Auger Clears Trash Off Moldboard Plow

Auger Clears Trash Off Moldboard Plow GRAIN HANDLING Augers (4) 19-1-40 "When those old-style low-clearance moldboard plows plug up with crop residue, they're not much fun to clear," says Jerry DeMuth. So last spring the Winthrop, Iowa, farmer made an on-the-go plow cleaner for his Deere four bottom 16-in. plow. "I don't know of anyone else who's done this before," he says. "It works great to keep crop residue flowing evenly through the plow." It consists of a piece of 4-in. dia. grain auger flighting he had around the farm that runs the length of the 15-ft. long plow, mounted just beneath the "back-bone" of the plow on hanger brackets. The ends of the auger fit into a short section of water pipe that supports it and permits it to rotate. The auger is driven from the front by a hydraulic motor off an old Massey combine. Driven by tractor hydraulics, the auger can be operated continuously in high residue situations or as it's needed in lower residue conditions. DeMuth lubricates the auger through a grease zerk he put on the front. "The only problem I've had is that foxtail wraps in the auger kind of easily," DeMuth notes. "When it does, you just have to stop, get out your knife and cut it off." Because DeMuth already had the auger and hydraulic motor on hand, he estimates he has only about $50 invested in his invention. It worked so well on his moldboard plow this year, DeMuth's thinking of building a similar cleaner for his chisel plow for next season. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jerry DeMuth, 424 1st St. South, Winthrop, Iowa 50682 (ph 319 935-3931).

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