Think it will work?

[johnf]

I built this for my 4wheeler because I'm way too cheep to buy the groundhog thing. I tried it out in my neigbors yard and tilled up about a 30' circle in about 5 minutes. Not sure I've got enough motor in my wheeler for much more than that, but I think it's enough for a food plot.

Think it will work?

Here it is in the carry mode. I forgot to take a pic of it while it was in the cutting position.

[Texan_Til_I_Die]

It should work as long as you don't hang a rock or a big root with it. Let me know how it works. If it turns out good I might build one for myself.

[sskybnd]

i think it will work, but i think i would have angled them a little to turn the dirt, but who am i to say i bought the ground hog thing:bang: wish you would have said some thing my sis lives in little rock and you could have used it if you wanted,

[johnf]

There's still time. Not planning on cutting a plot untill August. I wouldn't mind a side by side comparison with them.

[wtnhunt]

i think it will work, but i think i would have angled them a little to turn the dirt, but who am i to say i bought the ground hog thing:bang: wish you would have said some thing my sis lives in little rock and you could have used it if you wanted,

There's still time. Not planning on cutting a plot untill August.

Cut the teeth angled at the bottom(back to front) and weld on flat squares at the bottoms of the teeth. Would not take much, you would be amazed the difference a 4 inch x 4 inch or even a 3 inch square will make. That will better rip/turn over the soil.

[Tominator]

A lot depends on the soil I think. I don't think those welds would hold up too long on my soil, but I have pretty hard clay.

[johnf]

Cut the teeth angled at the bottom(back to front) and weld on flat squares at the bottoms of the teeth. Would not take much, you would be amazed the difference a 4 inch x 4 inch or even a 3 inch square will make. That will better rip/turn over the soil.

I'm interested in your idea, but can't see it in my head. Can you draw me a picture?

[wtnhunt]

I'm interested in your idea, but can't see it in my head. Can you draw me a picture?

You are thinking too hard. Cut the bottoms of the teeth at at angles, then weld sections of flat to that angle at the bottom of those teeth.

Here is your pic, slightly doctored really quickly using photobucket. Red lines are where I would cut, take the flat squares and weld to the angle on the teeth splitting the difference on the width. Deeper end of the angle would be to the front, so that it turns the soil up.

[Jeramie]

There is a local guy here building something like this only he had the bar cut like cultivator teeth typically are.

Also, instead of using his hitch he pulls it with a chain system and uses blocks for weight. Seems to work pretty good and if you do hit that stump or rock its not going to do any damage.

One thing you could probably do is add a pivot point and a sheer pin in case you do it something solid, it wont tear up your 4-wheeler.

[redkneck]

I'm with Chris on the soil type. Also I would think you would have to let this thing pivot like Jeramie was talking about. By dragging something you have some flexibility for the ups and downs of the grade, catching roots, rocks, etc.

[redkneck]

These are priced pretty good:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp;jsessionid=DYBLCJBWEF2C1LAQBBJCCNVMCAEFGIWE?id=0036317521912a&type=product&cmCat=perf&rid=0180101070502&xpid=k232269&cm_ven=Affiliate&cm_cat=Google%20Product%20Listing%20Ads%20-%20Experiment%2008&cm_pla=Primary&cm_ite=cabela&_requestid=5390

I know you said you were cheap and all, I try to save some $ too where I can, but there's no way that thing would work in a lot of the tight clay I have. If you're trying to break new ground, or even re-break, I really think you need a disc to turn the soil. You can make one yourself with the parts, but you'll still wind up with a few hundred in it.

Just my 2 cents.

[Rhino]

To be honest...I have my doubts, especially if you wait until August to break ground John.

We tried to break up some of our plots recently with the chisel plow hooked to the big tractor (4WD) and it wouldn't cut. Just didn't have enough moisture in the soil. We had to hook up the big disk (a new ground disk) and turn the ground a couple of times to get the seed bed right for our summer plots.

You may want to pick your time and start trying to turn the plot area's ground soon when you have adequate moisture in the soil to break it up. That will make it a lot easier to turn it and get the right seed bed in your plot come August. Be careful not to overheat your wheeler.

[redkneck]

I agree Al. I don't like to bash the atv set-ups. For starters, I know everyone doesn't have access to a tractor, and secondly I know even a halfway prepared food plot can attract deer (I know a guy that killed a nice 12pt years ago over a spot he made with a garden rake). But what my experience tells me is when you struggle with a 40hp tractor to get penetration there's no way an atv is going to dig in. In the right soil though they can be effective, esp if you'll kill off the weeds and let them rot a few weeks beforehand (glyphosate or burn it off). The best use of ATV's that we've used is pulling spreaders or covering seed.

Hope you have some good results John. Post some pics when you get it finished!

[johnf]

I'm thinking the spot that I plan on using it will be ok. It's in some bottom land and is moist almost all the time. We actually joked about planting rice there. It was cleared about 80 years ago and has been used as pasuture land since then. I was told that the ground was turned there every 2-3 years untill about 15 years ago. I don't think it has since then. It's flat as a fritter, so I don't think I will need the pivot. Didn't need it in my neighbors yard.

We've been getting a lot of rain lately with the storms. I may go down next week and see how it works. I'll post some pics if I do.

[johnf]

These are priced pretty good:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp;jsessionid=DYBLCJBWEF2C1LAQBBJCCNVMCAEFGIWE?id=0036317521912a&type=product&cmCat=perf&rid=0180101070502&xpid=k232269&cm_ven=Affiliate&cm_cat=Google%20Product%20Listing%20Ads%20-%20Experiment%2008&cm_pla=Primary&cm_ite=cabela&_requestid=5390

I know you said you were cheap and all, I try to save some $ too where I can, but there's no way that thing would work in a lot of the tight clay I have. If you're trying to break new ground, or even re-break, I really think you need a disc to turn the soil. You can make one yourself with the parts, but you'll still wind up with a few hundred in it.

Just my 2 cents.

I'm waaaaaaaaaay to cheap for that. I don't have a 3pt hitch either.

[redkneck]

I'm waaaaaaaaaay to cheap for that. I don't have a 3pt hitch either.

Haha! I hear ya John. Best of luck to you with your current rig, hope it does what you want it to do

[countryboy123]

[ I tried it out in my neigbors yard and tilled up about a 30' circle in about 5 minutes.

Hope you had permission:poke:

[dbHunterNY]

From what it sounds like you may not have many rocks. A rock will ruin it in a hurry though I'd think. it's the right idea, with squares welded to the angled cut ends. With the point closest to the ATV you may even want to have the squares rotated such that one the corners to each square is facing down with the point for your uprights. It'd probably cut way better than trying to push a flat edge through the ground.

[toddyboman]

Have you tried this out at your hunting ground yet?

if so how did it do?