Those who are engaged agriculture, they know perfectly well how important it is to have this or that device on hand. Some units can be purchased at a specialized store, while others can be made by hand. This will not only save money, but also create something useful for the economy. The straw chopper also belongs to such units. Everyone can create such a device with their own hands. The main thing is to know the principle of operation and an approximate design plan.

What is required

To get a neat do-it-yourself straw chopper, you must prepare all the tools and materials in advance. For work you will need:

1. Three-phase motor with 1500 rpm.
2. Sheet metal with a thickness of 2 mm.
3. Steel plate, 10 mm thick.
4. Sheet metal 3 mm.
5. A pipe with a diameter of 25 mm.
6. Metal strip 3 mm by 25 mm.
7. Locksmith set.
8. Welding machine.
9. Angle grinder.
10. Drill.

Manufacturing features

What does a straw chopper consist of? With your own hands, you can make not only the case, but also knives. For this it is worth using carbon steel. Knives are usually cut from an old circular saw. A hacksaw blade of a metal cutting machine is also suitable. As for the body, it can be made from an old barrel or a pipe with a diameter of 300 mm. Bolts and nuts and electrodes can be used to connect the parts.

If the electric motor makes more than 2,000 revolutions per minute, then experts do not recommend installing the knives directly. It is better to create a unit equipped with a belt drive. The machine will be powerful enough. With its help, it will be possible to chop not only straw, but also roots and branches.

Where to begin

So, how is a do-it-yourself straw chopper created? Drawings are the first place to start. First, you need to draw the design on paper. This will avoid many mistakes. In addition, the drawings allow you to determine the dimensions of individual parts. If you have no idea how to draw diagrams, then you can search for a suitable model on the Internet. This will make the process much easier. After drawing up the drawing, you can start making the feed cutter.

What a straw chopper consists of

It will not be difficult to assemble such a unit with your own hands. The heart of this setup is the worker node. It is a metal bunker with sharp knives rotating inside. The main thing is to securely fix the parts. The knives are fixed to a steel disc, which in turn is fixed to the axis of the electric motor.

The hopper is usually in the form of a cylinder. To avoid troubles during operation, this part of the straw chopper is made with high sides. Otherwise, you can touch the sharp knives with your hand. In the lower part there is a branch pipe. The crushed material is ejected through it. For greater convenience, it is located at the very bottom of the hopper and is made tilted.

If desired, the body can be made low, but equipped with a lid with a hole through which the straw will be fed. The bunker is mounted on a tripod. Its height should be such that the engine can be accommodated from below. The motor is usually attached to the bottom with a separate plate.

As for the disc with a knife, it is very difficult to make it yourself. Therefore, the design of these parts can be arbitrary. It is also recommended to install a container near the branch pipe, which will catch the chopped straw. In this case, you can use a plastic barrel with a hole made on the side. Otherwise, the cross section will fly in different directions.

How it works

A DIY made straw chopper, the drawings of which are given above, are quite simple to use. To get started, turn on the electric motor. Then you need to open the lid and load straw into the hopper.

The unit will do everything by itself. After loading, the finished section will begin to fly out of the side nozzle, accumulating in a pre-installed container. After that, the finished raw materials can be used for their intended purpose.

Do-it-yourself barrel straw chopper is a simple design that can be made at home. The main thing is to follow the recommendations and assemble the unit in accordance with the drawing. It is recommended to first mark the metal, and then carefully cut it according to the diagram. The corners, as well as pipes, must be of a certain length, which is also indicated in the drawing. After cutting them, it is necessary to carefully clean the cut points.

Do-it-yourself straw chopper has certain features. The bottom must be welded to the hopper, and then the brackets. An electric motor is fixed on them. To begin with, a steel plate is vertically attached to the brackets, with holes pre-drilled in it. Only then can the motor be secured. To tighten the structure on the sides, headscarves can be welded to the plate. That's all. Now you know how to make a straw chopper with your own hands.

To make life easier for those who are engaged in agriculture, you can use special devices. One of them is a straw chopper, which can be used both to prepare bedding or feed, and to create a fertilizer mix. You can buy it at a specialty store or do it yourself.

Hay is a versatile material for making:

• bedding for animals;
• covering material for different crops;
• fertilizers.

You can grind it to the smallest pieces either manually or using a special machine. The crusher has a fairly compact size and can be stored even in the smallest outbuildings. If you have minimal skills in repairing household appliances, then it is worth making a homemade shredder. It will help you save a lot of money, since the prices for agricultural equipment in stores are extremely high. During the preparatory work, you will need to study the diagrams and drawings of various models of hay or straw crushers.

A do-it-yourself straw chopper works according to an elementary principle: on a rod rotating due to the operation of a motor, knives are located, which grind the plant material into small pieces. Such a mechanism fits into a large cylindrical tank, bucket, or old vacuum cleaners. The larger the volume of the container, the more knives are required. Unlike industrially manufactured machines, self-assembled crushers have low productivity. However, for those holding 10-15 rabbits, a chopper will suffice.

Important! Try to build not only a productive car, but also a safe one. To do this, cover the working hopper with a lid with a loading hatch.

At the bottom of the body, make an inclined pipe for feeding the finished product. Place the device on a tripod so that you can place a container for receiving the finished product under the crushing hopper. Its height should be such that you have access to the upper part, and from the bottom you can easily put a bucket or basin.

The great advantage of hand-made crushers is that you can assemble them according to your parameters, that is, put the hopper at a convenient height and make it the most suitable volume.

Materials (edit)

What is required to make a DIY hay and straw chopper?

To begin with, try to depict all parts of the crushing device in the picture. This will help you to visualize where and how the parts of the mechanism will be located. To assemble it, you will need to have on hand:

• ready-made electric motor;
• container for plant raw materials (can be ready-made or welded to the required size);
• a cover that reliably covers the working bunker;
• a steel plate with a thickness of a centimeter, which will be the platform for the engine;
• sheet metal for the manufacture of supports and other elements, its thickness should be about 3 millimeters;
• bracket that holds the motor;
• shaft and knives of different sizes;
• side branch pipe.

The most important part of the apparatus is the electric motor. It is selected according to the parameters, based on the volume of the tank for grinding plant materials. The more mass that can be loaded into the device at one time, the more powerful the motor is needed. If an ordinary barrel is the basis for a grinding tank, then an engine with a capacity of 2.2 to 5.5 kilowatts will be able to grind a batch of hay in it.

Important! Another motor parameter that needs to be taken into account is the speed of revolution. It should be around 1,500 rpm, but do not buy motors over 2,000 rpm as the design of the crusher will be unsafe.

For small crushers, experienced craftsmen take the motor from the drill along with the housing. You can also find options with motors from Soviet-made vacuum cleaners, pumps and other devices. The power unit must be connected to the shaft so that it can untwist it. This must be done before installing the motor in the working hopper. Use only a balanced shaft so that the device does not shake during operation. You will need to fix the knives on it so that the distance between them and the counter-blades is minimal.

How to assemble a straw chopper

The assembly of the device is carried out as quickly as possible, since most of the parts are already ready for use:

1. At first, work is being done on the body of the product. If the container does not have a bottom, then it is welded to it.
2. Then, a bracket is attached to the bottom of the tank by welding, on which the engine will be held. A hole is made in the plate for the electric motor. This steel screen is welded to the bracket.
3. Build tilt supports above the engine. They must be tough enough. In the place where they adjoin the edge of the bunker, it is necessary to make an unloading device.
4. Replace the engine. Secure it with self-tapping screws.
5. Slide the engine axle out so that it is above the ramps.
6. Place the blade with the blades on the vertical axis and fix them securely on the shaft.
7. In the last step, install a lid on the container, place the hopper on a tripod and cover the device with a special paint for metal. This will help prevent rust.

With the help of straw choppers, you can very quickly chop rabbits. The size of the finished product will depend on the distance that you put between the knives, as well as on the number of discs with blades.

Important! You need to have minimal skills in working with the welding machine. All work must be carried out in accordance with safety rules.

The power of this mechanism will be sufficient for grinding not only dried plants, but also for preparing feed from fresh raw materials. Shredded plants, dried or fresh, are extremely beneficial for a variety of animals. Even taking into account the purchase of a new motor, self-assembly of this unit will cost you less than buying a device in a store.

It just so happened that the owner of a private farm constantly requires various devices and means of small mechanization, including a straw chopper. Of course, similar units of different designs and performance are commercially available, there is plenty to choose from. But it is much cheaper to make a straw chopper on your own, especially since the device is primitively simple. In this article, you will find tips on how to make it in the easiest way.

Straw chopper design

A homey owner who has land plot, yes, in addition, there are different animals, he himself knows perfectly well why such a machine is needed. We will only add another area of ​​application to the list: chopping hay and straw can be used to make fuel briquettes at home. If someone has conceived such a thing, then one cannot do without a straw chopper, try to manually cut or chop such an amount of straw.

Craftsmen at home have adapted to make various artisanal straw choppers from old pumps and vacuum cleaners. Their principle of operation is the same as that of knives mounted on a rod rotated by an electric drill. The bunker is an ordinary old bucket, in which grass or straw is placed, after which rotating knives are lowered there and thus chopping occurs. Descriptions of such devices are easy to find on the Internet.

Only these mechanized cutting tools are too unproductive and impractical, and will fit only to prepare feed for a dozen rabbits. For briquette production or other purposes where a lot of raw materials need to be processed, you will need a reliable homemade straw chopper with sufficient power and performance. This is exactly what we will make.

The heart of any straw chopper is the working unit, which is a metal hopper with sharp knives rotating inside. The latter are rigidly fixed on a steel disk, and the latter is on the axis of the electric motor. The hopper has a cylindrical shape and is raised high for safety reasons so that you cannot accidentally touch the knives with your hands when loading straw. At the bottom of the hopper there is a branch pipe for ejection of chopped straw, for convenience it is made inclined.

Note. Some craftsmen make a bunker of small height, but with a lid, where a small hole is made for loading raw materials.

The bunker rests on a tripod of such a height that an electric motor can be placed underneath, attached to its bottom by means of a plate. The detailed drawing of the straw chopper is shown in the picture:

1 - bunker; 2 - cover; 3 - tripod support; 4 - electric motor; 5 - engine mounting plate; 6 - control panel; 7 - amplifying band; 8 - control buttons; 9 - outlet branch pipe; 10 - engine mounting bracket; 11 - support thrust bearing; 12 - kerchief; 13 - lamp - indicator; 14 - disc with knives; 15 - faceplate; 16 - rubber gasket; 17 - jumper; 18 - bolt М5 (8 pcs.); 19 - scraper; 21 - lid hinges.

Note. A disc with knives is a rather difficult part to manufacture. Therefore, the design of the knives can be arbitrary, as long as your product is well balanced and does not cause the whole machine to shake from vibration.

The operation of the apparatus is simple. By turning on the electric motor with the button and opening the lid, straw is loaded into the hopper. A finished cut flies out of the side pipe; to catch it, it is worth adapting some kind of container. A plastic barrel with a hole cut in the side will do, so that the straw will not fly in all directions.

Tools and materials

From the toolkit, you will need the usual locksmith's kit, which is available to every zealous owner. In addition, you need a welding machine, an angle grinder and a drill. As for the materials, we will present the list provided for by this design, and you can use the metal available on the farm. So, to make a household shredder, you will need:

• single - or three-phase electric motor at 1500 rpm;
• sheet metal 2 mm thick - on the cover and lintel;
• the same, 3 mm thick - on the bunker, branch pipe, kerchiefs and thrust bearings;
• metal 5 mm thick for the bracket;
• steel plate 10 mm thick;
• pipe Ø25 mm or the same corners - on supports;
• metal strip 25 x 3 mm - for reinforcement.

Knives are made of high-quality carbon steel, for example, St45, or cut from an old circular saw, or from hacksaw blades of metal-cutting machines. A piece of Ø300 mm pipe or an old barrel can save you unnecessary work on the manufacture of the machine body. To make the connections, electrodes and bolts with nuts are needed.

Advice. If you have an electric motor in your household with a speed of more than 2000, then it is highly undesirable to directly put knives on its shaft. It is better to spend more time, but to make a more powerful machine with a belt drive, in it it will be possible not only to chop straw, but even to chop branches and root crops. The diagram below shows the device of a straw chopper with a decrease in speed and an increase in power:

The metal must be marked and cut out in accordance with the drawing. Cut pipes and corners required length and clean up. The bottom is welded to the hopper, and a bracket for attaching the electric motor is welded to it. The steel plate is attached vertically to the bracket; first, holes must be made in it, which coincide with the mating part of the engine. For stiffening, gussets are welded to the side of the plate.

Supports are attached to the body at an angle; gussets are also welded to them, which play the role of stiffeners. When the hand-made straw chopper is already on the supports, a cut-out ejection branch pipe is attached to it. Then an electric motor is attached to the plate with bolts, and knives are mounted on its axis and securely fixed. Last of all, a cover is attached and the electrical part is installed.

It is not at all necessary to repeat the construction presented in the article. The main thing is to correctly make a working unit with knives, and you can adapt an electric drive to it by any in a convenient way... Just remember that the number of revolutions of the cutting shaft must be within 2000 rpm. And then, if the scope of the knives is not more than shown in the drawing. Otherwise, the machine will become a source of increased danger.

Conclusion

If you have all the tools and materials, you can make such a useful chopper with your own hands within one day. Especially when you are good at plumbing and welding skills. But even if the work takes much more time, it will save you money, and this is important.

Villagers and farmers often use different mechanisms to make their work easier. Such devices include a straw chopper. Such equipment can be found in the store, or you can make a crusher with your own hands, while saving a lot of money.

Purpose of the device

Straw and hay are the main food for livestock during the cold season. Also, this material is used as flooring, for mulching the earth, for the production of fuel briquettes, etc. Therefore, many owners of private farms are forced to harvest hay in rather large volumes. The hay chopper makes this task very easy.

Such equipment may have different sizes and power indicators. The operation of the device is provided rotating knives... The straw is sent to a special compartment. When processed in the cutting drum, the material is crushed and fed into the recoil tank.

Design features

Hay shredders can be different. The standard design consists of the following elements:

1. Electric drive. The speed of processing depends on the power of the part.
2. The tank where the raw materials (straw or hay) are fed. Its dimensions may vary.
3. Shaft with cutting parts. These elements should be made of sturdy steel.
4. Compartment for recycled material. For convenience, it is installed at a slight slope.
5. Supports. Often made from thick pipes. The height depends on the dimensions of the engine.

In addition, various elements can be built into the grinder. But to perform basic tasks, the basic configuration is quite enough.

Popular models

If you do not want to spend time and effort on creating such equipment, it is better to buy a ready-made device in a specialized store. Most popular and reliable models in the domestic market are the following:

1. M15. The device is equipped with a very convenient container for feeding raw materials. Engine power - 3 kW. This allows you to recycle even thin branches. Equipment weight - 130 kilograms.
2. KR02. A very compact device with high performance. Electric drive power - 1.54 kW. This is enough to process 20 kilograms of straw in one hour. The model is convenient because it is powered by a standard 220 V power supply.
3. K-500. A very powerful device that can grind up to 300 kilograms of hay per hour. This kind of equipment is great for large farms. Raw materials can be loaded into the hopper directly with the forks, which significantly speeds up and facilitates the work.

Choosing this or that system, you need take into account the volume of raw materials that will need to be recycled. In the presence of a small number of livestock, it is impractical to buy high-capacity equipment. In such a case, it is better to save money and purchase a more compact shredder.

You need to choose a product exclusively from trusted manufacturers. Low-quality equipment will not handle straw well and will quickly deteriorate.

Simple constructive arrangement and lack of complex mechanisms allows, if you have the skills and desire, to make a hay crusher with your own hands. It is enough to buy a powerful engine, and all additional parts can be found in any household.

How to do it yourself

If you do not have the desire or funds to buy a "store" shredder, then you can make it yourself. For this purpose, it is sufficient to adhere to the following order of action:

If you have experience in operating equipment for welding and understand the principle of the operation of an electric drive, you can make a hay and straw chopper with your own hands in a few hours. If there are some doubts about the success of such an undertaking, then it is better to go to the store and buy a completely ready-to-use device.