Homemade Custom Lawn Roller

86184 Views 163 Replies 25 Participants Last post by KWDAILYD, Aug 28, 2015

X748SE

Discussion Starter · Apr 4, 2015

2

I currently have a 24” x 48” roller and I wanted something a little bigger and heavier that my tractor could handle. I looked around and found a place that would form roll ¼” plate material.

Ordered up the size of roller that I wanted and was able pick up the tube and end plates this morning. I hope to start welding it together this week.

Roger

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CADplans

· #2 · Apr 4, 2015

Looks good so far,,,

One note,,, my brother always scolds me if I consider a cantilever mount to anything,
that is what your axle looks like it will end up as,,, :hide:

If so, I would go to at least 1 1/2" if you are gonna completely fill that beast of a roller,,,, :fing32:

OR, devise a non-cantilever mount for the bearing,,, :dunno:

Mike X485

· #3 · Apr 4, 2015

What size are you making?

X748SE

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 4, 2015 (Edited)

CADplans said:
Looks good so far,,,

One note,,, my brother always scolds me if I consider a cantilever mount to anything,
that is what your axle looks like it will end up as,,, :hide:

If so, I would go to at least 1 1/2" if you are gonna completely fill that beast of a roller,,,, :fing32:

OR, devise a non-cantilever mount for the bearing,,, :dunno:

CADplans,

I'm not quite sure of what you mean by the term cantilever mount but I don't "think" that my design is of the cantilever mount type as I'll have a cross tube directly in front of the roller. Here is an isometric image of what I plan to build. Note that I have not cut up any the pieces to their correct sizes yet.

Roger

X748SE

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 4, 2015

Mike X485 said:
What size are you making?

Mike,

I can't believe that I forgot to mention the size. The roller will be 28" in diameter by 54" long.

Roger

Hydronerd

· #6 · Apr 4, 2015

What are going to do with your 24x48 roller?

Are you going to fill with liquid. Are you going to stick weld?

X748SE

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 4, 2015

Hydronerd said:
What are going to do with your 24x48 roller?

Are you going to fill with liquid. Are you going to stick weld?

Hydronerd,

I'll probably put the roller up for sale on Kijiji.

I plan to fill the roller with water and then empty it at the end of summer. I have MIG welder so I will be using that instead of stick welding it.

Roger

Hydronerd

· #8 · Apr 5, 2015

rlowe said:
Hydronerd,

... I have MIG welder so I will be using that instead of stick welding it.

Roger

Thought you might say that. Mig is infamous for cold starts and leaking; but with zero pressure, and maybe a little water on the lawn doesn't matter.

TooManyGT

· #9 · Apr 5, 2015

Hydronerd said:
Thought you might say that. Mig is infamous for cold starts and leaking; but with zero pressure, and maybe a little water on the lawn doesn't matter.

Nor really sure where this comes from, it's not so much the process as the operator.

I'm still waiting on my buddy to get me a piece of 36+" pipe to make my roller, I'm to cheap to have a piece of plate rolled.......

Diesel Powered

· #10 · Apr 5, 2015

Can't wait to see the finished product. I'd love to have something similar. :rauch10:

mrbeef

· #11 · Apr 5, 2015

Diesel Powered said:
Can't wait to see the finished product. I'd love to have something similar. :rauch10:

:ditto:.... any idea of the dry weight?

The true test of skill is when you can put something back together and it works... not the dusty half disassembled pile of junk in the corner.... :dunno:

Tractors:
'17 JD 4066R, '08 JD 1445, '07 JD X748, '88 JD 318,'83 JD 214, '74 JD 140, '69 JD 140, 60's Power King, '57 JD 820

The Round Fenders: '67 JD 112H, '67 JD 112H, '67 JD 110H "The Frog", '67 JD 110, '66 JD 110, '65 JD 110, '64 JD 110
Former Machines:
60's Power King, '64 JD 110, '65 JD 110, '65 JD 110, '66 JD 60, '66 JD 110, '66 JD 110, '66 JD 110H, '66 JD 110H, '67 JD 112, '67 JD 112, '69 JD 112, '69 JD 140H3, '69 JD 140H3, '70 JD 112, '72 140 H1, '77 JD 212, '79 JD 212, '80 JD 317, '80 JD 317, '80 JD 317, uk Cushman 898807, '83 JD 318, '84 420, '86 JD 318, '86 JD 420, '87 JD 430, '87 JD 318, '88 JD 318, '88 JD 318, '88 JD 855, '89 JD 318, '90 JD 318, '91 JD 430, uk Cab Cadet 2140, '92 JD 320, '93 JD 320, '96 JD 445, '98 JD 425, '99 JD 3215A, '00 Sabre 2046, '01 JD 455, and '01 LX277

Want to watch a guy fumble through a project where he has no clue what might be next......
Kohler Light Plant

[sigpic][/sigpic]

DonF

· #12 · Apr 5, 2015

The steel tube and ends will weigh 436 lbs. if all of it is 1/4" thick.

X748SE

Discussion Starter · #13 · Apr 5, 2015

Hydronerd said:
Thought you might say that. Mig is infamous for cold starts and leaking; but with zero pressure, and maybe a little water on the lawn doesn't matter.

Hydronerd,

I have a stick welder too but I'm quite confident about my welding skills with the MIG that I shouldn't have too many leaks. LOL As you said a little water on the lawn probably will do it some good.

Roger

TooManyGT said:
Nor really sure where this comes from, it's not so much the process as the operator.

I'm still waiting on my buddy to get me a piece of 36+" pipe to make my roller, I'm to cheap to have a piece of plate rolled.......

TooManyGT,

Yeah, I was looking for a piece of pipe too, 28" or 30" since I got my tractor but just nothing around my neck of the woods so I broke down and had the 1/4" plate rolled.

Roger,

Diesel Powered said:
Can't wait to see the finished product. I'd love to have something similar. :rauch10:

DP,

Thanks! I can't wait to see the finished product too because I'll need to use it as soon as it's done.

Roger

mrbeef said:
:ditto:.... any idea of the dry weight?

Kyle,

Thanks! DonF below is very close to what I calculated too.

Roger

DonF said:
The steel tube and ends will weigh 436 lbs. if all of it is 1/4" thick.

DonF,

That's very close to what I calculated too! I added a few more pounds for the axle. Mine came up to 442 lbs.

So when people ask how much does it weigh dry: 440 lbs. seems like a good number to remember.

Roger

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Hydronerd

· #14 · Apr 5, 2015

rlowe said:
Hydronerd,

I have a stick welder too but I'm quite confident about my welding skills with the MIG that I shouldn't have too many leaks. LOL As you said a little water on the lawn probably will do it some good.

Roger

I wasn't challenging your skills; it is the process. I guess I'm just reminding you to avoid cold starts. Infact I would give Mig a go myself, its 5x faster. I would tack all round then grind down so that I could weld over top. Then start just off seam and make a continuous weld around the whole diameter; a turn table would make it easy. I set up an automated mig welder to weld hydraulic cylinder caps on, and that was the secret, continuous arc. We did some other things like starting fast and ending slow to put a fat weld over the start.
If anyone has another secret, I'd be keen to learn.

Whirly

· #15 · Apr 5, 2015 (Edited)

Hydronerd said:
I wasn't challenging your skills; it is the process. I guess I'm just reminding you to avoid cold starts. Infact I would give Mig a go myself, its 5x faster. I would tack all round then grind down so that I could weld over top. Then start just off seam and make a continuous weld around the whole diameter; a turn table would make it easy. I set up an automated mig welder to weld hydraulic cylinder caps on, and that was the secret, continuous arc. We did some other things like starting fast and ending slow to put a fat weld over the start.
If anyone has another secret, I'd be keen to learn.

my former work place was actually 5 different companies.. this is the parent company..

GOMACO Corporation

they owned this company which made hyd cyls..

BOBALEE Hydraulics: Facilities & Capabilities

I was a certified welder at the parent company & also trained at the cyl plant to build & weld the 45 foot long hyd cyls.. yes.. 45 foot long extension cyls.. all the cyls there were tested with hyd fluid in them.. some had to take 10,000 PSI.. I could show u how to weld anything round & b leak proof too..

OOHHH.. MIG is the only way to weld a cyl...

Whirly

· #16 · Apr 5, 2015

I remember a guy on here that made a lawn roller from a 500 gallon propane tank.. he cut the round ends off & welded on flat ends.. then filled it with water..

u could find a 125 gal propane tank.. & do the same real cheap.. find a used one from a LP company that can no longer b certified to b filled with LP....

TooManyGT

· #17 · Apr 5, 2015

I made a 24 x 36 out of an old 80gal air compressor tank, little small and awkward to me but needed one and only had a couple hrs to get it done before the rain washed my seed away.
My buddy was going to get some big pipe from a new water reservoir project he was working on but didn't get a chance, now he does mostly pressure vessels and heat exchangers so hasn't had much big stuff.

Not sure what size mig you have but if it can handle it the shielded flux core (dual shield) is the only way to go for 1/4" and up, way better then short circuit. ESAB and Lincoln seem to be the choice ones.

Whirly

· #18 · Apr 5, 2015

TooManyGT said:
I made a 24 x 36 out of an old 80gal air compressor tank, little small and awkward to me but needed one and only had a couple hrs to get it done before the rain washed my seed away.
My buddy was going to get some big pipe from a new water reservoir project he was working on but didn't get a chance, now he does mostly pressure vessels and heat exchangers so hasn't had much big stuff.

Not sure what size mig you have but if it can handle it the shielded flux core (dual shield) is the only way to go for 1/4" and up, way better then short circuit. ESAB and Lincoln seem to be the choice ones.

sorry.. but I hate to inform u that usin flux core with gas shield does not pay off.. a big waste of money.. flux core requires a reverse ground system.. gas shield is used on solid wire with what is called the normal ground system..

flux core is not the best weld as it leaves air bubbles in ur molten weld.. & that is not accepted in a certified weld..

TooManyGT

· #19 · Apr 6, 2015

Whirly we've talked about this before, I'm referring to cored wire that requires a shielding gas, it does not use reverse polarity like self shielded flux core. 2 totally different types of wires, it is certifiable to many ANSI pressure certs and even seismic structural plus provides higher disposition rates then smaw in most cases.

There's a lot of info out there and I think you'd find it very interesting, a lot of people say its like welding 7018 characteristic wise but on a continues roll. It's not a replacement for every application but the first bead I laid with it I was sold over solid short circuit on heavier stuff.

Again it is NOTHING like self shielded flux core as far as application, only shares part of the name.

Little info, there's a lot more out there.
Self-Shielded vs. Gas-Shielded Flux-Cored Electrodes

Whirly

· #20 · Apr 6, 2015 (Edited)

OK... ur link said both types of the welds u like both have SLAG.. with MIG there is no slag to chip off before u make a second pass as a fill weld.. ur process has to b very slow when weldin metals over 1/4 thick....

sure MIG uses gas.. & a solid wire.. ur wire has to b way more expensive over the solid wire too.. & with MIG u can weld in any position too.. done that so many times..

also.. there is a lotta guys here that r still learnin how to use their 110 volt flux cored weekend welders.. Y toss out a different color of crayon to mess things up for those learnin.. most welds done by people on here r flux or solid..

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