Bill's Digger
By Dave Armstrong
 
Bill Armstrong is my father. He's also a retired farmer, a licensed mechanic, an accomplished welder and a top notch machinist. His custom built drainage machine isn't used as much as it used to be but, like it's 76 year old owner, it's still fully functional. It was constructed 35 years ago to replace the old 1918 Buckeye Dad had been using to install his own drainage tile.
 
The ancient Buckeye, despite being equipped with wooden cats and an inefficient drive train, had served him well. But it had seen better days and needed frequent repairs. A new machine wasn't an option so Dad decided he would build one himself. Initially motivated by a 390 c.i. Ford motor backed by a HD Ford 4 speed truck transmission, the machine was refitted with a Cummins diesel engine and an International 5 speed after five years of use. The gas motor worked well enough, but the diesel engine was a bit more economical on fuel and had the extra torque required for difficult digging conditions.
 

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Dad assembled the machine for testing, thinking he'd take it apart and completely paint it later. But the machine worked so well he immediately started putting in drains.
Dad estimates he invested $5,000 (1970 dollars) in the parts and materials needed to build the machine, which works out to about $40,000 today. Although the new digger was built primarily to drain his own land, he also had custom work in mind to help recoup his investment. The machine was so well thought out and constructed that testing consisted of simply dropping the digging wheel and going to work. It quickly paid for itself and went on to generate a steady stream of income for many years, with only minor repairs needed from time to time. 

Building the new machine was an exercise in creative thinking. Parts that were not specifically designed to work together were modified. It was frequently necessary to manufacture coupling and mounting components from scratch in order to make things work.
 
The machine is fitted with a pair of independently mounted Champion road grader tandems in the rear, with a HD 6 ton truck rear end and custom built axles directing power to them. A heavy duty front wheel drive unit from a 5 ton Hydro truck has been mounted out front using a leaf spring set up, adding the extra traction and stability needed for wet soil conditions. The all rubber 6 wheel system provides a brisk 25 kph road speed, and since most of the custom work was done close to home a float was never required to get to the job site.
 
The sturdy frame is made from ten inch channel steel, which was cut on an 45 degree angle and welded back together to provide a 10 inch drop in height a few feet behind the engine. The power delivered by the beefy Cummins is delivered to various components through a complex network of HD transmissions and transfer cases attached to the frame. The twist starts out at the rear of the 5 speed transmission behind the Cummins where it connects to a transfer case that reverses the direction to motivate a large hydraulic drive motor mounted under the diesel engine.

Using a bewildering array of custom built drive shafts, hydraulic components and chain drives to connect the various components, the hydraulic motor provides the lift cylinders, digging wheel and conveyor with the power they need, as well as sending torque to the 6 wheel drive system while digging. The hydraulic drive is bypassed during road trips, resulting in a rate of ground speed that can be adjusted from from barely perceptible to a respectable gallop.
 
The old Buckeye would only cut a 12 inch trench so a 16 inch wide digging wheel was acquired. It's raised and lowered using a cable lift A-frame, with braced twin vertical I-beams providing support and guidance. A pair of 4 inch diameter hydraulic bulldozer cylinders are used to pick up the rear weight of the digging wheel, while a three inch ram  raises the front of the assembly at the same time. A custom built valve system provides the delicate control needed for accurate trenching, as well as raising and lowering the wheel from the digging position to travel height.
 
Although he is supposedly retired my father's idea of taking it easy would exhaust most men half his age. He's constantly on the go, usually working on several pet projects at the same time. Here's a link to just a few of his favourite toys.