$100 Ideas

Read about ideas farmers have designed to make their jobs easier

Randy Irlbeck
Dedham, Iowa

$200 Double Your Money Winner: Hydraulic Cylinder Adjusts Auger

When I fill my grain bin, the auger needs to be perfectly mounted over the grain spreader or I have to hand-level the grain. Instead, I use a hydraulic cylinder to adjust the auger a slight amount in either direction. I made an angle brace using 20" of 2½"x1⁄4" flat iron. Cylinder eyelets are 6"-long ½"x3" flat iron with a 1" hole drilled for the cylinder pins. I connected the base of the cylinder to the 3" channel iron and the ram end to the drawbar.


Mirror Under Catwalk Helps Fill Trucks

By bolting a mirror to the underside of the catwalk around my overhead bins where I load my trucks, I’m able to watch from the ground and know exactly how much grain is in the truck and when it is time to pull forward. Now, I have a lot less spills and trips in and out of the truck.

Steve Kelham
Avilla, Ind.

Carrier to Move Equipment

I made homemade carriers to move equipment, such as wagons, into tight places in my shed. I bolted caster wheels onto wooden boxes made out of thick pieces of scrap lumber that can be placed under the wagon wheels for easy maneuvering. I use a floor jack on wheels to jack up each wheel, then slide the carrier underneath. I also put caster wheels on pallets so I can easily roll loose items out of the way when cleaning.

Dan Chambers
Hammond, Ill.

Share your unpublished ideas to join our $100 Ideas Club. The Double Your Money winner receives $200. Other farmers featured receive $100 each. All winners receive a hat.

To submit your unpublished idea, which must include a description, photo or sketch, address and phone number, write to $100 Ideas, Farm Journal, P.O. Box 1188, Johnston, IA 50131-9421, email $100-Ideas@farmjournal.com or fill out the entry form at www.farmjournal.com/enter_100_ideas. All published material becomes Farm Journal Media property.


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