Why not just buy an old horse-drawn plough? When we first moved out to the farm more than 30 years ago, Dad had enough money to buy a Fordson Power Major, but no implements. He scavenged an old horse-drawn plough and that did for a while until he got more money.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HORSE-DRAWN-FUR...ARDEN-PLOW-/360373114698?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e7e9574a#ht_500wt_922

 

You will need something to pull it.

Try pushing a shovel. That's less than force a plow would require.

 

I bet a handcrank boat winch would have enough driving force to pull the ground. Gonna have to have one or two strong hands for it and a tree for an anchor. Otherwise I'm guessing a horse is gonna be a must. My tiller is 2.5 hp, and I fought like a monkey to get a 30X15 spot tilled out over 3 strait hours.

 

My idea is sort of along the lines of the horse drawn plow, except it would be
a lighter weight push (and/or) pull version.. no animals required hopefully.
Ideally one or two men could use it to turn the sod on a field.

What I had in mind was more along the lines of mounting the shovel blade
somewhat sideways to roll the soil rather than dig into the soil.
Well not exactly sideways but pointing forward and standing at an angle
sort of like this... /

The Eye bolts would be for attaching a harness for another man or two to pull.
Two men could take turns.. one pulling and one guiding the plow, then switch.

Not an ideal idea, I know.. but imagine no fuel...

And I don't know about everyone else, but I can't afford to keep a horse now,
let alone in/after a SHTF scenario.

I'll be one of the guys who travel on foot, spare the goats (if any) for milk.

 

My idea is sort of along the lines of the horse drawn plow, except it would be
a lighter weight push (and/or) pull version.. no animals required hopefully.

It won't work. Try pushing your shovel through the ground.

A couple of men won't be able to pull it through the ground to be able to turn over enough soil. You'd be far better off having those same men using the shovel the way it's designed to be used...For digging.

 

Why go to all that trouble when you can simply get one of these. This one is listed for $65.00 on ebay. Making your own is simply not worth the time and effort.

I have one just like it and use it every year that is after the initial tilling.


http://blacksburg.ebayclassifieds.com/antiques/patrick-springs/1900-hand-plow-with-wheel/?ad=473194

I've been searching for one with multiple implements like this one.

http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/12100/12150/handplow_12150.htm

Buy the antique ones stay away from the tinsel steel junk they sell now.

 

The attachments are easily made and modified to personal taste and would last forever as there is not enough horsepower to destroy them. Let me know. there isn't much that cannot be fabricated and possibly improved upon.

 

If a man is going to pull it anyway, why not just turn it with a shovel?

 

Brand new cultivators from Lehman's.

You could make a DIY high wheel version from junkyard parts pretty easily, but the rotary cultivator looks more efficient.

 

When you think about it really hard you will realize there is a reason man domesticated draft animals at the same time he developed large scale agriculture.

Cobbling together lightweight equipment is a waste of time due to the stress produced in agricultural work. It's hard enough to keep heavy duty purpose built equipment in one piece.

I would recomend that one keep an eye open as they travel and spot a good mailbox orniment that can be put back to its rightful purpose.

http://dailyencouragement.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/keep-your-hand-to-the-plow/

 

Carved tree limb, hammered car bumper, a board, a winch.

Been done for ages, still works in a large percentage of the world even today.

rich

 

Ole arnold needs a new job to help pay for his kid or kids !

 

It takes a LOT of horse power to turn packed dirt. A man will not be able to pull it. The shovel blade will also most likely bend over as it is not strong enough for that application. TSC sells cheap single bottom plows that could be pulled by an animal, small truck, lawn tractor or ATV. And I agree with Unistat 76 that junk yard steel would make a much stronger one.

 

Damn. I take the time and effort to write out an article on making a plow, and it disappeared?

Not even going to bother to wonder.

Did anyone at all see it?

rich

 

I would have liked to have found an article on making a plow.
Thank you for your efforts. I have seen articles disappear before.

 

Thank You to everyone who has pointed out the things that "Will Not Work".

A few have provided some workable ideas.. Thank You.

 

Does anyone know of a "survivalist board" with a "DIY Forum" who's members are
a little more receptive to the idea of crafting ones own tools?

I see plenty of knife making posts, but I can carry a knife with me.
Just haven't found a way to put a plow in my pocket or pack... (yet?)

So you'll just have to get over my confusion about those who continue
their efforts to belittle me (and others) for wanting to improvise something
that will eventually be needed, but is just too large to carry around.
(* In all seriousness, all feedback, both negative and positive, is, and has been, appreciated.)

Now for those of you who have pointed out the faults of using a shovel, but
didn't suggest a better alternative (other than "buy a plow"), would you mind
sharing what your idea for a better blade?

How about using a lawnmower blade? Would one be too brittle? would it bend?
I liked the idea of using an old car bumper, that is what I made my shovel from.

 

Now for those of you who have pointed out the faults of using a shovel, but
didn't suggest a better alternative (other than "buy a plow"), would you mind
sharing what your idea for a better blade?

How about using a lawnmower blade? Would one be too brittle? would it bend?
I liked the idea of using an old car bumper, that is what I made my shovel from.

I did suggest that you could copy a horse-drawn plough, but you appear to be ignoring that. Someone else suggested using a tree limb, but you also appear to be ignoring that.

Just because you ignore the help that people provide doesn't mean that you should get all hurt and sooky la-la thinking that all people are doing is putting you down.

There are reasons why something small enough to fit in your pack won't work. However, you could copy a horse-drawn plough and make it smaller, small enough to fit in your pack, or your pocket. You can make it small enough to be dragged by a child.

You could buy (or make, even!) a tiller blade and attach it to a stick, which can then be dragged by another person.

You want to reinvent the wheel, I get it. All I'm saying is that there's no need to.

 

I would have liked to have found an article on making a plow.
Thank you for your efforts. I have seen articles disappear before.

We live in western NC, M, and we've had storms daily for quite a while. I'm guessing the weather got it. Probably wasn't connected when I posted it and it got lost in the ether.

You can find the same rough design in a lot of places on the web. It's still used widely in the world today.

You find a hardwood tree approx a foot in diam with a 4" or so diam branch sticking upward at a 45 degree angle. You cut a full section of trunk approx a foot above and below the branch base. The trunk part, you carve into your share shape, wedge, point etc and carve rough mouldboards on the sides. Hammer your car bumper to shape and nail it to the share.

I'm going to post this in part now and then draw a rough diagram to add later. Don't want to lose this one again.

Ok, I know that sucks. I'm not too good at this (lol) so bear with me.

In pic 1, you cut a tree trunk as so. Make it a foot below and *two* feet above the branch so you have room to cut and shape the plow. #2, you carve your trunk down as so and make the limb handle offset so you can add a second handle (the red one) later. #3, you add your car bumper share, hammered to shape and nailed on. Figure your intended depth of furrow and drill a hole for the leveler board pin. The leveler board is 1' wide by 2' long, slotted for the handle and fixed to the pin with steel brackets. Reinforce the front edge in front of the handle and behind as well. Last, add your second handle, cross brace it with the first one and lash on a welded steel O-ring right above the front of the first handle. This is from memory so be sure to tinker with it to suit you. Best to cut all the parts larger than I said and work them down as you see fit.

In use, it cuts to the depth you set with your leveler board/pin and stays there. The tail stock makes it self tracking, too.

rich

 

Thru the years I've had to fashion/tweak/repair hand tools, and some ended up as favorites!

One tool I have that might be helpful is your basic (two piece version) garden hoe with a point tip.
I use one that has been tweaked to make the point sit at an angle. It digs in and also pushes soil to one side. I apply a bit of downward pressure while walking to manicure the edges of some rows. It works great for making smaller rows for carrots/radish.
I'm not sure about the density of your soil, but maybe worth a try.

I also have a hoe with a flat tip, but tweaked about 45 degrees up and to the right.
This one also does well making a row or cleaning a trench planting setting.

I have a walk behind plow with smaller straps for a human powered effort.
It works but is mostly a museum piece.

 

OP - What you are describing is a cultivator, not a plow. Works great for tearing weeds out of already worked soil or creating furrows for seeding. It's work, but you can push these around by hand pretty well, and it sure beats using a hoe.

A plow goes much deeper, is designed to turn hard soil over to prepare for planting. This is not something you can push or pull by yourself, you need a horse or tractor. It takes a 25-30hp tractor to pull a 3-bottom plow.

I understand what you mean though. Small blade such as a trowel rigged up to something like a bicycle wheel, couple ape-hangers on it to push with, voila you can work up soil. This will work pretty well for tearing out weeds between rows or loosening up already-worked soil, but don't expect to turn a patch of hard ground into a garden bed with it.

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_5017474_make-garden-plow.html

 

why do you want to till? I used to till, and I haven't for years. Plowing and tilling is so last millennium....

go no till, which means intensive mulching/compost, raised beds, etc. I just plant where there's water and keep the weeds down with a hand sickle. Cut weeds and let them lay right there to provide a mulch.

 

I will be using raised beds as well.
Just not putting all eggs in one basket.. so to speak :thumb:

A shovel won't work, it is not heavy enough steel, nor is it the right shape for a plow.
My advice? Take a blacksmithing course, because that is what it is going to take to make a usable plow out of scrap metal.

The shovel was an example, though I can see working a broken/split blade to serve as a cutting device.
(provided an ax, mattock, or other tool is used to cut large roots)

Now why would one need to attend a blacksmithing course in order to construct a simple plow?

 

Draft horse folks

just a thought ,you might check with these folks and get some ideas

http://www.ruralheritage.com/

http://www.drafthorsevillage.com/phpBB2/

the old Foxfire books might have some articles or pics also

 

A shovel won't work, it is not heavy enough steel, nor is it the right shape for a plow.
My advice? Take a blacksmithing course, because that is what it is going to take to make a usable plow out of scrap metal.

 

There simply isn't any way to take the "work" out of gardening.

Yeah, Tractors and their implements "help".
My rototiller "helps" to ease the job, but the job is never easy.

Without fuel, tractors and rototillers aren't going to run.

Then there are the animal powered implements, but I can't afford to tend to animals that don't provide meat or dairy...
Chickens, rabbits, and goats.. and I'm having second thoughts about rabbit.

So I'm going to be pretty much limited to Man-Powered devices.
Many others will be limited to the same types of devices.
Many already are limited to Man-Powered devices.

If you think about it, the know-how to construct a simple plowing device isn't such an absurd prep, is it?

 

There simply isn't any way to take the "work" out of gardening.

Then there are the animal powered implements, but I can't afford to tend to animals that don't provide meat or dairy...
Chickens, rabbits, and goats.. and I'm having second thoughts about rabbit.

What about chicken tractors? They till the ground excellent!

 

I'm going to build this even thought I have a gas tiller, this will work without gas.
Also a traditional mouldboard style plow filps the dirt of exposing more weed seeds. The "scuffle" style slices of the weeds below the ground.


http://planetwhizbang.blogspot.com/2009/05/dont-waste-your-money-on-high-wheel.html

http://planetwhizbang.blogspot.com/2009/05/step-1-parts-you-need.html

 

I use pigs to till new ground around here. I just fence them in an area for a while, then move them along. They do really good.

 

how much ground do you want to turn? I turned a 1/4 acre one year with nothing but a round point shovel. A lot of work!!!, but it can be done. If you have something to pull it with then you can build a plow from a piece of I-beam. The problem with a plow is that it needs something to pull it with. Every plow that I ever seen has had an animal or machine pulling it. A single bottom plow takes a horse, mule or ox to pull it.

My best suggestion is that if you want to get away from the need of having something to rely on to till your ground, would be to prep the ground for no-till techniques now while you have access to running equipment.

Build raised and amended beds. Mix in a log of debris that will allow you to turn the soil later with a cultivator much like what you are wanting to build.

Now, this is a little on the outside of the box, but I suppose you could build a small plow with a hand crank winch mounted on it. You could stake the end of your rows with a heavy post and hook up to it and then slowly hand crank your way down the rows to plow.