Attachments for various agricultural machinery can significantly expand the use of these units in conditions rural areas. Having a walk-behind tractor or a mini tractor (for example) does not mean that you will be able to perform absolutely any tasks on earth.
For example, mowing lawns or planting potato tubers will not be possible for you without the use of additional equipment.
In many ways, the land is cultivated specifically for planting potatoes, because it is not for nothing that it is called “second bread.” Of course, many are accustomed to doing (for example,), manually or using, but you can think about making a potato planter with your own hands.
This is a rather painstaking task, so you need certain knowledge and skills before starting work.
Kinds
For example, read the article about - description model range, main characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of models.
A – presented detailed instructions How to make your own snow blower for a walk-behind tractor.
Instructions
Many people ask the question - how to make a potato planter with your own hands, the drawings of which are on the Internet? Indeed, there are enough recommendations on the Internet with detailed description and dimensions, following which it is possible to produce a sufficiently efficient unit.
The algorithm of actions, in this case, will be approximately as follows:
- You need to start, of course, with the manufacture of a frame structure on which the remaining components will be attached. To do this, we will need channels number 8, from which two longitudinal spars are welded, connected to each other by three transverse strips of steel.
- In front of the structure, you need to weld an arch with mounting forks going to the central rod.
- The frame can be strengthened with two inclined steel beams, which must be secured with the other side to the middle of the arch. Next, you need to secure the seatpost support, made from a 5x5x0.5 cm corner. We attach it to the spar with our own hands.
- A plastic type bracket must be welded to the inclined beams. It is to these beams that the potato tank will be attached.
- For the tank we need regular plywood, the thickness of which will be approximately 12 mm.
We cut out all the sides of the bunker, and then fasten them together with steel corners. By the way, it wouldn’t hurt to treat the box with drying oil to protect it from moisture.
- Rubber sheets can be installed inside the tank so that the potatoes are not damaged by its walls during movement. Next, we attach the hopper to the bracket using two bolts.
- Next, you need to attach the wheel axle and ripper to the bottom of the frame. In principle, you can look at the drawings of a potato planter made by yourself for greater clarity.
- The wheel axle is a structure made from various parts. As a basis, you can take an ordinary steel pipe, at the ends of which you need to install trunnions. It is difficult to give exact dimensions here, depending on what diameter of pipe you are using.
- Therefore, the trunnions need to be adjusted to these dimensions on a lathe.
- You need to drill holes in the steel pipe into which special pins with spikes will be installed. At the end they must be brewed.
- The wheel axle must be secured using steel clamps, using 4 M16 bolts.
- As a wheelbase, you can use wheels from old agricultural machinery. If there are none, then you need to work a little in this regard.
- You need to weld hubs onto the wheels, on which you then need to install a pair of bearings. Next, we place the bearings on the studs and protect them with a felt pad so that they do not become excessively dirty.
- The part holding the rippers is presented in the form of a square of steel rods welded together. At the ends of the square you need to weld clamps made of 6 mm sheet steel. The racks of the cultivator blades will be located inside them.
- The seeder for this unit is made of a steel pipe with a diameter of 100 mm. At the same time, the thickness of the pipe wall must be at least 3 mm so that the structure does not bend during operation.
- A furrow cutter made of 6 mm thick sheet steel is welded to the bottom of the pipe.
- Be sure to attach a seat for a person to the frame, as well as a footrest.
Herself frame structure The seats are made from corners welded together. The seat can be made from ordinary boards, which are covered with something soft - foam rubber, for example.
Basically, the dimensions homemade potato planter are approximate based on specific cases. In any case, this scheme is working, so you can safely design the unit based on these parameters.
A homemade potato planter for the T 25 is made in a similar way, because there is no definite meaning on what will act as the main traction machine - a walk-behind tractor or a mini tractor. Of course, the power indicators will be different, but the design of the potato planter itself is almost identical.
In general, the process of planting potatoes using a homemade potato planter is as follows:
- Potatoes are poured into the tuber tank. You need to put a couple of bags of potatoes on top so as not to waste time when the tubers in the bunker run out.
- One person sits on a seat located on the potato planter, and the second person sits on either a mini tractor or a walk-behind tractor (see).
- Movement should be carried out at a speed of no more than 1 km/h.
- A person sitting on a potato planter alternately throws tubers into tuber pipes located on both sides.
- After the tubers fall into the holes, they need to be covered with earth. It is for this purpose that discs were designed, which cover the holes with earth while rotating.
You can change the depth of removal of the top layer of soil that these discs produce. To do this you need:
- Adjust the stepladders that press the support to the posts by loosening them.
- You can slightly change the angle at which these disks are located. To do this, you need to turn them a little in the right direction.
After completing the planting process, all that remains is to remove the traces left by the walk-behind tractor and potato planter. In this case, baking powder will help us, i.e. cultivator blades located on stands. By the way, the degree of their immersion in the ground can also be adjusted.
A homemade potato planter with detailed dimensions can be a great way to save money that would inevitably be incurred if you purchased a potato planter from a specialty store.
Considering that the average cost of this unit is about 15 thousand rubles, this saving looks especially justified. Wherein, special costs on necessary materials not during manufacturing, because the components are used from old, worn-out units.
Conclusion
Making a potato planter on your own seems to be quite a difficult task, so you need to weigh the pros and cons before getting to work. Undoubtedly, self-assembly will help you preserve your savings, but will also require a considerable amount of technical knowledge and skills from you.
But, if you are confident in yourself, and have made any device yourself more than once, then assembling a homemade potato planter will become quite understandable and feasible for you. In addition, it is quite exciting, like all things done with your own hands.
In general, any man will appreciate the results of the work, as well as the manufacturing process itself.
Many gardeners have switched to the most mechanized planting process. A potato planter for a walk-behind tractor is especially relevant if the land plot is large. The planting process is significantly accelerated - the potatoes are planted and hilled at the same time.
Specifics of using the potato planter
Planter – perfect solution for those who want to save time on gardening work. It is in particular demand among admirers of growing potatoes according to the Mittlider principle: neat holes are cut at an equal distance, narrow beds are not disturbed, the rake immediately levels the tubers with soil.
There are some nuances to using this method:
- seed material will have to be selected: tubers should be as large as possible same size, young shoots are not very long. If this condition is not met, the vegetable will be injured;
- recommended to use special device, capable of simultaneously introducing potatoes and fertilizer into the hole.
Supporters mechanical method potato planters claim that the use of this technique has a positive effect on the harvest, since its use loosens the soil much better.
Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor and potato planter
Simple recommendations will help you cope with planting vegetables with minimal costs energy and time.
First, the soil needs to be plowed and harrowed, and if possible moistened. Afterwards the ridges are formed. The canopy consists of a furrow for the potatoes to enter the soil and disc hiller for filling holes. The walk-behind tractor is equipped with lug wheels and a potato planter.
Before planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor, you need to configure the appropriate parameters:
- the depth of the furrow that is being formed;
- width between potato rows;
- settings for the planting material placement mechanism are set.
By using of this device You can plant potatoes in just one approach.
Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor:
- cut even planting furrows. This is additional loosening of the soil;
- Place the sprouted potato tubers, sprouts up, at a distance of 30-45 centimeters. The less planting material, the shorter the distance;
- close the furrows manually with a rake or using a motor cultivator.
When forming furrows, you need to leave a distance within 55 cm. This will be enough for subsequent processing of the vegetable (weeding, loosening, hilling, harvesting), the wheels will be able to pass freely without causing harm to already buried potatoes.
Setting up the unit: what track should the walk-behind tractor have when planting potatoes?
Regardless of the specifics of the planting, there are rules for setting up the walk-behind tractor before work.
The following settings need to be checked in the potato planter:
- planting depth from 10-15 cm;
- walk-behind tractor track width is within 55-65 cm;
- the distance between tubers is about 20-30 centimeters;
- The tops should be planted at the same distance.
To make it easier to navigate, you can use a rope. It is stretched along the entire perimeter of the site.
After sowing metal wheels replaced with rubber ones. It is important to leave the same width. Wings are installed on maximum distance. After such simple manipulations, you can begin to cover the crop with soil.
Construction of a homemade potato planter
In farming, a potato planter is simply irreplaceable. With its help you can not only plant potatoes, but also fertilize the soil. Planting material is distributed evenly, which greatly facilitates agricultural work.
You can make a potato planter yourself using ready-made dimensions, pictures and drawings. This device consists of the following elements:
- The frame to which the main parts of the unit are attached.
- Container for planting material.
- The mechanism that is responsible for moving tubers into the holes.
- Rippers for digging holes.
- Wheelbase.
- Parts that bury holes after planting potatoes in them.
This minimum is enough to make a device that is simple in its configuration. If you use additional elements, they will make the structure slower and reduce its performance.
A homemade potato planter can be made from scrap materials that are easy to get. You need to prepare sheets of metal in advance various sizes, bolts and nuts, grinder and welding, wheels, channels.
How to make a potato planter for a walk-behind tractor with your own hands?
A planter for walk-behind tractors, in principle, resembles a regular cart on wheels. It has its own manufacturing nuances:
- frame assembly. These are connected channels, as well as longitudinally located spars, secured by three cross members. An arch and forks are installed in front, and on the sides there are racks of parts responsible for planting and digging holes. The frame is secured on the side with plate supports that serve as a seed-removal mechanism. The wheels are equipped with lugs, between them there is a six-centimeter wooden disk for capturing potato tubers and moving them into the holes;
- bunker production. It may be plywood, but metal structure much stronger and more reliable. The measured four sides of the hopper are cut out and joined by welding. The bottom is covered with rubber to prevent damage to the tubers. The frame is strengthened with steel strips; they connect the middle transverse part with the arch. Next, linings and corners 4 millimeters thick are welded. A support and a footrest, which consists of a metal sheet 5 mm thick, are attached to the side members;
- bunker installation. A vertical elevator with bowls with a diameter of about 8 centimeters is installed. To operate the mechanism, it is attached to a wheel where a chain drive operates. The product discharge pipe is fixed under the elevator and pressed by the raking part. A sprocket with a diameter of eight centimeters is connected to the sprocket of the walk-behind tractor for clutching. The chain that will carry out the transmission can be removed from the bicycle. In this way it is possible to achieve a distance between holes of 35 centimeters;
- seat manufacturing. Will need metal corner. The support is connected to boards covered with foam rubber for greater comfort. Steel pipe can be used as a wheel axle that fits the frame.
- furrow cutter at the bottom of the structure. Disks from a seeder with two bearings can act as digging elements;
- You can use almost any wheels from old equipment.
Ready-made drawings will greatly simplify the assembly process, and the potato planting kit can have a wide variety of dimensions. 
The homemade design weighs quite a lot, so it is worth installing additional weights on the walk-behind tractor to prevent it from tipping over.
For farm potato planter for walk-behind tractor- simply an irreplaceable device. Its functions include not only planting potatoes, but also fertilizing the soil. With this equipment you can evenly distribute planting material and facilitate agricultural work. You can save money on buying a potato planter for a walk-behind tractor by making it yourself sizes, drawings and pictures.
How to make a potato planter for a walk-behind tractor yourself
You need to start making agricultural equipment by assembling the frame. For this you need a steel channel of size eight. Since the potato planter is designed for small-sized equipment, the bunker itself should be small, no more than twenty kilograms.
- A vertical elevator must be installed inside. It should have bowls with a diameter of about eight cm. In order for the mechanism to work, it must be attached to the wheel where the chain drive will operate.
- According to the drawings and pictures, this mechanism should have a pipe for removing seeds, which is secured under the elevator with a raking part.
- A sprocket with a diameter of eighteen cm must be connected by a chain to the sprocket of the walk-behind tractor, thus the coupling transmission will be carried out.
- The transmission chain can be removed from the bike. Thanks to this, the distance between the holes with potatoes will be approximately 35 cm.
Picture of loading potatoes into a potato planter
Potato planter for mini tractor and walk-behind tractor
This equipment for planting potatoes is simply indispensable for farmers, as it saves a lot of time and labor. The structure can be assembled at your discretion, taking into account dimensions, drawings and pictures (meaning the number of rows). It is important to provide adjustments for row spacing.
Picture of a potato planter for the Favorite walk-behind tractor
A potato planter for a walk-behind tractor is best used on previously treated surfaces. The planting depth should also be adjusted according to the dimensions and drawings. Attachments for walk-behind tractors are widely used for small summer cottages and for volumetric fields.
Photo of a purchased potato planter for a walk-behind tractor or mini tractor
The potato planter can be used not only specifically for planting potatoes, it can also be used to easily plant other vegetables, the main thing is that you need to choose the correct adjustment. Before you start making a potato planter, you need to make a drawing and detailed measurements. Whatever the mechanism is, it must always have its own frame to which all subsequent parts will be attached. In other words, the frame is the basis.
Potato planter drawing
- In the case of a planter, a part of a steel channel is taken as a frame, something like a pair of spars is made from it, which are connected by pieces of steel.
- In front, a steel arch is attached by welding, as well as two rings that will serve as fastenings for the lower link.
- Plate supports are attached to the sides of the frame, which will serve as the seed-removal mechanism.
- After everything is done, it is worth securing the frame with steel strips.
- The arch can be strengthened using a scarf made of steel sheets. They should be cut in the shape of a triangle.
- The hopper is attached to the bracket using bolts.
Picture of potato planter for mini tractor
How to make a bunker for a potato planter
To make a container for bulk materials, you need plywood approximately 1 mm thick. You need to cut out the parts using a jigsaw according to drawings, pictures or ready-made templates. Then everything is treated with drying oil. The finished product can be painted with paint, but it is worth considering that it must be waterproof. Inner part The bunker should be lined with rubber, this will help avoid deformation of the tubers.
Potato planter drawing
The holder is then bolted to the frame. The axle must consist of a pipe. When choosing, make sure that it has thicker walls, since the frame will have to take on considerable loads. When the mechanism is completely assembled, you will need to weld the pins.
Watch the video: Do-it-yourself potato planter for a walk-behind tractor
Do-it-yourself potato planter for walk-behind tractor collected. We hope that the dimensions, drawing, pictures and video will help you assemble correctly attachments for a mini tractor or walk-behind tractor of any model. Make farming easier for yourself by making additional accessories on one's own.
Planting potatoes by hand even in a small garden or personal plot- the activity is quite tiring and requires good endurance. It is impossible to delay or extend the process for several days; the entire volume of seed potatoes must be planted as quickly as possible, before the soil loses precious moisture. If we're talking about about planting potatoes on 30-40 acres or more, only a tractor with a plow or a potato planter for a walk-behind tractor can save the situation.
How to mechanize planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor easier
To plant your own beds, it is easier and more reliable to use a device in the form of a planter for a walk-behind tractor. You can buy such a potato planter and attachments, but if you have metalworking skills and a supply of old spare parts and materials, it is easier to make a planting device for a walk-behind tractor with your own hands.
To build a potato planter on a walk-behind tractor you will need:
- Several old axles, bearings and chains from a bicycle or from a car engine gas distribution system;
- Sheet of metal, 1.5-2 mm thick and 1.5x1.5 m in size, several pieces steel profile- a square or one and a half inch pipe, several meters of 6 mm wire rod;
- Welding machine, a dozen electrodes for welding ferrous metal No. 3, an angle grinder with one or two metal discs, an electric drill with a set of drills, fasteners, a nut-bolt and emery cloth.
Advice! Before you start making a potato planter for a walk-behind tractor, look at the most successful designs of homemade potato planters available on homemade pages on the Internet, this will help simplify the design or correctly adapt the device to your walk-behind tractor.
Assembling a potato planter on a walk-behind tractor
Before starting work, think about how your potato planter will look and be installed on a walk-behind tractor, its drawings and dimensions. To maintain mobility and ease of use with a walk-behind tractor, the dimensions of the seed potato bin should not be too large; most often they are chosen based on the double length of the bed. Thus, you can fill the bunker, go through two furrows with a walk-behind tractor with a filled potato planter and return to the place where you load the seeds.
Design and principle of operation of a potato planter with a walk-behind tractor
How a potato planter works on a walk-behind tractor is clear from the photo below:
- The device is made in the form of a tow hitch to a walk-behind tractor. Essentially, this is a hopper or container for seeds, an installed frame welded from an angle or tubular steel profile;
- The hopper and frame are mounted on a pair of wheels; you can use lugs, but it is better to use ordinary wheels from a carriage or garden wheelbarrow. To prevent the walk-behind tractor from slipping or overheating, the rubber on the wheels must have a high, aggressive tread that gives good grip on the ground, this is very important;
- A sprocket is installed on the wheel axle for a chain elevator, which, when the axle rotates, takes potato tubers from the hopper, lifts them to a vertical pipe, and then dumps them into a cut furrow.
For your information! This design The potato planter clings to a walk-behind tractor, which pulls the device over a pre-cut furrow. Do not try to cut a furrow with a walk-behind tractor and plant potatoes at the same time. As a rule, only mini tractors and heavy diesel walk-behind tractors can perform simultaneous cutting and planting operations with a potato planter.
Assembling the frame and chain lift for a potato planter on a walk-behind tractor
This is the easiest part of making a potato planter. To build the frame, we cut out two longitudinal parts of the frame and two shorter ones - transverse ones. The size of the base can be chosen as 60x20 cm. Carefully weld the sections of the profile and sand the seams.
Next, you need to resolve the issue with the hopper and the guide pipe through which the potatoes will be thrown into the garden bed. For the bunker, you can weld a container in the form of an inverted pyramid, as in the photo, but if you have ready-made option in the form of a tank from an old one washing machine, it can also be used in business. We first try on the hopper body on the welded frame and look for the optimal location of the axis so that the center of gravity of the container filled with potatoes is located 5-10 cm in front of the axis of the potato planter wheels, this will make it easier to work with a walk-behind tractor.
At the next stage, we try on and mark the places for installing the wheel axles and bearings. We attach the latter to the frame using short steel angles. Next, we turn the frame over and weld a pipe to the corners in which the wheel axle will be located. It is necessary to weld with the utmost care; you can even strengthen the seam with overlay elements. Inside the pipe, on both sides of the potato planter, we install and fasten one support bearing.
At the next stage, we cut out and weld two vertical posts to the base of the frame, on which the bearings of the upper axis of the chain elevator sprocket will rest. The bearings will be attached to the welded struts with overhead clamps on bolts. In this unit, it is more preferable to use bearings with a closed cage design to prevent soil or dust from getting inside. If possible, it is better to cover the axles with rubber boots.
Next, using a plumb line we mark the position of the upper and lower sprockets, cut the pipe previously welded at the base of the frame and install the lower drive sprocket on the axle. We put on the chain, pull it up and determine the place for installing the upper axle and driven sprocket. We install the axle, bearings of the upper assembly and fasten them to the vertical posts.
Assembling the structure of a potato planter on a walk-behind tractor
In order for the tubers to rise freely from the bunker, it is necessary to partially supplement and modernize the chain drive. Under the pulling force of the walk-behind tractor, the wheels of the potato planter will create torque on the drive sprocket. If the ground is too soft, rubber wheels can slip, so if necessary, you can add lug lugs to the tires. It’s easier than using a walk-behind tractor to roll a heavy potato planter on inconvenient, prickly steel wheels. The larger the diameter of the wheels, the easier the potato planter works.
If you have a kit from the gas distribution system of a Zhiguli or Moskvich engine, it is better to use these parts instead of the bicycle version. Firstly, the chain from the engine is double-row, and secondly, the dimensions of the chain and sprockets are ideal for the potato planter.
Wire scoops must be welded or riveted to the side surface of the chain to collect tubers from the hopper. The diameter of the bucket can vary from 3 to 5 cm, with a depth of no more than 2.5 cm. The easiest way is to make them from 6 mm steel wire rod and evenly fasten them to the chain so that they do not interfere with the movement of the driving and driven sprockets along the teeth.
The dimensions of the potato planter on the walk-behind tractor are already known, so on the front of the frame you can weld a vertical stand to attach the potato planter to the hitch of the walk-behind tractor. Most often, the rack is made with a split wall and a side through holes, this design allows you to choose optimal height hitch arm with walk-behind tractor.
After the chain elevator is assembled, it is necessary to cut a hole in the bottom of the bunker to allow the intake buckets to pass into the container. The gaps between the bucket and the edges of the hole can be made up to 1.5 cm in size. At the bottom of the bunker box we weld two vertical plates from sheet metal, with the help of which the container will be fixed to the frame of the potato planter.
You will need to hang a guide pipe for tubers on the outer wall of the container. It can be made from tin or even a piece of drainage or plastic sewer pipe, with a diameter of 100 mm. The pipe intake can be supplemented with a guide corner element.
In some cases, potato planting is carried out with parallel treatment of tubers with protective chemicals from dry rot and Colorado potato beetle. To uniformly inject a liquid or granular preparation into the bed, you can install a gear dispenser and a container made of plastic bottle. To operate the dispenser, you can use an additional drive from a pair of sprocket and chain on one of the semi-axles of the potato planter. The dosed drug comes from the bottle through a short piece of polyethylene hose exactly in the center of the furrow made by the walk-behind tractor.
Conclusion
The potato planter for the walk-behind tractor only works on peeled and size-calibrated tubers. When setting up the unit, it is necessary to select the speed of the walk-behind tractor that would provide acceptable performance and not injure the tubers. Before starting construction, carefully study the given diagram of the potato planter chain drive, compare the parameters of your existing sprockets and chains and check how their dimensions match the recommendations.
Planting potatoes has always been considered labor-intensive and difficult work. But now, due to the progress of technology, agricultural work has been significantly facilitated. Today, thanks to walk-behind tractors, mini-tractors and additional equipment, it is possible to improve the cultivation of land, obtain a higher-quality harvest and reduce production costs.
Among farmers and owners of small plots of land, walk-behind tractors, which can be equipped with mounted agricultural implements, including a potato planter, are in great demand.
Types of potato planters
There are several varieties of potato planters on the market, differing in configuration, size and functionality. The cost of such devices also varies.
You can buy both expensive universal modifications and affordable budget mechanisms.
Compact
Planters small sizes used for planting seed potatoes on plot of land or in the garden at the dacha. The structure of the device includes a seed planting depth regulator and a soil comb height controller, which is formed due to the raising of the soil. Compact potato planters can be used with motor vehicles from both Russian and foreign manufacturers.
The mass of such devices is approximately 20–25 kilograms. The hopper capacity reaches up to 34 liters. Using a potato planter, you can cultivate rows 60–75 centimeters wide and plant 5–6 tubers per meter. The planting speed is within 0.2 ha/hour.
Average
Such potato planters have a capacious tank with a volume of 44 liters. These are quite bulky and heavy planters, their weight is 41 kilograms, and their productivity is 0.2-0.25 ha/hour. Such devices are aggregated with small and medium-sized motor vehicles.
Large
They are practiced for cultivating large areas of land. They have a large-sized bunker, into which potatoes are loaded using a dump truck. Attaches to the tractor. These are powerful, expensive structures used in private farmsteads and large agricultural enterprises. Such tools can be combined, rather, with medium and heavy equipment, but not with hand-held walk-behind tractors. Or you can practice it as a stand-alone unit.
Potato planter design
Due to their versatility, devices for planting potatoes are suitable for walk-behind tractors various types and include the following elements.
- A container or hopper for supplying seed potatoes. The device is mounted on a frame welded from a corner or profile pipe.
- Iron base (chassis). Wheels with high tread are attached to the chassis. It counteracts slipping and prevents overheating of motorcycle equipment. On the wheel axle there is a sprocket for the chain lift.
- Chain lift. With his assistance, an influx of tubers is produced from the bunker for the subsequent movement of tubers to vertical pipe, from which they fall into the formed furrow.
- Plow. It is used to cut furrows in the soil.
- Hilling tool. With its help, potato tubers planted in the soil are covered with soil.
This is the required minimum of components in order to make homemade device for planting potatoes. Some craftsmen try to improve this attachment by adding a reservoir for fertilizers or, trying to increase productivity, installing 2 modules for planting.
As a result, all this leads to an increase in the mass of the unit, as well as, naturally, to an increase in the load on the walk-behind tractor and a drop in its efficiency. As a result, it is reasonable to select the design and materials in strict accordance with the power of the equipment.
Tools and materials
To make a potato planter with your own hands, you will need a considerable set of tools and parts. Let's consider this completeness.
- Axles, a chain from a bicycle (or a chain from a car engine), bearings for wheels and creating a chain lift.
- Iron sheet for the construction of a loading tank.
- Iron profile with round or square section– for mounting the holding frame and other purposes.
- Welding equipment for reliable connection of potato planter components to each other.
- Electrodes of various powers for welding work.
- Angle grinder and wheels for cutting iron sheet into suitable parts.
- Electric drill and drills for it for drilling work.
- Fastening parts for device reliability.
- Nuts and bolts for mounting the structure.
- Several meters of wire to secure individual parts of the device.
- Sandpaper or file for grinding and cleaning elements.
You must first make all the drawings (can be found in specialized literature or the Internet), carefully study them, think over the dimensions of the future device and its appearance, and the method of fixing it to the motorcycle. The dimensions of the potato planter should not be very large in order for the device to be in accordance with the available motor equipment.
The capacity of the container for filling tubers is determined based on the calculation of the double length of the bed. The volume of the bunker should be enough for the walk-behind tractor to pass two furrows with the container filled and return to the secondary loading station.
Planter manufacturing process
Homemade planter by and large is a trolley on wheels connected to motor vehicles. It is only at first glance that the design of the unit for planting potatoes looks simple, but there are certain nuances in it. The planter for walk-behind tractors is mounted on a frame made of sections of 8-mm channel with two enfilading spars coupled with three cross members. In the front area of the chassis there is an arch with a fork attached to the central link. At the edges of the frame there are racks of closing discs and plate supports for the seed feeder.
The wheelbase includes 2 lug wheels. Between the wheels there is a disk made of wood 60 millimeters thick with 4 proportionally placed semicircular passages, the dimensions of which should make it possible to capture even large tubers. In addition, instead of wheels with grooves, a structure made of gears, a chain and tuber grooves placed on it can be used for planting potatoes.
There is another significant component of the design - this is a bunker, which is located above the wheels. To create a loading hopper you will need a 3mm sheet of iron. The narrow neck and bottom of the container must be covered with rubber to prevent damage to root crops.
The wheel with grooves must be covered with a specialized shield, which will prevent the potatoes from falling out on their own until the required moment of their entry into the ground.
The frame of the homemade potato planter needs to be secured with iron strips, which need to be positioned from the central cross member to the arch. In addition, it is necessary to weld auxiliary corners and metal plates, the thickness of which should be approximately at least 4 millimeters.
Seeder seat and axle
We attach a footrest made of 5 mm iron sheet to the side members. The height of the footrest should be made taking into account the height of the seeder and in such a way that using the potato planter does not cause difficulties.
The seat is made from an iron corner 45x45x4 millimeters. Planks are fixed to the frame, which are covered with foam rubber and covered with a leather substitute or durable material. For maximum comfort You can use an old car seat purchased at a car dismantling site. It should be noted, of course, that most potato planters are made without a seat. But it all depends on the planting area, the quality of the soil and the speed of the unit. Not every athlete can handle running on wet or loose soil behind a fast-moving planter.
A wheel axle and a holder for fixing rippers are fixed under the chassis. The axle is made of steel thick wall pipe, at both ends of which there are spikes. They are sharpening on turning equipment and are fixed with steel pins.
Wheels
Wheels for a homemade planter must be equipped with specialized lugs. It is recommended to take any wheels from agricultural machinery. If only they were the right size.
The hubs holding the wheels should have 2 bearings, protected from dirt and dust by felt padding. The axle is mounted to the chassis using two steel plates and four bolts or welded angles.
Rippers
An iron rod is used to hold the rippers, at the ends of which clips are mounted that hold the paw stands. The rod is made from an iron angle measuring 50x50x5 millimeters, but it is advisable to use it for reliability profile pipe with a square section. The clips are made from 5mm iron plates.
Sower
To make a sower, you will need metal or cast iron pipe 10 cm in diameter and a wall thickness of at least 3 mm. A furrow cutter is welded from below to the pipe, which is made from a 6-mm sheet of iron. To adjust the depth of penetration of the furrower into the soil, it is enough to release the stepladders and adjust its position by means of vertical displacements of the seed tube along the length of the frame supports. After adjusting the depth of the furrow makers, the fasteners of the stepladders must be securely tightened, otherwise the seed tube, due to the heavy soil loads on the furrow makers, has every chance of unfolding during operation.
