Self-Propelled Sprayer Replaces Pull Type

1994 - Volume #18, Issue #5, Page #25

[ Sample Stories From This Issue | List of All Stories In This Issue | Print this story | Read this issue]

"I wouln't part with it unless I could get the parts to build another one right away," says Robert Strasburger of the versatile self-propelled 3-wheeled spot sprayer he built last winter.
At speeds of up to 7 mph, it worked great all summer for cleaning up weeds in corn and soybeans, as well as along fence rows, says Strasburger, of West Lafayette, Ind.
"Our farm is spread out quite a ways and sometimes, if you've got a bad weed patch, it's impractical to take your tractor and pull-type sprayer 20 or 30 miles to get them," he explains.
This way, Strasburger simply loads his sprayer on a trailer and zaps the weeds with a lot less hassle.
The heart of Strasburger's sprayer is the 18 hp engine and hydrostatic drive out of an old Case 446 lawn tractor he bought from a neighbor. The 2-speed transmission chain-drives the two rear wheels.
Strasburger made the 12-ft. long triangular frame out of 2 by 4-in. steel tubing. It supports the lawn tractor motor in front, a driver's seat and battery in the middle and a 110-gal. tank on back.
The sprayer's single front wheel is a Deere planter gauge wheel Strasburger found at a salvage yard. Likewise, the two rear wheels, which are set for Strasburger's 15- in. soybean and 30-in. corn rows, also came off a Deere planter.
Strasburger made a 30 ft.-boom for the rig out of 1 1/4 in.-square tubing and fitted it with a hydraulic height adjustment. A hydraulic cylinder with 8-in. stroke al-lows him to adjust boom height from 20 in. to 52 in. off the ground. That allows him to spray a variety of weeds at virtu-ally any stage of crop development.
In addition to the spray boom, Strasburger also made a 30 ft.-weed wiper, which is steadied on each end by a pair of bicycle tires. That's for treating dogbane, his problem weed, in soybeans.
For added versatility, the sprayer has a hand nozzle for spot spraying fence lines.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Robert L. Strasburger, 6722 West 500 North, West Lafayette, Ind. 47906 (ph 317 583 2203).

Click here to download page story appeared in.

Click here to read entire issue

Self-Propelled Sprayer Replaces Pull Type SPRAYING New Sprayers 18-5-25 "I wouln't part with it unless I could get the parts to build another one right away," says Robert Strasburger of the versatile self-propelled 3-wheeled spot sprayer he built last winter. At speeds of up to 7 mph, it worked great all summer for cleaning up weeds in corn and soybeans, as well as along fence rows, says Strasburger, of West Lafayette, Ind. "Our farm is spread out quite a ways and sometimes, if you've got a bad weed patch, it's impractical to take your tractor and pull-type sprayer 20 or 30 miles to get them," he explains. This way, Strasburger simply loads his sprayer on a trailer and zaps the weeds with a lot less hassle. The heart of Strasburger's sprayer is the 18 hp engine and hydrostatic drive out of an old Case 446 lawn tractor he bought from a neighbor. The 2-speed transmission chain-drives the two rear wheels. Strasburger made the 12-ft. long triangular frame out of 2 by 4-in. steel tubing. It supports the lawn tractor motor in front, a driver's seat and battery in the middle and a 110-gal. tank on back. The sprayer's single front wheel is a Deere planter gauge wheel Strasburger found at a salvage yard. Likewise, the two rear wheels, which are set for Strasburger's 15- in. soybean and 30-in. corn rows, also came off a Deere planter. Strasburger made a 30 ft.-boom for the rig out of 1 1/4 in.-square tubing and fitted it with a hydraulic height adjustment. A hydraulic cylinder with 8-in. stroke al-lows him to adjust boom height from 20 in. to 52 in. off the ground. That allows him to spray a variety of weeds at virtu-ally any stage of crop development. In addition to the spray boom, Strasburger also made a 30 ft.-weed wiper, which is steadied on each end by a pair of bicycle tires. That's for treating dogbane, his problem weed, in soybeans. For added versatility, the sprayer has a hand nozzle for spot spraying fence lines. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Robert L. Strasburger, 6722 West 500 North, West Lafayette, Ind. 47906 (ph 317 583 2203).

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

SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW NOW