Homemade sod trimmer

6552 Views 15 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Scotty370, Jul 7, 2011

tackit

Discussion Starter · Jul 4, 2011

I needed a sod trimmer to take to the cemetery to trim around me and the wife's family members head stones.... so me and the SIL got out some steel and the Plasma cutter and commenced to build us one, could have bought one for $20 and gas to go get but using the tools is more fun and satisfying.

I found out that 3/4 black pipe will fit inside 1" EMT if you taper the black pipe first...

The EMT had to be driven on the black pipe with my sledge hammer and a block of white pine. I placed the blade's foot flange against the welding table's top edge and with me holding the EMT handle and a block of white pine the SIL hammered away.

We slit the 3/4" black pipe for the blade with a zip wheel on the mini grinder and then welded both front and back sides to the blade .... then took the blade to the press where we crushed the black pipe against the blade to close weld the end.

It works great and the handle fits so tight It doesn't need any kind of fastener or weld... which is good incase the handle needs to be replaced because of damage someday..

See less See more

4

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

Brian

· #2 · Jul 4, 2011

Nice. I have been thinking about taking this one step farther and making something that I could hook to my bucket to do around my driveways.

dellwas

· #3 · Jul 4, 2011

Looking good, I admire your talent...:good2:

tackit

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 4, 2011

Brian said:
Nice. I have been thinking about taking this one step farther and making something that I could hook to my bucket to do around my driveways.

I have given that some though myself, but my drive has sharp curves that make following the edge difficult. I have tried manytimes with the back blade to get a uniform edge but the curves always seem difficult to get straight and uniform. Just a little turn of the wheel makes a big difference when your moving.

See less See more

tackit

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jul 5, 2011 (Edited)

dellwas said:
Looking good, I admire your talent...:good2:

Thanks dell, I get my ideas from pictures and go from there. I usually come up with a hybrid or inbred depending on whose opinion you go by.:lol::lol::lol:

I'm ordering a 70 series 5/16 chain tomorrow from a place that's only 50 miles from me. Shipping charges should be less so the chain costing more makes it a draw. I'm ordering the 16 foot chain down at the bottom of the page... http://www.1st-chainsupply.com/chain/gr70_binderchain_516.htm

See less See more

dellwas

· #6 · Jul 5, 2011

I hear ya, I'm much the same way!

Not a bad price on the chain, and the bonus is that it is close to home...

tackit said:
Thanks dell, I get my ideas from pictures and go from there. I usually come up with a hybrid or inbred depending on whose opinion you go by.:lol::lol::lol:

I'm ordering a 70 series 5/16 chain tomorrow from a place that's only 50 miles from me. Shipping charges should be less so the chain costing more makes it a draw. I'm ordering the 16 foot chain down at the bottom of the page... http://www.1st-chainsupply.com/chain/gr70_binderchain_516.htm

See less See more

RandyM

· #7 · Jul 5, 2011

Very well done. It feels good to make things and then use them. So, did you teach the SIL to weld?

tackit

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 5, 2011

RandyM said:
Very well done. It feels good to make things and then use them. So, did you teach the SIL to weld?

Yes Randy. When he started out welding 12 years ago he couldn't even read a ruler.... after me jumping him over his welds and showing him what he needed to do and what to look for to make a safe weld he started getting better. I need to have my cataracts removed... so he does the welding now and like aways I do the designing and planning of my projects, which to me is the fun part, especially when they work as planned which 99% of the time they do.

Here is my welders, the Hypertherm 600 Plasma machine is on the other side of the shop.

See less See more

tackit

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 5, 2011

dellwas said:
I hear ya, I'm much the same way!

Not a bad price on the chain, and the bonus is that it is close to home...

The nice lady there said I'll have the chain tomorrow. So nice when you get polite workers that know their products. I hate to get rude tuff guys that seem to think it's cool being an a$$.... I ream em out a good one and ask to talk to their supervisors when I get one. I won't take their crap. They sure change their tune when you ask to speak to their supervisor.:laugh:

See less See more

dellwas

· #10 · Jul 5, 2011

Yup give me a nice lady to talk to any day of the week :good2:

tackit said:
The nice lady there said I'll have the chain tomorrow. So nice when you get polite workers that know their products. I hate to get rude tuff guys that seem to think it's cool being an a$$.... I ream em out a good one and ask to talk to their supervisors when I get one. I won't take their crap. They sure change their tune when you ask to speak to their supervisor.:laugh:

See less See more

tackit

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 5, 2011

I've had good experiences with ENCO's female workers too.. They are very knowlegeable girls, you can ask as many questions as you like without hearing their attitude change. They never seemed be bothered even when they don't know for sure if you're going to place an order with them.... I bought my mill from enco and had a few questions about tools and a few things on the mill, took awhile to get things sorted out but it was a fun experience because of their attitude. On another occasion at a different establishment I told one guy I wish I could grab his throat through the phone.

See less See more

RandyM

· #12 · Jul 5, 2011

tackit said:
Here is my welders, the Hypertherm 600 Plasma machine is on the other side of the shop.

VERY NICE! I am a Miller guy as well, good machines. I really like your cable and hose management, looks like it is doing the job. :thumbup1gif: Keep the ideas coming, I like it.

tackit

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 5, 2011

Glad you like the ideas Randy. The curved wire holders are made from a semi's dual wheel dust ring, at least that's what I call them, they fit between the dual wheels at any rate. They make very good hose and wire holders. You can get them at semi truck salvage yards and I would think at truck stop tire shops as well. I have gotten them for free bent and have paid $10 for a good one.... but they can be cut up to make a few holders .

I like to see others peoples ideas also, someone always has a better way to build a mouse trap.:thumbup1gif:

See less See more

mjncad

· #14 · Jul 6, 2011

Brian said:
Nice. I have been thinking about taking this one step farther and making something that I could hook to my bucket to do around my driveways.

If you do it, I'd like to see what you come up with.

tackit said:
Here is my welders, the Hypertherm 600 Plasma machine is on the other side of the shop.

Nice little fleet of welders you have there. I can't help it; but maybe you can loan the least used one to EEPETE so he can get a taste of welding. I'll give Pete lots of credit for taking our good natured kidding him about not having a welder.

See less See more

tackit

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jul 6, 2011

mjncad said:
If you do it, I'd like to see what you come up with.

Nice little fleet of welders you have there. I can't help it; but maybe you can loan the least used one to EEPETE so he can get a taste of welding. I'll give Pete lots of credit for taking our good natured kidding him about not having a welder.

Mig welding is so handy and it's much easier to learn how to weld with. If I lived in an apartment i would have a MIG. :lol::lol::lol:

Pete come around, I'll have you MIG flat welding in just a few hours. :empathy3: :laugh::laugh::laugh:

See less See more

Scotty370

· #16 · Jul 7, 2011

Brian said:
Nice. I have been thinking about taking this one step farther and making something that I could hook to my bucket to do around my driveways.

This goes back a few post but just wanted to add that my company has outfitted a 'coulter' blade (simular to those used on a bottom plow [avail at Agri-Supply/TSC..Etc) to the side of the front bucket of some of our back-hoe/loaders. With the proper spacers, they'll not only cut sod, but sun-heated' blacktop! Something to think about! ~Scotty

See less See more

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.