Hopper Bin Jitterball Agitator
The 16-inch-long Hopper Bin Jitterball Agitator is designed to reduce bridging and feed separation by utilizing the motion of the auger to agitate the bin’s contents. It reportedly installs by sliding it into the access plate.
Read MoreHopper Bin In-Boot Agitator
A Hopper Bin In-Boot Agitator is designed to both reduce feed bridging to improve flow and reduce out-of-feed events with no impacts that compromise bin integrity. The Flow-Pro System works by providing gentle agitation inside the bin’s plastic boot. It’s available for both straight and 30-degree transitions and automatically activates when feed delivery is running.…
Read MoreHopper Bin Center-Cone Agitator
A Hopper Bin Center-Cone Agitator is designed to reduce bridging by directing feed flow away from the center of the unloader boot and out toward the edges. The heavy-walled molded cone, which bolts to the hopper collar, wobbles slightly to keep the feed from only flowing down the center of the bin. The device reportedly…
Read MoreMarket Truck Platform Lift
Certain wheelchair lifts that are intended for use with full-size vans can work well as a Market Truck Platform Lift for loading produce (via dolly or cart) going to market. The one pictured here is a BraunAbility Millennium Series lift designed for side- or rear-door entrance into a van; in this case, it is mounted…
Read MoreJake’s Wire-Tightener System
Jake’s Wire-Tightener System is designed to allow one to quickly tighten loose fence wire without having to cut and splice. The system simply consists of a 1/4-inch-thick, double U-shaped “clip” (about 3+ inches in length) plus a hand-held “turning tool.” One end of the tool is slipped into one U-shaped end of the clip, which…
Read MorePortable Heaters
Today’s Portable Heaters come in various configurations (tower, tabletop, torpedo, wheeled, hand-carried) and in various powering options (electricity, natural gas, propane, diesel, kerosene). Previously rated only by BTUs of output, they’re now also rated via the square footage that they can warm. Some portables suited to farmstead shop and machinery-maintenance areas include (1) the forced-air…
Read MoreHand-Held Suction Lifting Tools
The DeWalt and Grabo Hand-Held Suction Lifting Tool-providing up to 265- and 375-pounds lift capacities, respectively-will reportedly work on a wide range of surfaces (non-porous, semi-porous, rough-textured). The tools’ built-in pressure sensors automatically control the battery-powered vacuum pump to produce and maintain the required degree of suction. They both reportedly create, within seconds, a secure…
Read MoreSkelex 360 Shoulder Exoskeleton
The non-powered Skelex 360 Shoulder Exoskeleton is designed to take the strain off both the shoulders and arms of one who does overhead or mid-range (from the waist up) work. It accomplishes this by: (1) supporting the shoulders using flex metal frames, (2) supporting the arms via arm cuff height and positioning adjustment, and (3)…
Read MoreIronhand Grip-Assist Glove
Created for people in work environments, the five-fingered Ironhand Grip-Assist Glove is designed to intuitively enhance the hand’s grasping force, reducing fatigue and strain-related injury. The Ironhand system includes the glove, a body-worn powerpack, a Smart-Assist, and IronConnect app. Pressure sensors in the glove are designed to activate controls in the powerpack that pull artificial…
Read MoreUnder-the-Dash Creeper
An Under-the-Dash Creeper is designed for accessing hard-to-reach areas beneath a vehicle’s dashboard (or steering wheel) while providing a relatively comfortable work position over extended periods. It consists of a cushioned lay-on board (about 40 inches long, 15-20 inches wide), at one end of which is a height-adjustable, two-legged steel frame fitted with lock-brake or…
Read MoreDrill-Powered Trailer Jack Adapter
Hand-cranking the jack affixed to a livestock- or materials-hauling trailer for hitching it to the tow vehicle is a slow, tedious task-and likely daunting for those with shoulder, arm, hand, and/or back issues. One tested (and inexpensive) solution is to replace the crank handle with a cordless drill, which can speed up the task significantly.…
Read MoreOver-the-Engine Topside Creeper
An Over-the-Engine Topside Creeper, the top portion of which adjusts up to 65 inches, fits over the engine of most autos and pickups. (For bigger trucks, it may need to be on a platform.) The steel-tube-frame device usually includes four caster wheels, wide access steps, and a cushioned chest pad. It’s load-rated up to 400…
Read MoreLadder-Mover Dolly Adapter
The Ladder-Mover Dolly Adapter is a simple plastic brace designed to turn a standard hand truck into a two-wheeled transporter of one’s ladder plus other supplies that can be laid on the ladder. Affixed to the hand-truck’s toe-plate, the device is designed to hold the ladder securely over most any terrain. It accommodates various types…
Read MoreHomemade Metal-Pickup Tool
With this Homemade Metal-Pickup Tool, David Wilhelm (Cedar Grove, IN) can more easily retrieve nails, screws, nuts, or any other small metal objects, whether on his shop floor or work bench. The devise is simply a 6-inch-long piece of 2 x 4 into which are screwed (on the 6-inch edge) a line of four strong…
Read MoreConveyor-Floor Utility Trailer
These low-to-the-ground, tiltable Conveyor-Floor Utility Trailers are designed to make the loading, transporting, and unloading of all types of cargo both easy and safe. To on-load, palleted items, machines, etc., are first winched up onto the deck from the rear then conveyed forward, while loose bulk material is loader-bucket deposited from the back or sides.…
Read MoreLivestock Virtual Fencing Systems
With Livestock Virtual Fencing, a producer can keep track of animals within a given pasture area and relocate them to another part of that area or another area altogether. This allows him/her to practice rotational grazing without having to erect, constantly move, and maintain a physical fence. Most systems consist of (1) a GPS base…
Read MoreHapo Neck Exoskeleton
The Hapo Neck Exoskeleton is designed to alleviate neck strain and attendant pain for those who perform tasks that require a posture of looking up. Using composite spring rods, the product supports the neck muscles and concurrently redistributes effort from neck to mid-back, which reduces shoulder tension.
Read MoreTrac-Grabber Tire Traction Aid
The Trac-Grabber Tire Traction Aid is designed to provide a simple solution to free a vehicle that’s stuck in mud, sand, snow, or adverse terrain. To get unstuck, just strap the device over the tire of each drive wheel and slowly apply power. As you do, it will lift and move the vehicle forward until…
Read MoreMagnetic Gloves
Magnetic Gloves contain strong magnets imbedded under the fabric (usually on the back of the hand and/or the tip of the index fingers) that hold-thus providing ready access to-items like screws, nails, bolts, washers, drill bits, small hand tools, etc. The finger seams are reportedly made of breathable, soft material to allow for maximum grip…
Read MoreColor-Coded Hydraulic Hose Couplers
Color-Coded Hydraulic Hose Couplers are intended to ensure that the hoses on one’s implement match up with the correct function on the tractor. Additionally, they’re designed to be more easily gripped and connected/disconnected-even if the hose ends are slippery, oily, and/or dirty.
Read MoreHomemade Ratchet Strap Winding Tool
Once your strapped-down cargo is off-loaded, rolling the straps back up can be a frustrating (and for some, a physically daunting) task. The solution for Tom McCormick (North Liberty, IN) is his Homemade Ratchet Strap Winding Tool, which involves a cordless impact drill, a half-inch drive socket, and a short length of scrap electrical PVC…
Read MoreWheeled Gate with Butterfly Hinge
With this Wheeled Gate with Butterfly Hinge, the wheel allows it to roll, and the hinge allows it to pivot over uneven ground without getting stuck. The wheel, available in one size only, can be either welded or bolded onto the gate, whereas the hinge is available in various sizes depending on gate height. The…
Read MoreHead-Protecting Bump Cap
A Head-Protecting Bump Cap is designed to guard against scrapes, bruises, or minor injuries that may incur when one bumps into or knocks against a stationary object (e.g., low ceiling, overhead pipe, underside of a vehicle). Although resembling a soft, flexible baseball or golf hat, the cap is covering a durable polyethylene insert (shell) plus…
Read MoreT-Post-Pulla Extraction Tool
The T-Post-Pulla Extraction Tool, which attaches to a tractor or skid-steer loader bucket, can reportedly remove over 1,000 yards of fence-line posts spaced 8 yards apart in less than an hour’s time-and without causing damage. The keys are (1) the tool’s jaws that are cut to the post’s shape, producing stronger grip and (2) the…
Read MoreGPS-Tracking Ear Tag System
This GPS-Tracking Ear Tag System, which includes tags and app, allows one to remotely monitor livestock-not only as to their location, but also on their safety, health, and performance-related conditions/situations. The tags’ sensors continually monitor and (via the app) report to one’s cellular device the animal’s movement and (1) instantly send out-of-fence, illness-suspected, and calving…
Read MorePrevost Air Hose Quick Safety Coupler
By pushing the button on a Prevost Air Hose Quick Safety Coupler, one can-with one hand-more easily connect and disconnect any compressor-powered tool. The device bleeds off the air slowly in disconnection plus stops leaky hose connections. Prevost couplers reportedly purge the air on everything down line so there’s no hose whipping or sudden pressure…
Read MoreCarbonhand Grip-Strengthening Glove
With pressure sensors in its thumb, palm, and two middle fingers, the Carbonhand Grip-Strengthening Glove detects and amplifies the hand’s gripping ability. As the user applies more force, Carbonhand does likewise. Worn like a regular glove, it connects to a power unit strapped to the body. A control pad on the wrist lets one switch…
Read MoreProduce-Bunching Rubber Band Applicator
This Produce-Bunching Rubber Band Applicator is designed to simplify the task of packaging for market long-stem flowers and certain vegetables (e.g., asparagus. carrots, green onions). The device’s foot-controlled pedal retracts hooked arms to open the rubber band that snaps gently around the worker-held “bunch” when the pedal is released.
Read MoreJoystick Steering System for Fendt Tractors
The Joystick Steering System for Fendt Tractors (called ErgoSteer) is designed to allow one to shuttle and steer with minimal effort, reducing back strain and making it easier to watch the implement. Activating the system’s retraction steering mode causes the tractor to drive straight ahead when the joystick is released. Activating the auto guide/direction-of-travel mode,…
Read MoreTowed Bed Shaper/Mulch Layer
With this Towed Bed Shaper/Mulch Layer (Model 94), one controls both the shaping of the planting bed (either flat or crowned) and the laying of the plastic mulch that lines the shaped bed. The implement’s pre-sets allow for bed dimensions to a depth of 8 inches and a width of from 24 to 40 inches,…
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