|
|
|
|
|
Enter Zip Code below for LIVE local results.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Farm Journal Media eNewsletters
Sign Up for Your Subscription Today!
$100 Ideas
3/14/2008
Long-Distance Gauge
On my cow–calf operation I needed an easier way to monitor the water level of the gravity-fed water tank. A spring fills the holding tank that supplies water to the feedlot, but I wanted to be able to monitor the water level from a distance. To make a gauge, I first cut a 2" PVC pipe to be as long as the tank is deep. Next, I attached a sealed plastic bottle to a lightweight fishing rod and slid the rod, bottle down first, inside the pipe. As the water level fluctuates, the bottle and rod’s height varies—and the plastic ball on top of the rod signals how high or low the water level is.
George Harris
Barnardsville, N.C.
Lends a Helping Hand
Replacing the fixed scraper on a single-disk opener is a real chore. To lessen the burden, I made a stand to secure the opener and arms to hot rivet the opener. The base is a 32" flat iron 1/2" thick and 6" wide. A 3" piece of 11/8" square bar is mounted on one end of the base as a makeshift anvil. The upright, a galvanized pipe on the opposite end of the base, is paired with a 3/4" pipe coupling for a sliding collar. The tab on the upright uses another coupling and a piece of flat iron. Before putting the opener on the jig, I remove the worn scraper and any rust from the opener. I set the scraper on the jig so that the head of the rivets rest on the anvil. I use locking pliers to hold the arm to the tab.
Clifton Waterhouse
Hanston, Kan.
Double Your Money $200
No More Heavy Lifting
As my back problems intensified, I had to find a less painful way to haul feed to my cattle. My current setup didn’t allow enough room for a feed wagon, but the skid-steer loader would fit. I built a wooden box out of 3/4" plywood and scrap lumber and secured it in the bucket. Using plumbing pipe, I threaded a string from the cab to the chute door to control the flow of feed without getting off the machine.
Victor Green
Grand Mound, Iowa
After developing back problems from the heavy lifting required around the farm, Victor Green needed an easier way to feed cattle. With a few adjustments to his feed bins and the addition of a feed box to his skid steer, he can feed cattle in a timely fashion without stressing his back. He farms with his brothers in eastern Iowa; they raise feeder calves and grow corn and soybeans.
The Double Your Money winner receives $200. Other farmers featured receive $100 each. Share your unpublished ideas and join our $100 Ideas Club. Upon publication, you’ll receive a hat and check. Send a description of your idea and a photo or sketch to: $100 Ideas, Farm Journal, P.O. Box 13018, Des Moines, IA 50310-0018, or e-mail $100-ideas@farmjournal.com. Include your address and phone number. All material published becomes the property of Farm Journal Media.
Printer-friendly version
Email Article to a Friend
