Carrier Speeds Shade Hoop Set Up

Carrier Speeds Shade Hoop Set Up CROPS Miscellaneous The Hoop Carrier from GK Machine speeds setting up shade and tarp hoops over berry beds Powered by a 35-hp Vanguard engine the gantry design lifts transports and places hoops in the field “The alternative is a trailer where the workers grab the hoops and run down the field ” says Scott Grossen GK Machine “That’s labor-intensive With our carrier two guys can do as much at a casual pace as five guys at breakneck speed with the trailer What would take a crew of workers three weeks with the trailer can be done in 2 1/2 days with our carrier ” GK Machines specializes in custom-designed machines for agriculture and non-ag markets When a customer shared a crude prototype and asked them to improve on it they created the Hoop Carrier The gantry design works like a framework mounted on two motorcycles with independent steering Mirror image sides are connected at their tops by tubes that slide into and rotate inside a center tube “The rotation prevents wheels on one side rocking off the ground when the other travels over uneven terrain ” says Grossen “We can also adjust row width by changing out the center pipe ” All four wheels drive and steer independently for omnidirectional and swerve steering When the Hoop Carrier reaches the end of one row the operator turns the steering wheel to move it laterally to the next row “Originally we used joystick control of the wheels but if you aren’t a video gamer you may not be comfortable with joystick steering ” says Grossen “We had developed proprietary software that could allow a steering wheel to do the same thing for another piece of equipment We adapted it to the carrier ” The operator’s control station can be rotated 90 or 180 degrees to match the direction of travel A monitor screen indicates travel direction and a joystick controls speed as well as forward and reverse movement The Hoop Carrier utilizes load sense technology and hydraulic components paired with a network of sensors to lift and place hoops It can carry up to 140 hoops 3 640 lbs in a single trip “The Hoop Carrier is priced at around $142 000 to $148 000 depending on material costs but the payback is fast given reduced labor costs ” says Grossen “It has hydraulic functions that can be used with other tools but most of our customers are interested in using it just for hoops ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup GK Machine P O Box 427 10590 Donald Rd NE Donald Ore 97020 ph 503-678-5525; toll-free 877-678-5525; gksales@gkmachine com; www gkmachine com

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