DIY straw chopper from a barrel. Design features of hay and straw grinders for private farms

Small farmers and villagers who own their own farms often have to use various mechanisms in their daily life to facilitate this or that work.

Such devices include a hay and straw grinder - a straw chopper.

Such devices can be easily purchased in specialized stores, choosing from a wide range. But it will be much cheaper to make a straw crusher with your own hands, due to its very simple internal structure. Before talking about manufacturing, you need to make out what it consists of.

Device

Many craftsmen, creating all sorts of artisanal mechanisms for cutting straw, have adapted to use old pumps or vacuum cleaners.

The scheme of their work looks like this: the knives are attached to a rotating rod, which rotates due to the motor. An ordinary bucket acts as a bunker into which hay or straw is poured. After getting into it, rotating knives grind all components to the required size.

But mechanized cutting tools of this kind have a very low level of productivity, which is why they are suitable only for preparing feed for one or two dozen rabbits.

When it is necessary to organize the processing of a large amount of raw materials, the crusher will require more power and, accordingly, having a higher productivity.

The main thing in all such mechanisms that determines productivity is the working node itself. This is a special metal container in which there are rotating sharp knives, firmly mounted on a steel disc extending from the axis of the electric motor.

For safety, so that during the processing of raw materials a person does not accidentally touch the moving knives - the bunker is made high and cylindrical in shape. The lower part is inclined and there is a special branch pipe in it, where the crushed products are ejected.

Expert advice: you can make a version of the hopper that has a small height, but a cover will be attached on top, in which a hole will already be made for safe loading of straw when the device is running.

The tripod must be of such a height that an electric motor can fit under the hopper located on it, which is attached to the bottom using a plate.

The operation of such a device is quite simple. After turning on the electric motor, straw is filled into the hopper, where it is cut. The finished cut will come out of the side pipe.

So that it does not scatter in different directions, it is worth preparing a special container for collection. In this capacity, it is good to use a plastic barrel, in which a hole will be cut out on the side for receiving chopped straw or hay.

Tools and materials

To carry out such work, you need from the tools:

• a standard plumbing kit that every good owner has;
• good grinder;
• drill;
• welding machine.

But the materials will be listed as approximate, since in each case different options can be used:

• an electric motor with a speed not exceeding 2000 per minute, so that the device does not pose a danger to others during operation;
• sheet metal with a thickness of 2 to 3 mm, which will go to create all the main elements of the hopper;
• to create a bracket, you need metal 5 mm thick;
• pipe with a diameter of 25 mm for support;
• to create amplification, a strip of 25 x 3 mm is required;
• 10mm steel plate.

Stages and nuances of manufacturing

The first thing that needs to be done is the drawings of the future straw crusher, according to which the markings will be made, and cut out metal blanks.

1. The pipes must also be tailored to the desired length.
2. After that, the bottom needs to be welded to the bunker, and the bracket for the electric motor is mounted to it.
3. Now we make holes in the steel plate so that they coincide with the corresponding part of the engine, and fasten it vertically to the bracket.
4. At an angle to the body, you need to fix the supports, on which the stiffeners are then welded.
5. After installing the straw chopper on the supports, the branch pipe is installed for ejecting the cut.
6. When the basic structure is ready, the electric motor itself is bolted and the knives are very securely mounted on the axle, the safety of the device will depend on this. A disc with knives is a very complex part, which is why it can be of arbitrary shape in homemade devices, the main thing is that it fulfills its main function, and at the same time be balanced.

An important point: if there is an imbalance in the disc with knives, the whole structure will shake and it will be very difficult to use it.

Having all the necessary tools and materials, you can make a high-quality straw chopper with your own hands in just one day.

And if you have the skills of locksmith work and you know how to handle a welding machine, all stages of work on creating such a mechanism will not be difficult. By creating a straw chopper with your own hands, you will significantly save your money.

Watch a video in which an experienced user shows in detail the device and features of the operation of a hand-made hay and straw chopper:

How nice it is to walk through your own garden, along its beautiful paths, admire the well-groomed beds and flower beds, and then eat a ruddy apple straight from the branch. But in order for all this splendor to be, a lot of work remains to be done. In order for the soil to be fertile, a lot of organic matter must be introduced. Grass mulching is a great way to keep the soil in good condition. It can be spread out on the beds immediately after mowing or pre-composted. In order for thick stems of greens to decompose more actively, it is recommended to grind them first. You can make your own grass chopper or just buy one.

The choice of finished equipment largely depends on the amount of raw materials to be ground. After all, ground grass is needed not only to fertilize the soil. It will also be useful to those who have a subsidiary farm: chopped greens are added to the feed of livestock and poultry. A small amount of work can be easily dealt with with a regular cut. This is the name of a triangular plate equipped with a strong and sharply sharpened bottom edge.

Chopping is an elementary tool for chopping grass. If the volume of work is not large, then a gasoline or electric grass cutter can not be bought or built. Put the chop on the handle and get to work

For work, the cut is placed on a long handle. It allows you not to bend over when doing work. The raw materials to be chopped must be spread out on the ground in a layer of 10-15 cm. The surface should not be hard, and the layer of grass should not be too large. Then the cross section will not become blunt and will not spring. When the cut is hit from top to bottom, the grass is cut into small pieces.

If the volume of processed greens is large enough, you need a solid unit, which will help you choose this video.

The main purpose of this article is to find ways to independently manufacture the equipment that will be needed on the farm. If you have the desire, patience and minimal skills, you can make a homemade grass chopper that will work just as well, and perhaps even better than the one you bought. Better, because only you yourself know the needs of your farm and can perfectly adapt the device to your own needs. It will be exactly what you need!

Option # 1 - a drill to help you!

An excellent grass cutter can be built very simply from a conventional drill. Exactly how this simple device works can be seen in the video below.

So, the grinding process resembles the work of a food processor: in a cylindrical body, the role of which is played by a simple bucket, there is a sharpened knife. When rotating it in a circle at high speed, the grass is dissected. To make this grass cutter, a two-mode drill "Temp" with a capacity of 850 watts is used. The knife is made of a hacksaw blade. The whole secret is hidden in the sharpening of the knife. If done correctly, the grass will not wrap around the blade. The knife should remain clean and free of greenery.

The knife is sharpened with one-sided sharpening. It should be oriented with the sharpened plane down. If you have to chop fresh grass, the best shape of the knife is a narrow diamond, so that the cutting edge comes to naught at an angle to the edges. As a last resort, you can round the blade to a point. Then the grass, which is subjected to centrifugal force, slides along the cutting edge of the knife straight to the edges. It is easily cut and never wrapped around the knife.

Option # 2 - for owners of the Typhoon vacuum cleaner

The working principle of this device is no different from the previous one. It just looks more civilized and its productivity is higher. If in the previous case the grass was already in the container where the cutting tool was placed, now the raw material is fed through the upper hole, and the finished substrate comes out through the lower one, located in the side of the apparatus. To prevent the finished silage from scattering during spilling, a protective cover must be used for the outlet.

Perhaps such a grass cutter does not look as presentable as a purchased one, but it is functional and almost free. Decide what is more important to you

The chopped grass is collected in a bucket, which must be prudently placed under the outlet. It is clear that when choosing the height of the racks for the unit, it should be borne in mind that a bucket of normal parameters must pass unhindered to place it in the right place. So what does the Typhoon have to do with it? The body from the old Soviet Typhoon vacuum cleaner is ideal for an elementary garden grass chopper: it has a top opening of the most suitable size. Once again, this is ideal. But not the only one!

Any cylindrical container, be it an old saucepan, bucket, or piece of pipe, will work too. The 180 watt motor can be borrowed from an old washing machine. An old hacksaw blade will be used for the knives, and it is recommended to use a rectangular profile of 15x15 mm as racks. Here is a sleeve 40 mm high, on which the knives will be attached, will have to be turned on a lathe.

The process of making a grass chopper is not as complicated as it seems. In the photo: No. 1 - the case, very convenient, because you can load grass into it from above, No. 2 - the engine from the washing machine, No. 3 - the location and appearance of the knives

The engine, with the pulley removed, is bolted to the bottom of the container. To clamp the knives, use 32mm diameter plumbing nuts. When making bushings, carefully cut the threads for these nuts. Do not forget about the hole for the motor shaft. To ensure reliable fixation on the shaft, two holes 7 mm in diameter are made in the sleeve with an M8 thread cut into them for locking bolts. On the reverse side of the motor shaft, pads are machined to increase the reliability of fixing the sleeve with locking bolts.

At a height of 15 mm in the upper part of the cylinder, the grinder removed the edges to form a square with a side of 25 mm. Knives will be put on it. To make knives, you need to cut 4 blanks from a hacksaw blade with a grinder. A square hole with a side of 26 mm is cut in the central part of each workpiece. The width of each part depends on the degree of rigidity of the parent metal. It is clear that knives should be placed closer to the bottom. Their cutting edges are sharpened using a sharpener. The bolts securing the sleeve are placed above the blades.

In the photo: No. 4 - a sleeve for fastening the knives and connecting the engine to the body, No. 5 - a square on which the knives will be subsequently fixed, No. 6 - a chopper platform, which is made in the form of a truncated pyramid

If it is not possible to make an outlet for the silo directly under the knives, then it is equipped on the side. To do this, you can make a 7x7 circle with a grinder. Tin is used to form the guide body. The body is attached to the grinder with M3 bolts. The machine platform must be as stable as possible. For this, its base is made larger than the upper part. It should be made as functional and comfortable as possible.

The purpose of the platform is not only to hold the chopper, but also to protect the engine. It is fixed to the container with 3 bolts M 6x45. It is better to cover the side edges of the platform with sheets of tin. In the racks, threads are cut for M3 bolts, with which the sheets are fixed on the platform.

Option # 3 - grass cutter from what was at hand

Armed with the knowledge gained from reading the description of the manufacturing process of the previous unit, you can easily build something just as simple and useful for yourself.

This grass cutter is literally made from what was found in the barn. All things have served their purpose for a long time, but in such a design they will certainly be useful to their owner for a long time.

For an elementary grass cutter you will need:

• pump "Agidel" or any similar electric motor capable of doing 3000 rpm and powered by a network with a voltage of 220V;
• an old aluminum pan;
• used hacksaws for wood, from which you can make wonderful knives;
• to start the engine, a button is needed, the role of which will be perfectly played by the night vision device from the washing machine;
• plug and power cord.

We invite you to carefully consider the photos, because they do not need special comments. Everything is very clear. Start building a grass chopper and you will be good at it.

Pay attention to how the knives are placed in this herb chopper. It is possible that you will choose this particular model

The engine is mounted under the pan, and the start button is located at the back of the platform for easy reach.

Such grass, chopped with a grass cutter, is perfect for feed for livestock and poultry, as well as for mulching purposes.

Option # 4 - homemade straw chopper

The three previous units have successfully turned grass into silage. But if we need a chopper not only for grass, but also for hay, it is worth taking a closer look at another invention, which is presented in great detail in the video below.

A Few Safety Caveats

Any device, the creation of which is described above, is equipped with sharp cutting parts. In order for it to serve you for a long time, bring relief in your work, and not injure you, observe basic safety precautions when performing work.

If the operation of the unit is connected with electricity, be doubly careful and take the necessary measures. Take special care to ensure that children do not try to turn on the cutter. Better to overdo it than overlook it!

Owners of their own economy find it difficult to do without the help of small-scale mechanization. One of these assistants is a hay and straw chopper for private households. You can buy a ready-made unit, but such models are not cheap. For those who are well versed in technology, it will be more profitable to make it with their own hands.

What is a shredder for?

Hay becomes the main feed for livestock during the winter months. It is also used for flooring in a stable, mulching soil, making fuel briquettes and so on. Therefore, hay has to be harvested in large quantities. For ease of use and storage, it is processed. The easiest way to do this is with a hay and straw chopper for private households.

These crushers are available in various capacities and sizes. The principle of operation of the device is based on the operation of rotating knives. Hay is fed into a special bunker. Passing through the drum with knives, it is ground and enters the recoil hopper.

Design features

The design of the straw and hay chopper includes the following main elements:

1. Electric motor. The processing speed will depend on its capacity.
2. A container into which untreated hay or straw is fed. It can have different dimensions, depending on the amount of raw materials that you plan to grind.
3. The shaft on which the knives and counter-knives are mounted. They must be made of strong steel and well sharpened.
4. Waste raw material bin. For convenience, it is mounted on a slope floor.
5. Supports. Most often they are made of pipes with a diameter of at least 25 mm. Their height is selected based on the dimensions of the electric motor.

Popular Factory Made Models

For those who have no desire to spend time and energy on making such a device, it is better to purchase a ready-made model in a store. Among the most popular choppers of hay and straw for private households are:

You need to choose a specific model based on the amount of raw materials that will have to be processed. If your livestock population is small, there is no point in overpaying for powerful units. It is better to save money and buy a small capacity shredder.

Choose a product only from trusted manufacturers. A low-quality shredder with an underpowered motor will perform poorly and break down quickly.

The absence of complex parts and devices in the design allows an experienced craftsman to make a grass and hay chopper on his own. It is enough to purchase an engine of sufficient power, all other elements can be found in every household. Before making a shredder, study its drawing.

How to make a shredder yourself?

If you do not want to spend a lot of money on the purchase of equipment, then you can make a hay and straw chopper with your own hands. To do this, follow a few guidelines:

1. Find the right motor. If you plan to process up to 200 liters of raw materials, then give preference to models with a capacity of 2 to 5 kW. For a small amount of hay, use a less powerful machine.
2. The assembly of the device is carried out in accordance with the drawing. Today on the Internet you can find a lot of options. You just have to choose the right one.
3. For the manufacture of metal structural parts, use metal with a thickness of at least 3 mm. Choose a thicker material to support the engine.
4. The working part of the unit is a metal cylinder, inside which a disk with sharp knives is mounted. The axle must be securely fastened to the engine.
5. You can take an old metal barrel as a container for loading hay.
6. A support for the engine is welded to the working part. For reliability, they are equipped with kerchiefs.
7. The engine is secured to the support using bolts and screws.
8. An electrician can be installed only after all parts of the structure are assembled and securely fixed.

If you have the skills to handle the welding machine and understand the operation of the electric motor, such a unit can be made in one day. If you still don't understand any subtleties, watch the video on how to make a hay chopper:

(Last Updated On: 11/14/2017)

Hay / straw chopper (photo)

For various agricultural needs, crushed plant materials are often required - these are fertilizing for planting, and covering material for crops that are afraid of the cold, and food for livestock. For quick and convenient preparation of such crushed raw materials, you can use a variety of grinders, including self-made ones.

For example, you can make a DIY hay chopper, for which you can find a lot of applications. At the same time, it will be many times more effective than popular grass cutters, because hay is much harder than plain grass, therefore, to work with it, you need stronger knives and a more powerful power unit. That is, it will be possible to chop the grass with a hay chopper, but the opposite option may not be possible.

Types of equipment for chopping hay and straw

Depending on the power, performance, dimensions and, of course, the price, such equipment is divided into 2 large groups:

• industrial - these are large installations designed to work with a large volume of raw materials, they are used on large livestock and farms, special shredders are also produced that are installed directly on combines, in this case, the cut hay immediately turns into a chopped mass;
• household - these are, as a rule, small devices, the performance of which is sufficient to cover individual needs in chopped hay or straw, it is these shredders that can be made by hand.

At the same time, regardless of the size and power of the shredders, the principle of their operation remains the same:

• raw materials are loaded into a special hopper, for this you can adapt a special conveyor, or you can throw hay and scrap manually. It is important to remember that the raw materials should not contain any foreign objects and solid debris;
• from the hopper, the raw material enters a special drum, where it is cut into small fragments;
• then the chopped product is fed to the crusher, where it is crushed to the end.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated here, so any craftsman who knows how to handle tools and materials will be able to independently make a straw chopper with his own hands.

Self-production of straw choppers

Hay / Straw Chopper Drawing:

The first step is to make a project and mark the metal in accordance with it. Then the necessary elements are cut from the marked sheets: the bottom, the counter deck. The body of the receiving hopper can be made of sheet metal or other soft metal. To make knives, you can take strong bolts, cut them to the required length and sharpen them on an emery stone. The resulting blades should be secured to the disc and also fastened to the shear deck. You also need to weld blades in the space between the cutters to tilt the chopped straw.

A hole is drilled in the bottom to bring out the motor shaft, to which a disc with blades will be attached using a special sleeve. After that, we can assume that the hay and straw chopper is made by hand. If everything is calculated and done correctly, then the productivity and safety margin of such an apparatus will be quite sufficient for the needs of a small private farm. Of course, you will have to tinker with manufacturing, if there is no desire or opportunity to assemble the shredder yourself, you can buy a factory model, but the price of such equipment may not be the smallest, so making it yourself will save you a lot.

We make a hay chopper with our own hands

The special shape of the rotor and housing has a cyclonic principle of operation, which does not allow the raw material to fly out through the top. The rotor has a weight of 30 kg and a diameter of 650 mm, which saves on energy costs. When the rotor reaches the nominal mode, it operates in the flywheel mode. The knives are made of Steel 65G and have a sharp edge with a hardness of 67 HRC, which saves on sharpening and balancing the machine.

Versatility of IS shredders

The future buyer can now assemble the configuration according to their needs. And the plant will manufacture it as soon as possible. It can change the motor power, the angle of the nozzle, the angle of the knives, the material of the knives. Also a machine on request, available in stainless steel.

Main advantages:

• Special steel knives. High wear resistance of the edges;
• A wide range of output fractions, depending on the design;
• Record performance unmatched by competitors at a similar price;
• Convenient machine cleaning and maintenance. All knots are collapsible;
• High reliability and ease of maintenance;
• Direct drive of the power plant.

The warranty period is 24 months. The service life is 15 years.

* - the maximum performance is indicated. For your product, check with the managers. Performance may vary depending on the properties of raw materials.

Equipment: chopper, sieve 10mm and at the customer's choice, product passport.

Don't forget to order:

• Knife - 50 rubles;
• Spare sieve - from 4000 rubles;
• Aspiration system - from 50,000 rubles;
• Corrosion-proof version - increase in price by 50%.

Where to see the car at work:

1. On our official YouTube channel;
2. In the offices of the plant in Chelyabinsk, St. Petersburg;
3. Dealers in your area. If the dealers do not have the machine, please report the problem to the factory staff and we will send it to the dealer.

If you are in doubt about buying equipment, then you can test the work on your raw material in our laboratory.

The laboratory conducts training in machine setting and raw material crushing technologies. The laboratory is equipped with all grinders and frequency converters.

Farmers are gradually moving away from manual labor. The owners of small private farmsteads are actively introducing means of small mechanization to increase labor productivity. This includes a straw chopper. Such factory-made devices are on sale, but it is not always advisable to purchase them due to their high cost. The fact is that the shredder device is extremely simple, and you can make it yourself.

Operating principle and standard model

Explanations in the purpose of the shredder are superfluous for those farmers who keep livestock. In addition, the device can be used to produce fuel briquettes from hay or straw at home.

Manually chopping up the required amount of material for livestock feed is an extremely laborious event in terms of time and effort. And you shouldn't even think about the production of fuel briquettes in this way.

Some masters make artisanal shredders from the minimum set of materials at hand. Usually, old vacuum cleaners or pumps are used, in which the electric motor is working.

Means of this type are simple to manufacture, but their performance is extremely low... It will only be enough to feed a dozen rabbits. A large farm requires more raw materials.

As a result, you need a reliable straw chopper for private households that you can do yourself. The power should also be at a level that will allow the device to work for up to several hours without stopping.

Description of typical design

A typical design implies the elements from which the device is made. Their minimum set can be supplemented with an auxiliary one. The goal is to improve the comfort of using the device.

Shredder standard set:

• A container of sufficient volume acts as a bunker. Usually they take an old barrel or a large can, where the processed vegetation is laid.
• The electric motor is installed at the bottom of the hopper. The main thing is that its power is sufficient for non-stop work and for large loads.
• The axis on which the knives are fixed in an amount from 3 to 6. It is fixed directly to the axis of the electric motor.

The basis of the device is a hopper with sharp knives, which are rigidly fixed to a steel disc. The disk is mounted on an axle, which is the shaft of the electric motor or is connected to it through a gearbox.

The hopper is a container for storing material - hay or straw, which require shredding. The felling process takes place in it. For safety reasons, the hopper is made as high as possible so that when loading raw materials, you do not touch the knives with your hands. The shape of the container is usually cylindrical, but the shape of an inverted cone can be found. Place the container on a stand, usually in the form of a tripod. The height of the stand is such that an electric motor can be installed below. The latter is fixed to the bottom.

Sometimes the bunker is made small in height, but with a lid for safety reasons. There must be a hole in the lid for loading raw materials.

In-line production creates by installing a waste mass dump... The crushed material is ejected from the hopper through the device. This allows raw materials to be added continuously. That is, you do not need to stop the engine in order to get the cut and add raw materials. This achieves significant time savings. It will be made from the bottom of the bunker. The shape is not important, the main thing is that there is a slope for dumping the material.

A disc with knives placed on it is an extremely difficult part to manufacture. The design can be arbitrary. The aim during assembly is to achieve maximum balance so that the device does not shake from vibrations during operation.

Scheme of work

The container is usually a plastic barrel. It is advisable to cover it with a lid, and make a hole on the side so that the cross section does not fly apart in all directions. The operator only needs to supply the raw material and empty the container with the cross section on time. Ideally, they are used by several, changing as they fill.

Materials and manufacturing process

The manufacture of a house grinder begins with a drawing on paper. This allows you to have a visual idea of \u200b\u200bthe design and identify shortcomings or refine important nuances at the design stage. Redoing the finished product will turn out to be more expensive, and the extra time will be spent.

Materials for assembly:

The electric motor is the main part of the device, which sets its characteristics. The motor is selected depending on the volume of the straw chopper hopper. The greater the mass of raw materials at one load, the more powerful the engine is required. Usually, an electric motor with a power of 2.2 to 6 kW is installed on a hay and straw grinder for private households. The speed of revolutions should not exceed 2 thousand / min for safety reasons. Optimal - 1.5 thousand / min.

An electric motor with a rotation speed above the optimum can also be adapted for installation in a structure, but it is not directly connected to the shaft. For this use a reduction gear, often belt. You can use a gear train. The reduction gear allows you to increase the output of the motor and chop root crops and even small branches.

The motor is connected to the shafton which the blade disc will be installed. A tube can act as a shaft, but only straight, without distortions. This is necessary for the correct balance, otherwise vibration will arise, which is unacceptable.

The knives are mounted on the shaft so that there is a minimum distance between them and the counter-blades. This will ensure high-quality grinding of raw materials.

Assembling the device

It is necessary to assemble with high quality, adjusting the parts. The service life and safety of a household straw chopper depend on the build quality. The device contains moving parts and loose connections may come off during operation. This could result in operator injury.

Assembly order:

1. They work with a container and install an electric motor on it. In the absence of a bottom in the hopper, it is welded. A bracket and a metal plate are installed from below, where the electric motor is attached. The plate is fixed with a tank and the engine is attached to it.
2. Above the motor, inclined supports are installed, which will serve as a bracket for installing the unloading device. It is installed where the supports connect to the edge of the bin.
3. Attach the motor with screws or bolts. The motor axis must be above the ramps.
4. A cutting tool is formed. For this, pieces of high quality carbon steel are suitable, which can be taken from a used blade of a metal cutting machine. The disc is taken in such a size that the knives installed on it do not touch the walls of the hopper.
5. A disk with knives is fixed to the vertical axis. The axle can be made from strong steel pipe. The main requirement is for the pipe to be flat, without bends, since they will provoke vibration, which will affect the reliability of the device and its safety. The axle with knives is mounted on the motor shaft.
6. Install a cover on the hopper, which will increase the safety of the device.

The finished product is placed on a stand, which is fixed to the floor. A handmade straw chopper should be painted. This will prevent corrosion and the device will last a long time.

The quality of hay from a home crusher is as good as a factory-made hay. It only takes monitor the condition of the knives... The power of a home-made apparatus is sufficient not only for making a chop from hay or straw, but also for chopping fresh grass. Such food is good for livestock because it is easier for them to chew. Dry straw can be used to make fuel briquettes for personal use and for sale. This will pay off the device.

Independent work on the machine, even taking into account a new motor, will be cheaper than purchasing a finished one in a store. The market is flooded with Chinese products of questionable quality. And shredders from European manufacturers are expensive and are not suitable for small farms.