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Labour Saving and General Guntering

emaherx

How about using this thread to show off our engineering skills (or lack of!)
A lot of us have home made or improvised labour saving tools / implements lying around. Similar to stuff in Farmers Journal labour saving compettions. (without the prize money:p).

Maybe we could use this thread to share interesting ideas and discuss improvements.

I don't have any pictures at the moment of my own but I will take some at the weekend if not before.

My own projects include:
Quick hitch for front loader (fairly rough but works), designed to fit Trima implements onto MF loader.
Adapter to fit bale lifter onto front loader.
Various other loader attachments spikes etc.

Current project is a wrapped bale transporter being built out of remains of an old Muck Spreader. (only just started, currently just an axle and draw bar).

Their maybe other stuff around too, I'll have to have a look.

So what are peoples opinions, is this a good idea for a thread?

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blue5000

that is neat, I've made a few things myself probably the best one is a woodburning stove from the back end of a fordson major. The wood goes in where the lift cover was, air goes in where the brakes were, and smoke goes out where the pto was. It took a year from getting the idea to having it in the lounge! All the photos of making it are before I got a digital camera, I'll scan them and put them up.

bk1991

now that is an idea that i never heard of but sounds great

MrFoxman360

The best thing I ever made was this fork to go on the three point linkage of my MF 35x. I originally just intended to use it for moving pallets, but it has proved invaluable at so many things since I made it.

Best thing is that the materials were completely free

. Its made from an old McHale hydraulic bale handler (that I aquired). The two legs with the tines were taken off and I cut the cross members from the frame of the handler. The lower linkage attachment points are tipping hinges from and old KP trailer, and the toplink part was from and old yard scraper, Even the pins I use are made from the pins holding the ram into the handler,... recycling at its best

Was designed for lifting pallets and it does it perfectly, as the tines are the ideal distance apart, wide enough for max stability, but still lift a euro pallet from the narrow end. Was very useful for moving concrete pipes, loading clamps of turf directly onto a trailer in the bog, and all sorts of general moving and lifting. I'm sure if you had a big tractor on it you would brake it but it can easily handle any weight the 35 can lift, although the tines are rated for over three tons together

bk1991

looks like a handy bit of machinery and it cost nothing only time and the welding are u trained in welding or just self trained ?...by looking at it ud know straight away its a machale

emaherx

bk1991 wrote: »

how will the lights work how much of cost compared to standard lights
have you sofd drive on ether of yer loaders ?
i have fitted soft drive ie hydralic acumulator +valve and pipe dident use it much on rd yet so dont know how shell work

bk1991

transmitter
Tractor socket => optocouplers => digital encoder=> TX module => antenna.

receiver
antenna => Rx module => digital decoder =>transistor/relay driver stage=>trailer lights.

This is the basic configuration, haven't fully costed it yet but, I reckon about 30 to 40 euro on top of your normal light set.

Commercially available wireless lights cost between 300 - 400 euro.

I haven't fitted any of the loaders with soft drive, but let us know what you think of yours when you test it properly.

blue5000 wrote: »

that is neat, I've made a few things myself probably the best one is a woodburning stove from the back end of a fordson major. The wood goes in where the lift cover was, air goes in where the brakes were, and smoke goes out where the pto was. It took a year from getting the idea to having it in the lounge! All the photos of making it are before I got a digital camera, I'll scan them and put them up.

I'd like to see that, even a current picture of it in situe. Now that's true guntering:)

MrFoxman360 wrote: »

The best thing I ever made was this fork to go on the three point linkage of my MF 35x. I originally just intended to use it for moving pallets, but it has proved invaluable at so many things since I made it.

Best thing is that the materials were completely free . Its made from an old McHale hydraulic bale handler (that I aquired). The two legs with the tines were taken off and I cut the cross members from the frame of the handler. The lower linkage attachment points are tipping hinges from and old KP trailer, and the toplink part was from and old yard scraper, Even the pins I use are made from the pins holding the ram into the handler,... recycling at its best

Was designed for lifting pallets and it does it perfectly, as the tines are the ideal distance apart, wide enough for max stability, but still lift a euro pallet from the narrow end. Was very useful for moving concrete pipes, loading clamps of turf directly onto a trailer in the bog, and all sorts of general moving and lifting. I'm sure if you had a big tractor on it you would brake it but it can easily handle any weight the 35 can lift, although the tines are rated for over three tons together

That looks like a handy fork alright. You can't beat free materials. The trailer I am building shown earlier in the thread also cost me nothing in materials. only time, grinder disks and welding rods/wire.

bk1991

emaherx wrote: »

transmitter
Tractor socket => optocouplers => digital encoder=> TX module => antenna.

receiver
antenna => Rx module => digital decoder =>transistor/relay driver stage=>trailer lights.

hard to understand how that works but i want to know how it works and id love see the final pictures what material did you use for the bale handler attachment might make one meself looks great

bk1991

MrFoxman360 wrote: »

The best thing I ever made was this fork to go on the three point linkage of my MF 35x. I originally just intended to use it for moving pallets, but it has proved invaluable at so many things since I made it.

Best thing is that the materials were completely free . Its made from an old McHale hydraulic bale handler (that I aquired). The two legs with the tines were taken off and I cut the cross members from the frame of the handler. The lower linkage attachment points are tipping hinges from and old KP trailer, and the toplink part was from and old yard scraper, Even the pins I use are made from the pins holding the ram into the handler,... recycling at its best

Was designed for lifting pallets and it does it perfectly, as the tines are the ideal distance apart, wide enough for max stability, but still lift a euro pallet from the narrow end. Was very useful for moving concrete pipes, loading clamps of turf directly onto a trailer in the bog, and all sorts of general moving and lifting. I'm sure if you had a big tractor on it you would brake it but it can easily handle any weight the 35 can lift, although the tines are rated for over three tons together

have you any training in wedling or is it self learned

emaherx

bk1991 wrote: »

hard to understand how that works but i want to know how it works and id love see the final pictures what material did you use for the bale handler attachment might make one meself looks great

Not sure I can make it much simpler without giving you a complete course in electronic design. Above is a basic breakdown of the connection order or stages of the design. I haven't got more detail as I haven't had time to source parts and draw the schematic let alone start to build anything.

Basicly the design is to connect a transmitter to tractor light socket/power socket and a receiver and rechargeable battrey on the trailer.
Pre built transmitter receiver stages could be bought but can be expensive. http://www.rfsolutions.co.uk/acatalog/Remote_Control_System_200_Series.html
look at 200-433f transmitter and 210-433f receiver these would also require relays driven by the tractor before the transmitter and before the lights driven by the reciever. Data sheets available on the site above.

I'm basicly going to build my own transmitter and receiver using parts aslo from RF Solutions. RX/TX modules RF620TA and RF620RA and encode/decoder HT12E and HT12D. relays and other minor parts will be sourced localy from Maplin or similar.

hope this helped.

The bale handler attacment is made from box steel sections with heavy gauge pipe for the 3 point linkage pins. I can't give you much more info becase your bale handler and loader will be diffrent to mine, so design will need to be based around them.

MrFoxman360

bk1991 wrote: »

have you any training in wedling or is it self learned

No, just picked it up from people who could weld, and practice and experimentation. You have to know the theory behind it though, and know what your supposed to do, as thats what will enable you to identify the problems with your welding and correct them.

I got the car mechanics book about welding, does all stuff including Arc and MIG, both of which I use. The fork is all welded with the electric arc or stick welder.

http://www.carmechanicsmag.co.uk/cgi-bin/purchase.cgi?s=books

MrFoxman360

And a few more things myself and my brother have made over the years to make life easier,

An oil and diesel filter drainer, made from steel shipping crates with a paint roller tray inserted in the middle. A hole drilled in the tray, heated to form a slight funnel type shape and then a drum with funnel underneath

A drill extentsion, which was made for cleaning up the bore of a stationary engine with a wire brush. The drill would only get down half way but the extentsion got all the way with ease. The chuck is a keyless one with the plastic coating removed, so its tightened with a spanner. It came from a broken cordless drill, shaft is a head stud from a ford feista.

A home made starting handle to suit most old vintage tractors. 1/2 inch re bar with an old half inch socket welded on the end so the engine can be turned with a ratchet. Handy for timing an engine, setting valve clearences or seeing if its ceased or not :rolleyes:

A special pullers made for removing tapered keys from keyways. Only works for keys with and exposed head, but that was what it was made for. made from and old starter clutch from a suzuki quadbike and works by gripping the head of the key on the edge of the inner circle and threading in the bolts,

Like this:

And a few of the various pullers we have made for special jobs, the two with the angle iron and the long bolts are especially handy

emaherx

Nice collection of simple ideas, thats exactly what this thread is ment to be about. I like the filter drainer and the key way puller especially.

bk1991

the filter drainer is simple but still serves its pourpose and the pullers aswell are great simple things saves a lot of time have any of ye made anything that has any compliciations like hydralics or electricts

bk1991

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2007/11/07/108033/best-of-the-rest-farm-inventions-competition.html

look at all these labour saveing inventions

bk1991

bk1991

tetsed the soft drive on the laoder today on the road with the 5ft heavey duty bucket along with 5ft hevyduty fork in it and it was like as if the loader was floting on air coulnt feel any bumps or shocks comeing back to tractor a great invention who ever taught of it so the idea of teh turf bucket is gne the hevy duty bucket will do as it wont make any diference on the weight with the soft drive fitted

bbam

Here's a spot sprayer I made up from the frame of an old cone fertilizer spreader and a plastic barrel, the 12v self priming pump was bought on E-bay and 15m of heavy garden hose..
It has a quick release coupling so I can swap the lance for a sprayer nozzle mounted on the back of the frame..
The lance works great but the nozzle is a bit slow..(upgrade to follow).
Extremly useful for about €100

Here are some links to websites I like to keep an eye into...
While the implements are for smaller cat 1 tractors the workmanship and ideas shown here are unbeliveable...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/

http://www.machinebuilders.net/forum/default.asp

We've bade the usual bale spikes for 3pt lift and front end loader, we even converted an old yard scraper into a "rough" land leveller...

emaherx

Nice job. and thanks for the links

bk1991

bbam wrote: »

Here's a spot sprayer I made up from the frame of an old cone fertilizer spreader and a plastic barrel, the 12v self priming pump was bought on E-bay and 15m of heavy garden hose..
It has a quick release coupling so I can swap the lance for a sprayer nozzle mounted on the back of the frame..
The lance works great but the nozzle is a bit slow..(upgrade to follow).
Extremly useful for about €100

Here are some links to websites I like to keep an eye into...
While the implements are for smaller cat 1 tractors the workmanship and ideas shown here are unbeliveable...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/

http://www.machinebuilders.net/forum/default.asp

We've bade the usual bale spikes for 3pt lift and front end loader, we even converted an old yard scraper into a "rough" land leveller...

id love see pictures of the bale spikes and the land leveler !!!!!!
them websites have ouite good stuff on em

bk1991

pakalasa

Thought I'd show this. I made it about 20 years ago and it's still going strong. It's basically a barrell of concrete that can be picked up / dropped without getting off the tractor, no pins, hydraulics or moving parts.

The 'Nine hole Bar' is left on the arms when using and the lower plate swings in against the drawbar. It saves me having to have an extra tractor when loading slurry, gravel etc....
Thats a gate hanging iron on top, in case it falls over and has to be lifted.

bk1991

pakalasa wrote: »

Thought I'd show this. I made it about 20 years ago and it's still going strong. It's basically a barrell of concrete that can be picked up / dropped without getting off the tractor, no pins, hydraulics or moving parts.

The 'Nine hole Bar' is left on the arms when using and the lower plate swings in against the drawbar. It saves me having to have an extra tractor when loading slurry, gravel etc....
Thats a gate hanging iron on top, in case it falls over and has to be lifted.

must put up pics of the weight we had made years ago much same princable as urs with 9 hole bar but our one is made that u can ad more weight with cage on to plus has hitch on back for pulling trailers
proves great when trying to pull trailers or potatoes out of muddy feilds the amount of traction gained

bk1991

does any of ye know where i could get the spikes and rolers for makeing a bale handler ??????
such as this http://www.cashels.net/HydBaleHandler.htm?????????

bk1991

does anyone know where i can get spikes/tines and rolers /panled like these for makeing a bale handler http://www.cashels.net/HydBaleHandler.htm

http://www.cashels.net/Handlers.htm

which would be better the hydralic one for loader of make one with ducks foot padles for loader ??????????

Bitten & Hisses

I'd imagine you'd be able to get them all as spares from a place selling the new handlers. That said, I have seen replacement rollers made from galv pipe, which worked a treat. The tines should be available in any co-op.

bk1991

Bitten & Hisses wrote: »

I'd imagine you'd be able to get them all as spares from a place selling the new handlers. That said, I have seen replacement rollers made from galv pipe, which worked a treat. The tines should be available in any co-op.

how were they made from galvo pipe

emaherx

pakalasa wrote: »

Thought I'd show this. I made it about 20 years ago and it's still going strong. It's basically a barrell of concrete that can be picked up / dropped without getting off the tractor, no pins, hydraulics or moving parts.

The 'Nine hole Bar' is left on the arms when using and the lower plate swings in against the drawbar. It saves me having to have an extra tractor when loading slurry, gravel etc....
Thats a gate hanging iron on top, in case it falls over and has to be lifted.

Thats brilliant in it simplicity. Now that exactly what this thread is about.

blue5000

I heard of a man making one with the stub axles of an old 2 wd tractor. He welded the pipes on to the wheel hubs and used a double acting ram at the top end of the stub axle. Said he got them from a david brown. The pipes were able to spin using the wheel bearings. I never saw it but I think it worked.

Bitten & Hisses

bk1991 wrote: »

how were they made from galvo pipe

Hard to describe without being in person, but if you look at a pair of sleeves you'd be able to figure it out. If you could weld, it wouldn't be the hardest job in the world. Just remember to weld a cap on the open end of the sleeve, or it will become a sh1t trap/field digger-upper.

bk1991

hey guys pics of our weight for back of tractor which has cage on top so that more weight can be carried plus hitch on back for pulling implments
with Q/ATTACH from 9 hole bar

SOFTDRIVE FOR LOADER

Sam Kade

This is a bale handler that I made last week. I also have old paddles to fit it, for stacking wrapped bales.

pakalasa

Hey bk1991 have a look again, I think yours might be an '11 hole bar'.:D

bk1991

pakalasa wrote: »

Hey bk1991 have a look again, I think yours might be an '11 hole bar'.:D

well spotted what ya think of it anyway ?????????