What would you guys buy?

[SpecElim]

I am starting a part time (for me really full time as I only go to school 4 hours a week for welding) small business. I will be building implements for garden tractors as well as 3pt for larger tractors.

My first idea is a heavy duty (yet light enough for a lawnmower) aerators. I am tired of watching people spend good money on cheap equipment myself included.

Second an aerator for larger tractors (4-6 or 7 foot) commercial quality at a competitive price.

Third ? I don't know. That's what I am asking you guys for. I need some ideas as to what the general community would need.

Please just help me out by telling me what you would buy or what you need.

Thank you, Matt.

 

[Runner]

Loader-mount quick-hitch adapter. Handiest thing I've made for myself yet.

Second, or tied for first place is a three-point trailer hitch.

Then, boom poles. Easy to build and useful.

 

[Egon]

Have you checked with any Implement dealers to see what is a popular seller for them. Something that would have low up front cost's and high labour cost's.

 

[Thomas]

For the back blade,some type of pull,roll down etc. wing...example,6' blade,2'+ wing add on,bottom of wing 4" or so from ground.

 

[SpecElim]

For the back blade,some type of pull,roll down etc. wing...example,6' blade,2'+ wing add on,bottom of wing 4" or so from ground.

I am trying to picture what you are talking about but am stumped.

 

[brokenot]

Not sure what the soil conditions are like where you are, but around here the ground stays semi-soft. The best aerators for our conditions are the walk-behind self-propelled models. I've seen towable or 3 point models that will do the job, but for them to offer up and real penetration, they need to be weighted down.

Weighing them down to maximize penetration and efficiency then requires the towing tractor to be weighted down for traction....especially if it has turf tires.

Driving something that compacts the soil over it to do aeration sort of defeats the purpose. But it all depends on your soil conditions.

 

[lostcause]

i'm sure there's some good suggestions here, but unless you are planning on marketing your wares on the internet, you probably need to figure out what the buying public in your area is made up of, not what people from across the country think.

if you live not too far form suburbia, you probably would do better to target people that own 20hp riding mowers. tow behind carts, land rollers, small aerators, etc.

if you live a little further out, where people own a few acres, maybe add in some small cat 0/1 3ph accessories, like the receiver hitch drawbar & stuff like that. maybe thumbs for compact backhoes even.

if you know one personally, you might even try asking a local equipment dealer if there's any small items that people are constantly looking for that you can supply.

 

[6011Artist]

I don't know what folks in your area need, but I build my own implements as far as garden plows, rakes and cultivators. Not sure if you are targeting the gardener or the landscaper type of guy.

The most profitable item I think would be a 3 ph trailer hitch. They cost 150.00 I think, maybe more now, but I can build one out of 20.00 worth of parts and about 4 ft of tubing from scratch. Add in 1.5 hrs labor. Turn them for 100.00. I have sold 2 for 75.00 each, had a free hitch, 5.00 in pins invested.

If you can find a car dealer that removes the hitches while getting used cars ready to sell, they usually will give them to you but since scrap prices are up so high, you may have to buy them for scrap prices. Dealers remove the hitches so the new buyer doesn't realize the vehicle was used for towing, resulting in additional transmission wear.

Another idea would be to buy an older cultivator, tear it apart to salvage your parts to build one row cultivators for the gardeners in your area. Todays farmers use massive setups and the old 4-6 row cultivators are too small for them but too big for the lil guys. They usually are cheap but offer lots of parts.

Also, I build a lot of my implements to work out of my reciever trailer hitch. Saves me from building the 3 ph rig every time I build a new piece of equip. My layoff plow for my garden is nothing but an old cultivator foot welded into a piece of 2" tubing. Fast and easy to hook up, can carry it with one hand and store it hanging on a rafter in the tractor shelter. I use a "shovel" to lay off the rows, can add a large middle buster to dig potatos, can change plows since they bolt on for whatever the chore is.

I have 2 boom poles that are factory, but I use the two I made to slide into the reciever more than the factory ones. One has a 12" piece of tubing to go into the reciever and a 2' piece pointing up on about a 30 degree angle, works great to pull trees and logs back into the woods or anything heavy, shorter boom, less leverage to pick up front of tractor. I also have one that has a 4' boom, use it because it is so simple to install. It was built to move my welder. The longer boom had too much leverage for the weight so I built one to fit the job.

I would start by building things I could use myself. When people see them, they will possibly want one too.

 

[SpecElim]

Thanks for all the replies. I am looking around at my closest equipment dealers and local garden supply stores to try selling them first. If they sell okay then I will begin marketing them to people online and maybe through places like Farm Stores like Agri-Supply or Tractor Supply (Wishfull thinking).

Great ideas about having multiple attachments for the 2" reciever. I think it would be great for people with limited space.

Thanks, Matt.

 

[j250trxr]

Something i just made because they are hard to find is a bottom plow for an ATV. Probly a good market for them i would think.