no plugs????

[wagin]

Hello all,
New to site and I'm not exactly in the landscape business. I have an up-start welding and fabrication business. Recently, I built a tow behind core aerator for a local landscaper to tow behind his Scagg tiger cub. The aerator is 48" wide consisting of 4 bays with independent shafts to allow a tight turn ratio. Each shaft has 2 banks of spoons. The spoons are 9" long by 3/4" diameter.
My problem is that the aerator does not eject and deposit pulled plugs. It sinks to a capable depth but clogs up. I have tried many reconfigurations with no cure. I hope that the experience and knowledge shared by ya'll in the business can suggest a way to fix this problem. Thank you for your time. Wes

[task125]

aerator tines are taperd.smaller where the tine contacts the soil and larger up the tube

[Runner]

Also, you need to build the banks so that just the spoons unbolt and come off for easy and cheaper replacement (this would be more feasible than trying to heat and curl each tine individually on a jig). Find a decent manufacturer, such as Classen or something, get 1 or two of their tines, and make a mount to be able to bolt their tines up. The rest of the aerator, it looks like you pretty much have a decent unit. I would certainly recommend larger axles to hold larger wheels (pneumatic type) because those wheels aren't going to carry the required weight of what an aerator needs (and last). Which brings us to that...make some rails for the top to hold some weight (whether it be sandbags, cinder blocks, etc.).

[wagin]

I did buy the tines from a local equip. supply. Also, the tines are bolted into the hubs and can be removed individually. The top of aerator is made of 3" angle which supports added weight. I am using a shaft that rotates the wheels 90 degrees and pined when the aerator is in use. I will attempt to attach more detailed pics. Again, any advice is greatly appreciated.

[wagin]

here are a few pics, my apologizes for the poor quality, I'm using my phone camera. Thanks to all reply s. Wes

[wagin]

Ok, I guess no one has any further advice to offer. My next mod is to add some weld bead a few inches up form the initial tube, I hope this will act as a wedge and guide plugs out of tine. Thanks all. Wes

[White Gardens]

Do you know who the maker of the tines are. They might be from an inferior company and not worth a darn.

Just looking at the pics you would thing that it would work better. My only thought is that the tube above the exit point for the plugs is open and if the plug doesn't exit, then it will get jammed in there causing the plugs to not exit.

[wagin]

applied a small weld bead 1.5" above closed tube to direct plug ejection...Worked!!!

[White Gardens]

applied a small weld bead 1.5" above closed tube to direct plug ejection...Worked!!!

Sweet, glad you were able to make it work. I was wondering if the plugs were jamming up into the tine.

[txgrassguy]

Aerifier tines that are hollow need to be unobstructed all the way along the length of the tine.
I couldn't tell if the top of the tine where it is held by the disc assembly is open all of the way through the disc assembly.
Obviously soil type has an impact on the tine ejecting a core but the airflow through the tine needs to be open or you have to add a deflection point.