A straw chopper is an essential tool in the farming business. It helps you to prepare feed for your animals and compress raw materials into bales or rolls. But before you start building one, you have to know what it is and its functions. There are many different designs and models. You can buy a ready-made one, or make your own.
One can make a straw chopper with simple tools and materials. To create a model you need a cylinder with a diameter of 300-350 mm, a plate with a hole for receiving hay, a bracket, three bolts, a pedal, and a metal structure. If you have some welding skills, you can make it in one day.
An electric motor is the heart of the machine. It must be properly bolted to the main structure. Also, you need a tin sheet to protect the engine. Lastly, you need a platform that will support the chopper. The edges of the platform must be fixed with M3 bolts.
Once you have these parts, you can start assembling your machine. In order to do so, you must study the drawings of various models. This will allow you to understand the design of the chopper.
Besides, you have to make sure that the parts you use are of good quality. For example, the blades should be sharp and the shaft should be even. Having an uneven shaft will result in a noisy machine that will vibrate violently.
Another important component is the disk with knives. This will help you to cut and grind plant material. It can be of any shape, but it must perform the primary function. It should be balanced, so it doesn’t shake your entire structure.
Before making a straw chopper, you must also make sure that the parts you choose will fit together. If you don’t do this, the device will shake and not work effectively. Similarly, you should make sure that the cylinder ends are bent at right angles.
It is important to remember that any device that has sharp cutting parts can be dangerous. Make sure that you keep children away from the power source.
Depending on the size of your farm, you can use different straw choppers. Some are designed to process a large amount of hay, while others are designed to grind the finished product. Hay is used for covering crops and is also a source of fertilizer. When using a straw chopper, you can save a lot of money.
Although there are several different models, you must ensure that the design of your own chopper is safe and functional. In addition, you must run the machine to check its performance. After you are done, you can safely store your chopper. However, if you do not have the necessary expertise, you can buy a pre-assembled model at your local specialized store.
In addition, you can make your own do-it-yourself chopper from a discarded vacuum cleaner. Alternatively, you can make one from a gas cylinder.