Sod cutter build

[JPWH 6,033]

I have been grinding an edge on the scrape blade I was given. It has been slow progress but getting there. I grind a while then let it cool down. While it is cooling I have been cutting metal and tacking the pieces together. This is what I have so far.

 

 

 

[sjoemie himself 3,068]

Looking good so far. I'll be keeping an eye on this build.

For my understanding.. this doesn't have any moving parts? I mean like a side to side movement of the blade?

Also what is the purpose of cutting sod like this? Is it to harvest sod to replant it or to clear a piece of land from sod so that it can be tilled and turned into a garden?

[JPWH 6,033]

50 minutes ago, sjoemie himself said:

For my understanding.. this doesn't have any moving parts? I mean like a side to side movement of the blade?

Also what is the purpose of cutting sod like this?

There is no moving parts. I need to remove sod from one area and replant to another location. I also need to remove some sod, change the grade, then replace the sod to new grade.

[EB-80/8inPA 1,641]

I once knew an old timer (born in the late 1800’s) from Kansas who asked me if I’d ever seen a sod house (I hadn’t).  That virgin prairie grass could be turned into building blocks and that’s what settlers did back in those days.  It grew as tall as a maiden on horseback - or something like that.

Edited May 14, 2022 by EB-80/8inPA

[ebinmaine 67,484]

Neat project. 

Is there a commercially made sod cutter for any garden tractor?

 

Once you get done with it @c-series don might want it for his "museum". 😉

 

Love the ingenuity here.  

 

[EB-80/8inPA 1,641]

Sod ‘em and growmoruh!

Edited May 14, 2022 by EB-80/8inPA

[ebinmaine 67,484]

2 minutes ago, EB-80/8inPA said:

I once knew an old timer (born in the 1890’s) from Kansas who asked me if I’d ever seen a sod house (I hadn’t).  That virgin prairie grass could be turned into building blocks and that’s what settlers did back in those days.  It grew as tall as a maiden on horseback - or something like that.

Yepp. 

I've read about em. 

Known as a "soddy". 

Often temporary housing while a different building was constructed. 

Soddys were said to be humid inside. Not the best environment but got you by for a bit.  

[JPWH 6,033]

11 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Is there a commercially made sod cutter for any garden tractor?

Not that I have been able to find. I did find some home made but very few.

[sjoemie himself 3,068]

2 hours ago, JPWH said:

remove sod from one area and replant to another location

Thanks, that also works ofcourse.

 

16 minutes ago, EB-80/8inPA said:

a sod house

 

I know those. In the Netherlands we call those 'plaggenhut' or 'turfhuis'.

One is made of 'plaggen' or sods and the other is made by stacking turfs.

[WHX?? 48,815]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Is there a commercially made sod cutter for any garden tractor?

 

1 hour ago, JPWH said:

Not that I have been able to find. 

There is but they don't exactly give them away. 

https://www.powerequipmentwarehouse.com/sod-cutter

Lots of rental places do rent them.

 

There are farms around here that grow it & I see it rolling down the road by the semi load so gotta be one for a tractor. 

 

Folks around here pay big money for an instant lawn. 

Anybody checked out the price of even a small bag of grass seed latey?!?!? 

Be cheaper to blacktop the lawn paint it green and sell the mower..... ahh wait that would cut into seat time! 

 

What tractor are you going to use it on Hank? 953 with 3 pt would be my guess. Thinking controlling the depth would be critical? 

Edited May 14, 2022 by WHX??

[WHX?? 48,815]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Once you get done with it @c-series don might want it for his "museum". 😉

 

Ain't gotta worry about me calling dibs on it Don! 

[ebinmaine 67,484]

3 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

There are farms around here that grow it & I see it rolling down the road by the semi load

Yessir. There's a few places around Southern Maine in the flat areas that grow sod to sell. 

LOTS of construction going on around here and the new condos like an instant lawn.  

 

 

[JPWH 6,033]

1 hour ago, WHX?? said:

What tractor are you going to use it on Hank? 953 with 3 pt would be my guess. Thinking controlling the depth would be critical? 

You have a good guess Jim. I have a built in depth control with the skid plate. What I don't know yet is if the hydraulics will or if I will need to use weight. I'm building it to go either way 

[953 nut 55,224]

When I was getting ready to build a shop years back my neighbor rented one of the walk behind units like in @WHX?? link. He had a lot of bad spots in his yard and wanted some "free" sod. I had rented a skid steer to level the area and when I attempted to harvest sod for him it came up in chunks, not very useable. It was zoysia grass so i'm not sure if this would have been a problem with other grass species.

The cutting blade on the sod cutter vibrated side to side as it went forward, don't know how well it would have cut the roots otherwise.

[JPWH 6,033]

I just have a few more welds to make. We have St. Augustine grass and I have dug some up by hand but now I want to remove more than I'm interested in doing by hand. If I get home in time this afternoon I will find out if it will work or not.

[JPWH 6,033]

Finished the Sod Cutter today all but paint. I did try it. Not so good in dry red clay. I broke out the sprinkler and after about 30 min. Still too dry but good results.

 

 

[JPWH 6,033]

The test run did pretty well but when I tried to use it after watering the area good it did not work well in the thick grass. I tried adjusting the top link to increase the blade angle. It did better but reduced the depth of the cut too much. I took it to the table in the exam room and after analyzing the design I have decided to do some reconstructive surgery.

Plan B to start soon.

[sjoemie himself 3,068]

Any chance of posting a video from either plan A or B? I think it would be pretty interesting to see this in action.

[JPWH 6,033]

1 hour ago, sjoemie himself said:

Any chance of posting a video from either plan A or B? I think it would be pretty interesting to see this in action.

It may take a little while but I will post a video when complete.

[JPWH 6,033]

After rebuilding the cylinder the pump started leaking. Not real bad but leaks down when loaded. I ordered another pump so I can have a spare while I tear this one down and rebuild it. 

I removed the cutting blade and cut it down to 2" wide from 3 1/2" wide and reinstalled it with the cutting edge angled down. I tested it and it does try to cut as it should but the red clay is too dry and hard. Rain is coming so I will be able to test it with more favorable conditions.