Home-made agricultural machinery

[Nozzle]

I made a trommel! It's taken me quite a while so the photos shown are over a period of months. Other than fitting a proper motor starter and may be some paddle type things inside (like a cement mixer) it is done.

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If you want to see a vid of it in action:
Nozzle's trommel in action - Lo res

The motor is a dodgy build Chinese thing that once had a pump attached to it, the pulleys, belts and bearings I had to buy new. The rotating drum is welded together with some old bike wheel rims, a bit of old steel trellis work with chicken wire attached with wire wrapping. The rollers are some old in-line skate wheels sat in some ali U-shaped section. Ideally it could do with another pair of rollers acting on one of the wheels to control the "thrust", and keep prevent the other rollers catching on the rim edge.

I plan of rotavating the entire front and back garden and probably mixing in horse $hit and builders sand as I go. The soil here in this part of Suffolk is very clay-ey and despite living at the top of a hill, the ground saturates quickly.

Can anyone recommend anything else worth adding to the soil while it is being handled?

Nozzle

 

[JohnD]

gypsum (plaster) is good for mixing into clay soils as it flocculates it into bigger grains. Any old rubbish (date expired, lumpy, rubble) will do. Coarse grit mixed into the surface inch or so will make it less muddy.

I used a lot of horse muck in mine, but when the organic material decomposes, it settles. I keep applying organic mulches which the worms dig in for me.

You will accumulate baler twine and hoofpicks.

 

[wrathkeg]

Leafmould will improve clay soil enormously.

 

[Burnerman]

I know absolutely nowt about soil mate but that's a cool bit of kit you've made!
Is that a Mk 1 Mini with a sunroof?
John

 

[Mursal]

Well spotted John .........
I had a wee shift round and found a woodie estate in the other corner?

Very tidy project, just be gentle with it ............

Edit:
My mistake its the same car ...........

 

[Nozzle]

Thanks guys! Yes the project is a '66 Woody with a Webasto, the one "on the road" is a '95 Cooper.

An interesting point made about the plaster there. What is to stop the whole garden just setting solid after rain???

Nozzle