First cultipacker

[Victor Van Meter]

Looks kinda familiar. Looks like the type that has wood bushings and I believe the tongue was originally wood too. It actually works pretty well although have not done much rebuild on mine since it only gets used on a few small plots every 4-5 years. Really helped with getting my clover and other small seeds to germinate well. I used to finish by dragging with a chain link fence but got spotty coverage, think got a fair amount of tiny seeds too deep. The routine of discing, planting bigger seeds, cultipack, spread the really small seeds, and cultipack a 2nd time gives much better results on clover.

Your bearing covers look a bit battered, might have to come up with some substitutes if you keep most of the original setup. Maybe some pvc end caps with some tabs addedView attachment 19727View attachment 19728

That is the exact same, right down to the pipe for towing it. Might have to get some insight from you as we move along with the redo.



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[wiscwhip]

To be completely honest, I would just be happy I got the shafts and packer wheels for $150 and I would rebuild the whole frame from the ground up with sealed ball bearings and all new iron. I don't know if I would even make it into another double row packer, I would be inclined to just make it a single row for food plotting and keep all the other parts for spares. Much easier to pull a single row and if you make the frame yourself, you could add brackets to hang weights or pans to set cement blocks in for added downforce.

Disclaimer: I am a Master Welder/Fabricator with 32 years of metal fabrication expertise, so my opinion might be slightly biased.

 

[seadonist]

To be completely honest, I would just be happy I got the shafts and packer wheels for $150 and I would rebuild the whole frame from the ground up with sealed ball bearings and all new iron. I don't know if I would even make it into another double row packer, I would be inclined to just make it a single row for food plotting and keep all the other parts for spares. Much easier to pull a single row and if you make the frame yourself, you could add brackets to hang weights or pans to set cement blocks in for added downforce.

Disclaimer: I am a Master Welder/Fabricator with 32 years of metal fabrication expertise, so my opinion might be slightly biased.

Best idea yet


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[Tree Spud]

To be completely honest, I would just be happy I got the shafts and packer wheels for $150 and I would rebuild the whole frame from the ground up with sealed ball bearings and all new iron. I don't know if I would even make it into another double row packer, I would be inclined to just make it a single row for food plotting and keep all the other parts for spares. Much easier to pull a single row and if you make the frame yourself, you could add brackets to hang weights or pans to set cement blocks in for added downforce.

Disclaimer: I am a Master Welder/Fabricator with 32 years of metal fabrication expertise, so my opinion might be slightly biased.

x2 on above ...

 

[Victor Van Meter]

To be completely honest, I would just be happy I got the shafts and packer wheels for $150 and I would rebuild the whole frame from the ground up with sealed ball bearings and all new iron. I don't know if I would even make it into another double row packer, I would be inclined to just make it a single row for food plotting and keep all the other parts for spares. Much easier to pull a single row and if you make the frame yourself, you could add brackets to hang weights or pans to set cement blocks in for added downforce.

Disclaimer: I am a Master Welder/Fabricator with 32 years of metal fabrication expertise, so my opinion might be slightly biased.

I am considering that. I am not a master anything, but have some talented friends and work at a vocational school with a Welding program. If I do go this route, would you use the big rollers or the smaller rollers for the single row? Thanks.


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[wiscwhip]

Use the large ones, if for nothing more than the added weight.

 

[MRBB]

I personally would still use the double roller set up
I have had BOTH cultipackers over the yrs and it is a TON faster and better results when using the double roller, and I could pull a 10 ft double roller with easy with my old Honda 400 cc atv, both up and down hills stick it on a tractor from a model H up and I never even know its behind me yet does a MUCH better job of smoothing things out and covering things in ONE pass

 

[roymunson]

I personally would still use the double roller set up
I have had BOTH cultipackers over the yrs and it is a TON faster and better results when using the double roller, and I could pull a 10 ft double roller with easy with my old Honda 400 cc atv, both up and down hills stick it on a tractor from a model H up and I never even know its behind me yet does a MUCH better job of smoothing things out and covering things in ONE passView attachment 19755View attachment 19753View attachment 19754

Oh man... I bet that honda was working! I pulled a similar setup with my King Quad 750 saturday and while it did it, it worked for it. Can't imagine your 400 was pleased with you after the day was done

 

[Victor Van Meter]

Still waiting on the parts to be welded. Once it is back together, I will use it as-is for the field I need it for this year, but am planning to have it rebuilt before the spring.


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[MRBB]

Oh man... I bet that honda was working! I pulled a similar setup with my King Quad 750 saturday and while it did it, it worked for it. Can't imagine your 400 was pleased with you after the day was done

15 plus years pulling it with that atv and ZERO problems, its a very low geared machine, first gear is lime MAX speed of 4 mph and its screaming
pulls it just fine however, I don't go fast, as it gets a better job done going slow, on level ground I go about 5 mph in second gear up or down hills I stay in first

its about 1500 lbs of packer, but rolls nicely IMO
no problems using my atv with it!

 

[BobinCt]

I got my first Cultipacker this year , a 6 ft. I used to use a lawn roller. Much better germination rates with the Cultipacker. I got mine with wheels too which is very helpful for transportation. Without the wheels on it, it would make things tougher for sure.

 

[Victor Van Meter]

Finally heard back from the guy doing the welding and he is charging $80 for the welds. Guess my fault for not asking up front!

If I do go the DIY packer using these parts, are bearings necessary or can the rollers just turn around a shaft?

Thanks.

 

[jsasker007]

Bearings are your best bet

 

[MRBB]

do bearings, grease often, and it will last you a life time, grease if your friend
I always grease before AND after, grease is cheap!

 

[Victor Van Meter]

This is what I plan to have built. Planning a 6 footer. If the cost isn’t too much, I will have a second one made with the smaller rollers to either resell or to keep for smaller plots.


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[S.T.Fanatic]

Oh man... I bet that honda was working! I pulled a similar setup with my King Quad 750 saturday and while it did it, it worked for it. Can't imagine your 400 was pleased with you after the day was done

He said he was pulling it with a Honda. Nuff said!!

 

[ACCMan]

When I was looking for a cultipacker they were all totally worn out and everyone wanted a new price for them. I finally found a set of wheels with an axle for $150, picked it up and built a wooden frame and used pillow block bearings for the axle. I made top trays to hold concrete blocks and its working great. One day I may build a steel frame but for now it is serving me well.

 

[Victor Van Meter]

When I was looking for a cultipacker they were all totally worn out and everyone wanted a new price for them. I finally found a set of wheels with an axle for $150, picked it up and built a wooden frame and used pillow block bearings for the axle. I made top trays to hold concrete blocks and its working great. One day I may build a steel frame but for now it is serving me well.

I would love to see that. I can work with wood, but metal is beyond my skill set. If what I want is going to be too pricey, I may try the wooden frame.


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[ACCMan]

If I get a chance I'll snap a couple of pics tomorrow and post them.

 

[Victor Van Meter]

If I get a chance I'll snap a couple of pics tomorrow and post them.

Thanks.