Thought I'd share my current project...

My nursery supplier for strawberry plants DROPPED sales of my most
important strawberry variety. It is BY FAR the best tasting strawberry
ever. Customers rave and come for miles to get some. So, I thought I
had no choice but to get into the raise your own plants business. Not
a huge deal, you just grow select plants, let them runner and then dig
them up and sort for nice ones. But doing it by hand just isn't
practical if you need 3000 a year.

So this is my strawberry plant digger. It is made ENTIRELY from scrap
parts found around the farm. I did use new bolts and new welding rod.
I almost used a new bearing and pillow block on the gear box. But then
I thought it needs to be ENTIRELY SALVAGE. So, I searched out an old
one. I've used an entire can of Kroil this week getting the parts off
the original use. I think I deserve some sort of Junk Yard Wars
challenge award.


Here's three views of the 2/3 finished project:

http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/plant_digger_left.jpg
http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/plant_digger_rear.jpg
http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/Pla...ight_front.jpg

Work to do:
http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/Pla...ront_parts.jpg

The large shaft needs the two rattle chain gears and the two pillow
blocks installed. Then fabricate a mounting to the back of the digger.
The plate in front is the cutter. it needs to be mounted to the bottom
front of the digger.

After its painted, a conveyor type shaker chain is installed in the
bottom of the digger.

I LOST the large drive gear for the rear shaft. Must be under the snow
someplace. So, I won't finish for a while. I may need to buy a new
master link for the drive chain. But I'll try hard to salvage an old
one. Its a matter of pride at this point.

Karl

Looks very clever, and nicely welded also.

i

On 2014-02-25, Karl Townsend wrote:
Thought I'd share my current project...

My nursery supplier for strawberry plants DROPPED sales of my most
important strawberry variety. It is BY FAR the best tasting strawberry
ever. Customers rave and come for miles to get some. So, I thought I
had no choice but to get into the raise your own plants business. Not
a huge deal, you just grow select plants, let them runner and then dig
them up and sort for nice ones. But doing it by hand just isn't
practical if you need 3000 a year.

So this is my strawberry plant digger. It is made ENTIRELY from scrap
parts found around the farm. I did use new bolts and new welding rod.
I almost used a new bearing and pillow block on the gear box. But then
I thought it needs to be ENTIRELY SALVAGE. So, I searched out an old
one. I've used an entire can of Kroil this week getting the parts off
the original use. I think I deserve some sort of Junk Yard Wars
challenge award.


Here's three views of the 2/3 finished project:

http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/plant_digger_left.jpg
http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/plant_digger_rear.jpg
http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/Pla...ight_front.jpg

Work to do:
http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/Pla...ront_parts.jpg

The large shaft needs the two rattle chain gears and the two pillow
blocks installed. Then fabricate a mounting to the back of the digger.
The plate in front is the cutter. it needs to be mounted to the bottom
front of the digger.

After its painted, a conveyor type shaker chain is installed in the
bottom of the digger.

I LOST the large drive gear for the rear shaft. Must be under the snow
someplace. So, I won't finish for a while. I may need to buy a new
master link for the drive chain. But I'll try hard to salvage an old
one. Its a matter of pride at this point.

Karl

Way to go! It's so satisfying to use what you have. Those are the best
projects.

So, how is this going to work? And did you copy ... er, did you use a
commercial one as inspiration?

Bob

So, how is this going to work? And did you copy ... er, did you use a
commercial one as inspiration?

never seen a commercial one. Most of the parts are off an old potato
harvestor. I'll know how well it works after I use it. My guess is a
fair number of plants will fall right through it and I'll have kids
look through the loose soil for them. Wet soil (common in early
spring) is likely to be a real problem.

karl

On Mon, 24 Feb 2014 18:00:26 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:

Thought I'd share my current project...

My nursery supplier for strawberry plants DROPPED sales of my most
important strawberry variety. It is BY FAR the best tasting strawberry
ever. Customers rave and come for miles to get some. So, I thought I
had no choice but to get into the raise your own plants business. Not
a huge deal, you just grow select plants, let them runner and then dig
them up and sort for nice ones. But doing it by hand just isn't
practical if you need 3000 a year.

So this is my strawberry plant digger. It is made ENTIRELY from scrap
parts found around the farm. I did use new bolts and new welding rod.
I almost used a new bearing and pillow block on the gear box. But then
I thought it needs to be ENTIRELY SALVAGE. So, I searched out an old
one. I've used an entire can of Kroil this week getting the parts off
the original use. I think I deserve some sort of Junk Yard Wars
challenge award.


Here's three views of the 2/3 finished project:

http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/plant_digger_left.jpg
http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/plant_digger_rear.jpg
http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/Pla...ight_front.jpg

Heavy beast, wot? She'll look better with paint on 'er.


Work to do:

Oh, good. I was trying to figure out -which- 48 parts were missing
from those pics, Karl.


http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/Pla...ront_parts.jpg

The large shaft needs the two rattle chain gears and the two pillow
blocks installed. Then fabricate a mounting to the back of the digger.
The plate in front is the cutter. it needs to be mounted to the bottom
front of the digger.

After its painted, a conveyor type shaker chain is installed in the
bottom of the digger.

So, does it slide the cutter under the roots, bring them up over the
shaker chains, and drop them into a box on the back, or what?


I LOST the large drive gear for the rear shaft. Must be under the snow
someplace. So, I won't finish for a while. I may need to buy a new
master link for the drive chain. But I'll try hard to salvage an old
one. Its a matter of pride at this point.

Can't you just dig out the trusty old metal detector, set it to
discern "large drive gears" and go pick it up from under the snow?

--
Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before
which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.
-- John Quincy Adams

On Mon, 24 Feb 2014 21:06:56 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:


So, how is this going to work? And did you copy ... er, did you use a
commercial one as inspiration?

never seen a commercial one. Most of the parts are off an old potato
harvestor. I'll know how well it works after I use it. My guess is a
fair number of plants will fall right through it and I'll have kids
look through the loose soil for them. Wet soil (common in early
spring) is likely to be a real problem.

Any guesses why you've never seen a commercial unit? g


--
Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before
which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.
-- John Quincy Adams

....
After its painted, a conveyor type shaker chain is installed in the
bottom of the digger.

So, does it slide the cutter under the roots, bring them up over the
shaker chains, and drop them into a box on the back, or what?

That's the idea. I know there will be a lot of flotsam and unremoved
dirt in what comes off the back. So, my plan is to drag a stone boat
by two log chains so its sitting right under the end of the conveyor.
then use the fork lift to haul it to the packing house for sorting.



I LOST the large drive gear for the rear shaft. Must be under the snow
someplace. So, I won't finish for a while. I may need to buy a new
master link for the drive chain. But I'll try hard to salvage an old
one. Its a matter of pride at this point.

Can't you just dig out the trusty old metal detector, set it to
discern "large drive gears" and go pick it up from under the snow?

Right.

On Mon, 24 Feb 2014 18:00:26 -0600, Karl Townsend wrote:

Thought I'd share my current project...

My nursery supplier for strawberry plants DROPPED sales of my most
important strawberry variety. It is BY FAR the best tasting strawberry
ever. Customers rave and come for miles to get some. So, I thought I had
no choice but to get into the raise your own plants business. Not a huge
deal, you just grow select plants, let them runner and then dig them up
and sort for nice ones. But doing it by hand just isn't practical if you
need 3000 a year.

So this is my strawberry plant digger. It is made ENTIRELY from scrap
parts found around the farm. I did use new bolts and new welding rod. I
almost used a new bearing and pillow block on the gear box. But then I
thought it needs to be ENTIRELY SALVAGE. So, I searched out an old one.
I've used an entire can of Kroil this week getting the parts off the
original use. I think I deserve some sort of Junk Yard Wars challenge
award.


Here's three views of the 2/3 finished project:

http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/plant_digger_left.jpg
http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/plant_digger_rear.jpg
http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/Pla...ight_front.jpg

Work to do:
http://www.mwdropbox.com/dropbox/Pla...ront_parts.jpg

The large shaft needs the two rattle chain gears and the two pillow
blocks installed. Then fabricate a mounting to the back of the digger.
The plate in front is the cutter. it needs to be mounted to the bottom
front of the digger.

After its painted, a conveyor type shaker chain is installed in the
bottom of the digger.

I LOST the large drive gear for the rear shaft. Must be under the snow
someplace. So, I won't finish for a while. I may need to buy a new
master link for the drive chain. But I'll try hard to salvage an old
one. Its a matter of pride at this point.

Karl

Will you be selling nursery plants to your neighbors, then?

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com

On Tue, 25 Feb 2014 10:15:11 -0600, Tim Wescott
wrote:

On Mon, 24 Feb 2014 18:00:26 -0600, Karl Townsend wrote:

Thought I'd share my current project...

My nursery supplier for strawberry plants DROPPED sales of my most
important strawberry variety. It is BY FAR the best tasting strawberry
ever. Customers rave and come for miles to get some. So, I thought I had
no choice but to get into the raise your own plants business. Not a huge
deal, you just grow select plants, let them runner and then dig them up
and sort for nice ones. But doing it by hand just isn't practical if you
need 3000 a year.

Please name the preferred variety. My wife want to plant it.

Will you be selling nursery plants to your neighbors, then?
Nope, this will be just one more competitive edge.

here's the variety for Nobody:
http://parkseed.com/mesabi-strawberr...p/49302-PK-25/
listed as sold out

On Tue, 25 Feb 2014 12:00:12 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:


Will you be selling nursery plants to your neighbors, then?
Nope, this will be just one more competitive edge.

here's the variety for Nobody:
http://parkseed.com/mesabi-strawberr...p/49302-PK-25/
listed as sold out
Did a duckduckgo search and found a lot of sold out suppliers. Did you
check with http://sakumabros.com/ ? They appear to sell plants in the
quantities you require.

Did a duckduckgo search and found a lot of sold out suppliers. Did you
check with http://sakumabros.com/ ? They appear to sell plants in the
quantities you require.

Thanks for the lead. A bit more searching showed Norcal Nursery to be
the parent company. I contacted them about supply of the entire MN
industry.

Karl