Deciding how big and what structure type to use when building a farm shop involves decisions that echo for years to come. From ceiling clearance to door options, contractors offer tips to minimize second-guessing.
The intricacies of modern planting systems complicate preparing for the first day in the field. Farmers now have to worry about components and systems that didn’t exist 10 years ago.
The first steps when building a farm shop are site selection and site preparation. Here are the necessary considerations, a few of which are sometimes overlooked.
Go ahead and buy the special pliers or tools to remove those annoying plastic fasteners. You might as well order a bag or box of replacement rivets, too, because trying to reuse those rivets is a waste of time.
Inverter welders are not for welding structural steel all day long. But for repairs around the farm, their economical cost, light weight and ability to use 120-volt or 220-volt power supplies make them practical.
When should dielectric grease be used? What is dielectric grease? Why should you care? Talk to lubrication experts or specialists who work on electronic systems and you’ll get a dozen confusing answers.
That box of assorted rubber O-rings under the workbench in your shop might supply the cure to leaky hydraulic connections, or it might just interrupt the leak for a day or two.
Using WD-40 or motor oil on drill bits to lubricate and cool the tip results in an oily mess. Add a drill bit lube stick to your Christmas List, rather than another pair of socks, this year.
After botching many welding jobs, Dan Anderson has established baselines for any weld he now attempts. For example, positioning his helmet closer versus further from the arc allows him to better monitor the weld puddle.
Sometimes it’s necessary to do things that aren’t by the book to get crippled machinery moving again. Here's how Dan Anderson used a penny and a dime to fix a hydraulic cylinder on a folding spray boom.
A sheet of copper or aluminum roof flashing, a couple hours in the shop and an internet pattern can allow even a fumble-fingered klutz to make a present that has the appeal of roses and the durability of sheet metal.
According to lubrication experts, some of the additives in modern lubricants might settle to the bottom of a container during long periods of storage. Does that indicate a problem?
High-pressure power washers do a great job cleaning farm equipment before winter storage. However, there are places that shouldn’t be exposed to water at high pressure.
You're likely done or on the downhill side of harvest. Here are seven to-dos before you park equipment to make sure it fires up next year, to be mindful of electrical components and to keep away moisture and varmints.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In the case of this photo, the damage is obvious while the mind is left to wonder what the mechanic on his cell phone is saying to the person on the other end.
Industrial equipment — skid-steer loaders, wheel loaders, excavators and backhoes — has become agriculture’s mechanical equivalent of a utility player. Here’s a list of machines that might fit well in your lineup.
When warm, corn head grease is near liquid, which allows it to flow into all the nooks and crannies of oddly shaped gearcases. So, to live long and prosper, the answer is yes.
Lots of grain can drop through even small holes in the trough beneath cross augers on corn and bean heads. Here are 4 options to repair holes, some good, some merely a stopgap.
Worn components on combines and grain carts reduce groundspeeds, increase grain loss and encourage engines to gulp extra fuel. While these wear points might not halt harvest, they will slow it down.
No combine works perfectly in all crops under all conditions. That’s why there are so many options and accessories for combines and headers. Here’s a list of harvest issues, along with products to help cure them.
Big tools, such as ¾-inch impact wrenches and 1,000 lb.-ft. torque wrenches, are impressive, but many jobs are rescued or made easier by small specialized tools.
Pay particular attention to hydraulic hoses, down-pressure components and anywhere birds and varmints can have a heyday. Your future self will thank you.
From lubricating booms to cleaning and replacing spray tips, ace mechanic Dan Anderson emphasizes the importance of prioritizing upkeep during the spraying season.