Fan-Driven Grass Seeder

Fan-Driven Grass Seeder AIR SEEDERS Air Seeders (42B) 19-4-9 A Manitoba farmer used part of an old grain drill and a squirrel cage fan out of an old Deutz tractor cab to put together a low-cost ground-driven broadcast grass seeder. Douglas Watson, who farms near Eriksdale, cut a 2-ft. section off the end of a Van Brunt drill and then closed up the open end. He mounted the box on a trailer frame that's supported by wheels off an old Dodge car. He then bolted a 12-volt, 2-speed fan upside down under the box, which has three seed cups. He left the middle one open and closed off the other two. A wheelbarrow wheel that runs against one of the car wheels chain-drives a shaft that belt-drives the seed box drive shaft. To engage the seeder, Watson pulls a lever that drops the wheel down onto the car wheel, then flips a switch on the tractor to turn on the 12-volt fan. "It does a perfect job seeding," says Watson."I use it to seed alfalfa, sweet clover, timothy, etc. The box holds about 100 lbs. of grass seed which goes a long way since I seed at about 4 to 5 lbs. per acre. I use a length of curved sheet metal to funnel the seed into the center of the 5-in. long fan blades. I usually run the fan at the highest speed. It spreads seed about 25 ft. wide. A curved section of clear plastic mounted ahead of the fan deflects seed that's thrown forward. To change seeding rates I simply adjust the opening on the box. I pull a 6-section harrow behind the seeder to cover the seed and to make a mark for the next round. "I used angle iron and channel iron to make the frame, welding the Dodge hubs to either side. My only expense was for the wheelbarrow wheel." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Douglas Watson, Box 119, Eriksdale, Manitoba, Canada ROC OWO (ph 204 739-5210).

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