For nearly every farmer there’s at least one tractor, combine or other machine that stands out as being a favourite. Maybe it offered—or still offers—unbeatable reliability and efficiency, or it’s styling has proven to be elegant and timeless. Well, now’s your chance to speak up and get some recognition for that machine you think so […] Read more
Announcing the Grainews “Farmers’ Choice All-Time Favourite” award
Dolly improves shop organization
Building a dedicated dolly to hold heavy components can help maximize available shop space
The trouble with working on long-term mechanical projects in the farm workshop is they often interfere with the day-to-day jobs that need to roll in and out the doors. The large components removed from a big project can tie up a lot of floor space, and it seems the spot you chose to place them […] Read more
Turning tire design on its ear
A revolutionary new concept in ag tires may be the most significant redesign to the pneumatic tire since it was invented
Tire or track,” asks Mitas’ promotional material announcing the completely new PneuTrac ag tire. It seems like a fair question given how odd this tire looks, and how differently it performs when mounted on a rim. Tire manufacturer Mitas chose to introduce the prototype PneuTrac concept to the public at November’s Agritechnica in Hanover, Germany. While […] Read more
Putting penetrating fluids to the test
We compare four common brands and rate their effectiveness in a Grainews workshop test
It was clear from the beginning of Project CJ3A (which debuted in the February 4 issue) that disassembly of that 61-year-old Jeep was going to be difficult. It had to be fully dismantled at the start of its restoration, but decades of corrosion buildup was battling our efforts to separate nuts from bolts. We knew […] Read more
Till-N-Plant implement offers benefits to western growers
A strip-tilling implement provides advantages in areas with short growing seasons
Just as corn production gains popularity with western farmers, this year’s delayed spring seeding season left some varieties without enough heat units to reach maturity. But one equipment manufacturer, U.S.-based Schlagel Manufacturing, believes their Till-N-Plant, Series Two, strip-tilling implement might have helped prevent that by effectively extending the growing season. “One of the advantages of strip till is you […] Read more
How to remove a broken stud
Welding a nut onto a broken stud in the front axle of the old Jeep made it possible to easily turn it out
Breaking a stud off in a housing is likely one of the most frustrating things that can happen in the farm workshop. When we took the front axle apart during our ongoing old Jeep restoration, Project CJ3A, we found a previous repair effort left a broken stud at the bottom king pin bearing support in […] Read more
“Fruit robot” is completely autonomous
Cäser, the new field robot, is designed to work in orchards and vineyards without the need for an operator
The number of orchard and vineyard workers in Europe may be set to drastically decline in the near future if the Cäser “fruit robot” becomes popular. Cäser is a small, totally autonomous robot designed specifically to perfrom typical orchard and vineyard chores. And the significance of this machine hitting the market stretches well beyond just […] Read more
Seeing agriculture from a different perspective
While I was at Agritechnica in Hanover Germany last November, I had a chance to talk shop with a few farmers from other parts of the world. It was a great opportunity to find out what matters to them and how they see agriculture’s future. Speaking with Ralf Küsel, a mixed farmer from South Africa, […] Read more
How to use a deep ripper
De-compacting as part of an overall strategy
There are all kinds of tools to consider when doing homework to determine which fields are candidates (for deep ripping) and which aren’t,” said Elston Solberg, director of agronomics at Agri-Trend. He was talking about soil compaction at a field day event sponsored by Tri Star Farm Services of Emerald Park, Saskatchewan, in October. Standing […] Read more
How to pick the right electrodes
Setting up a welder with the proper electrodes is key to doing a good job. For all three welding processes, MIG, TIG and Stick, there are multiple electrode choices. When using MIG for regular mild steel, which is the most common application on the farm, selecting ER 70S-6 welding wire is the best choice. “For mild steel the best choice would be ER 70S-6,” says […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
