potato digger
- Thread starter klug
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I don't believe this thread went as far as it did without mention of the Colt-Browning 1895 machine gun. Nicknamed the "potato digger" by the troops because the operating lever would dig into the ground if fired from too low of a position. It was used very successfully during the Spanish-American war.
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CliffordK
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frequency and the amount of shaking may also be an issue. Hopefully you can find good enough information/photos to determine how much eccentricity to give your shaft, and belt & pulley sizes.
Last edited:
Well it not? Why I turned to your experiences?!:thumbdown:
creekshorefarms
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How many feet or metres of row length are you planning on digging?
Depending on above answer, what would be wrong with using a middlebuster (also known as potato plow) to dig the potatoes. Much simpler in design and cheaper.
Depending on above answer, what would be wrong with using a middlebuster (also known as potato plow) to dig the potatoes. Much simpler in design and cheaper.
charlz
Elite Member
I believe he said he has or has used a potato plow but really liked the idea of the potato digger.
charlz
Elite Member
Klug it still is not clear to me if you have a ride-on tractor or a walkbehind that you want to use. Can you provide a link to the equipment you want to build this for so at least that part is clear?
Thanks.
Thanks.
I think he is lookin for something like this,
Mini Potato Harvester For Walking Tractor - Buy Mini Potato Harvester,Potato Harvester,Harvesting Machine Product on Alibaba.com
Walking Tractor Potato Harvester/peanut Digger/potato Digger - Buy Walking Tractor Potato Harvester,Potato Digger,Peanut Digger Product on Alibaba.com
It this is what is wanted it looks like a fairly straight forward build.
The lifter/sifter chain could be made from 2 strips of rubber belt with flat bar spanning between them. To drive the belt, cleats could be put onto it and use a sprocket set up.
A old snowmobile track could be made into a potato lifter/sifter set up by cutting the track and building a frame for it to mount onto.
Mini Potato Harvester For Walking Tractor - Buy Mini Potato Harvester,Potato Harvester,Harvesting Machine Product on Alibaba.com
Walking Tractor Potato Harvester/peanut Digger/potato Digger - Buy Walking Tractor Potato Harvester,Potato Digger,Peanut Digger Product on Alibaba.com
It this is what is wanted it looks like a fairly straight forward build.
The lifter/sifter chain could be made from 2 strips of rubber belt with flat bar spanning between them. To drive the belt, cleats could be put onto it and use a sprocket set up.
A old snowmobile track could be made into a potato lifter/sifter set up by cutting the track and building a frame for it to mount onto.
OldMcDonald
Platinum Member
I have taken a particular interest in this thread because I understand Klug's problems - they are similar to my own and millions of other peasants around the world. Being a peasant does not mean that one is of low intelligence, nor necessarilly poor, although poverty is often an additional problem. It simply means that it is essential to live within the constraints of the particular country in which the peasant lives. Many of us have a good lifestyle - my own is better than most of the rest of my life. That is not the point. Klug says he wants to make a potato lifter along the lines of the link he gave in Post #19. He does not have any dimensions. Sure, it looks simple enough to construct if there are some measurements available. Trouble is, nobody has come up with any. The man merely asked for help with dimensions, he knows what he wants to make, but without any starting reference point he is working blind and has to make guesses.
We all know how elevators or shakers work, but nobody has offered any suggestions on the size of the the blade or the thickness of the rods of the vibrating follower, whether an elevator or simple rods as in the link at #19. One thing nobody has picked up on either is the fact that a vibrating blade rather than a static drag blade reduces the power requirement by a large amount.
Unfortunately I do not have any dimensions to offer him either, but telling him what you could use in the US is not a lot of help to him. I am not being critical, because I did not realise myself until I lived here how different life can be in supposed western civilisations that do not have the same markets as others. I too had been accustomed to buying up scrapped or well used equipment at auction, private sales or dealers if I needed a particular part. This is not possible in many countries.
If anybody can come up with some measurements then please help the man.
We all know how elevators or shakers work, but nobody has offered any suggestions on the size of the the blade or the thickness of the rods of the vibrating follower, whether an elevator or simple rods as in the link at #19. One thing nobody has picked up on either is the fact that a vibrating blade rather than a static drag blade reduces the power requirement by a large amount.
Unfortunately I do not have any dimensions to offer him either, but telling him what you could use in the US is not a lot of help to him. I am not being critical, because I did not realise myself until I lived here how different life can be in supposed western civilisations that do not have the same markets as others. I too had been accustomed to buying up scrapped or well used equipment at auction, private sales or dealers if I needed a particular part. This is not possible in many countries.
If anybody can come up with some measurements then please help the man.
Sir,
I really appreciate the way of thinking, you guessed right reality. I am an educated guy, I have a superior technical training and as you said fac.Am know well what I asked for some opinions and not dimensioned drawings mild irony. I asked with great confidence but at the present stage it seems a waste of time this rant. I respect your way of thinking
regards
Potato Digger to Harvest Potatoes is the model that I want to build and I asked drawings listed, see also # 19
Baby Grand
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Asking a company to give you its drawings is like asking a farmer to give you his land.
Not gonna happen.
Low tech solution:
Take photos (or grab them from the internet) of an existing potato digger and scale it.
Graph paper, engineer scale (a ruler if you don't have an engineer scale), pencil, calculator (slide rule or scrap paper, if you prefer).
This is a potato digger, not a chronosynclastic-infindibulizer, so use appropriate accuracy.
Close enough is ... close enough!
Build it with the understanding that it won't be right and you're going to have to cut it, patch it, cut it and patch it again until it works right. Enjoy the process!
Not gonna happen.
Low tech solution:
Take photos (or grab them from the internet) of an existing potato digger and scale it.
Graph paper, engineer scale (a ruler if you don't have an engineer scale), pencil, calculator (slide rule or scrap paper, if you prefer).
This is a potato digger, not a chronosynclastic-infindibulizer, so use appropriate accuracy.
Close enough is ... close enough!
Build it with the understanding that it won't be right and you're going to have to cut it, patch it, cut it and patch it again until it works right. Enjoy the process!
creekshorefarms
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- Kubota L3200, Ford 1710, Ford 1310, Farmall Super A (x2)
Perhaps you could try and contact the people who posted the videos you referenced in post #24 for dimensions?
Your unit will have to be smaller then what you are showing from everything attachments. As Baby Grand mentioned above grab some photos from the internet and start measuring.
I imagine you would want to start with a digging width of about 18", but having not seen an actual photo of your tiller with any dimensions for it, it is really hard to come up with some numbers that will work for you.
Also, do you have parts or scrap lying around that you hope to use for this project, or how will you be getting the materials you need (new from the steel supplier, scrap yard, etc)? What you have available will dictate what you can build and as mentioned above, close in size is close enough for a potato digger so you have some freedom and forgiveness in what you do.
Do you have specific questions about various dimensions, like how wide the shovel should be or how long the shaker fingers need to be, or will a finished and dimensioned drawing be the only thing that works?
Honestly just trying to help.
Your unit will have to be smaller then what you are showing from everything attachments. As Baby Grand mentioned above grab some photos from the internet and start measuring.
I imagine you would want to start with a digging width of about 18", but having not seen an actual photo of your tiller with any dimensions for it, it is really hard to come up with some numbers that will work for you.
Also, do you have parts or scrap lying around that you hope to use for this project, or how will you be getting the materials you need (new from the steel supplier, scrap yard, etc)? What you have available will dictate what you can build and as mentioned above, close in size is close enough for a potato digger so you have some freedom and forgiveness in what you do.
Do you have specific questions about various dimensions, like how wide the shovel should be or how long the shaker fingers need to be, or will a finished and dimensioned drawing be the only thing that works?
Honestly just trying to help.
CliffordK
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Many graphics programs such as GIMP have a built in measuring function. Unfortunately perspective can cause problems, but if you have good face-on images, one can usually measure lengths and set up ratios to scale distances as desired.
You have one parts diagram from the links I sent earlier which should help.
Much of your design will be constrained by your walk behind tractor, and row width.
You have one parts diagram from the links I sent earlier which should help.
Much of your design will be constrained by your walk behind tractor, and row width.
Wyobuckaroo
Platinum Member
I have a question.......
If you are harvesting produce from flat ground, not hills.
How deep does the digger capable of going below ground level ???
I watched the video from Everything Attachments, and called to ask this question.
The guy who answered the phone, referred me back to the video.....
Anyone with details ??
Thanks....
If you are harvesting produce from flat ground, not hills.
How deep does the digger capable of going below ground level ???
I watched the video from Everything Attachments, and called to ask this question.
The guy who answered the phone, referred me back to the video.....
Anyone with details ??
Thanks....
charlz
Elite Member
So: walk behind tiller/tractor that has PTO. Looking at the company that made the one on that page I found this:
F.LLI SPEDO - SCAVAPATATE PER MOTOCOLTIVATORE - YouTube (first part of that video)
a walk behind tiller/tractor with a PTO driven potato digger/shaker. Yes?
