Sod Cutter

[BXHoosier]

This year, I’ll be re-grading the yard to help water drain away from the house and off of the paved driveway. A new 90’ path from the deck to the patio is also in the plans. I’m building a simple sod cutter to remove the grass and hopefully re-lay it after I remove some dirt to fix the grade.

The plan is for the cutter to attach to my 3PH fork/ trailer mover frame. It will cut 2”
deep by 20” wide. The depth gauge roller is made from 2” pipe with steel slugs pressed into the ends that runs on a 1” shaft that can be greased. Making those pieces gave me the chance to try out the homemade steady rest on my lathe and the press I built.

 

[Motion]

Looking good, I suggest adding two 8 inch discs with sharpened edges to the end of the axle to cut the sod at the sides. Will the blade be square to the sod or on a skew? Ensure there's enough room for the sod to pass through the uprights carrying the assembly. Will you need weights to keep the roller buried? Adjustable guide wheels might be better than the roller mounted outboard the discs. Angling the blade will allow for digging in, with the guide wheels holding back.

 

[mikester]

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I commend your effort. How many hours do you have into your new hobby so far?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Nice job so far.

I like that press and steady rest. I have been meaning to make a steady rest that has bearings. Does yours have bearings that the part rides on?


Paul

 

[GreensvilleJay]

It's nice to see someone MAKE stuff !! Just wondering if you're making a BIG sod roll carrier cause 90' of sod will become a HUGE roll !
I'm going to 'borrow' your press on wheels.THAT is a great idea ! It'll allow me to see what's hidden behind the press for 32 years......
cheers

 

[BXHoosier]

The roller will be a few inches forward of the blade to control the cutting depth. The blade will be tilted down 10 degrees to help it pull down under the sod and the cutting edge will be beveled to a sharper angle. The vertical plates will be sharpened too. It will be similar to this Ventrac sod cutter without the adjustment on the depth roller.

My lathe steady rest did have bearings when it was originally made, but when I bought the lathe, two of the three guides were missing, so I remade the guides and used bronze to make the tips.

 

[BXHoosier]

I’m certain it will need weight to get it to cut in. The plan is to mount the cutter to my 3PH fork frame and add weight to a receiver hitch cargo carrier slid into the 2” receiver on my frame.

 

[BXHoosier]

Welded it together today. Now, to figure out how I’m going to mount it to my 3PH frame. I also need to grind a sharper angle on the blade.

 

[RCW]

Hoosier - - I'm following your thread closely.

Have zero need for a sod cutter....just enjoy the ingenuity and skills of OTT members.

At my house it would be a weed cutter......

 

[Lil Foot]

This year, I’ll be re-grading the yard to help water drain away from the house and off of the paved driveway. A new 90’ path from the deck to the patio is also in the plans. I’m building a simple sod cutter to remove the grass and hopefully re-lay it after I remove some dirt to fix the grade.

The plan is for the cutter to attach to my 3PH fork/ trailer mover frame. It will cut 2”
deep by 20” wide. The depth gauge roller is made from 2” pipe with steel slugs pressed into the ends that runs on a 1” shaft that can be greased. Making those pieces gave me the chance to try out the homemade steady rest on my lathe and the press I built. View attachment 97918 View attachment 97919 View attachment 97920 View attachment 97921

Who says you can't do big stuff on a small lathe?

 

[BXHoosier]

Mocked up the cutter on my 3PH frame to figure out how and where to mount it. The plan is to offset it so that it runs even with the side of the loader bucket so that the bucket can be used as a guide. The mount will also be symmetrical so that it can be used on either the right or left side.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Could just put a male reciver on it and attach it right to the reciver hitch?
Yea I know it would be right in the center.
Doing that, you could hinge it in the rear and have an adjustment cam (like the top link) in the front to get the right angle for the culler blade and roller engagement.

 

[skeets]

OK dumb question, whats it for ?

 

[bird dogger]

Title and post #1 says a "Sod Cutter" as in lawn grass.
But it could also double as a "Bulk Velveeta Cheese Slicer"!!

 

[BXHoosier]

Finished making the mounts. The right side is even with the bucket and the rear tire.

 

[BXHoosier]

The sod cutter works really well. I used it yesterday to remove a strip of sod 40” wide by 90’ long where I’m putting in a new paver path from the deck out to the barn. I put my hitch carrier on the frame and added 360 lbs of sandbags to help get the cutter into the dry, rock-hard ground. It took a little adjustment to the turnbuckle on the RH 3-point lift link to get it to cut level.

 

[bird dogger]

The sod cutter works really well. I used it yesterday to remove a strip of sod 40” wide by 90’ long where I’m putting in a new paver path from the deck out to the barn. I put my hitch carrier on the frame and added 360 lbs of sandbags to help get the cutter into the dry, rock-hard ground. It took a little adjustment to the turnbuckle on the RH 3-point lift link to get it to cut level.

View attachment 104253

Wow! That's working nicely!! Watering the lawn the day before in the area that will be "stripped" might help with both the stripping and giving the rolled up sod some nourishment if it won't be laid down and watered in shortly. But if you're not going to relay the sod.....then who cares.

That cutter will be a handy tool in your attachment portfollio!! Very NICE!!

 

[leveraddict]

Nice work and fabrication! Putting the old sod back will save you a lot of extra work!