# Homemade weed wiper



## 1gr8bldr

Hey guys, I'm getting ready to build a weed wiper, one of those things that work like a paint brush instead of spraying roundup, you mop it on to anything growing higher than your intended crop. Great for grass in clover and many other things. I'm not sure if I will build it with bicycle wheels, pull behind or attach to my 4wheeler. I would love to put it in front of my 4wheeler but I'm concerned that the roundup will transfer to my tires. Anyone built one before? Mind sharing what you have learned.


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## Canuck5

I built one and for the most part, it worked fine.   There were some issues with some specific weeds, that were tall and had feathery leaves (pineapple weed), that didn't get the kill I wanted, but for the most part, I was happy with it.

You're caught between a rock & a hard place, whether you mount it on front or the rear.   I mounted mine on the front and I'm sure I got some on the tires, but it really didn't "show" up on the clover, a week late.   Mounting it on behind and you knock over some weeds with your tires, before any glyphosate can be applied.

Anyway, if you want more details on mine, just shoot me a pm


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## Arrow Flinger

Canuck5 said:


> I built one and for the most part, it worked fine.   There were some issues with some specific weeds, that were tall and had feathery leaves (pineapple weed), that didn't get the kill I wanted, but for the most part, I was happy with it.
> 
> You're caught between a rock & a hard place, whether you mount it on front or the rear.   I mounted mine on the front and I'm sure I got some on the tires, but it really didn't "show" up on the clover, a week late.   Mounting it on behind and you knock over some weeds with your tires, before any glyphosate can be applied.
> 
> Anyway, if you want more details on mine, just shoot me a pm



Can you post a picture?  I have been thinking about building one.

Thanks


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## Canuck5

Alright, I'll post a pic ... just don't LOL ..... it works reasonably well.  The cloth's/rags that are zip tied in place are micro-fibre 15" square shop rags I picked up at Sam's Club.   They'll be easy to replace, if needed.

I drilled 1 row of 1/16" dia holes on 5" centers, starting 6" in from the end.  That seemed to be enough for me.   If you let it stand without "wiping", you'll eventually get some drips.   Mine is 6 feet overall.

I've modified this somewhat, by stiffening up the wooden parts to make it more rigid.


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## Arrow Flinger

Thanks abunch!  That gives me plenty of ideas.


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## gobbleinwoods

Two ??

Do you change the height using the bolts in the wood?

Do you use the herbicide full strength?


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## Canuck5

Two??  Was that a question?  LOL .... I missed it if it was.

Yes, I drilled a series of holes, to adjust it vertically and it did come in handy.   The important thing to do, when killing any weed, is to be able to apply herbicide on the top (the growing part) of the weed.  So I adjusted the height to try to do that.

There are lots of schools of thoughts on what % of mix to use.   For now, I only plan to use glyphosate in it and I used a 50% mix of glyphosate and water.   Others have had success going down to 30%, some went to 60%, so you might have to do some trial and error.

I used 50%.  I put 1/2 gallon of water in a milk jug and then put another 1/2 gallon of gly in it.   I shook it up and carried it to the plots with me.   I then only poured, what I felt was needed to do that plot, into the pvc tube.   Otherwise, it just leaks out on my way to the next plot.


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## 1gr8bldr

*Thanks for the info*

I was thinking that I would use paint rollers threaded onto a shaft that would rotate. The rotation would stop the dripping but makes it more challenging to build. I want to put a pipe above with drippers to keep the rollers saturated. I will incorporate a quick connect from my wand sprayer from  the hose of my 20 gal boomsprayer that can be attached to the dripper pipe. I wonder if there is an average height that works best. I assume that most people probably set their height on their manufactured weed wipers and leave it there. If I knew the average height, I may decide to build mine none adjustable. Have not decided if I want "in front of 4 wheeler, behind or pull frame with wheels. What would be great is one that can rotate 45% so that it could be 10ft + or - and still get to remote places. Just thinking out loud so any advice will be helpful.


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## 1gr8bldr

Canuck5 said:


> Alright, I'll post a pic ... just don't LOL ..... it works reasonably well.  The cloth's/rags that are zip tied in place are micro-fibre 15" square shop rags I picked up at Sam's Club.   They'll be easy to replace, if needed.
> 
> I drilled 1 row of 1/16" dia holes on 5" centers, starting 6" in from the end.  That seemed to be enough for me.   If you let it stand without "wiping", you'll eventually get some drips.   Mine is 6 feet overall.
> 
> I've modified this somewhat, by stiffening up the wooden parts to make it more rigid.


 Good job, I wonder how this rag advertised on Tv would do, called "Sham Wow"


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## Arrow Flinger

1gr8bldr said:


> Good job, I wonder how this rag advertised on Tv would do, called "Sham Wow"



It would suck up the whole gallon of mix and not let it get to the plants.


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## Canuck5

LOL ... those orange rags were supposed to be similar to Sham-Wows and they do hold a lot of liquid!

I think "average height" is really going to depend on where and what crop you'll use it on, I suppose.

Takes some pics along the way and show us how it works out!  Mine was 6 feet wide, simply to be able to get down the trails, if need be.


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## liveoutside

how do you control the flow of the liquid onto the towels. i saw a good thread on this on qdma last year but it has been archived and i cant see the pics anymore. any other pics you could share would help out alot.


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## Canuck5

The only way I control the flow, is thru the # and size of holes I drilled in the tube and the amount of fluid I put in ..... that's it


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## Canuck5

Was this the design you were thinking about?  http://www.tifton.uga.edu/eng/Publications/Rope/Aavim how to make a rope wick.pdf


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## Arrow Flinger

Have you tried it with brush be gone for killing sweetgums?  If so, how did it work?


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## Canuck5

Sorry, no I have only used it for traditional weeds, with glyphosate passing thru it


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## Wild Turkey

lesco prosecutor kills sweetgums dead. 2oz per gallon.
1 week and they are toast.


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## liveoutside

canuck 5, no that wasn't the design i was thinking of. that one looks like it would work but all of the ropes and fittings are expensive. the one i saw used guaze wrap coverd in canvas to wrap around the pipe and transfer the liquid as well as a gate valve (hose bib) to control the amount of air that entered (vapor lock) and there for flow rate. it apeared much cheaper than buying the fittings and ropes which i believe run around $100 alone to make a 5-7 foot section of bar.


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## Canuck5

http://www.qualitymetalworks.com/products/index.htm  Maybe this brand?


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## Arrow Flinger

Wild Turkey said:


> lesco prosecutor kills sweetgums dead. 2oz per gallon.
> 1 week and they are toast.



Thanks.  That is the main reason for me wanting a wiper.  We bush hog and the sweetgums are back in 2 weeks.  I think the wiper would be the trick for getting them under control.  

I wonder if the rope design would work using chemical resistant form a gasket or goop to hold the ropes in place instead of the compression fittings?  That would make it a cheap build.


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## Canuck5

Arrow Flinger .... I don't know it it would.


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## liveoutside

Canuck5 that is the brand that was copied, but the plans i saw were on QDMA's forum. they had some great pics and instruction on how to get the absorbant material conected to the pipe and how to construct the rest of it.  better than just zip ties. i am going to just go for it from memory  after hunting season is over. i won't need it before since i am starting over on all of my perinial plots this year due to an insane case of johnsons and bermuda grass over the past two years.


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## Canuck5

PM sent, Liveoutside


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## gadeerwoman

http://www.tifton.uga.edu/eng/Publications/Rope/Aavim how to make a rope wick.pdf


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## d-a

Check out this one

http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/p...r+Sponge+Weed+Wiper+ATV+Herbicide+Applicator#

d-a


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## Arrow Flinger

Finally got one built.  Thanks for all the help and ideas

This was my first attempt.  It looked good but was a dripper and not a wiper.







My second attempt, I used those super absorbant car drying towels at Walmart held on with zip ties.  The problem was the zip ties was restricting the liquid flow so I glued the wipers on top and bottom with Seal all which a chemical resistant sealer and then wrapped with small rope.  This design works good.  Like Canuck5 stated, it will drip after a few minutes with no wiping but that won't be a problem the way I am going to use it.  I built it to hang on the rack and have rubber bungie cords that allows the whole thing to swing up if I hit something.  And I probably will.  I built t handle's to tighten and loosed the height adjustment.


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## 1gr8bldr

Arrow Flinger said:


> Finally got one built.  Thanks for all the help and ideas
> 
> This was my first attempt.  It looked good but was a dripper and not a wiper.
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> My second attempt, I used those super absorbant car drying towels at Walmart held on with zip ties.  The problem was the zip ties was restricting the liquid flow so I glued the wipers on top and bottom with Seal all which a chemical resistant sealer and then wrapped with small rope.  This design works good.  Like Canuck5 stated, it will drip after a few minutes with no wiping but that won't be a problem the way I am going to use it.  I built it to hang on the rack and have rubber bungie cords that allows the whole thing to swing up if I hit something.  And I probably will.  I built t handle's to tighten and loosed the height adjustment.
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> 
> [/QUOTE Hey great job, I suspect that many will be made by looking at your pictures and ideas. Thanks much


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## Canuck5

You're in business now!  Good job!


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