Sheep tractor ????

[shinnlinger]

Hi,

I built a "sheep tractor" this spring using (4 )30 ft telephone poles as a base, but it self destructed over time due to a bad design on my part. BAsically I thought allowing the corner joints to flex so it conformed to the land was a good idea so I attached each corner with a short length of chain thru bolted into each pole. I then drilled into the poles and drove rebar every 5 ft ot so for posts and attached sheep fencing to that. Over time it flexed too much and the fencing began to lay flat when I moved it.

It worked really well for grazing though as the sheep and goats ate everything in marginal pastures down to the ground and I could move it myself in 5 minutes with the tractor. I think making fixed corners is going to be better and have some ideas that involve a chain saw and some reinforcing timber, but the stresses on a joint for such a large unit (30 x 30) would be alot. Any ideas there?

Alternately I would make narrower units that were 10 x 30 and pull them from the short end. I could see having several of these units and at feeding time I would just go drag the different units around.

[woodsteach]

that sounds great.  have you been reading salatin's stuff?

Other topic:  I see that you are a shop teacher as well.  Have you started back to school yet?  Today is our first day back and right now it is my 20 min lunch break.

woodsteach

[beenthere]

Seems some skids under the poles or wheels would help take the stress off the joints, and reduce the dragging friction. A good evener (like used on field drags) would "even" the stress on the corner joints as well. Also, seems the poles are overkill for what is needed, but am guessing it is to hold the fence posts upright.

[shinnlinger]

HI,

I now think I will remake my idea with 20 ft 2x4s due to responses up in my electric sheep fencing post.

Woodteach, I go back the 25th with students on the 31st.  With snow days though I will be in school till the end of next JUne though.  Oh AND I get a full 24 minutes to eat lunch.

I would be interested in what you are doing with your students.  Do you have a website?  Maybe I will send you a PM when I get the chance.  WIll have to have the school server stop blocking FF though.  THey say I might BS on a school computer but if we are talking shop I'll be all set.