# Homemade Roller?



## davidshane

Has anyone ever made something to use for compacting seeds into soil? I'm thinking about either a tree trunk cut to 5-6 feet or a steel/plastic drum. Not sure what could be used at the ends that would allow for rotation and would not rub against the trunck or drum; maybe you don't worry about this and just replace something (like rope).

I have two plots that are both located in very hard to reach locations on my property. I will most likely never even be able to drive a 4x4 truck to either one. Everything has to be done with a quad. 

If I used an fillable lawn roller, I would have to empty it each time I moved it from a field due to the ammount of obstacles I must go thru to reach another destinations. I would like to make something cheap and leave one on each field. A log seems to be the best option if I can figue a way to pull it with the quad and have it roll instead of draged. Does someone sell hardware for something like this?

Any ideals?


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## On Point

Just a thought:
If it's hard to get back to your spot, anything with weight to it will be a bear to transport. What about finding a good straight tree, cut it down, and take a short section of the trunk. Get a good long auger bit and drill a hole down the center as straight as possible. Thread some rope thru it, use it, and leave it off to the side. I would think, although very primitive, this would work in a pinch. If you try this, I sure would like to hear the results.

Good Luck,

Mike


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## Jeff Sturgis

David,

I used a 30 gallon lawn roller for several years and what I've found is that the tires on my ATV gave me better germination rates than the lawn roller itself. In fact, on some of my smaller harvest plots I haven't even bothered with the tractor and cultipacker because you get such good germination rates with the ATV and it's easier with tight turns. The success is not in the weight and flatness of what you are using...for example a lawn roller, but instead it's in the cut of the grooves and indentations of what you are using, like a cultipacker, tractor tires, or ATV tires.

With an ATV you can swerve, turn, cut, etc. to really dig in if you want to. I've used my ATV on up to 1/2 acre plots and by going back and forth with the speed of the ATV it is completed in no-time at all.

If you really need to cover the seed a bit you can get one of those roll-up drags sold through Cabelas to drag after you "cultipack" with the ATV, but as long as you have dirt exposed, plant in a rainy period(like now), it won't be a problem.


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## Alan Rygiel

For the last 4 years I used a cultipacker made out of a log. It works great if you somehow rig up chains to evenly pull the log.. Try to get a log that is pretty close in size on each ends as one side will tend to catch or bind up in the soil with greater drag. This year though, I purchased a spring tooth drag and used it instead of a cultipacker/log.. I planted rape/rye.. small seeds.. it worked great... I always say were planting for wildlife and it doesn't need to be perfect just easy to plant, quick and clean...This type of drag has plenty of drag and is aggressive plus did a good job of smoothing out the bumps..Plus I could run pretty fast on the tractor.. Every year I try to add a piece of equipment to make it easier... GOOD LUCK....Happy hunting..


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## Burksee

Taxidermist made a dandy one using plastic culvert pipe.

Here's a link to the thread he posted, you'll have to go into his gallery to see the pics of it......

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=93578&highlight=culvert

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=26511&cat=500&page=2


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## chevyjam2001

I saw a mini packer for sale on my way home from work. It is between 3-4 feet wide at the most and would be perfect for use behind an atv. Even though it is narrow it is made up with the large wheels like I have on mine say 10"-12" diameter. It is located on Van **** just South of Marlette, which is about 20 minutes North of Imlay City.


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## simondet1

Here's a link to a picture of a roller I made out of a 55 gallon drum. It works great. I put a shaft through the middle and sealed with epoxy resin and used a couple of bearings on each end.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/520/medium/workwe30.JPG


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## THETOOLMAN

I have a gate off a chain link fence 4'x6' I bungee a cement block to it & use it as a drag . I drag it wide side to cover more plot. works great .. I read a post somwhere .. a guy took an OLD EMPTY oxygen bottle from a welding set / & put a pipe through ot or something & 4 wheeled it around .. I just use the gate == a no brainner that works! Dan


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