No Drift Sprayer

No Drift Sprayer CROPS Weed Control 13-5-6 "I've sprayed in winds up to 20 mph with little or no drift," says Paul Gergen, Randolph, Minn., who along with son Dan built his own 6-row "no drift" sprayer equipped with molded plastic spray hoods that concentrate chemical in a band on the row. Up front hydraulic controls let Gergen run the hoods as low as 2 in. off the ground. Hoods are 18 in. wide, 13 in. high, and 36 in. long. "Even when there's no wind, this sprayer saves money by cutting down on application rates be-cause of the way it concentrates the spray," says Gergen. "We're using only half as much herbicides by banding in-stead of broadcasting. Spray hoods are also environmentally desirable because there's less potential for drift and chemical waste associated with broadcast spraying." Gergen bought the spray hoods for $113 apiece from a local supplier and worked with his cousin John Gergen, a local machinist, to build a 2 by 2-in. carrier bar and hydraulic lift system. Each hood is fitted with a nozzle on top and one on each side. A 20-in. stroke lift cylinder raises and lowers the carrier bar which slides up and down on two 3-in. dia. pipes. A pair of springs on either side of the cylinders steadies the lift frame. The carrier bar is hinged so that the outside hoods can be folded over for transport. "If we want to broadcast spray, we can remove a pin and loosen two set screws on the pipes to remove the caner bar and install a broadcast boom. A steel box under the hydraulic cylinder can be used to store tools or carry rocks." Gergen says he paid $113 apiece for the plastic hoods at a local farm supply store. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Paul Gergen, Randolph, Minn. 55065 (ph 507 263-2983).

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