All Around the Farm: August 2017

divide seed equally in two

I made a box splitter for dividing bulk seed into two compartments. I used an 8-inch PVC water pipe tee and built a hopper to mount on top of the tee fitting. Once the full box is placed above the hopper and the slide is opened, seed will flow equally through the tee fitting and into the other boxes.

Nate Kelly | O’Neill, Nebraska

rodent bait smorgasbord

Mice sometimes carry off poison bait chunks to store in their nests. Using galvanized deck screws and a scrap of lumber, I fastened a half dozen kinds of poison onto the board. This gives the little critters a buffet-line choice of flavors and colors, and I can see which one is consumed first. The board also keeps the poison off the ground to reduce waste and to deter mold.

Robert Strawhacker | Mediapolis, Iowa

protect the rope for the feed bin lid

The rope attached to the feed bulk bin lid keeps feed truck drivers from having to climb the bins to open them. Because it blew in the wind and rubbed on the feed bulk bin’s legs and bolt heads, the rope always wore out quickly. So I mounted PVC pipe on the sides of the feed bulk bins and put the rope through using conduit clamps and self-tapping screws. I heated the pipe to bend it to match the line of the roof.

Tom Diekmann | Lismore, Minnesota

big performance from small paper towel

In the shop, I sometimes get frustrated when trying to get a nut or bolt into position through a tight spot where my hands won’t fit. I solved the problem by wadding up some paper toweling in the socket along with the nut or bolt, and that keeps it from falling out.

Tyler Grosz | Alexandria, South Dakota

for a dirt-free nozzle

After gutting an old fuse box, I tack-welded light-gauge metal over its openings and sealed them with silicone. Light-gauge tubing has a washer welded on one end, and the hole in the washer is welded shut. A two-link chain hangs from the top of the box to allow flexibility. Dust, debris, and moisture stay off the nozzle for my overhead fuel barrel. A piece of old inner tube on top also helps keep rain out.

James Feldman | Northfield, Minnesota