Going to build a lawn roller - MyTractorForum.com - The Friendliest Tractor Forum and Best Place for Tractor Information

BOSOX · 03-18-2009, 08:47 PM

I found this PVC pipe at a scrap yard and thought it would make a good roller, albeit a somewhat narrow one. It's a wisker under 3 feet wide and just under 14 inches in diameter. It is however very rigid with thick walls so it won't conform to the ground like some of the water filled ones on the market that I've looked at. I don't have a huge yard (under 1/2 acre ) so the 35" or so width is ok. I plan to fill it with concrete and weld up a platform on top of the roller to hold cinder blocks for added weight. I think it'll work out fine. Ordered the pillow bearing blocks today they'll take a week or so to get here. l hope to get the framework all cut out and welded before they arrive. I'll have to ask my wife's uncle for the use of his lathe and turn down the axle stubs, the bearing blocks are 1 1/4" and the pipe is 1 5/16". Anyhow that's the latest on projects started . We'll see if I actually finish it , you can see my 214 in it's stripped down state in 1 of the photos. Working for a living sure does get in the way of my garage time. Take care..

Cat385B · 03-19-2009, 10:49 AM

Yeah, you gotta watch that working for a living stuff!

Wid LT1000 · 03-19-2009, 11:04 AM

Bosox - that looks like a really great idea. Look forward to seeing the finished product.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat385B

Yeah, you gotta watch that working for a living stuff!

I was lucky, corporate downsizing took care of this for me....

simplicityguy92 · 03-19-2009, 11:38 AM

should work real good

1086 · 03-19-2009, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOSOX

I found this PVC pipe at a scrap yard and thought it would make a good roller, albeit a somewhat narrow one. It's a wisker under 3 feet wide and just under 14 inches in diameter. It is however very rigid with thick walls so it won't conform to the ground like some of the water filled ones on the market that I've looked at. I don't have a huge yard (under 1/2 acre ) so the 35" or so width is ok. I plan to fill it with concrete and weld up a platform on top of the roller to hold cinder blocks for added weight. I think it'll work out fine. Ordered the pillow bearing blocks today they'll take a week or so to get here. l hope to get the framework all cut out and welded before they arrive. I'll have to ask my wife's uncle for the use of his lathe and turn down the axle stubs, the bearing blocks are 1 1/4" and the pipe is 1 5/16". Anyhow that's the latest on projects started . We'll see if I actually finish it , you can see my 214 in it's stripped down state in 1 of the photos. Working for a living sure does get in the way of my garage time. Take care..

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Have you calculated the weight of that full of concrete?

Peterde4 · 03-19-2009, 12:07 PM

Assuming the pipe ID is 12", the concrete will weigh around 350#. You may not need cinder blocks on top.

BOSOX · 03-20-2009, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Have you calculated the weight of that full of concrete?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peterde4

Assuming the pipe ID is 12", the concrete will weigh around 350#. You may not need cinder blocks on top.

No, I haven't figured a total weight , I was going to buy 3 80lb. bags a ready mix and see how it goes. If it weighs in at 350 lbs I won't bother with the cinder block rack. Thanks for the info. Take care.. Mike

BOSOX · 03-31-2009, 09:50 PM

Here is an update on what I got done lately, not much . I got the axle ends turned down to 1 1/4". Took 1/16" off the outside diameter. Anyhow I tacked the frame (finish weld later) and drilled the rails for the bearings. I'm not sure how long I want the gooseneck to be, so I'll have to go and pick up the bags of cement this weekend and get the roller put together. I already have requests from family to borrow it for their yards so I have to get this finished soon. Take care..

BOSOX · 04-03-2009, 09:48 PM

Made a bit more progress today. Put 2 and a half bags of concrete in the roller cylinder (200#'s) and finished up the frame fab work. Just have to finish welding and get it ready for a good coat of Cold Galvanize paint. The roller should be set by Sunday so I may get to use it on Monday. Then I'll spike the lawn and get the Lime and Fertilizer down. Take care...

BOSOX · 04-06-2009, 04:16 PM

Finished the roller yesterday and got to use it too! Got the front and back yard all rolled (it needed it, lots of ankle breakers) and spiked, and got the 1st fertilizer down. Of course we have terrential rain today to wash away all my lime and fertilizer I put down. It was a great day outside anyhow. So here is the last installment on my small project, that actually got finished in a short amount of time. For Me Anyhow! It's not fancy but it works. Take care..

I really have to get my 214 put back together , the S82 worked real hard pulling around my 200# frame and another 200#'s or so worth of cement roller.

simplicityguy92 · 04-06-2009, 09:44 PM

nice roller looks hefty

brubakes · 04-11-2009, 07:44 AM

Looks good. I want to build one myself!

fisha · 04-24-2009, 09:09 PM

Hey Mike im not famoly but might borrow the roller just for the heck of it ,looks great,, OH YEH11 i almost forgot CONGRATS ON ,LITTLE SAWYER, ];;'.. PAPA.S YARD.S

JRC0528 · 04-28-2009, 02:09 PM

I'm also looking to build or otherwise get a lawn roller. My back is tired of the beating it gets each time I mow the lawn!

I have a few questions:

1) Is there an optimal diameter for lawn rollers?
One option I'm thinking of would be about 27" diameter, the other would be about 12".

2) Is there any reason one couldn't make a roller 5 feet wide rather than the narrow 3 - 4 feet commercially available?

3) Would Two narrower rolls (2.5 ft each) side by side with another centered behind them be better then one wide roll?

I plan on pulling it with my Kubota 23Hp SCUT, so weight won't be much of an issue.

Hopefully I'll start building it this weekend.

louofm1 · 04-28-2009, 02:29 PM

If possible, i would make the roller "at least" as wide as the tractor (wheels)you are pulling it with. I have a 48" wide roller and it's perfect for my tractor. This way, if you roll when it's wet, the roller will immediatly flatten any tire ruts or tracks created by the tractor wheels

Also, make sure you have something with enough umph to pull the weight of the roller. A kuboda will be just fine. That tiny John Deere mower pictured in this thread is probably not built to pull around something that heavy. BTW ...that roller above looked great and very durable .....nice job. That is the one bad thing about my steel water filled roller ....it's heavy but gets dented easily

03-18-2009, 08:47 PM
BOSOX boooo Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,462 MTF Member # 5420 Images: 11	Going to build a lawn roller I found this PVC pipe at a scrap yard and thought it would make a good roller, albeit a somewhat narrow one. It's a wisker under 3 feet wide and just under 14 inches in diameter. It is however very rigid with thick walls so it won't conform to the ground like some of the water filled ones on the market that I've looked at. I don't have a huge yard (under 1/2 acre ) so the 35" or so width is ok. I plan to fill it with concrete and weld up a platform on top of the roller to hold cinder blocks for added weight. I think it'll work out fine. Ordered the pillow bearing blocks today they'll take a week or so to get here. l hope to get the framework all cut out and welded before they arrive. I'll have to ask my wife's uncle for the use of his lathe and turn down the axle stubs, the bearing blocks are 1 1/4" and the pipe is 1 5/16". Anyhow that's the latest on projects started . We'll see if I actually finish it , you can see my 214 in it's stripped down state in 1 of the photos. Working for a living sure does get in the way of my garage time. Take care.. Attached Images __________________ MyTractorForum.com House Rules

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03-19-2009, 11:38 AM
simplicityguy92 Senior MTF Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: bc Posts: 558 MTF Member # 11189	Re: Going to build a lawn roller should work real good

03-19-2009, 12:07 PM
Peterde4 MTF Junior Poster Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Delaware Posts: 9 MTF Member # 21767	Re: Going to build a lawn roller Assuming the pipe ID is 12", the concrete will weigh around 350#. You may not need cinder blocks on top.

03-31-2009, 09:50 PM
BOSOX boooo Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,462 MTF Member # 5420 Images: 11	Re: Going to build a lawn roller Here is an update on what I got done lately, not much . I got the axle ends turned down to 1 1/4". Took 1/16" off the outside diameter. Anyhow I tacked the frame (finish weld later) and drilled the rails for the bearings. I'm not sure how long I want the gooseneck to be, so I'll have to go and pick up the bags of cement this weekend and get the roller put together. I already have requests from family to borrow it for their yards so I have to get this finished soon. Take care.. Attached Thumbnails __________________ MyTractorForum.com House Rules

04-03-2009, 09:48 PM
BOSOX boooo Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,462 MTF Member # 5420 Images: 11	Re: Going to build a lawn roller Made a bit more progress today. Put 2 and a half bags of concrete in the roller cylinder (200#'s) and finished up the frame fab work. Just have to finish welding and get it ready for a good coat of Cold Galvanize paint. The roller should be set by Sunday so I may get to use it on Monday. Then I'll spike the lawn and get the Lime and Fertilizer down. Take care... Attached Thumbnails Attached Images __________________ MyTractorForum.com House Rules

04-06-2009, 04:16 PM
BOSOX boooo Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,462 MTF Member # 5420 Images: 11	Re: Going to build a lawn roller Finished the roller yesterday and got to use it too! Got the front and back yard all rolled (it needed it, lots of ankle breakers) and spiked, and got the 1st fertilizer down. Of course we have terrential rain today to wash away all my lime and fertilizer I put down. It was a great day outside anyhow. So here is the last installment on my small project, that actually got finished in a short amount of time. For Me Anyhow! It's not fancy but it works. Take care.. I really have to get my 214 put back together , the S82 worked real hard pulling around my 200# frame and another 200#'s or so worth of cement roller. Attached Thumbnails __________________ MyTractorForum.com House Rules Last edited by BOSOX; 04-06-2009 at 04:32 PM.

04-06-2009, 09:44 PM
simplicityguy92 Senior MTF Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: bc Posts: 558 MTF Member # 11189	Re: Going to build a lawn roller nice roller looks hefty

04-11-2009, 07:44 AM
brubakes The Missing Goonie Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 885 MTF Member # 18524 Images: 1	Re: Going to build a lawn roller Looks good. I want to build one myself! __________________ 1989 John Deere 318 (now looking for attachments)

04-24-2009, 09:09 PM
fisha redneckyankee Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: montgomery,ala Posts: 179 MTF Member # 5432 Images: 7	Re: Going to build a lawn roller Hey Mike im not famoly but might borrow the roller just for the heck of it ,looks great,, OH YEH11 i almost forgot CONGRATS ON ,LITTLE SAWYER, ];;'.. PAPA.S YARD.S __________________ " border="0" />[papa's yard's//][ 2006 troy-built pony .,][,.2007 toro lx425.,;']' 1996 murray .12.5x38/,."96 murray JDplow,2009 yard machines 28"blower 2/4.5hp 22"push mowers

04-28-2009, 02:09 PM
JRC0528 Senior MTF Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 631 MTF Member # 21688	Re: Going to build a lawn roller I'm also looking to build or otherwise get a lawn roller. My back is tired of the beating it gets each time I mow the lawn! I have a few questions: 1) Is there an optimal diameter for lawn rollers? One option I'm thinking of would be about 27" diameter, the other would be about 12". 2) Is there any reason one couldn't make a roller 5 feet wide rather than the narrow 3 - 4 feet commercially available? 3) Would Two narrower rolls (2.5 ft each) side by side with another centered behind them be better then one wide roll? I plan on pulling it with my Kubota 23Hp SCUT, so weight won't be much of an issue. Hopefully I'll start building it this weekend. __________________ Jim C. Many a man in love with a dimple makes the mistake of marrying the whole girl! -- Stephen Leacock on the danger of infatuation

04-28-2009, 02:29 PM
louofm1 Senior MTF Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 430 MTF Member # 2079	Re: Going to build a lawn roller If possible, i would make the roller "at least" as wide as the tractor (wheels)you are pulling it with. I have a 48" wide roller and it's perfect for my tractor. This way, if you roll when it's wet, the roller will immediatly flatten any tire ruts or tracks created by the tractor wheels Also, make sure you have something with enough umph to pull the weight of the roller. A kuboda will be just fine. That tiny John Deere mower pictured in this thread is probably not built to pull around something that heavy. BTW ...that roller above looked great and very durable .....nice job. That is the one bad thing about my steel water filled roller ....it's heavy but gets dented easily