How to make a potato digger for your power tiller with your own hands
Professional potato digger for power tiller is very expensive. Because of the difficulties with the harvesting process, landowners are constantly inventing some way to make the work easier. A budget option is the creation of a self-made potato harvester for a power tiller or tractor.
What is a potato digger for a tractor? This is a functional device that allows you to separate the tubers of vegetable crops from the ground. As a result of the mechanism’s action the root crops reach the surface of the soil. The cost of ready-made mechanisms is very high. When planning to make the device with your own hands, you should consider that all designs can be divided into the following types:
A threshing digger includes a ploughshare, a drive and a trunk. The performance of such mechanisms is considered to be high. The operation of the vibratory potato digger for power tillers is as follows:
- picking up the earth and its delivery to a special table;
- Spilling soil through the slots under the influence of a vibrating table;
- Pouring the tubers from the opposite side onto the ground.
Potatoes are left to be lifted in order to put them into special containers. Transporter potato digger is a more complex unit than a screen one. It consists of a belt, drum and conveyor belt.
A universal digger, which is a single-row fan-type mechanism, should be attached to a power tiller. Different attachments can be attached to it, which allow you to perform some types of agricultural work:
Self-made potato harvester for power tiller provides automation of the whole process of harvesting potatoes. This greatly facilitates agricultural work.
How to make a potato harvester for a power tiller
Potato harvester for a power tiller with your own hands, made according to the drawings, must have certain characteristics. If it will be a manual potato digger, it must have an appropriate drive. Before carrying out the work, you should calculate the budget of the event and decide on the method of processing the land with the unit.
Potato digger with their own hands, made for work on the land plot, has a simple principle. The design includes 2 steel knives needed to cut the ground. The tubers collected by the knives, together with the soil, go through a special transport grid to the harvesting hopper.
Potato digger vibrating in the process of work separates the tubers from the soil. You can pile your harvest on the ground next to the machine, if there was not enough special material for the construction of the hopper. Individual elements of the design of metal can be connected in 2 ways:
These methods ensure that the metal parts are firmly connected. Bolted connections have many advantages compared to welds, because the potato digger can be easily disassembled if necessary.
To connect the individual parts, you don’t need to spend time doing the job with a special tool. You only need to prepare a drill with a drill bit and a couple of keys. Self-made potato diggers are made of 5-7 mm thick sheet metal. This size is able to guarantee a high level of strength of the whole structure.
The potato digger for the mini-tractor does not weigh too much, which makes digging the soil much easier. For working on hard soils, a digger with a larger size should be used. It is heavier, so the ploughshare digs into the ground better and pushes the potatoes out of the soil.
Types of Potato Diggers
Units for digging potatoes:
- Vibrating (screen type, vibrating and crushing). Consisting of a vibrating shaft, drive and plowshare. Have a high productivity. Operating mechanism: the upper layers of soil (together with the potatoes) are picked up and transported to the vibrating table. With the help of vibration, the earth escapes through the slots and the root crops fall out the other side of the machine.
- Transporter. complex potato diggers. Consists of a shovel-shaped ploughshare, a chain-and-bar conveyor, a cleaning drum.
- Universal (lancet). Fan type single row potato digger. Fastened to the power tiller with a single hitch.
The potato digger can be equipped with other attachments, allowing it to lift virgin land, plant potatoes in the ground, and dip them. Some models, the most complex and expensive, can sort vegetables by species.
cardan shaft with PKM drive, 2. frame-base, 3. reduction unit, 4. bevel gear, 5. cardan shaft of drum-cleaner drive, 6. support-transport unit, 7. drum-cleaner, 8. chain-and-bar elevator with ploughshare.
How to prepare a Bordeaux mixture to protect garden and vegetable plants from fungal pests, read here.
Design and principle of a potato digger
Potato diggers can be attached to a power tiller or tractor, or be completely manual. The type of construction determines what materials and tools you need to work.
We will consider the principle of operation and design of a vibrating potato digger, attached to machinery.
Skilled craftsmen can assemble a potato digger that works by itself. This design is equipped with a motor.
The principle of the potato digger is based on the operation of two metal blades that cut the soil. They make the tubers fall through the grid into a special container to pick up the roots.
The earth stuck on the sieve with the potatoes falls off thanks to the vibration. Potato hopper may not exist at all: in this case the vegetable falls straight to the ground surface. The potatoes fall to the ground and are picked up manually.
All parts of the device are equally important, because each of them affects the longevity and durability of the equipment.
The main parts of our potato harvester:
- Frame;
- Elevator (a grid that vibrates and sides to keep the potatoes from falling out);
- The rollers (their rotation creates a vibrating effect);
- Plough (plow with knives);
- Support and transport unit (with its help, the potato digger moves: wheels, discs, roller chains, metal rod, sprockets and bearings).
Note! Potato diggers are most effective for country houses with light soil, as well as with the soil of medium severity.
Which is better
The main advantage of all potato digging machines is that they help you to harvest a lot of potatoes from large areas. Therefore, it is worth buying such attachments to the tiller only if you have a large plot. Well, the choice between the vibrating mower and the transporter should depend on the operating conditions. Do not forget about the presence of an appropriate drive on the power tiller.
Thus, vibration potato harvesters are most effective when working on small and medium areas with light soils. On large plots of land it will be more practical to use the mounted equipment of the transporter type.
Vibrating potato harvesters
Vibrating potato harvester KKM-1 for “Neva” power tiller has an active ploughshare and screen grate, driven by the belt. The soil layer is cut to the required depth with the help of the ploughshare, then it goes to the sieve, where due to the vibration the earth is sieved and the potatoes and large pieces of soil remain, after that all this is dumped along the way of the power tiller. This type of potato harvester works with a row spacing of 60-70 cm. This design is also used to harvest onions, garlic, beets, etc.п.
Technical Specifications
- Overall dimensions: 707060 cm.
- Weight: 45 kg.
- Working width: 39 cm.
- Output: up to 0.2 ha / h.
- Digging depth: 20 cm.
- Drive from the power tiller: pulley, V-belt.
- Compatible with power tillers: Neva, Cascade, Oka, Favorit.
The KKM-2 and KKM-3 models do not differ much in their features, the only difference is that they are mounted on power tillers MTZ, Agro and MTZ 132H minitractor, respectively, and are driven by PTO, not by belt.
- Can work on heavy soils,
- Good working width and digging depth,
- Clean potatoes well from the ground,
- Convenient in use,
- Effective on large plots,
- Fewer fuel consumption for the tiller.
Another vibratory, screen-type potato digger. Versatile attachment that fits both right- and left-handed tillers. Digs out potatoes even in heavy soils. An extra blade is bolted to it. Minimum capacity required: 6 liters.с. Compatible with all types of power tillers, both Chinese and Russian as well as Japanese.
Specifications
- Overall dimensions: 906756 cm.
- Weight: 34 kg.
- Working width: 39 cm.
- Mowing capacity: up to 0.2 ha/h.
- Digging depth: 20 cm.
- Drive by power tiller: pulley, V-belt.
- Compatible with power tillers: Neva, MTZ, Agat, Salyut.
Poltavchanka
Tiller for power tiller of vibrating (screen) type. Can be operated by both the drive belt (left and right hand drive) and the rear PTO. Cultivation can be adjusted with pneumatic wheels. Excellent universality and high productivity make this potato digger one of the best for the efficient harvesting of potatoes and other root crops.
Technical Specifications
- Overall dimensions: 957980 cm.
- Weight: 34 kg.
- Working width: 40 cm.
- Productivity: up to 0,25 ha/h.
- Digging depth: 25 cm.
- Drive from power tiller: pulley, V-belt, PTO.
- Compatible with power tillers: Neva, MTZ, Weima, Salute, Bulat, Motor Sich, Forte, Zubra, Favorit, Kentavr, Cascade.
- Able to be combined with any power tiller with belt drive or PTO,
- Excellent performance,
- High quality workmanship,
- Works on heavy soils, too.
KM-1 for MTZ motor-block
Vibratory potato harvester KM-1 is aggregated with the power tiller MTZ-09N through its rear PTO shaft. Standard wheels: metal. All joints are made through silent blocks (rubber bushings).
Technical characteristics
- Overall dimensions: 856858 cm.
- Weight: 35 kg.
- Working width: 38 cm.
- Productivity: up to 0,2 ha/h.
- Digging depth: 18 cm.
- Drive from power tiller: PTO.
- Compatible with power tillers: MTZ.
Vibratory potato harvesters
The design of the vibration potato harvester KKM-1 for the motor-block Neva has an active ploughshare and a screen-grid, which is driven by a belt. The ploughshare cuts the soil layer to the required depth, then it goes on the grid, where by means of vibration the soil is sieved and the potatoes and large chunks of soil remain, after that all this is dumped along the way of the power tiller. Potato diggers of this type work with a row spacing of 60-70 cm. Also with the help of such design collect onions, garlic, beets, etc.п.
Technical characteristics
- Overall dimensions: 707060 cm.
- Weight: 45 kg.
- Digging width: 39 cm.
- Productivity: up to 0.2 ha/h.
- Digging depth: 20 cm.
- Drive from power tiller: pulley, V-belt.
- Compatible with power tillers: Neva, Cascade, Oka, Favorit.
The models KKM-2 and KKM-3 have no specific features, the only difference is that the drive from the tiller is through the PTO, not through a belt, and they are installed on MTZ, Agro and minitractor MTZ 132H respectively.
- Can work on heavy soils,
- Good working width and digging depth,
- Clean potatoes from the ground well,
- Easy to use,
- Efficiency on large areas of ground,
- Low fuel consumption for power tillers.
Another vibrating, screen-type tiller. The universal linkage, which fits both right- and left-hand pulley. Digs out potatoes even in heavy soils. Hooks an additional blade to the front attachment. Minimum power requirement: 6 liters.с. Compatible with all types of power tillers, both Chinese and Russian as well as Japanese.
Technical characteristics
- overall dimensions: 906756 cm.
- Weight: 34 kg.
- Working width: 39 cm.
- Working capacity: up to 0,2 ha/h.
- Digging depth: 20 cm.
- It is driven by the power tiller: pulley, V-belt.
- Compatible with power tillers: Neva, MTZ, Agat, Salut.
Poltavchanka
Vibrating (screen) type tiller for power tillers. Can run on either the drive belt (left or right hand drive) or on the rear PTO. Cultivation can be adjusted by pneumatic wheels. Excellent universality and high productivity make this potato harvester one of the best for effectively harvesting potatoes and other root crops.
Technical characteristics
- Overall dimensions: 957980 cm.
- Weight: 34 kg.
- Working width: 40 cm.
- Productivity: up to 0.25 ha/h.
- Digging depth: 25 cm.
- Drive from the power tiller: pulley, V-belt, PTO.
- Compatible with power tillers: Neva, MTZ, Weima, Salute, Bulat, Motor Sich, Forte, Zubra, Favorit, Kentavr, Cascade.
- Able to be combined with any power tiller with belt drive or PTO,
- Great performance,
- High quality build,
- Works even on heavy soils.
KM-1 for MTZ motoblock
Vibration potato digger KM-1 is aggregated with MTZ-09N power tiller via its rear power take-off shaft. Full metal wheels. All joints are made with silent blocks (rubber bushes).
Technical Features
- Overall dimensions: 856858 cm.
- Weight: 35 kg.
- Grip width: 38 cm.
- Productivity: up to 0.2 ha/hr.
- Digging depth: 18 cm.
- Drive from power tiller: PTO.
- Compatible with power tillers: MTZ.
Potato diggers and their construction
Potato harvesters are a good choice for working on medium and light soils. The manufacturers of agricultural machinery produce different types of potato shovels for power tillers, tractors and mini-tractors. They differ from each other in operating principles and technical aspects.
When choosing the right model it is necessary to carefully study all the characteristics of the device, take into account the characteristics of the soil and the upcoming amount of work. It’s very important to make the right choice to save yourself from unnecessary problems and difficulties in the process of exploitation of the potato shovel.
Universal potato digger
Universal potato digger, also called lancet, fan, dolphin, paw, resembles a shovel with welded bars. The potato digger undermines the soil in the middle of the row with its sharp end, and the potato tubers fall onto the tines. Afterward, excess soil is shaken off while the tubers remain on the surface. That’s why the distance between the tines should not exceed the size of a small potato tuber.
Diggers quickly and easily reach potato, onion, garlic, beet and carrot crops. The roots are not damaged during harvesting and retain their marketable shape. Both digging angle and working depth can be adjusted with a tractor hitch.
For these machines are suitable for light and medium soils Universal potato digger is one of the easiest, so it has a number of pluses and minuses.
- This potato digger is easy to attach to a tiller.
- It can be used even with low power tillers.
- Universal digger is designed in different types.
- The digging speed can be increased (2nd and 3rd gear).-
- The price of the universal digger is quite low.
- Digging depth is 15 cm and working width is up to 20 cm, it’s less than vibration and conveyor type.
- During digging the potatoes 10-15% of the harvest may stay in the ground.
- Harvesting by hand means that we have to rake up the soil. it slows down the harvesting process.
- One of the disadvantages may be the fact that you dig through the row or pre-collect the harvest from the previous row.
- On large areas, more than 50 acres, the fuel and physical effort will be much more, so it is better to choose another model digger.
- Only light and medium soils are suitable for these machines.
It is impossible not to mention one more thing. the equipment is durable and has a high degree of reliability.
Vibratory potato digger
The vibrating-hoe type potato digger is very popular among farmers. The main working elements are the ploughshare (active knife) and the vibrating table (sieve).
The blade cuts the soil layer together with the potato tubers. The vibration helps remove the tubers from the ground once they are on the sieve, even if they are too stuck. The potatoes are then laid on the soil surface in a row. Then they are filled into nets and bags by hand.
- The screen-type potato diggers remove almost all tubers (up to 98 percent) from the soil.
- The screen potato digger has a number of advantages:
- Capable of digging potatoes in heavier soils.
- No need to look for roots after digging, they all stay in the ground.
- Speed up the process of digging up the potatoes, which saves time.
- Virtually nothing is left in the ground.
- Clean the tubers off the ground well.
- Perfect for large areas, saves labour and reduces fuel consumption.
- No damage to the potatoes.
- Higher cost of a vibrating potato digger compared to a universal one.
- Usage of a screen potato digger is impractical on small plots.
- Minimal, but vibrations are given off to the single axle tractor or motor tractor, which can be felt when driving.
When buying a single-axle tractor model, make sure that the tractor has a PTO or the possibility to connect the machine with a pulley. Specialists recommend checking the potato harvester’s compatibility with your power tiller beforehand. Vibrating potato diggers have an extraction depth of 150 to 200 millimetres and an extraction width of 360 to 400 millimetres.
Transporter potato harvester
Transporter potato digger is also called belt or conveyor. This digger resembles a vibrating one, but instead of a vibrating grid, they use a conveyor mechanism. a belt. The potatoes flow on the conveyor belt, where they are perfectly separated from the soil. over, the soil is cleaned even if it is wet and strongly stuck to the tubers.
The conveyor potato puller doesn’t damage tubers at all, which is appreciated by farmers who grow tubers for sale. It can be used to gently and fairly quickly gather the entire crop from large areas of land.
In terms of size, such a potato digger is best suited to work with power tillers on large areas, it can function in all weather conditions.
Transporter shovel for power tiller is the most advanced among the models under consideration, as it sifts potatoes better. After all, it separates it from the ground and leaves it on the surface.
To the disadvantages, you can include only the price of the band digger, but if you consider all its advantages, you can understand that it will pay for itself in quite a short time.
Design Specifics
Before proceeding to the construction of a digger for a power tiller, you need to study its structure, understand the principle of operation, prepare materials and tools. All devices for digging potatoes function on the same principle: the tines cut into the soil, pick it up together with the potatoes, and lift. The ground crumbles and the potatoes roll over into the hopper or fall into the arable.
Optimal metal thickness
Knives and other metal parts are made from 8 mm thick steel sheets. Other sizes are allowed, depending on the intended load.
Wheels for the digger
The wheels of the potato digger are made movable. The ones left over from old products, such as a garden wheelbarrow, are suitable. It is good if they will be with wide tires: so the mechanism will be easier to drive between the rows. The wheels can be rubber, with or without tread, or metal. The former makes it hard to move on wet ground, the latter makes it easier to move on hard ground. Treaded tires are universal. suitable for all types of soil.
Blades and other metal parts of the digger are made of steel sheets
Ways of connecting
Parts are connected by fasteners, electric or gas welding. Bolted connections are preferable because they make it possible to dismantle and reassemble the machine.
How to make a homemade device with your own hands
Even a novice potato digger for the tiller can make it with his own hands. The construction of the machine does not require significant financial expenses. The unit turns out to be simple, so for its repair and maintenance you will not need to involve professionals.
The potato digger is made from bent sheet metal and twigs. Parts are welded and fastened to the body. A single-axle tractor moves, the tines rake the potatoes, and the soil is spilled between the bars.
Making a drawing for a potato digger with their own hands, the size and type of construction are chosen based on the width of the row spacing and planting depth.
Necessary tools and materials
A single-axle tractor is equipped with a hinged potato digger of your own making, if the area of the plot is measured in hundredths, not tens of hectares. On an industrial scale, it is advisable to clean using a purchased device.
It is not difficult to make a potato digger with their own hands
Materials, tools and construction components:
- steel or iron bars (armature);
- channel;
- corner;
- steel with a thickness of 5-8 mm;
- laser level or angle piece;
- plates for fasteners;
- nuts, bolts;
- A drill, an engraver;
- welding machine;
- angle grinder;
- control rod;
- suspension system;
- frame;
- Soil hooks (wheels).
It is not necessary to buy all the parts. it is not difficult to make a potato harvester for a tiller with your own hands from those that were in use.
Rectangular or square cross-section pipe to make the base
Step by step assembly and installation process
The peculiarity of the domestic climate is that during the harvesting of potatoes, the soil is wet. A simple digger won’t do the trick. you’ll need a more effective device. Assembly is performed in a certain sequence.
The frame
The base is made of a rectangular or square tube with sides of 4 cm or more. The support beams are made from a 4-metre long steel billet. It is cut into 80 and 120 cm long pieces from which a rectangular frame is welded. The corners are joined by gas or electric welding.
Stanchions and their fasteners
Crosspieces are welded to the frame, not in the middle of the sides, but a quarter of the length from the edge. On the back side of the frame, support tubes are welded vertically, and the axle base is attached to them.
Nuts and bolts are used for mounting, and the holes are made with a drill or an engraver. Set the wheels on the axle.
Vertical uprights
A total of 3 vertical struts are made on each side of the frame. The first one is 50 cm long, at a distance of 5 cm from the edge of the rectangle. The second has a size of 40 cm and is set back from the first profile by 40 cm. The third bar is at a distance of 40 cm from the second bar, and is 30 cm long. The result is a descending ladder.
To prevent the machine from breaking down under the full force of the load, the struts need to be sturdy
Reinforcements
The props are reinforced with a 0.5 mm thick strip of metal. Connect the elements at the bottom at a 45 degree angle. The stiffness for the uprights is needed so that the unit will not collapse under heavy loads.
The blade or the rahl
The frame is made of a 0.3mm thick sheet of metal. According to the drawing, the blades are cut out, and the plow is attached to them by welding. The blades need a convex shape to get a better grip on the ground.
Making the gable board
A board, on which the tubers will roll as they are cleared of the soil, is also included in the construction of the frame. In order not to make the construction heavier, the gantry is made of thin metal bars. The armature 1.2 m long and 1 cm in diameter is suitable. The pieces are welded 4-5 cm away from each other.
Control rods
Paddles are not a mandatory element, but they facilitate the use of the potato digger for power tillers on wet and heavy soils. Alternatively, the adjustable structure is attached to a separate frame, and it is attached to the main frame. Fasteners should be bolted and nutted.
The ease of movement in rows depends on the width of the tires
Support wheels
Wheels are an essential part of the potato harvester. The width of the tires affects how easy it is to move around the rows: narrow wheels sink into the ground, especially if it is wet. Tires from a garden wheelbarrow or other unnecessary device will do.
Selection parameters
Potato diggers differ in such parameters:
- Dimensions. the greater the length and width of the working mechanism, the greater the productivity of the potato digger. Narrow devices are more suitable for single beds in the household, while wider counterparts with a grip are used to harvest potatoes from more than a hectare of land.
- The way of clearing the potatoes from the soil. this factor is taken into account, depending on the soil conditions of the region where you plan to use the potato harvester. Loamy black earth is easy to fluff up, but loamy and sandy soils need additional cleaning.
- Working principle. this determines how well the implement works.
- The presence/absence of auxiliary wheels. large machines need to have an extra point of support, otherwise it will be difficult for the tiller to do its main work.
- How to attach it. the optimal way of attaching the potato harvester to the tiller is considered to be the screw method. This allows you to detach the attachment at any time. Some models are fixed by welding only.
Many farmers also pay attention to the brand name and price. These two factors are not crucial, but they largely determine the productivity of the machine.
Depending on the technological features, potato diggers are of several types: fan, screen, drum, conveyor, conveyor, vibrating. Each of these is designed for specific soil types and worked area volumes.
Fan
Named for the fan-shaped arrangement of the wires. The working mechanism is in the form of a plough with equally spaced bars.
The working principle is simple: the plough plunges into the ground, the traction of the power tiller lifts the potatoes from the depth and falls onto the bars, where they are shaken off the excess soil and laid as a carpet on the bed.
Advantages are its ease of manufacture and low cost. The disadvantages are the fast wear and tear of bars and their breakage when used on hard ground.
Rumble
Has a more complex design, with extra wheels and fulcrums. Contains a grid, which is inclined relative to the soil at an angle.
Potato digger is buried below the location of the potatoes, after which the potatoes are lifted to the surface, the excess soil on the grid is removed, and the root crop is placed on the ground surface.
One of the advantages is that you can get the potatoes clean off the ground as much as possible. A disadvantage is the low productivity.
Drum
It is a complex mechanism that makes the landowner’s job as easy as possible. A plough, which goes deep into the soil layer, lifts the potatoes and falls onto a sieve, after which it is transported into a rotating drum. Then the potatoes are further cleaned from the soil and fall into the box.
There is another principle of the drum potato digger: a knife cuts the soil layer together with the potatoes and takes them into the drum, where under the influence of the constant movement the excess soil is sifted, and the potatoes are poured on the ground.
Advantage is the ability to cultivate large areas and transport the potatoes directly into the container. Potatoes do not need to be additionally harvested from the ground. The disadvantages include the inability to use on hard soil.
Transporter
It consists of two main parts: the transporter, which moves the potatoes and the pellet, which lifts the layer of soil with the root crop. Not suitable for wet and sticky soils.
The disadvantage is that it cannot be used in fields where there are weeds. The potato stalks get caught in the conveyor belt, wrap themselves up and slow down the potato harvester.
Conveyor
The potato digger is a lowered bucket, in the center of which a conveyor belt is installed.
Root crops are lifted together with soil, moved to the belt, where the removal of residual soil takes place. The potatoes are then laid on the ground.
The advantage is the ability to work several seedbeds at the same time. The potatoes are cleaned and damaged to a minimum.
Drawings, diagrams, dimensions of potato harvesters for power tillers Neva, Mole, Kaskad, MTZ-09H, Salut, Agat
The single-axle tractor “Neva” is considered the most popular among farmers and landowners. It has a user-friendly design and powerful technical characteristics. The most suitable homemade potato digger for the “Neva” motoblock is a device of the screen type.
Due to the specifics of its work, the screen potato harvester for the “Neva” power tiller was given a second name. vibrating
A universal option for all types of power tillers. the “Poltavchanka” model potato harvester. The parameters of such a device are 950×790×800 mm, the processing depth. 25 cm. These characteristics allow to use the unit in any conditions, regardless of soil and type of crops. “Poltavchanka” is appreciated for its high performance with relatively small dimensions.
“Poltavchanka” is popular among the owners of power tillers “Mole” and “Agat”
Moto-blocks “Salut” and “MTZ-09H” are similar in their construction, that is why in the manufacture of potato harvesters for this technique are often used identical drawings. Diggers for these devices have the same mounting system, which allows using the same unit for both models.
“Salut” and “MTZ-09H” have an original design, so the drawing of a potato digger for these devices has different features
A vibratory potato digger is also recommended for the “Cascade” power tiller, but due to the more massive wheels, the harvesting device may have different parameters from similar equipment.
Often, during the manufacture of a vibrating digger for power tillers “Cascade” changes are made in the location of the plowshare and the size of the wheels
Selection parameters
Potato diggers differ in such parameters:
- Dimensions. the greater the length and width of the working mechanism, the greater the productivity of the potato digger. Narrow attachments are more suitable for single beds in a household, while wider counterparts with a grip are used for harvesting potatoes from more than a hectare of land.
- How to clean the potatoes from the ground. this factor is taken into account, depending on the soil conditions of the region where you plan to use the potato digger. If loose chernozem is easy to fluff, loamy and sandy soils need additional cleaning.
- Operating principle. with this indicator in mind, the productivity of the attachment is determined.
- The presence/absence of additional wheels. large machines must have an additional point of support, otherwise it will be difficult for the tiller to do its main work.
- the way of fastening. the optimal way of attachment of the potato harvester to the tiller is considered a screw way. This makes it possible to detach the implement at any time. Some models are fixed exclusively by welding.
Many farmers also pay attention to the brand name and price. These two are not crucial, but they largely determine how well the machine works.
Depending on the technological features, potato diggers are of several types: fan, screen, drum, conveyor, conveyor, vibrating. Each of them is designed for a certain type of soil and volume of cultivated area.
Fan type
Named for the fan-shaped arrangement of the bars. The working mechanism is in the form of a plough, with equally spaced bars radiating from it.
The principle of operation is simple: the plow plunges into the ground, under the influence of traction power unit potatoes rises from the depth and falls into the bars, where the shaken off the excess soil and lies on the carpet on the bed.
The advantages are the simplicity in the manufacture and low cost. The disadvantages are quick wear and tear of rods and their breakage when used on hard ground.
Rumble
Has a more complex design with additional wheels and fulcrums. Contains a grid, which is inclined in relation to the ground at an angle.
Potato digger deepens below the location of potatoes, after which the potatoes are lifted to the surface, removing excess soil on the grid, and the root crop is placed on the ground surface.
One of the advantages is that the potatoes are cleaned from the soil as much as possible. A disadvantage is low productivity.
Drum
It is a complex mechanism that simplifies the work of the landowner to the maximum. With the help of a plough, which goes deeper into the soil layer, the potatoes are lifted and placed on the sieve, after which they are transported into the rotating drum. Then the potatoes are additionally peeled from the soil and put into the box.
Another way of working is with the potato scarifier: the knife cuts the soil layer together with the potatoes and transports them to the drum, where the constant movement of the scarifier sifts the excess soil and the potatoes are poured onto the soil.
The advantage is the ability to process large areas, as well as transport the potatoes directly into the container. No need to pick up the potatoes from the ground. Disadvantages include the inability to use on hard soils.
Transporter
It consists of two main parts: the transporter, which moves the potatoes and the pellet, which lifts the layer of soil with the root crop. Not suitable for wet, sticky soil.
The disadvantage is that it cannot be used in fields where there are weeds. The potato stalks get caught in the conveyor belt, are wound up and slow the potato digger down.
Conveyor
Potato digger is a bucket with a hole in the center of which a conveyor belt is installed.
Root crops are lifted together with soil, moved to the belt, where the removal of residual soil takes place. Then the potatoes are placed on the ground.
The advantage is the ability to process several beds at the same time. Potatoes are clean and with minimal damage.
Drawings, diagrams, dimensions of potato harvesters for power tillers Neva, Mole, Kaskad, MTZ-09H, Salut, Agat
The single-axle tractor “Neva” is considered the most popular among farmers and landowners. It has a user-friendly design and powerful technical characteristics. The most suitable homemade potato harvester for the “Neva” motoblock is a device of the screen type.
Due to the specificity of its operation, the screen potato harvester for the “Neva” power tiller was called the vibrating one
Universal option for all types of power tillers. “Poltavchanka” model potato harvester. The parameters of such a device are 950×790×800 mm, the working depth is 25 cm. These characteristics allow you to use the unit in all conditions, regardless of soil and type of crops. “Poltavchanka” is appreciated for its high productivity with relatively small dimensions.
“Poltavchanka” is popular with owners of “Mole” and “Agat” power tillers
Moto-blocks “Salut” and “MTZ-09H” are similar in their construction, so often identical drawings are used for the production of potato diggers for this technique. Diggers for these devices have the same mounting system, which allows you to use the same unit for both models.
“Salut” and “MTZ-09H” have an original design, so the drawing of a potato digger for these devices has different features
Vibrating potato digger is also recommended for the motoblock “Cascade”, but because of the more massive wheels, the harvesting device may have different parameters from similar equipment.
Often, in the manufacture of a vibrating digger for power tiller “Cascade” changes are made in the location of the plowshare and the size of the wheels
Drawings of a potato digger for a power tiller: dimensions, photos
Detailed drawings of fan type potato digger for power tiller photo and video of the device in operation.
As it is known, there are two types of potato diggers for power tillers, fan and vibrating. The most simple in the construction of a fan digger, and we will consider its device.
Fan plow is an attachment, in this version for power tiller, this is what this device looks like.
A device for digging potatoes is a plough with a fan of rods, while moving the engine block, the plough plunges into the soil and lifts it on a grid of rods, and the rods loosen and sift the soil, while potato tubers are thrown already on top of the soil.
The video shows the working principle of the fan potatoplow.
To make a potato digger for your power tiller, you can use the drawings with dimensions and photos.
Self-made plow consists of several parts:
A variant of making a plough for digging potatoes.
The photo shows the plow depth and angle adjustment system. Openings in the bipod allow to regulate the depth of the plough into the soil.
In this video the author shows the potato planting machine made by his hands.