Summer is about to come, and most of our free time will be occupied with gardening chores. Surely the main ones involve growing potatoes. After all, it is this crop that has become almost the main one in our gardens and tables. This means you know how difficult it is to hill up rows of potatoes by hand. There are many devices designed to make this work easier, and one of them is a hiller. You can make it yourself from an old bicycle.
How is the hiller used?
Those who hill potatoes with their hands know how long standing in a bent position causes pain in the back, shoulders and arms. Even if you use a relatively comfortable flat cutter with a long handle, this is unlikely to save you from discomfort. Therefore, it is very important during hilling to minimize bending and holding this position for a long time. No matter what they say about the need physical activity, but gymnastic exercises and work in the garden are very different things. Thanks to its height, the hiller will help you carry out work without bending your back. There are many ways to make this device from improvised materials (not to mention buying ready-made factory model), but it would be nice to keep costs and labor to a minimum. An old bicycle, no longer suitable for performing direct duties, is perfect for this. It's the perfect height, the right shape, the handlebars are at the right level, and it weighs a little.
It's very easy to turn an old broken bicycle into a useful tool for gardening.
Let's look at the principle on which a manual hiller works.
The main part of the device is the plow, which can be conical or arrow-shaped. It is he who plows the ground, going 10–15 cm deep into it. The plow blades must be located at a certain angle in order to move the soil between the rows to the required width as they move and fill the potato row with the raised soil. The width of this part depends on the width of the rows.
A plow of a suitable shape is the main component of the hiller
The plow is mounted on a bicycle frame with a handlebar. By means of the steering wheel you control the unit. And the movement of the device along the bed is ensured by a wheel in front of the frame.
That is, in simple words, the algorithm of actions when working with a hiller looks like this:
The potatoes will be hilled faster, and most importantly - easier than if you did it with a sledgehammer, processing each bush.
Note! This method of hilling using the device in question is equally suitable for beds planted using both ridge and row methods.
Making a hiller from a bicycle
If you have been friends with tools for a long time and bear the proud title of “jack of all trades,” then assembling such a device will be nothing more than entertainment for you for a couple of hours. But hilling from an old bicycle is so simple that even a beginner will not have difficulty doing it.
What materials and tools will you need?
Everything you need is probably in your garage. As a last resort, it is not difficult to get any component anywhere - from friends, neighbors, in a store or in a trash bin.
Step-by-step description of the process
Making a hiller consists of several stages.
Note! Remember safety precautions while working. If necessary, wear gloves or mittens, protect your eyes with goggles, and your respiratory tract with a respirator.
Preparatory stage
First, you need to prepare your bike frame for the next steps. Remove the handlebars, saddle, rear wheel and pedals. Free the front wheel from the tire and tube so that only the rim remains.
Disassemble the bike, removing all unnecessary parts from it
Prepare the plow (cultivator) section for mounting in the place where the rear wheel was. To do this, weld the mount to the section.
Unit manufacturing stage
Trim the rear wheel mount so that only the frame triangle remains. The section of the tractor cultivator is screwed onto the cut area, close to the area where the pedals were attached. Tighten the nuts to the appropriate diameter wrench. You may need two such wrenches: one to hold the bolt, the other to tighten the nut.
Use a bicycle wrench and a wrench at the same time to make it easier to tighten the nuts.
Adjust the extension of the plow section so that during hilling it is convenient for you to walk at a certain distance from the unit. Instead of the saddle, install the handlebars and tighten the connection tightly with a bicycle wrench. Adjust the height of the steering wheel to suit your height.
You will also need to tighten the front fork as tightly as possible, or better yet, weld it tightly so that it does not turn during the hilling process.
If you do not have a ready-made cultivator section, you can weld it yourself or order it from a specialist welder. In this case, you must adhere to the rules:
- the width of the hiller should be 2/3 of the width of the row;
- The angle between the welded blades should be about 80–90° so that the part grips the ground well.
Remember safety precautions when welding work! If violated, you can get mechanical injuries, thermal burns from drops of molten metal and slag, or damage electric shock.
You can make working with the hiller even easier if you work in pairs. Place a belt on the front of the machine that the first person can pull on while the second person operates the machine. You can also attach a weight to the bottom of the hiller to help the plow cut into the ground better.
How else can you use a bicycle to make a hiller?
The method discussed above is not the only one. You can make a hiller from a front bicycle wheel with a fork. You will need two more pieces of metal pipe, welded at an obtuse angle. A bicycle handlebar is attached to a long pipe on top. It is also better to weld it for reliability. At the junction of two pipes, a cultivator is attached from below.
It’s even easier to make a hiller from the front wheel of a bicycle
You can also make a hiller out of a tricycle for children. To do this, remove the seat and unscrew the front wheel. But a ready-made cultivator from a tractor is not suitable for this option. It will be better if you weld the blades at a certain angle with inside frames next to the wheels. This design designed for movement not along the row, but along the row.
Video: how to make a hiller-cultivator with your own hands from an old bicycle
As you can see, gardening chores can be significantly reduced, and you can easily make a hiller, which will become your assistant, yourself. In addition, you will also repurpose old, no longer usable things by making them useful device. And if you have time to make the appropriate replacement attachments, the hiller can be used as a cultivator, or to weed and loosen beds. Good luck!
Everyone who has experience is familiar with manual technology hilling bushes.
In order to facilitate this process, you can make a hiller out of a bicycle with your own hands.
Operating principle
It’s easy to understand how your labor costs will be reduced. Operating principle homemade hiller for potatoes is simple.
Did you know? In Europe, potatoes began to be grown in the middle of the 16th century.
The main part of the unit, which goes 10-15 cm deep into the ground, is made conical or in the shape of an arrowhead. The blades are placed at such an angle that the soil between the rows moves apart to the required width and covers the row. The width will depend on the width of the row. 
This part is attached to a bicycle frame with handlebars. It is the steering wheel that controls the entire unit. And what makes the job easier is the wheel that moves in front.
Thus, The process of hilling potatoes is carried out by the following steps:
- we go deep into the ground;
- move it using a wheel;
- We control the unit using the steering wheel.
How to make a potato hiller with your own hands
You can understand how to make a potato hiller with your own hands by reading our article. This is not difficult for an owner who has necessary tool, unnecessary old bike, section and, of course, desire. 
Materials and tools
To make a manual potato hiller, you need, first of all, a cultivator part. Here you can use a ready-made section of a conventional tractor cultivator; you can weld the cultivator by placing the blades at the desired angle. You will need the frame of an old Soviet bicycle with one wheel (26-28 inches). 
It is better to remove the rubber from the wheel, leaving the rim “bare”. The metal cuts into the ground better, so the finished unit is easier to control. There should be a handlebar on the frame. 
Naturally, you will need both bicycle keys, and nuts.
Manufacturing process
The manufacturing process will consist of several stages.
Important! Follow safety precautions during the manufacturing process.
- The first stage is preparatory.
If there is no cultivator section, you need to prepare the metal to weld it yourself. - The second stage is the manufacture of the unit.
The reach of this section must be adjusted so that it is convenient to walk at a distance from the hiller. We install the steering wheel in the place where the saddle was. Tighten tightly with a bicycle wrench. We adjust the height to suit your height.
In addition, it is imperative to tighten or weld the front fork very tightly so that it stands “dead” and does not turn. If there is no ready-made cultivator section, then it needs to be welded. There is a special calculation here. It is necessary that the width of the hiller be 2/3 of the width of the row. The angle of the welded blades should not be sharp so that they grip the ground well (approximately 80-90°).
Important! If welding safety precautions are violated, the following injuries are possible: electric shock, burns from slag and metal drops, and mechanical injuries.
A belt can be attached to the front to allow two people to work. The first one pulls the belt, the second one controls it. To make the hiller easier to crash into the ground, you can attach a weight to it.To provide good harvest in your garden beds, it’s not enough to plow the ground and sow it. During the growth, and especially the ripening of crops, the land must be constantly cultivated. Hilling is carried out, weeds are removed, the hardened surface is loosened between the rows.
All this can be done with a hoe or shovel. However, labor efficiency increases by an order of magnitude if the soil cultivator is mechanized.
Any owner can make such a device with his own hands. You don't need any special tools, except a welding machine.
I must say that this idea is not new. Many decades ago, when the population of one sixth of the Earth was experiencing a gardening boom, such tools were popular. They were bought at hardware stores and, if possible, made independently.
Let's consider options on how to make a homemade manual cultivator
Main types of tools:
Flat cutter. It is a mechanized version of a regular hoe.
Rotary star. The principle of operation is to alternately cut the soil with flat knife-shaped elements.
Manual hedgehog cultivator. The design is similar to a star, but the ground is pierced not by knives, but by sharp steel rods, similar to porcupine quills.
Tornado. It is a pitchfork with teeth twisted into a small spiral. It cannot be mechanized; it simply needs to be stuck into the ground.
How to make a hand-held cultivator for a summer cottage from scrap materials?
Materials and tools used:
- Steel strips, pieces of reinforcement, or other metal blanks, depending on the selected model;
- A wheel with fastening, or a finished frame (for example, from a bicycle);
- Pen. You can use a metal pipe or a shovel shaft;
- Welding machine(preferably);
- Drill, grinder.
Cultivator "Tornado"
It's very easy to make. The base is made from steel pipe. We weld steel rods to the end to form a square.
Then the rods are bent in a screw manner, and the ends are sharpened. You can use a shovel shaft as a handle, or use a bicycle handlebar as a lever. Then it will be easier to perform turning movements.
This cultivator is used to loosen the soil to a great depth, dig up the roots of shrubs and prepare holes for planting trees.
Cultivator flat cutter
The frame is made of square-section corrugated pipe. One welding point at an angle of 30°. We weld a fork for the wheel from a steel strip 3 mm thick to the frame. The type of wheel does not matter; it can be ready-made or homemade iron.
Evgeniy Sedov
When hands grow out the right place, life is more fun :)
Content
Cultivation is a method of processing a layer of land without turning it over. Such superficial work of leveling, preparing for sowing, hilling up potatoes, clearing weeds, and harvesting can be facilitated by using hand cultivators. They will become indispensable assistants on small areas, V hard to reach places, when working in small greenhouses. If you need to cultivate areas of more than 3 acres, it makes sense to think about purchasing or creating a motor cultivator powered by electric or gasoline traction.
Types of hand cultivators
The variety of devices for cultivating land is determined by the types of agricultural work that must be carried out from early spring to autumn. Some types of hand cultivators are used all year round for care indoor plants or greenhouse crops. Based on the type of movement, they are divided into moving and point. Moving machines include all types of rotary openers, hillers, scarifiers, and harrows. Point devices include tornado root removers, potato diggers, and indoor plant cultivators.
Rotary hand cultivator
The operating principle of a rotary cultivator is based on the rotation of 4-5 finite stars or cutters, the ends of which are bent and sharpened. They are driven into rotation either by an external mechanical drive or by manual pressure. Rotating cutters cut the roots of weeds, pull them out, and crush them upper layer land. At the same time, the surface is loosened. Such a device without a mechanical drive can only be used on improved lands. If virgin soil cultivation is required, you must purchase an electric or gasoline motor cultivator.
Ripper
To improve irrigation, quick removal weeds and fertilization on a personal dacha or personal plot need to buy manual cultivator. It consists of 3-4 hooks curved to the bottom, which can be attached to a long handle for cultivating an area or attached to a short handle for loosening the soil of indoor plants. It is possible to attach the ripper, as one of the replaceable devices, to the frame of a wheeled manual cultivator or with a mechanical drive.
Root remover
To get rid of weeds, it is necessary to remove the plant root from the ground. A manual plant remover along with roots will help solve this problem. It consists of three sharp rods welded to the base, the ends of which are bent in one direction for screwing into the earth crust. The base is welded to a tubular element with an extended cross handle. This device is called “Tornado” and works as follows:
- position the tool so that the weed is in the center between the tips of the rods;
- holding the ends of the handle, screw the root remover into the ground clockwise to the depth of the weed roots;
- pull out the plant along with the roots;
- shake off the soil along with the weed.
Potato digger
Traditionally, villagers use pitchforks to dig up potatoes. A small improvement in their design will turn them into a simple manual potato cultivator for people of any age. This requires a small transformation:
- the forks are not positioned vertically, but are bent at an angle of 30-50 degrees to the ground;
- a vertical pointed pin is welded to the tulle;
- instead of a handle, it is inserted into the tulle metal pipe with horizontal handle;
- Digging up potatoes is done by sticking the tool into the ground near the bush, turning it around an axis until the fork penetrates under the bush and tilting the handle until the tubers are extracted.
For indoor plants
Hand garden cultivators are used for indoor plants and include a ripper and a shovel. With the help of a ripper, the top layer of soil is loosened, making it more accessible for the penetration of moisture, oxygen, and fertilizers. The spatula is used when replanting plants to add fertilizer. They are made from of stainless steel with rubberized handle. Hand tools for caring for plantings, they can be used not only for indoor potting, but also in small greenhouses, greenhouses, when decorating dachas, garden plots, and loggias with flowers.
Flat cutter
Theoretical basis application in the reclamation of virgin lands, in contrast to flat-cutting plows, was laid down at the beginning of the twentieth century, and was practically implemented in the 50s of the last century during the development of Kazakh virgin lands. In this case, the flat cutter cuts off the roots of weeds, loosens them, but does not turn over the top layer, which does not disturb the soil structure and increases productivity. A flat cutter consists of several pointed flat peaks or flat knives, which when moving go to a depth of 10-20 cm, cut the upper layer.
How to make a hand cultivator with your own hands
You can make manual cultivators for cultivating soil in the country with your own hands. For this you may need:
- metal narrow strips or pins,
- wooden or metal cuttings with the possibility of attaching horizontal handles;
- standard set tools - screwdriver, hammer, grinder, pliers, vice, chisel, screws.
- Some products may require grinder and welding work.
Manufacturing a flat-cutter cultivator
The most famous hand-held cultivator is the Fokina flat cutter. A design close to it can be made independently. For this you will need:
- steel strip 3-5 mm thick, 40-50 cm long and 4-6 cm wide;
- wooden round or square handle;
- 4-8 wood screws.
The manufacturing process will include several steps, for which you will need a vice, pliers, a chisel, and a sharpening machine. To make a flat cutter, perform the following operations:
- drill 4-8 holes in the strip on one side for fastening it;
- bend the steel strip in the form of the number “7” with its lower part straightened;
- harden the workpiece - bring it to red color blowtorch or put it in the fire, then let it cool;
- on one side of the square wooden handle, make a handle that is comfortable for the hand (if you have a round handle, use a chisel to make a flat surface on one edge for attaching the strip);
- secure the strip to flat surface handles using self-tapping screws;
- sharpen the horizontal part of the flat cutter on a grinding wheel.
Tornado
If it is not possible to purchase a Tornado fork root remover, you can make it yourself. The most in a simple way is a change in the shape of the teeth of a conventional fork - the bases of the teeth must be placed evenly around the circumference, and the sharp ends must be bent in one direction in a spiral. Instead of a handle, it is advisable to weld a vertical corrugated pipe up to the owner’s chest length with a transverse handle 80 cm in shape resembling the letter “T”. The handle should be comfortable to grip with both hands on the edges, and increasing the leverage will make it easier to cut into the ground as you turn it.
DIY star cultivator
The main tasks of the star cultivator are cutting the roots of weeds at depths of 10-20 cm and mixing the top layer of soil. Low-power manual electric and gasoline motor cultivators easily cope with this task. To simplify the creation of such a homemade unit can be used in the design of an old bicycle with transmission of wheel rotation to the star by means of chain transmission. For those who want to make a simple star cultivator, you need to stock up on:
- sheet metal thickness 2-3 mm;
- a smooth rod with a diameter of 5-8 mm;
- tube 20 cm long and internal diameter 7-10 mm, which should correspond to the diameter of the rod;
- a tube 15-20 cm long and an internal diameter of 30-40 mm to create a tulle; a metal or wooden cutting with a diameter of 30-40 mm and a length according to the height of the farmer.
Creating such a device on your own involves the difficulty of solving the problem of rotating stars or cutters without friction. Application for this purpose complex mechanism with bearings will create many additional tasks - the need for lubrication, protection from the ground, moisture. Instructions for making a simple star cultivator include:
- From available steel sheets, 6-7 ray stars are cut out with a grinder with a ray length of 5-8 cm from the disk and a hole in the middle.
- The tube is cut into 2-3 equal parts and welded to the sprockets.
- The resulting rotary disk element is mounted on the rod (rotation on it must be free).
- The rod is bent to give it a bottle-like appearance (in this case, its ends are connected together; the arc of the bent rod should not interfere with the movement of the rotation element).
- The ends of the rod are inserted into the pipe and riveted or welded to the tulle.
- A handle is inserted into the tulle and secured with a self-tapping screw.
- A strip 3-5 cm wide is cut out of a sheet of metal and shaped into a U-shape.
- The strip is attached to the rod closer to the tulleka.
- After anti-corrosion painting, the tool is ready for use.
Cultivator from an old bicycle
An old bicycle can be an ideal blank for creating a cultivator. To do this, you need a frame, a steering wheel, and one of its rear wheels. A drawing of such a modification can be found on the Internet. Do the following:
- remove the front wheel;
- turn the steering wheel with the handles outward and fix it (can be welded);
- remove the levers with pedals;
- axle shafts with cutters can be attached to the front sprocket axis on both sides;
- if you leave the chain, the rotation of the wheel will be transmitted to the sprocket and rotate the cutters; to speed up the rotation, it is advisable to swap the positions of the large sprocket and the sprocket on the wheel;
- on the lower part of the vertical seat tube, secure a pipe with fasteners with bolts for additional attachments - rippers, plows, hillers, crevice machines, harrows;
- control of such a unit consists of pushing the handles with the wheel forward;
- You can adjust the depth of penetration of the cultivating tool into the ground by pressing down.
Advantages and disadvantages of hand cultivators
Agricultural work - digging, weeding - is difficult physical work. Therefore, any means of simplifying it will always be appreciated by farmers. Caring for indoor plants and flower gardens in the country will require the use of hand rippers and spatulas. Vegetable plots an area of more than 3 acres will be difficult to process without a universal motor cultivator with a set of different attachments. For not large plots, difficult places or greenhouses, the use of manual cultivation tools is justified. Their advantages are.
Land owners know firsthand labor-intensive process land cultivation. Using a shovel, hoe, or rake certainly makes work easier, but it is not very suitable for processing large areas and requires considerable physical effort.
But progress does not stand still - they invented it to facilitate human labor. This is a useful find for women gardeners.
This technique is used in vegetable gardens, plots, vineyards and orchards. One machine can replace many accessories and takes up little space.
The options for using a hand cultivator are as follows:
- processes land before planting or sowing;
- loosens the soil to saturate it with oxygen;
- copes with splitting large lumps of earth;
- pulls out weeds;
- helps in caring for flower beds;
- used for weeding the area;
- spuds the earth.
In the article we will talk about what types of cultivators there are, what they are intended for and how to make them yourself. We will also look at several specific homemade hand cultivators.
Capabilities of hand cultivators
For hard-to-reach areas or where a more gentle approach is required, a hand-held rotary cultivator is a good choice. It is brought into operation through human effort.
Due to the “hedgehogs” it copes with heaving and loosening of the soil. It also turns up soil layers, which helps control weeds.
There are also star cultivators that remove roots. They are usually easy to use, replace a shovel, and make digging much easier.
The manual cultivator is intended for:
- loosening the soil;
- digging for further planting;
- removal of weeds by the roots;
- processing areas under trees and bushes;
- enriching the soil with oxygen.
Mini-cultivators are well suited for small areas; they do not take up much space and are easy to move due to their light weight. Suitable for loosening the soil under trees, bushes and in hard-to-reach places. Facilitation of earthworks occurs due to the correct distribution of the load on the muscles and the position of the person during work. 
Types of cultivators
This equipment is available in different models:
- disk
- paws
- rotary
- milling
Almost all cultivators work on the same principle: the mechanical part is started, which sets the device in motion, loosening the soil.
Its classification depends on the purpose of the equipment: differences in size, engine power, operation, scope of work. Considering these criteria, they are:
- light
- moderate severity
- heavy.
For relatively small areas with soft soil, light equipment is suitable, usually flower beds and greenhouses. Medium-weight equipment is designed for clay soil. Heavy equipment is universal, it is suitable for any type of soil.
Cultivators differ in the way they function:
- hand cultivators;
- with electric drive;
- on gasoline.
We will focus on manual cultivators, which you can make yourself to save money.
A number of advantages of manual designs:
- They are economical and do not require refueling.
- Several devices are replaced: a shovel, a hoe, a rake.
- They take up little space.
- Help distribute the load across all muscles.
Manufacturing technology
From forks of the “Tornado” type
Has the most simple design, somewhat reminiscent of a corkscrew. Comprises vertical stand and a horizontal handle. You can safely make such a cultivator yourself using a regular pitchfork.
To do this, you will need a plastic attachment, which is usually used for forks, shovels, in the shape of a handle. We slightly modify the nozzle so that the handle looks like a horizontal pipe. Take a part as it plastic pipe size 0.5 m.
Note: In order for everything to fit together, the diameter of the pipe should be slightly larger than the diameter of the nozzle.
- A cut is made along the pipe so that when turned out, it fits onto the handle.
- For reliability of the coupling and further practical use, secure everything with electrical tape.
- All that remains is to twist the forks into a corkscrew shape. To do this, bend the teeth in the desired direction with a hammer.
Bicycle based
In order to make homemade cultivator from improvised means, it will be useful to you old frame from the bike and 
one wheel.
Assembly method:
- The cultivator head is attached to the frame, which is either ready-made spare parts from an old machine, or made independently from steel rods. A small plow is suitable for the frame. And for ease of control, the handle is made of steel pipe.
- The crossbar is made from a pipe with a diameter of 2-3 cm.
- The entire structure is secured with bolts; nothing should be loose.
- For convenience, take a medium-sized wheel and secure it with locknuts.
- This type of cultivator is designed for weeding the soil between the beds.
Disc rotary
This type is designed for breaking up hard pieces and leveling the soil. The main working element is a disk in the shape of a sphere. The whole difficulty lies in their manufacture.
The work order is as follows:
- Spherical plates 4 mm thick are made of metal. The bowls are knocked out with a hammer in the center of the plate itself.
- Discs are welded to the bushings, replacing them on the axles.
- The edge of the axle is secured with special cotter pins in brackets.
- The ledge is made in a bracket that is larger in size; a pipe and a handle are passed through it.
- In a smaller bracket, a rod with a diameter of 25 mm and a length of 26 cm is made. A rod 15 mm thick is also screwed into it.
- The convex corners of the cultivator are fixed using wing nuts.
- Due to the rotation of the convex angles, the large bracket bends, the rod rises, and the angle of the elements changes.
Chainsaw cultivator
It is made on the basis of a chainsaw engine. It’s good if you have all the components; if not, you need to buy more.
Materials you will need:
- metal corner;
- fuel tank;
- a tube;
- rubber wheels;
- sprocket for the intermediate shaft (41 teeth);
- moped sprocket.
First you need to weld a cube frame using metal corners for a walk-behind tractor. The frame size is 32 by 32 cm, the engine is mounted on top of the transverse corners, and the fuel tank is mounted on brackets below. Then the intermediate shaft is mounted on the corner vertical stands. For the running shaft, bearings are attached to longitudinal angles. From all this comes a walk-behind tractor resting on the surface of the wheel.
For handles, pipes with a diameter of approximately 30 mm are used. Nice wheels will come out rubberized. Here you will need a sprocket for the intermediate shaft with 41 teeth and a main sprocket (a moped sprocket will do). All that remains is to assemble all the parts into one mechanism, and you will get garden cultivator from a chainsaw (by the way, you can read how to choose a chainsaw).
This can be done even without drawings. In addition, the cultivator is not very demanding on materials for refilling, unlike purchased models.
Cultivators make it much easier earthworks, help to properly cultivate the land before planting, fight weeds and are simply irreplaceable for large areas. And if you don’t have the funds to buy these expensive machines, then you can easily make them yourself.
How to make a manual cultivator from a bicycle is described in detail video: