Straw chopper (hay, straw cutter): do-it-yourself

In the household of any farmer, there should be a variety of equipment that facilitates the work of caring for animals and growing plants.

A straw chopper is one of the types of such equipment. Such a unit can save time and effort during agricultural work.

Application

This technique mulches straw for further use in agriculture. Chopping hay and straw is necessary for:

• production of feed for animals and birds;
• flooring in the barn;
• for making compost in mushroom production;
• production of fuel briquettes;
• covering the ground under strawberries.

For work on the field, it is more productive to use a hay bale chopper. With it, you can process several hectares of land in one trip. Thus, fuel can be saved.

Straw and hay chopper with conveyor SS-D180

A private house always involves a lot of housekeeping work. You can buy a chopper in a store or you can make such a unit with your own hands. An industrial device has advantages over home-made ones, but at a price it differs greatly. To the menu

Variety of purchased equipment

Equipment that is produced at enterprises can be of different sizes and differ in power. A popular model is the straw chopper m15. This unit has a convenient hopper for filling hay or branches and has the following characteristics:

• works from a network 220380B;
• 1500 rpm makes a drum with knives;
• 3 kW - power;
• Weight 130 kg.

These parameters allow the use of a hay and straw chopper in small farms and in private households with poultry and livestock for the manufacture of roughage and processed into flour.

Numerous positive reviews can be found about the KP02 straw and hay chopper.

This model is compact with good performance. It has great features:

Hay chopper in a small workshop

• engine power 1.54.0 kW;
• network 220380 V;
• weight 65 kg;
• productivity 25 kg/h.

Such equipment takes up little space in the courtyard and consumes little electricity. It is able to provide a whole farm complex in chopped hay.to the menu

How to make a do-it-yourself unit with a drill?

If the owner is a little versed in technology, then he can make a homemade hay chopper. Such a do-it-yourself hay chopper will cost several times cheaper than a purchased one, but you will have to make a little effort to assemble it.

The first type of hay and straw chopper with your own hands can be constructed on the basis of a drill.

The principle of its operation will be similar to the work of a food processor. The body can serve as an iron bucket. Well-sharpened knives are attached to a dual-mode drill. When turned on, the drill wraps the knives, and they grind the straw.

Drill straw chopper

Such an apparatus will be able to grind small batches of straw. This amount is enough to feed livestock. Knives should be sharpened only at the bottom, then the hay will not get tangled around them.to the menu

How to make a unit from a vacuum cleaner?

At home, you can design shredders from a vacuum cleaner. It is used for such equipment household unit "Typhoon". The performance of such equipment will be several times higher than that of a drill design. This ability is due to the good power of the vacuum cleaner.

A bucket cannot be used for containers.

In this case, it is necessary to provide that the plants fall asleep through the upper opening, and the crushed material leaves the side opening of the vacuum cleaner. With this technology, it is necessary to use a protective cover so that the straw is not scattered at the exit.

Straw chopper from an old vacuum cleaner

The appearance of the equipment cannot be compared with a purchased grinder, but in operation it manifests itself no worse. This technique will be able to provide a small farm in all areas with chopped straw. It can be safely used for the manufacture of stalked feed. To the menu

Features of the manufacture of knives and the entire design as a whole

The main part of the technique are knives. They must be made of a special material - a hacksaw blade. With the help of a grinder, the required number of blanks is cut out, most often four are needed.

In each part, a square hole with sides of 26 mm is cut in the center. The width of the blanks depends on the rigidity of the material itself. For sharpening, a high-quality sharpener is used. The knives are placed at the bottom of the tank. The outlet for chopped straw is thought out at the bottom or side. In a metal case, a round hole can be made using a grinder.

The design of the support on which the chopper will be mounted is carefully thought out. In order for the unit to be stable, it is necessary to make the base of the support larger in size than the fixture itself.

The grinder is attached to the support with bolts. So, the unit will not vibrate much during operation, and the hay will not scatter. And the platform on the base will protect the engine. Manual loading of hay should not be dangerous for the owner.

The principle of operation of the chopper for hay

Therefore, the wrapping mechanism must be deep inside the container so that it cannot be directly accessed.to the menu

Unit from the pump

If the household did not find the right drill or a suitable vacuum cleaner model, you can use a pump of a certain power and model. The most commonly used brand is Agidel or another pump with a power of at least 3000 rpm and a 220V network.

In this design, you will need a large aluminum pan and a hacksaw for working with wood. You will need several of these tools. They are indispensable for the manufacture of chopper knives.

To start the unit, you need a button. It can be removed from a night vision device that has failed, an automatic washing machine. The starting system requires an electrical wire and plug. The motor is located under the pan. And the trigger mechanism is located behind the platform.

In order for your chopper to work for a long time and productively, you need to design only according to pre-prepared drawings. They will help to avoid mistakes when assembling the unit.

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Straw and hay chopper (video)

DIY straw and hay chopper: drawings, video

For livestock feed, soil fertilization, mulching and other agricultural needs, it is simply necessary to quickly chop up fresh grass, straw or hay. Previously, each village household had a special device that outwardly resembled a mechanical meat grinder, where grass was laid, it was necessary to turn the handle several times to get finely chopped raw materials.

In modern conditions, it is possible to make technology simpler and faster, without physical costs.

DIY straw cutter

For livestock feed on an industrial scale, overall shredders equipped with powerful electric motors are used. We will try to create a household self-cutting machine for hay and straw to be used for soil mulching, for livestock feed, for growing seedlings, etc. The principle of operation of the self-tapping screw has remained unchanged: you need to turn on the mechanism so that the cutting element starts moving inside, and portionwise throw the raw material, waiting for each portion to come out.

It is not difficult to make a straw chopper with your own hands. As a rule, it consists of a special bunker, where raw materials for processing enter. It is important that the hay is clean and free of stones and other foreign objects, as this can damage the electrical mechanism.

In general, the design may look like this, its assembly takes place according to the elements shown in the drawings (Fig. 1,2,3)

Manufacturing technology of a chopper for hay and straw

• The drum must be welded from sheet metal with a thickness of at least 4 mm.
• To drive, it is enough to buy an electric motor with a power of 800 watts and above and fasten it to a torque element.
• The body of the bunker, the pallet can be made of tin, non-ferrous metal.
• For a knife, sharpen the large bolts on the emery, then fasten two or more blades to the disc and wrap them tightly with a counter-cutting deck.
• There will be openings on both sides of the structure: one for supplying raw materials, the other for unloading them.
• It is better to make a vent from a plastic plumbing pipe, you can use a drainpipe, cutting it to the required size, or you can make a welded structure using tin sheets.
• The hay chopper must be equipped with an electric motor, which, in turn, is connected to the knives, so you need to make a hole in the bottom, and then, using a bushing, connect the discs with the knives and the torque electric

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How to grind straw at home

Diseases

Diseases of the musculoskeletal system

bedsores

What are bedsores

Bedsores are areas of the body of a bedridden patient that appear as a result of bleeding and necrosis of tissues due to prolonged compression or displacement between the skeleton and the bed.

Potential bedsores are all over bony protrusions on the body that are compressed when lying or sitting. In these places, the subcutaneous fat is the least pronounced, the pressure of the bone protrusions is most pronounced.

If the patient lies on his back - these places are the sacrum, heels, ischial tubercles, elbows, shoulder blades, occiput. If on the side - on the side of the thigh (greater trochanter area), on the sides of the ankles and knees. If the patient lies on his stomach - the pubic area and cheekbones.

Causes of bedsores

In a sitting or lying person, compression of blood vessels and tissues occurs, as a result of which blood flow to the tissues is disturbed. If this continues long enough, there is a malnutrition of the tissues, and then their necrosis - a bedsore is formed.

The second cause of a bedsore occurs when the surface layers of tissues are displaced relative to the deep layers, for example, when the patient is pulled along the bed, linen is taken out from under him or a vessel is pushed under him.

Small blood vessels rupture and the blood supply is interrupted. In addition, factors such as:

• dirty skin;
• overweight or wasting;
• incontinence of urine and feces;
• small items in bed;
• reduced nutrition and lack of drinking;
• diabetes;
• sweating;
• diseases of the brain and spinal cord;
• smoking;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• allergic reaction to skin care products.

Places of bedsore formation

In the “on the back” position, bedsores develop:

• in the back of the head,
• shoulder blades
• on the elbows
• sacrum,
• ischial tuberosities,
• heels.

In the side position:

• in the region of the auricle,
• shoulder,
• elbow joints,
• femoral
• knee joints,
• at the ankle.

In the sitting position:

• in the area of ​​the shoulder blades
• sacrum,
• heels,
• toes.

Stages of bedsores

There are 4 stages of bedsores, each of which develops in connection with the dynamic progress of the previous stage of the disease. All 4 stages of skin cell death can be treated. Depending on the degree of damage, appropriate measures for medical or surgical treatment are prescribed.

Important: it is best when a nurse takes care of such sick people. Their actions are based on the special knowledge that the table of stages of bedsores has collected. It describes possible methods of influence depending on the situation and the patient's condition.

1 stage bedsores

The initial stage of bedsores is accompanied by symptoms that are not always visible visually. Depending on the color of the skin, reddening of the epidermis can be seen, which does not change in color when pressed.

Most often, the affected area has a red-purple hue. With tactile contact, it can be noted that this area is hotter or cooler compared to the rest of the body surface. If the patient is able to speak, he may complain of tingling or numbness in these parts.

No other damage is noted, so it is very important that the initial stage is detected in time. Thus, it is possible to completely heal flaws without residue.

The main treatment is to change body position regularly, if possible. Every two hours, special inflatable pillows should be placed so that there is room for air circulation. In addition, it is necessary to carry out hygiene procedures using disinfectants.

You can rinse with chlorhexidine so as not to additionally dry out the skin. After that, it is necessary to apply restorative ointments that will help activate blood circulation. For this purpose, drugs Levomekol or Solcoseryl are suitable.

2nd stage bedsores

In the second stage of bedsores, visible damage to the epidermis is noted. The integrity of the cover is broken, delamination may begin. Initially, single wounds or blisters may appear. This indicates that the process of death has begun, which affects the subcutaneous tissue. The surface swells. At this stage, recovery is possible, but it will be much longer and more difficult than in the previous degree.

In the treatment of deeper damage, special wipes with sterile powder will be required. You can wash the wounds with saline or chlorophyllipt solution. Do not use iodine and brilliant green to cauterize ulcers. It is necessary to apply ointments prescribed by the attending physician. As additional measures, applications with enzymes are applied. They accelerate the process of wound healing and skin regeneration.

3rd stage bedsores

Damage begins to reach adipose tissue. The surface is completely affected, and the skin is missing. The ulcer resembles a crater, and its bottom is filled with dead tissue of a yellow-brown hue. The main danger during this period is that healthy areas of the skin can also be damaged.

Under the treatment of the third degree of damage, surgical intervention is meant. During the operation, dead tissue is opened. They are cleaned and disinfected. Next, drugs are prescribed that help activate the regenerative functions of the epidermis, dressings are applied, which should be changed regularly.

4 stage bedsores

At this stage in the development of bedsores, all soft tissues die off. Bones and tendons are visible. Such manifestations are not treated with medication. The surgeon performs an operation during which dead tissue remains are removed, and all surviving layers are sanitized. Then artificial skin or a whole healthy cover can be transplanted.

Prevention of bedsores

Pressure ulcer prevention is needed in patients who use a wheelchair, who are recumbent, who suffer from partial immobility, urinary and / or fecal incontinence, malnourished or obese, suffering from diabetes mellitus or after a stroke. The main principles for the prevention of bedsores are:

• reduction of pressure, shear or friction;
• reduction of skin irritants;
• decrease in skin moisture;
• personal hygiene;
• complete nutrition;
• correct delivery of urine and feces.

To reduce pressure, a soft, resilient mattress is needed, for example, made of foam rubber with a thickness of at least 15 cm. There are special mattresses for bedsores on sale, but it should be remembered that with insufficient attention to other preventive measures, the patient may still experience bedsores.

It is necessary to examine the patient's skin every day in places where the bones protrude, since it is there that bedsores most often appear. It is necessary to change the position of the patient's body more often - at least every 2-3 hours, including at night.

Rollers or soft pillows should be placed under the bony protrusions, which increase the area of ​​contact between the patient's body and the surface of the bed. This reduces the pressure on the soft tissues of the body, improves blood circulation and reduces the risk of pressure sores.

Important: it should be remembered that the patient must first be lifted, and only then should he be moved or something should be placed under him. Do not leave the patient in an uncomfortable position.

For the prevention of bedsores, the patient's diet should contain at least 20% protein, contain enough trace elements, zinc, iron and vitamin C. The diet should include fruits, greens, vegetables, dairy products. Fish, chicken broth, cereals, and dairy products should be used to meet the patient's protein needs. Drinking - at least 1.5 liters, if there are no medical restrictions.

To reduce skin irritation, underwear should be soft, without coarse seams, patches and buttons. The bed should be straightened regularly so that there are no wrinkles on it. For skin care, it is necessary to use proven, non-allergic products. In addition, perineal hygiene should be performed more frequently, as urine and feces are strong irritants.

It is necessary to ensure that the patient is covered with a blanket and dressed in accordance with the temperature of the room, as sweating increases with overheating.

The rules for skin care to prevent the occurrence of bedsores are quite simple:

• skin must not be contaminated
• excessive moisture or dryness,
• use plain water
• soap,
• cotton washcloth,
• natural sponges,
• moisturizing and nourishing creams,
• drying ointments and powders.

Wet skin should be dried, dry skin should be moisturized. Do not use antibacterial soap, as along with harmful microorganisms, it destroys beneficial ones, which reduces the skin's resistance to infections.

In addition, it is necessary to do air baths for the skin. For urinary incontinence, it is better to use diapers or pads, although for some patients it is enough to give a vessel more often. For urinary incontinence in men, a urinal can be used.

Treatment of bedsores

The treatment of bedsores is based on three principles: it is necessary to restore blood circulation at the site of injury as much as possible, it is necessary to promote the rejection of dead tissues, and it is necessary to help the wound heal.

To restore blood circulation in the tissues, it is necessary to follow the rules of prevention. For rejection of dead tissues, mechanical surgical removal is used or drugs are used that accelerate rejection, for example, Iruksol ointment.

In addition, you can use such a home remedy: dressings with a solution of salt in cognac (150 ml of cognac and 30 g of salt), which should be applied under compress paper and replaced as necessary. Before applying a new bandage, it is necessary to wash the wound.

Various healing agents can be used to heal a wound:

• sea ​​buckthorn oil,
• ointment "Actovegin",
• "Levomikol",
• "Levosin",
• "Solcoseryl" and others.

Often, bedsores are complicated by a secondary infection, then antibacterial and antiseptic agents should be used to treat them:

• 3% hydrogen peroxide solution,
• boric acid,
• furacillin solution,
• white streptocide powder,
• ointments "Levomikol" and "Levosin".

Hard-to-heal or large bedsores can only be cured surgically - tissue grafting.

In the treatment of bedsores, dressings should be used. To secure them, use a bandage or plaster. You need to use a paper-based patch, as the skin under it breathes, and the glue fixes the bandage well. When applying the patch, the formation of skin folds should be avoided.

Folk remedies for the treatment of bedsores at home

It must be remembered that when using folk remedies for the treatment of bedsores at home, you should consult with your doctor.

Boil 100 g of vegetable oil and add a piece of beeswax there. Stir and cool - you will get a mass similar to vaseline. Bedsores, ulcers or wounds should be lubricated with this ointment. To prevent bedsores, mix water with vodka or alcohol, add a few drops of shampoo or shower gel and wipe the body. Finish wiping with a dry cloth. Bedsores well treats Kalanchoe. Cut the leaves of Kalanchoe and the side where the juice flows, attach as a sticker and secure. The wound will heal overnight. Simmer 2 finely chopped onions and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in an enameled pan over low heat for about 20 minutes. When the onion turns golden, remove it with a slotted spoon. Melt 1/4 of the church candle in the remaining oil. Place the resulting mixture in a jar and store in the refrigerator. Lubricate bedsores twice a day until they disappear. Place the patient on a mattress stuffed with straw. Straw is better to take oatmeal or any other, except barley. Through such a mattress, the skin breathes and is ventilated. Buy 15 kg of millet, put it in a pillowcase and sew it up. Place this pillowcase under the patient. There will be no bedsores. And if bedsores have already appeared, treat them with a strong solution of potassium permanganate (dark pink). A folk remedy for bedsores and other skin diseases is calendula ointment. It is necessary to grind a tablespoon of dried calendula flowers in a coffee grinder and mix with 50 g of petroleum jelly. The mixture is applied to the sore spot 1-2 times a day until complete recovery. Ointment for bedsores and fistulas: mix equal amounts of olive oil and vodka. Rub this mixture on the affected area 2-3 times a day.

Bedsores with hip fracture

A hip fracture is the most common injury in women who have entered menopause. Pathology occurs due to any blow (fall). With a pathology such as osteoporosis, fractures occur very often.

After a fracture, patients experience minor but constant pain in the groin. It makes them uncomfortable, they become irritable. The treatment of such people is complicated by the lack of psychological contact with them.

As a rule, at the beginning of the disease, patients experience urinary and fecal incontinence. To solve the problem, they need adequate care and treatment, some help. After a short period, the problem disappears (subject to the normal functioning of the bladder and defecation).

But the biggest threat is bedsores. The main areas of inflammation are the sacrum and heel of the broken leg. Such patients require preventive measures.

The most effective prevention algorithm for bedridden patients is a constant change of position. But turning to the healthy side causes unbearable pain in the region of the hip fracture. Often because of this, it is difficult to perform the movements of the patient to the desired position.

In the area of ​​the sacrum, it is necessary to carefully examine and process the skin, to make a frequent change of linen. At the first signs of tissue necrosis, use drying ointments, powders, and carry out appropriate treatment.

Important: patients with a hip fracture are seriously ill, and professional medical care plays a huge role in preventing tissue necrosis in such bedridden patients.

Skin ulcerations can be caused by pollution, urine, feces, and high humidity. Skin care should be soft, non-aggressive. Wet skin should be gently dried, and if it is dry, then moisturize.

If it was not possible to avoid inflammation, then the wound must be cleaned to restore blood circulation. Necrosis can be removed surgically or a special ointment can be used.

Painkillers are used to turn patients with a hip fracture. They are used in the form of injections, tablets, or in combination. Massage is used as a preventive measure.

Light stroking massage movements eliminate blood stasis in a broken leg, improve tissue trophism, and reduce the risk of inflammation. Care and treatment of patients with a fracture should begin from the first days.

Questions and answers on the topic "Decubituses"

Q: Can pressure ulcers be prevented?

Answer: There are special anti-decubitus mattresses with a special coating and an air compressor that partially solve the problem of static and restore blood circulation. However, skin examination and timely action are still necessary.

Question: Hello. A relative of mine developed a bedsore on the lower part of the buttock. I did applications with Solcoseryl gel. Now the dense central part has opened, there is a serous discharge with inclusions. I washed it with hydrogen peroxide and applied the gel. Please tell us how to treat such bedsores with drugs sold in pharmacies? Do I need ointment "levomikol" in such cases? What is better to dry or vice versa to keep the environment moist? And most importantly: is it possible to wash in the shower? The patient does not walk well, but is mobile.

Answer: Hello. Need to wash. Then dry, then lubricate (you can use the same levomekol). Humid environment is not needed. If possible - air baths (within reason, that is, so that your relative does not freeze). To prevent bedsores in other places, the patient should roll over more often, i.e. do not lie in one position. Massage helps a lot (only with intact skin in the area being massaged).

Question: After three weeks of resuscitation with a massive heart attack, my mother (78 years old) developed a decubitus on her heel. Now she is moving around the apartment. But 7 months have already passed since the formation of the bedsore. I treat with ointments - argosulfan, levomikol, treat with a solution of chlorhexadine, make wet compresses with malavit and ointment. The healing process is very slow. The bed sore is very deep. Recommend something more efficient.

Answer: Hello. In general, there is no more effective than time and the drugs you use. But I think that since it takes so long for a pressure sore to heal, there may already be chronic osteomyelitis of the calcaneus supporting the existence of this pressure sore. In this case, as well as if the wound is simply large and does not heal because of this, surgical treatment may be required. I advise you to see a surgeon.

Question: Hello. My husband (age 43) had a fracture of the femoral neck, while he was in the hospital, he developed a bedsore on the sacrum. At the moment, I treat at home with chlorhexine, then apply a sterile dressing with argosulfan. I don't know how often to change the bandage. Now the partially formed crust is coming off. Please tell me how to properly treat the wound so that there are no complications, maybe something else needs to be done for a speedy recovery. It is clear that this is a long process, please tell us your forecast. Thank you in advance.

Answer: Dressings should be done once a day, you should also invite the surgeon of the clinic to which you are assigned - to control wound healing and timely change of medications or the possibility of using the urgo bandage.

Question: My husband developed a bed sore in the coccyx area (MTS in the pelvis and spine after a back melanoma removed 5 years ago). I tried to treat him myself (levomikol, argosulfan), a blood crust formed 2 by 3 cm in size. But, since he lies, fidgets on his back, ichor oozes from under the crust. What to do next? Thank you in advance for your response. Husband is 67 years old.

Hello. "Dry" the bed sore with green paint, fresh air, turn it (or let it turn more actively), re-lay it regularly, purchase (get?) an anti-decubitus mattress. You can apply dry sterile wipes once a day after brilliant green to “protect” the crust.

Question: Hello! Help me please! I take care of my mother-in-law, she has been lying and not getting up for 4 months in the hemodialysis unit. Bedsores do not give rest. I try, I process every day, but without results. I treat the bedsore on the spine with chlorhexidine and apply Ebermin ointment. It's been 2 months with no improvement. Please suggest an effective remedy. I beg you, please help!

Answer: The best option is an anti-decubitus mattress, and a change in body position. You are processing correctly. The main thing in preventing the appearance of bedsores is a frequent change in body position.

Question: Please tell me how to treat epidermophytosis inguinal and bedsores on the buttocks. The husband is paralyzed, kidney cancer 4 tbsp.

Answer: If this is really inguinal erythroderma, treat the skin in this place with a solution of chlorhexidine and apply Triderm cream, later you can switch to Clotrimazole or Nizoral and Candide powder, inflammation sites can be treated with Fukortsin. Concerning decubituses consult internally to the surgeon, all depends on a stage of process.

Question: Hello! Prompt please, than and how to treat decubituses. We have a boy, 19 years old, after an accident, a fracture of the 6th vertebra and a contusion of the spinal cord, the operation was performed only on the third day. She did not give any results, now he is lying, there is no sensitivity below the belt. It took almost six months, bedsores began to appear. We don’t know how to treat, we’ve already tried everything, it seems to help, then again everything is the same. There is a deep bedsore on the sacrum and on the thighs, superficial. They smeared it with levomekol, panthenol, now we smear it on the thighs with solcoseryl, and on the sacrum with agrosulfan.

Answer: Hello. 1. Anti-decubitus mattress. 2. Periodic turning over (this is no longer needed for treatment, but for the prevention of bedsores, when they are not there yet, but in your case it will not hurt either). Ideally (in all textbooks they write) - coups from side to side every two hours, but this is not feasible and probably so much is not needed if you have a mattress. 3. Bedsores should be "dry" around the edges, with green paint, for example. If "inside" fester - then levomekol, if it almost does not "fester" or even slowly "overgrows" - you can use panthenol and solcoseryl. Close the bed sore with just clean napkins after it has been treated. The most important thing: you don’t have to “lie” on a bedsore, it needs to be “dryed” and “ventilated”. Time will do the rest.

(Last Updated On: 11/14/2017)

For various agricultural needs, crushed vegetable raw materials are often required - this is top dressing 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 hay chopper with your own hands, for which you can find a lot of applications. At the same time, it will be many times more efficient than popular grass cutters, because hay is much tougher than simple grass, therefore, to work with it, you need stronger knives and a more powerful power unit. That is, it will be possible to grind grass with a hay chopper, but the reverse option may not be possible.

Varieties 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 amount of raw materials, they are used on large livestock and farms, special choppers 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 choppers that can be made by hand.

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

• raw materials are loaded into a special bunker, 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 bunker, the raw material enters a special drum, where it is chopped into small fragments;
• then the chopped product is fed into the crusher, where it is crushed to the end.

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

Self-made straw cutter

Hay/straw chopper drawing:

The first step is to make a project and, in accordance with it, mark the metal. Then, the necessary elements are cut out of the marked sheets: the bottom, the counter deck. The body of the receiving hopper can be made of tin or other soft metal. For the manufacture of knives, you can take strong bolts, cut them to the required length and sharpen them on an emery stone. The resulting blades should be fixed on the disk, and also fastened to the counter-cutting deck. It is also necessary to weld blades into the space between the cutters for tilting the chopped straw.

A hole is drilled in the bottom to bring out the motor shaft, to which a disk with blades will be attached using a special bushing. After that, we can assume that the hay and straw chopper is made by hand. If everything is calculated and done correctly, then the performance and safety margin of such an apparatus will be quite enough for the needs of a small private economy. Of course, for manufacturing you will have to tinker, if there is no desire or opportunity to assemble the chopper on your own, you can buy a factory model, however, the price of such equipment may not be the smallest, so self-production will save a lot of money.

A hay cutter or a straw cutter is an indispensable unit in the subsidiary farm. With it, you can quickly and easily grind hay for poultry or young animals, as well as grind straw for warming beds or winter roads, making briquettes for heating. It is not difficult to make a hay chopper on your own, and the practicality and functionality of a home-made device will not be inferior to store-bought counterparts.

The simplest hay and straw chopper is made from a conventional vacuum cleaner. An ordinary plastic or aluminum bucket serves as a working chamber where raw materials are placed, and then a knife is lowered, mounted on a rotating shaft. You can make such a device in a few minutes, but it has one significant drawback: low productivity and impracticality. If the number of poultry or livestock is large, you will need a more reliable hay crusher.

The working unit is the most important part of the straw chopper. It consists of a steel bunker, inside of which there are knives. The knives are attached to the engine axis with a special axis. Usually the bunker is made in the form of a cylinder, and for greater safety, the walls are left high. You can do it with short walls, but then equip the device with a lid.

The main components of the straw chopper:

• Working chamber with lid
• Support,
• Motor,
• gain strip,
• Knives or cutting disc,
• Raw material receiver.

materials

A do-it-yourself hay cutter is assembled at home from materials available to everyone. And its manufacture does not require special technical skills. To make a hay chopper with your own hands, you need to have a locksmith kit, a welding machine, a drill and a grinding machine. From the materials you need:

• Motor (an electric motor from a washing machine is suitable),
• Sheet of metal, with a thickness of about two millimeters,
• Sheet of metal, about three millimeters thick,
• Steel sheet, ten millimeters thick,
• Pipe cut (do not use a diameter of more than 25 mm),
• A strip of metal, 3 mm wide, 25 mm long.

Manufacturing

Instead of knives, you can take a disk from a circular saw or a powerful food processor. A barrel or a piece of pipe with a diameter of at least thirty centimeters is well suited for the role of the body of the device.

Before you make a straw chopper with your own hands, it is advisable to find clear and detailed drawings of the apparatus on the Internet. They will prevent errors in the location of parts and fastening. Manufacturing begins with marking and cutting the workpiece from a pipe cut. An additional bottom is attached to the resulting container by welding, and already to it - a holder for the motor. Several holes are pre-drilled in the steel sheet to simplify the process of mounting the motor. A do-it-yourself straw cutter made from a pipe will turn out to be stronger if metal corners-kerchiefs are welded to the sides. A container for an already crushed product is attached below. Only after that the engine is installed. It is attached to a steel sheet, and cutting knives or discs are mounted on the axis and securely fixed.

The last moment: an electrical cable and a toggle switch are mounted, as well as a cover and an indicator light. The device is ready to work.

A simpler and less powerful do-it-yourself hay chopper can be made from an ordinary washing machine. In addition to the machine, you also need:

• Knives or cutting disc,
• electric wire,
• bucket,
• metal corner,
• fasteners,
• Locksmith set.

A word of advice: if you plan to grind not only hay and straw, but also tree branches, then it is better to use an additional gasoline engine.

How to assemble the device

At the bottom of the case, a small rectangular cutout is cut, approximately 20 by 7 cm in size. Its perimeter is sheathed with metal plates for greater strength. A stand is made from the corner. The height of the stand depends on what is planned to be used as a crushed raw material receiver. For buckets, the stand is made higher than for boxes.

To attach the engine, two small holes are made on the shaft, after which a threaded sleeve is installed on it. The engine is mounted on a shaft, and the whole structure is attached to the bottom of the tank with metal studs. After this, cutting discs or knives are put on the shaft. It is very important to choose the size of the discs so that they do not come into contact with the walls of the working chamber.

Before connecting the motor to the cable, you need to decide on the working and starting winding of the motor itself. This is easy to do with a special tester: the working winding has less resistance than the starting winding. Connect the motor like this:

1. One of the ends of the starting winding is connected to the start toggle switch,
2. The other end is connected to the main wire and the working winding,
3. The free end of the working winding is connected to the main wire and wiring from the start toggle switch.
4. The hay grinder is ready.

It is possible to make life easier for those who are engaged in agriculture with the help of special devices. One of them is the straw chopper, which can be used both to prepare bedding or feed, and to create a fertilizer mix. It can be purchased at a specialized store or do it yourself.

Hay is a versatile material for making:

• bedding for animals;
• covering material for different cultures;
• fertilizers.

You can grind it to the smallest pieces both manually and with the help of a special machine. The crusher has a fairly compact size and can be stored even in the smallest outbuilding. If you have minimal household appliance repair skills, then you should make a homemade chopper. It will help you save a lot of money, as the prices for agricultural machinery in stores are extremely high. During the preparatory work, you will need to study the diagrams and drawings of various models of hay or straw crushers.

A do-it-yourself straw chopper works according to an elementary principle: on a rod that rotates due to the operation of a motor, there are knives that grind plant material to small pieces. Such a mechanism is placed in a large cylindrical tank, bucket or old vacuum cleaners. The larger the volume of the container, the more knives will be required. Unlike industrially manufactured machines, self-assembled crushers have low productivity. However, for those who keep 10-15 rabbits, such a shredder will be enough.

Important! Try to assemble not only a productive car, but also a safe one. To do this, cover the working hopper with a lid with a hatch for loading.

In the lower part of the body, make an inclined pipe for supplying finished products. So that you can place a container under the crushing hopper to receive the finished product, install the device on a tripod. Its height should be such that you have access to the upper part, and from below you can freely put a bucket or basin.

The great advantage of do-it-yourself crushers is that you can assemble them according to your own parameters, that is, put the hopper at a convenient height and make it the most suitable volume.

materials

What do you need to make a hay and straw chopper with your own hands?

To begin with, try to depict all parts of the crushing device in the figure. This will help you visualize where and how the parts of the mechanism will be located. To assemble it, you will need to have on hand:

• finished electric motor;
• container for vegetable raw materials (can be finished or welded to the required size);
• a cover that securely covers the working hopper;
• a centimeter thick steel plate, which will be a platform for the engine;
• sheet metal for the manufacture of supports and other elements, its thickness should be about 3 millimeters;
• bracket holding the motor;
• shaft and knives of different sizes;
• side pipe.

The most important part of the device is the electric motor. It is chosen according to the parameters, based on the volume of the tank for grinding vegetable raw materials. The more mass that can be loaded into the device at a time, the more powerful the motor is needed. If an ordinary barrel is the basis for the grinding tank, then an engine with a power of 2.2 to 5.5 kilowatts will be able to chop a batch of hay in it.

Important! Another parameter of the motor that needs to be taken into account is the speed of revolutions. It should be around 1500 rpm, but do not buy motors with speeds over 2000 rpm, as the design of the crusher will be unsafe.

For small crushers, experienced craftsmen take the engine from the drill along with the body. You can also find options with motors from Soviet-made vacuum cleaners, pumps and other devices. The power unit must be connected to the shaft so that it can spin it. This must be done before installing the motor in the working hopper. Use only a balanced shaft so that the device does not shake during operation. On it you will need to fix the knives so that the distance between them and the counterblades is minimal.

How to assemble a straw chopper

The assembly of the device is carried out as quickly as possible, since most of the parts are already ready for use:

1. First, work is underway on the body of the product. If the container does not have a bottom, then it is welded to it.
2. Then, a bracket is attached to the bottom of the tank by welding, on which the engine will be held. A hole is made in the plate for the electric motor. This steel screen is welded to the bracket.
3. Build inclined supports above the engine. They must be tough enough. In the place where they adjoin the edge of the bunker, it is necessary to make an unloading device.
4. Reinstall the engine. Secure it with self-tapping screws.
5. Raise the motor axle so that it is above the ramps.
6. Mount the disk with knives on the vertical axis and fix them securely on the shaft.
7. At the last stage, install a lid on the tank, place the hopper on a tripod and cover the device with a special paint for metal. This will help prevent rust.

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 magnificence to be, there is a lot of work to be done. In order for the soil to be fertile, it is necessary to make a lot of organic matter. Mulching with grass is a great way to keep the soil in good condition. It can be laid out on the beds immediately after mowing or pre-composted. In order for thick stems of greens to decompose more actively, they are recommended to be crushed beforehand. You can make your own grass grinder or just buy one.

The choice of finished equipment largely depends on how much raw material is to be ground. After all, ground grass is needed not only for fertilizing the soil. It will also come in handy for 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 handled with a conventional cut. This is the name of a triangular plate, equipped with a strong and sharply sharpened lower edge.

Chop is an elementary tool for chopping grass. If the amount of work is small, then you can not buy or build a gasoline or electric grass cutter. Put the cut on the stalk and get to work

For work, the cut is planted on a long stalk. It allows you not to bend down 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 grass layer should not be too large. Then the cut will not become dull and will not spring. When the cut is struck from top to bottom, the grass is cut into small pieces.

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

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 no worse, and perhaps even better than the purchased one. Better, because only you yourself know the needs of your farm and can perfectly adapt the appliance to your own needs. It will be exactly what you need!

Option #1 - a drill to help you!

An excellent grass cutter can be very easily built from a conventional drill. You can see how this simple device works 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 sharply sharpened knife. When rotating it in a circle at high speed, the grass is cut. For the manufacture of this grass cutter, a two-mode drill "Temp" with a power of 850 watts is used. The knife is made of hacksaw blade. The whole secret is hidden in the sharpening of the knife. If it is done correctly, the grass will not wrap around the blade. The knife must remain clean and free of greens.

Sharpen the knife with one-sided sharpening. It should be oriented with the sharpened plane down. If you have to chop fresh grass, a narrow diamond shape is the best knife shape so that the cutting edge comes to naught at an angle to the edges. In extreme cases, you can round the blade to the point. Then the grass, which is affected by centrifugal force, slides along the cutting edge of the knife straight to the edges. It cuts easily and never wraps around a 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 performance 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 exits through the lower one located in the side of the apparatus. To ensure that the finished silage does not scatter during pouring, 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 practically free. Decide what is more important to you

The crushed 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 the bucket of normal parameters must pass freely to place it in the right place. So where does the "Typhoon"? The case from the old Soviet Typhoon vacuum cleaner is ideal for an elementary garden grass grinder: it has an upper opening of the most suitable size. Again, this is the perfect fit. But not the only one!

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

The process of making a herb grinder 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 motor with the pulley removed is studded from below to the container. To clamp the knives, plumbing nuts 32 mm in diameter will come in handy. In the manufacture of bushings, prudently cut the threads for these nuts. Do not forget about the hole for the motor shaft. In order to have a reliable fixation on the shaft, two holes 7 mm in diameter are made in the sleeve with M8 threads cut into them for locking bolts. Platforms are machined on the reverse side of the motor shaft to increase the reliability of fixing the bushing with locking bolts.

At a height of 15 mm in the upper part of the cylinder, the edges were removed by the grinder to form a square with a side of 25 mm. Knives will be put on him. 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 blank. The width of each part depends on the degree of rigidity of the original metal. It is clear that the knives should be placed closer to the bottom. Their cutting edges are sharpened using a sharpener. The bolts fixing the sleeve are placed above the knives.

In the photo: No. 4 - a sleeve for fixing the knives and connecting the engine to the body, No. 5 - a square on which the knives will subsequently be 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 silage directly under the knives, then it is equipped on the side. To do this, the grinder can make a circle 7x7. Tin is used to form the guide body. The body is attached to the grinder with M3 bolts. The platform of the unit must be as stable as possible. To do this, its base is made larger than the upper part. Make it as functional and convenient 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 close the side faces 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 - a 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 will build yourself something equally simple and useful without much difficulty and effort.

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 surely be able to be useful to their owner for a long time to come.

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;
• old aluminum pan;
• old hacksaws for wood, from which you can make wonderful knives;
• to start the engine, you need a button, 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 creating a grass chopper and everything will work out great for you.

Pay attention to how the knives are placed in this herb grinder. 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 better reach.

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

Option # 4 - homemade straw cutter

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

A Few Safety Warnings

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, to bring relief in work, and not to injure, follow basic safety precautions when performing work.

If the operation of the unit is connected with electricity, be doubly careful and take the necessary measures. Pay special attention to ensure that children do not try to turn on the grass cutter. It's better to overdo it than to overdo it!