Yard Roller Project

Hobo,NC · Jun 27, 2013

I have wanted to build a yard roller for quite awhile. I have a 6”X30” water drum (yes I know its galvanized and the dangers welding on it). I have a 2 ¼” pipe I can fit all the way thru it and thinking of making a rectangular frame to surround it… My question am I on the right track putting a pipe thru the drum I would like to use the scrap I have on hand…

JMOR · Jun 27, 2013

I did that with an old gas water heater tank (already had hole through center) & it works, but I have always wanted it to be wider & definitely heavier. I like George Marsh's home made roller. Maybe he will post it again.

P.S.

http://search.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=ford&th=467502

jon f mn · Jun 27, 2013

If your frame is tube then I would weld a hat shaped
piece or a tube to each end of the tank to bolt a
bearing to then attach a shaft to the tube frame and
into the bearing. Keep it tight between the bearing
and frame and you won't need a large shaft, 1 1/2"
would be good. That way you don't have to worry bout
water tight. Don't forget to drain it in the winter
if you are where it freezes. I have seen lots of
them the way you describe tho and they work fine
too.

Donaldinky · Jun 27, 2013

Plug all the holes. Put a plug in the end where u can fill it water
and when u r don can drain if. Or center a shaft and fill it with
concrete. Just an ideal

Geo-TH,In · Jun 27, 2013

HOBO,
What are you doing off the ford sight?

Just kidding.

Here is the mother of lawn rollers. I made it using 10 inch moble home I beam, a 500 gallon oil durm, spindles from a madza for bearings, and about 4500 pounds of concrete and re-bar. It's hollow inside and can hold about 250 gallons of water. Empty it weighs in at 4700#. It's 5 ft and change wide. That's about 1000#/ft. If you think about it, you don't want much less. Drive a truck on the yard and you are putting 5000# on 4 tires that are not nearly 5 ft wide total.

Most of my yards are level. You don't want to get this on a steep hill or near water.

I use my roller in the spring when the frost leaves and after a good rain. In the dry summer, forget it, you won't do much good.

I have a 30 gallon water heater roller filled with concrete, not nearly enough weight. If you make a roller out of a water heater, put a box on top of the roller so you can add weight. However, if you think a lawn tractor will pull it, better have bar tires and wheel weights.
George

oleclint · Jun 27, 2013

To save draining the water before freezing weather , fill it with used oil .You never need to drain it. clint

charlie n · Jun 27, 2013

We used this 4x9 to roll sod fields.Also does a good job firming a seed bed.Good Luck.

JMOR · Jun 27, 2013

Just get one of these HOBO:
http://www.oldfordtractors.com/indy/asphaltn.jpg

wilson ind · Jun 27, 2013

you could roll the ruts out of a blacktop road with that!!!! Iv got to get back on the electric atv plan Just to hot now I work better with a coat in fall winter than sweat dripping off m

Geo-TH,In · Jun 27, 2013

Bill, if you put white rock on concrete, it will reduce it to power. Guess I could make AG lime. My tree trimmer got stuck and his bucket truck went all to the axle. Wrecker made ruts too. I was able to work most of those ruts out with just a little dirt and a lot or rolling.
George

TimV · Jun 28, 2013

Hobo--that's what I did on the one I made 10+ years ago and it's held up fine. It was built entirely from whatever scrap I had on hand at the time, so it's no beauty queen but it does what I made it to do. I also built a frame for additional weight on top--often supplied in the form of a hefty friend or two riding on it, or (more usually) my hefty self riding on it while my friends drive the tractor! This is the only photo I could find easily, but if you want more details I'll see what I can do.

Duner Wi · Jun 28, 2013

I made a roller just like you are proposing years ago. I took one end of barrel out and flipped it over so both ends look the same. Pipe thru the center and welded it up and it even holds water.

Geo-TH,In · Jun 28, 2013

Years ago, my neighbor made a roller out of a 30 gallon water heater tank. He put a seat on the roller for his wife to ride on, 300+#. That was a kodak moment.

30 gallons of water = 250#

estimate tank and metal = 50#

wife = 300#

total = 600#

That's only 200 # per linear foot. Unless you have very soft ground it will be lucky to flatten a mole hill.
George

TimV · Jun 28, 2013

Well, as luck would have it, mole hills are mainly what I'm flattening, and I've been doing it with that roller for 10+ years now with no problems.

Hobo,NC · Jun 28, 2013

First days work,,, one end plug came out with a air chisel the other I had to bust out with the chisel.. I spend 1/2 a day making bushings to adapt the FWD hubs ( 1985 dodge Omni I don't think their are anymore in captivity) to the drum and axle. Then made the plates and made a run to the bolt store... After supper welded it all together,, Other than getting the other plugs out it should be all down hill from here.... I am $40 into it at this point....

Hobo,NC · Jul 3, 2013

DONE if I had to do it over again I would round up a 500 gal drum and the heaviest frame material I could, It would be the same amount of work.

[/URL]

[URL=http://s102.photobucket.com/us...hobo1301/Yardroller3001_zps04a3557f.jpg[/img][/url]

[/URL][/img]

Yard Roller Project

Hobo,NC

Well-known Member

JMOR

Well-known Member

jon f mn

Well-known Member

Donaldinky

Member

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

oleclint

Well-known Member

charlie n

Well-known Member

JMOR

Well-known Member

wilson ind

Well-known Member

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

TimV

Well-known Member

Duner Wi

Well-known Member

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

TimV

Well-known Member

Hobo,NC

Well-known Member

Hobo,NC

Well-known Member

Similar threads