1-row Howse Cultivator followed me home

A business neighbor of mine is an excavator, sells stone, mulch, and the occasional old tractor. He branched out into Howse implements last year and has lent me stuff from time to time without charge. Turns out he had a 1 row cultivator. I really need a 2 row unit, but short of finding an antique unit, there are none of those to be had.

Anyone have a clue how to cut this new one row cultivator up and reweld into a two row unit?

It has 6 tines, 3 on each side, arranged in a "V" shape with the point of the V being open.

I'm wondering if I can just re-space them into a "W" shape with a pattern that is: 2 -space- 2 tines -space- 2 tines

Any suggestions would be appreciated. BTW, the lovely Mrs_Bob has yet to see this thing and the dealer didn't deliver it "dirty" since I actually brought it home one day so do me a favor and keep this a secret

Bob,

We all know the rules. Get it dirty and do so quickly!!
Can you post a pic for us?

Brian

Yeah, Bob, a pic would be nice. I have no idea what one looks like. Sounds like a mini tiller ....

Essentially it is a weeder for the garden during the first 30 days or so while the garden is being established.

My problem is I need a 2 row unit. This is a 1 row unit. My thought is to cut it apart, reweld it into a two row unit???

HELP....

Bob,

How important is it to you that you retain the V shape?
Could you attach a piece of angle iron across the back (where the outermost tines are mounted then move all the tines to the new angle iron?

The issue I'm trying to figure out is spacing for your tractor to get through the rows. The tines may need to be offset.

Brian

bczoom said:

Bob,

How important is it to you that you retain the V shape?
Could you attach a piece of angle iron across the back (where the outermost tines are mounted then move all the tines to the new angle iron?

The issue I'm trying to figure out is spacing for your tractor to get through the rows. The tines may need to be offset.

Brian

Click to expand...

The V shape may(?) help with weed pulling.

But take at look at the point of the V. You will notice the center is raised to allow the plants more clearance. I thought about just making a straight bar but then realized it would limit the clearance of the growing plants. So I need 2 elevated areas for the plants, and 3 lowered areas for the tines to attach.

As for the spacing, I will have to set it up to match my planter's spacing. That way it will automatically have the 2 raised areas directly over the planted rows.

I am going to have to do some good measuring to make sure I have the planter set up so it is planting BETWEEN the tire tracks and so that there is ENOUGH room between the inside of the tires and the planted rows. Both the B2910 and the TC24 have similar track width, the B2910 is a few inches wider at the rear but only a couple inches. I will want to set it up to the TC24 so I can use either tractor. I think the planter is set at 30" rows, which should work well with either tractor, but if the plants are bushy type plants it might be a bit too close for some of them (I'm thinking beans in particular). So I might set it at something like 26" or 28" just to get a bit more room? But like I said, I've not taken out the measuring tape to look at everything yet.

Thanks for the pic Bob. I'd seen them at tractor stores, but never paid much attention or even knew the name of the implement.

hmmm I don't see the embarrassed smiley. I'll try to add a few more ....maybe tonight. (i was planning to add some last night but it just didn't happen.)

B_Skurka said:

My problem is I need a 2 row unit. This is a 1 row unit. My thought is to cut it apart, reweld it into a two row unit???

HELP....

Click to expand...

Bob,

I got an answer to your problem. Instead of making a two row and being sorry that you might have made it just not right, why don't you buy a two row so you can come up with a good plan the first time. Then make your two row or convert the one you have and give me the two row you bought to help you with your right plans.

I would even thank you for that and even give you a beer or two.


murph

Murph, uhh, well thanks for the offer to take that off my hands, but I think I'll hang on to it and make it a winter project to cut it apart and re-build it. I was looking it over last night and I think it might end up being a little bigger project than I first thought But even with my limited skills, I think it is something that is within my abilities.

I have the tools, I just have to learn how to use them

Well, you got to give me an A for trying??


murph

B_Skurka said:

My problem is I need a 2 row unit. This is a 1 row unit. My thought is to cut it apart, reweld it into a two row unit???

HELP....

Click to expand...

Cut tines outta a 8' landscape rake...............

Big Dog said:

Cut tines outta a 8' landscape rake...............

Click to expand...

Nope, I have a LR already, the tines are not tall enough to effectively use that way.

On a cultivator the there is actually an elevated section that allows for taller plant growth so you can drive over the rows without actually knocking down the plants. Essentially the elevated section allows for the tractor's ground clearance to be the limiting factor to how tall the plants can be when using the cultivator. If using a Landscape Rake for the same purpose, the height of the tines would be the limiting factor, and at least on my Midwest rake, the tines, when engaged in the dirt, are not as high as the ground clearance of the tractor.

Just an update:

I picked up about 40' of steel today. About half of that is 2" by 3" angle iron, the other half is 3" x 3" angle iron. I got lucky and was able to the steel for free, and could have had more. It was all left overs from a big project at a machine shop, they gave me whatever pieces I wanted to take. The pieces are roughly 7' to 8' long.

So I now have the steel I need to work on my cultivator project.