"Topper" Cuts Tall-Growing Weeds In Bean Crop

"Topper" Cuts Tall-Growing Weeds In Bean Crop TRACTORS Loaders 25-1-20 Rodney Graham, Hunt, N.Y., sells edible beans and soybeans to the organic food markets so he can't use chemicals on tall-growing weeds in his crops. Instead, he rigged up a 16 1/2-ft. cutterbar fitted with seven rotating blades that mounts on his loader arms. The seven 32-in. flat steel blades mount on a 3 by 4-in. toolbar and are driven by a series of V-belts powered by a single hydraulic motor. "It works great to cut off tall-growing weeds above the crops two to three weeks before harvest to reduce the amount of weed fodder that goes through the combine," says Graham. "The cutterbar covers six 30-in. rows at a time." Graham made the blades from 3/8-in. thick flat steel. They're 4 in. wide and 32 in. long. Each blade mounts on a vertical shaft that extends through the toolbar. Each shaft is fitted with two pulleys which are fitted with drive belts. A small hydraulic motor mounts between the loader arms. The blades overlap, with every other blade mounted below the blades next to it. "It was easy to build and I spent less than $1,000," says Graham. "I use my Deere 2750 tractor equipped with a cab and narrow front wheels to operate it. The spinning blades throw the cut-off weeds around like spears so the cab is a must. Varying cutting height is as simple as raising or lowering the loader. I think it would probably also make a great corn detassler. The mounting bracket for the hydraulic pump is slotted so that I can keep constant tension on the V-belt. Five Corners Repair in Bliss, N.Y., did the actual fabricating work and contributed ideas. "Most of the shafts support two pulleys which we spot welded together. The center shaft supports three pulleys. I had a problem with weed debris lodging between the pulleys so I made a protective housing out of a 1-ft. dia. plastic pipe cut in half. It fits over the top of the toolbar. "When I mounted the toolbar I welded a couple of steel brackets onto the loader arms where the bucket would normally hook on. A turnbuckle is used to keep the toolbar level as we raise or lower the loader. It takes only a minute or two to put the bucket back on." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Rodney J. Graham, 126 Bailey Road, Hunt, N.Y. 14846 (ph 716 468-5853).

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