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WORKSHOP SKILLS

Winning Inventions Comp entry up for grabs in farm sale

After 53 years, several million small square bales and dozens of farm inventions, Cotswolds contractor and farm-scale engineer Frank Henderson is calling time on his career – and his bespoke…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Ag engineers branch out into high-spec custom work

Be it a nifty tool fashioned out of scrap metal or a high-tech implement made from top-flight components, the innovation and quality of workmanship in UK agricultural engineering is second…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Wiltshire contractor builds one-of-a-kind bale chaser

A majority of the machinery knocked together in a farm workshop has a certain rustic charm that comes from putting it in the field before applying the finishing touches. Not…

FARM MAINTENANCE

Contractors change JCB Hydradig to self-propelled hedgecutter

JCB's alternative take on a traditional wheeled digger, the Hydradig 110W, has found favour with contractors looking for a versatile tool for farm maintenance operations. Rather than being limited to…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Remote-control tractor wins FW's 2021 Inventions Competition

Complex category winner Tom Beach’s remote-controlled tractor Tom Beach’s clever remote-controlled tractor and broccoli harvesting trailer is this year’s complex category winner. The 23-year-old agricultural engineering student works part-time on…

MACHINERY MAINTENANCE

Hydrogen-based cleaning kits get old engines running smoothly

A system for clearing carbon deposits from coked-up engines is now being offered by a Warwickshire firm as an on-farm service. Hydrogen cleaning has been used in the automotive industry…

Practical advice

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GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Guide to ensuring electric fences are stockproof

Checking electric fence systems for faults should be a priority ahead of spring turnout to make paddocks and fields secure. From testing the flow of electricity to locating where overgrown…

MACHINERY MAINTENANCE

How to get the best from a McConnel hedgecutter

Since the launch of its first Power Arm trimmer in the early 1950s, McConnel has been a dominant force in the world of flail hedgecutting. From a starting point of…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Top tips for upping the quality of workshop projects

Every year, the Farm Inventions Competition unearths a horde of impressive workshop builds that provide ingenious answers to some of agriculture’s recurring conundrums. Traditionally, farmers and contractors have sketched out…

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Railway fencing safety: What livestock farmers need to know

Figures produced by Network Rail in 2019 show that incidents involved more than 800 animals through the year. Of these, about 80 were struck by trains. The downtime caused by…

FARM MAINTENANCE

6 tips to minimise problems with blocked fuel filters

Farmers across the UK are continuing to report problems with blocked fuel filters in tractors and other farm vehicles. An increase in fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) blend component for…

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

How to avoid costly claims for rodent damage to machinery

Damage to stored machinery and equipment caused by rodents can be very costly. Individual insurance claims in excess of £20,000 are not unusual, and if insurance doesn't cover rodent damage,…

Machinery maintenance

MACHINERY MAINTENANCE

How to get the best from a McConnel hedgecutter

Since the launch of its first Power Arm trimmer in the early 1950s, McConnel has been a dominant force in the world of flail hedgecutting. From a starting point of…

TRACTORS

22-year-old Fendt Favorit 515C gets £15k revamp

The allure of a new, top-spec tractor might win over many farmers and contractors, but Matthew Barnett has considerably more time for older machines with a proven track record. He…

FARM MAINTENANCE

6 tips to minimise problems with blocked fuel filters

Farmers across the UK are continuing to report problems with blocked fuel filters in tractors and other farm vehicles. An increase in fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) blend component for…

MACHINERY MAINTENANCE

Farmers report more problems with blocked tractor fuel filters

Urgent action must be taken to resolve ongoing problems with blocked fuel filters in tractors and other farm machinery, NFU Scotland says. The union has reported that once again farmers…

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Workshop skills

TRACTORS

What to look for when buying and fitting a tractor dashcam

Drive a tractor on the road for any length of time and you are bound to see some form of reckless manoeuvre from an impatient motorist. Most of the time,…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

Winning Inventions Comp entry up for grabs in farm sale

After 53 years, several million small square bales and dozens of farm inventions, Cotswolds contractor and farm-scale engineer Frank Henderson is calling time on his career – and his bespoke…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

FW Inventions Comp 2022: Ollie Mackintosh's inter-row drill

Ollie Mackintosh’s inter-row seeder has been awarded highly commended in our Inventions Competition. Having built a successful 6m inter-row seeder for sowing grass under maize (featured in the 2016 Farm…

WORKSHOP SKILLS

FW Inventions Comp 2022: Handy home-made fencing kit

This year's Inventions Competition saw some clever ideas to help with time-management, costs and longevity of fencing. Here are some of our favourites. See also: Workshop tips: A guide to oxy…

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Video

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MACHINERY

Video: Guide to fitting a load-sensing trailer brake valve

It's all very well having razor-sharp trailer brakes when you're fully loaded, but when you're empty it inevitably means the wheels lock up and you're left with clouds of smoke…

MACHINERY

Video: Effective upgrades for top-class trailer brakes

There are some adjustments you can make to trailer brakes that help keep them legal and won't break the bank but this time, we suss out some of the more…

MACHINERY

Video: Getting the best from a Horsch Pronto

  Our series which sets out to advise users on how to get the best from their machinery continues with a look at the Horsch Pronto drill – a Pronto…

MACHINERY

Video:Getting the best from a Master mobile dryer

The mobile grain dryer is clearly now a viable alternative to a fixed dryer – their capacities and drying outputs have increased over the years so that there are models…

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