Home-Built Chemical Roller

Home-Built Chemical Roller CROPS Straw 33-3-18 Tom Houska wanted to spray dandelions in his lawn without the danger of spray drifting onto flowers and shrubs. So he built a 3-pt. mounted "chemical roller" that wipes chemical onto the lawn. "It works great - I've used it for three years with no problems," says Houska. The roller is made out of 8-in. dia. plastic water pipe, with two 8-in. dia. hard rubber wheels driven into both ends of the pipe. Indoor-outdoor carpet is glued and screwed onto the pipe. A 1/2-in. dia. plastic pipe with a series of small holes drilled into it at 1/2-in. spacings mounts above the roller and drips chemical onto it. The roller is supported by a channel iron frame. A chain connects the roller to the 3-pt.'s upper link and allows the roller to "float" over the ground. The sprayer is equipped with two 15-gal. tanks and a single 12-volt spray pump. A 3-way valve allows Houska to use the two tanks together, or use different chemicals in each tank. A plastic shield, magnetically mounted on the channel iron frame, extends down 3/4 in. from the roller and keeps the chemical that drips out of the plastic pipe from drifting off course in high winds. While applying herbicides on a windy day normally isn't a good idea, Houska says he actually prefers to do it then. "Some nurseries say that on still days without any wind, fumes can kill flowers." The roller follows directly behind the tractor so I can get as close to trees and buildings as I want without damaging the roller," says Houska. A pair of flip-over metal stands at both ends of the roller, along with a third leg under the 3-pt. hitch, are used to store the roller during the winter. "I don't want the roller carpet setting on a cement floor all winter because it might get flat and not soak up chemical," says Houska. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tom Houska, 2068 210th Ave., Mahnomen, Minn. 56557 (ph 218 935-5762; cell ph 218 556-9747).

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