Front-Mount Cultivator Makes Sidedressing Simple

Front-Mount Cultivator Makes Sidedressing Simple CULTIVATORS Cultivators (58C) 28-2-25 Tired of hiring out the sidedressing liquid nitrogen, Nolan Knight decided to do it himself. While a rear-mounted toolbar would have been easier to adapt, he figured a front-mounted applicator would work better on his northeastern Iowa hillsides. Knight created a 12-row cultivator/applicator from parts of these older cultivators. Liquid N is pumped from a rear-mounted 125-gal. tank and dribbled behind a single shovel to one side of each row. "I had wanted to be able to vary the rates on different fields and soils, and it's hard to get custom applicators to follow directions," explains Knight. "With this setup, I can change rates on the go or shut off three rows on each side, which was important on our terraced hillsides." The cultivator sections he used for the outer wings 8-10 inches lower than the units he used at the center, so hinging the two was a challenge. Knight's solution was to weld a 15 by 30-in., 1/2-in. steel plate to the end of the center section. A knuckle on the end of each wing frame floats inside a 4 1/2-in. slot in each plate. A chain attached about 2 ft in on each wing is suspended from an upside down L-shaped arm made from angle iron. A hydraulic lift cylinder attaches to each arm. Knight can raise or lower the wings and main gangs separately or in any combination. Although he can as yet only shut the liquid N off on one side at a time, he plans to split that also so application on any three rows can be turned off or on. Knight extended the tractor frame; channel iron is bolted to each side. Chains run from either side of the box out to the ends of the wings to provide more support when they are in the ground. Knight also bolted two pieces of 4-in. angle iron vertically to either side of the tractor frame and in line with the cultivator frame. A horizontal piece of angle iron ties the two verticals together at the top, while two pieces of 2-in. windmill iron are attached in an X formation between the verticals to provide additional stability. "I wanted to reinforce the International cultivator frame, as it takes all the weight when the units are lifted out of the ground," explains Knight. "I ran two strips of 2-in. windmill iron from the top of the support tower to either side. One is attached to the end of the frame, the other one attached part way back on the frame." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Nolan Knight, 38125 Dogwood Ave., Strawberry Point, Iowa 52076 (ph 563 933-6208; email: nolmar@iowatelecom.net).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.