$200 Double Your Money Winner: Backhoe Cart
Alec Anderson |
Using leftover steel pieces and beams from a grain bin we recently built, I made a rolling cart to store the backhoe attachment for a tractor and simplify the attachment process. I bolted together the steel pieces to form a platform and added heavy casters that roll easily. I added several pieces of wood to make brackets that cradle the backhoe and keep it from toppling over. The height of the cart simplifies the process of attaching the backhoe to the tractor.
Alec, a senior in high school, raises corn and soybeans with his dad, Dave, and his grandpa, Kenneth. The project took between 15 to 20 hours to build and cost very little thanks to scrap materials.
Moveable Gate for Livestock Trailer
I wanted a gate for my livestock trailer that could move to meet the needs of multiple groups in one load. I cut and attached two lengths of e-tracks to both sides of my trailer using self-tapping screws. I cut off the “J” portion of the heavy-duty J-hook clamps for the e-tracks and welded a small piece of pipe to the hook. I welded another small piece of pipe to thin tubular steel welded to the end of the gate. I repeated the hinge process for the three points on the gate and dropped a ¾" rod through the pipe at the top and bottom to secure the gate.
Nathan Lantz
Green Springs, Ohio
Liquid Fertilizer Pressure Gauge
To monitor the liquid starter pressure on my corn planter, I bought a 100 psi pressure transducer and electric gauge on eBay for $50. The parts are designed for engine oil pressure, but the transducer is made of 316 stainless, so it works with corrosive liquid fertilizer blends. The transducer is plumbed into the pressure side of the system, and the wiring is simple. I added the gauge where it’s visible.
Jason Mast
Turlock, Calif.
How to Enter
- Email: $100-Ideas@farmjournal.com
- Online: www.AgWeb.com/ideas
- Mail: Farm Journal $100 Ideas P.O. Box 1188 Johnston, IA 50131-9421
Submit your unpublished idea with a description, photo or sketch, address and phone number.
What You Win
- All winners receive a hat, check and die-cast metal replica (1⁄16th scale) John Deere 8370R tractor, part of the collector’s edition Prestige line from Ertl and are featured in Farm Journal and on AgWeb.
- The Double Your Money winner receives $200 and is featured on “AgriTalk” radio.
- All other winners receive $100.
