All Around the Farm

This culvert screen is made from heavy chains welded 6 to 8 inches apart onto angle iron. I added a couple more horizontal stiffeners then hung it across the top of a large culvert on my property. Water and debris pass through, but young cattle stay in.

It seemed that oftentimes mice were carrying off my bait without tripping the trap. So I came up with a way to keep that from happening. When I set a bait tray using peanut butter, I wrap a small piece of cheesecloth around it, pressing slightly so the peanut butter can be smelled and tasted through the fabric. The mouse will tug on the cheesecloth to move it out of the way so it can eat more, and this creates enough motion to snap the trap. No more stolen bait!

I had 5-gallon buckets sitting around everywhere. To conquer the mess, I built a bucket holder using 11∕2-inch strap iron, 3∕16 inch thick cut into 8-foot lengths. They are welded at an angle and screwed to the wall. It’s been a big improvement now that buckets aren't taking up space or sticking together when they’re stacked.

I needed additional storage for chains, tools, and other items in my new compact tractor. Noticing the loader torque tube was open on both sides, I painted some 3½-inch expandable rubber plugs to make matching end caps and created instant storage.

Owners manuals tell you to put your right foot into the rear handle of a chain saw to start it. I usually have boots on, and my foot won’t fit that space. So I made a tool that does fit out of a piece of wood and some rubber, and I stand on that. This lets me safely start up my chain saw.  

The tip of a tube of silicone will often dry out in between uses. To create a complete seal for an open tube, I insert the tip into a container of EP 00 grease. Then, I only need to thoroughly wipe off the grease before I reuse the silicone.