Million Dollar Ideas

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El Pablo

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2busy

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How about white oak acorn flavored deer feed? :D
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Snattlerake

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In high school I got tired of chopping ice at the pond so the cows could drink. I took a lawn mower blade, welded it to a pipe, cut a barrel in half, and welded the two halves to the brackets I made for them to attach to the pipe, added some bearings from an old Ford hub, added bracing and stuck it into the pond. Poof! Instant pond stirring device.

I showed it to my Ag teacher, and he had all the farm kids making them for their farms. Then he had me put it in the Farmer Stockman Magazine under the tips and tricks column, and within about 6 months, some SOB was selling them in the same magazine!

At that time I was just a dumb kid and knew nothing about business, patents, prior art, copyrites, etc.

:pissed::madbox:


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Parks 788

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In high school I got tired of chopping ice at the pond so the cows could drink. I took a lawn mower blade, welded it to a pipe, cut a barrel in half, and welded the two halves to the brackets I made for them to attach to the pipe, added some bearings from an old Ford hub, added bracing and stuck it into the pond. Poof! Instant pond stirring device.

I showed it to my Ag teacher, and he had all the farm kids making them for their farms. Then he had me put it in the Farmer Stockman Magazine under the tips and tricks column, and within about 6 months, some SOB was selling them in the same magazine!

At that time I was just a dumb kid and knew nothing about business, patents, prior art, copyrites, etc.

:pissed::madbox:


View attachment 432898
Interesting. Did the barrel halfs act as wind turbin blades thus rotating the mower blades to stir the water?
 

dennishoddy

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Interesting. Did the barrel halfs act as wind turbin blades thus rotating the mower blades to stir the water?
Appears so. Calm nights typically let the pond freeze over again so they don't work at extreme low temps unless the wind blows. I've seen lots of home-grown wind powered pond deicers. Very innovative thinking.
 

Snattlerake

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Interesting. Did the barrel halfs act as wind turbin blades thus rotating the mower blades to stir the water?
Yes. I almost never chopped ice again. We took it out during the spring and summer. This patent is more elaborate and braced a lot better than mine but I never had the inkling to refine it anymore. I wish high schools would teach business classes and AG departments better farming practices.

The most critical part of the build was discovering I had to have space between the wind turbine blades for the air to escape from each blade or it would work against itself and not spin worth a darn.

I also made the wind blades spin the opposite direction of the mower blade which created more turbulence in the water.
 
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dennishoddy

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Yes. I almost never chopped ice again. We took it out during the spring and summer. This patent is more elaborate and braced a lot better than mine but I never had the inkling to refine it anymore. I wish high schools would teach business classes and AG departments better farming practices.

The most critical part of the build was discovering I had to have space between the wind turbine blades for the air to escape from each blade or it would work against itself and not spin worth a darn.
On that note, I got a flyer from our local Votech today. One of the classes offered was farming business and how to develop a plan.
Thought that was a great class for new farmers.
When I started, it was on the cuff. Had zero clue how to start and no idea how much the government is involved. Followed grandpas model of farming which was work ground, plant, harvest and see if you make it year to year.
Holy crap its different now! I'm retired from farming now, leasing out the ground, but working one's way through the government crap now almost requires a degree in AG.
 

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