Homemade Seed Roller (Food Plots)

I’m thinking of turning an old 100 pound propane cylinder in a seed roller. I’m either going to fill it with sand or concrete. I was just going to wander around Fleet Farm to look for something to bolt or weld onto the ends, preferably something with a bearing to attach a steel harness to. What should I fill it with to make it the heaviest? Any other thoughts?
DT

Do you have the means to fill it with water? If so, you can empty it for easier transport if needed.

Water is probably the easiest and I will have access to it.
DT

Are you looking to roll the ground more smooth, or just a drag to cover seed?

For just a drag, I use a section of fence

I’ve seen it done by just adding a straight stud out the end of the center of the roller on each side. A big bolt with some big washers on the end would work in the case of a propane cylinder.

Then just tie a rope to each stud. The “bearing” is the knot looped around the stud. Friction isn’t really an issue at slow rolling speeds.

You need to add a “spreader” to keep the Y of the rope far enough apart so it doesn’t rub on the leading edge of the roller. Hopefully you see what I mean here, wish I had a quick drawing I could post.

Personally, I’m using a lawn roller I borrowed from my neighbor. I borrowed it and then he said hey you know that lawn roller that you borrowed? Yeah, don’t bring it back, it was just cluttering up my shed and I like it better now that it’s gone. It’s not the heaviest roller but fill it completely full and it does the job of getting good seed contact to the soil and I’m sure it also prevents some mositure loss.

Grouse

My buddy has the typical farm with scrap steel everywhere. My thought was to weld a bolt to each side and make a small frame, just like the rope idea to pull it. I was just going to buy a lawn roller but this will be free as I have numerous tanks around. I’m assuming they are steel.

And yes, this is just to get good seed to soil contact.
DT

deertracker wrote:

And yes, this is just to get good seed to soil contact.
DT

Would something like this work well for grass seed in a large area?

I agree on filling it with water, then if you need to transport it a long ways you can empty the water. Should work well. I wouldn’t worry to much about barrings if you aren’t going far with it, you will be going slow when using it.

DT, the buddy that has a farm, have you looked around for an old cultipacker? That sounds like the perfect place to find one buried in the weeds in a corner of a field. That’s how I got one of mine at the perfect price, free. The farmer said if you can move it you can have it.

I have looked a little but not very hard. I’m going to look better when I get up there. It’s fun digging around to see what you can find.

DT

belletaine wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>deertracker wrote:</div>
And yes, this is just to get good seed to soil contact.
DT

Would something like this work well for grass seed in a large area?

I would think so but I don’t know how deep grass seed needs to be planted.

Really do not need to go thru all that trouble a drag will work as well as anything. What makes a really nice drag is an old bed spring from a single or double bed.