Hunting & Fishing My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

[tireys]

I few weeks back I had asked if anyone had any ideas about this subject. I didn't get many replies so I came up with my own idea and went to work, this is what I came up with.
It started as a section of stackable pallet racking. I cut it up a bit for the intended purpose if using the bottom frame piece as the main platform for the build and used the cut pieces to form the rest. I bought the wheels, S-tines, points, trailer jacks and all the hardware for the build at my local Rural King store and borrowed a friends welder and went to work. finally finished it off today with a coat of Rustoleum farm equip. Ford blue paint and then assembled it. It measures nearly 8' long total, frame is 53" long and the width w/out the wheels is 48". I obviously haven't gotten to use it yet. Missouri certainly needs some rain but, I am doing my plots the first week of August with or without rain.

By sambam45 at 2012-07-07

By sambam45 at 2012-07-07

By sambam45 at 2012-07-07

By sambam45 at 2012-07-07

By sambam45 at 2012-07-07

By sambam45 at 2012-07-07

By sambam45 at 2012-07-07

 

[livetohunt]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

Looks Great If it holds up you will be good to go.

In Texas our ground is tough LOL

We just need some rain

 

[tireys]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

The ground is tough where we hunt too. There are lots of rocks so I will take it slow and keep it from digging too deep until I get it broken up.

 

[TXSTDU]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

There is nothing more satisfying than building and using something you made yourself

 

[tireys]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

I'm proud of it. I am an airframe and hydraulics mechanic by trade so my experience as a fabricator is limited to sheet metal and rivets. I have about $160 in this which is probably a third of what it would cost to buy something similar and that makes it well worth it to me.

 

[Heretoimproveforhunting]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

Looks good. If the rocks tear it up you can always find an old disk and run it around. That's how I usually build my plots. We'll disk, then hand toss the seed and then disk back over it to cover everything up. Then pray like hell for rain. . .

 

[tireys]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

I'll use this to turn up the dirt, then spread the lime, fertilizer and seed with a bag spreader. Then go over it with a chain link drag to bury it and then pray like hell for rain!

 

[MJBmxz]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

That's looks a pretty damn nice build! I enjoy working on food plots as it's quite rewarding. After 3 years they're starting to pay off!

 

[tireys]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

We need rain bad bad here in Missouri. I dont actually think we are going to put our plots in until late August and pray for rain. Future forecast are saying drought conditions could continue through October.

 

[Pr0VideR]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

I'm impressed! nice work. I am very thankful I have not sunk any money into food plots this year. The conditions here are horrible.

 

[tireys]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

I have been toying with the idea of getting a tank and watering myself!

 

[RTH1800]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

Stealth,
That is high quality workmanship. I live in Ks and put in over 300 acres of plots myself so have some expirence. My concern with your device is that it will not go into the ground unless you add weight, then you will rip the device apart.
I have seen some great small plot implements made from cut down field equiptment. They are heavy enough to hold up as well. With your skills, you could easily make a planter, harrow, disc etc.
What are you going to pull it with?

 

[tireys]

Re: My DIY S-Tines food plot cultivator with pics

I am going to use an ATV. I wont be pulling very fast and the implement probably weighs in about 250 lbs. and have considered adding a weight box but I am going to see how it works without it first because I don't want to over stress it. The eliptical bolts in the sweeps are designed to sheer before anything else breaks. The ground I will be breaking has been broken before so it shouldn't be too bad to turn up again. Most of the big rocks have been thrown out. I think with the weight I have in it and only going 5" or so deep that I hopefully won't break anything. If I do need weight I'll just cargo strap a log to it. I am sure I will be making changes in the future so I just gotta see where its weak points are.