkieG
Attachments
RobJ,
You're right. The trench does not stay cleaned out at all. I think the trick is to either pull the pipe into the trench with the subsoiler, or feed it through a gentle 90 degree bend pipe attached to the back of the subsoiler. Cleaning out the trench with middlebuster might work for a shallow trench, but my subsoiler tip will dig deeper than the middlebuster will. The water line needs to be down about 12", ideally.
OkieG
You're right. The trench does not stay cleaned out at all. I think the trick is to either pull the pipe into the trench with the subsoiler, or feed it through a gentle 90 degree bend pipe attached to the back of the subsoiler. Cleaning out the trench with middlebuster might work for a shallow trench, but my subsoiler tip will dig deeper than the middlebuster will. The water line needs to be down about 12", ideally.
OkieG
jmc,
The main shaft is exactly vertical, though not visible in this picture.
This shot is taken from ground level, with the tip of the point on the ground. It doesn't show up real well, but the back of the bevel is about 1/2" off the ground. I don't know if more clearance would be beneficial or not.
I think the breadth and forward angle of the tooth work like "wings" to drive it down into the ground, no extra weight necessary.
OkieG
The main shaft is exactly vertical, though not visible in this picture.
This shot is taken from ground level, with the tip of the point on the ground. It doesn't show up real well, but the back of the bevel is about 1/2" off the ground. I don't know if more clearance would be beneficial or not.
I think the breadth and forward angle of the tooth work like "wings" to drive it down into the ground, no extra weight necessary.
OkieG
Attachments
RobJ,
The MB frame without any blade attached, drops 5 1/2-6" from touching ground to full down. For my tractor's 3ph, I need to add the length that the tooth extends down below the end of the frame to the 6" for max depth of trench.
In this picture the MB frame is attached to the tractor and hanging over a concrete curb/wall. The top black mark (at about 6" on the tape) is where the frame would just touch the ground on level ground. The bottom black mark is 3PH in full down position. My youngest is doing his best to place the end of the tape on the bottom mark. Close enough to get an idea of the depth the frame drops below ground level.
OkieG
The MB frame without any blade attached, drops 5 1/2-6" from touching ground to full down. For my tractor's 3ph, I need to add the length that the tooth extends down below the end of the frame to the 6" for max depth of trench.
In this picture the MB frame is attached to the tractor and hanging over a concrete curb/wall. The top black mark (at about 6" on the tape) is where the frame would just touch the ground on level ground. The bottom black mark is 3PH in full down position. My youngest is doing his best to place the end of the tape on the bottom mark. Close enough to get an idea of the depth the frame drops below ground level.
OkieG
Attachments
The "trench" picture early in this thread, shows a wire fence the trench needs to travel under. Actually, there are two fences to go beneath.
After welding a couple of toplink ears behind the originals, the subsoiler can be mounted backward to push a trench under the fence. Haven't tried it yet, but seems like it should work, doesn't it??
OkieG
After welding a couple of toplink ears behind the originals, the subsoiler can be mounted backward to push a trench under the fence. Haven't tried it yet, but seems like it should work, doesn't it??
OkieG
