Low-Cost Guidance System

Low-Cost Guidance System CULTIVATORS Cultivators (58C) 18-5-39 "It virtually eliminates cultivator blight and reduces stress on the driver. I built it for less than $500," says Jim Howell, Wilder, Idaho, about the passive guidance system he and his father built. "We built and patented it 8 years ago and have used it ever since with excellent results," says Howell. "It compares favorably with commercial guidance systems that sell for $4,000 to $6,000." The system bolts onto a 2 1/2-in. sq. steel bar that bolts to the back end of the tractor between the lower arms of the 3-pt. hitch. It's made up of two 1-in. sq. steel arms with a steel "sensor rod" on back and a pair of microswitches in front, one on each side. The arms mount on bushings that allow them to move up or down independently of the tractor, and they pivot back and forth on bearings. A chain keeps the arms from dropping all the way onto the ground. The sensor rod rides inside the marker furrow left by Howell's previous pass. As the sensor moves from side to side, it trips the microswitches on either side, which causes the two lights inside the cab to go on and off, telling Howell which way to steer. "It's sturdy, simple, and inexpensive. There are no hydraulic controls to plumb into the tractor's steering system or any side-shifting fast hitch to worry about. It's also extremely accurate. We can adjust it by simply turning a threaded bolt that trips the microswitches. We usually set it to light up whenever the cultivator drifts 1 1/2 in. off center of the marker furrow. When the lights are off, we know we're dead on the row. The marker furrow needs to be only 2 to 3 inches deep. We've built a few for neighbors and are willing to build more." Howell and his father use the guidance system on a 12-row bedding bar for making vegetable growing beds, but say it'll work on other equipment. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Howell Farms, 22583 Hwy. 95 N., Wilder, Idaho 83676 (ph 208 482-7381).

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