Foam Marker - Anyone Still Use One

[Bill VA]

Thinking about adding a foam marker to my boom sprayer. What is your set-up?

Anyone still use them?

Not interested in a GPS unit - yet.

Thanks!
Bill

 

[urbancase]

I still do, its what was on the the best way 1600 gal sprayer. Its a 2013 model if that helps as I cant remember the name on the side. Its got apx 30 gal tank, works well only problem had valve stick and would not switch. With you on gps as I looked into but with odd shaped fields I figured it would be more aggravated then using what I have.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Have foam on the sprayer never used it. GPS on odd fields I just drive accordingly like a big curve in the side I follow the first time then just go straight on the curve. I can shut off the boom in 3 sections so do that to reduce over lap as I go. For waterways if big one or at odd angles then I spray down one side then the other and shut off as I cross the sprayed section. Most of our fields are pretty square.

 

[rustred]

i drag a small tire on the end of the boom. i seed with straight rows so once i am turned around on the end i just follow the grain rows.

 

[Paul swpa]

I got one from tractor supply several (maybe 10) years ago when we started doing more broadcast spraying. Has worked fairly well, it's not perfect, but better than eyeballing where I'm at most times. Like someone else said sometimes a valve will stick. I find this happens usually after it has set awhile not being used. Best remedy I've found to get the valve unstuck is to put a good full 12 volts to the valve and it will usually free up. The one we got is 5 1/2 - 6 gal if I remember right, can usually get 15-20+ acres sprayed on 1 tank of marker material. I've thought about going to gps system but cost is still too high for the few acres we do, but I could use it for some of the notil planting as well. Paul

 

[Muir hill 101]

Ive got my eye on this one I have a 32 foot boom in some crops some times of the day I cant see my last track . The little tire isnt a bad idea either just run some chains from the front of the sprayer to the boom .
Foam marker

 

[Paul swpa]

Muir hill, just got a chance to check out your link. That looks like an identical unit to what I had gotten several years ago, I think same manufacturer. Haven't had any real problems with mine other than the occasional stuck valve on one side mentioned earlier. Was about half what they want now for it though. Paul

 

[Muir hill 101]

That makes me happy that it has been a good unit for you . Ive really been thinking about getting one . Would be a good investment less wasted chemical do to overlap

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

I still use one. Mine came from Paul B Zimmerman. The have a store and manufacturing business in PA. Only complaint is in a big field on a hot day sometimes the foam will disappear before I am done. Tom

 

[VicS]

If you are a little bit handy.you can build one yourself. I used a camper bottle. Took the left hand valve from the bottle it has right hand threads. Blow air in the top for a while or until cant smell any gas. Leave air blowing. Drill a hole in top away from the center. Make hole at least a inch. Then weld a 1 nipple in hole. Put a 1 valve on nipple. This is the tank to mix the soap and water. Next drill a 1/2 hole in bottom. Again weld a 1/2 nipple in hole. This is where the air will go in. Put a 1/2 valve here. I used another camper bottle for my air. A full bottle of lp will spray at least 100 acres. Next run a line from the lp bottle to the bottom of the soap tank. Use a corn drier regulator on the lp tank. 10 pounds to 60 psi this is how you will regulate how much foam you are using. Then run a hose from the top of the soap tank to your tractor fender. Install a tee in the soap tank line. At the tractor. Put a 1/2 valve on 2 sides of the tee. Then run 2 hoses back to your sprayer booms. One on Left and one on right. Let hose just barely drag ground. A garden hose is ok for all your horses. But not one is that goes flat. Use 90degree brass valves. Full flow. Plastic won't hold up. And works to hard. Always run air in soap tank before you drill or weld on it.leave air on slow while welding or drilling. Questions. 618 599 8041 Vic

 

[Paul swpa]

Tom, if it is really a hot day I will add more concentrate to the tank. Makes the foam a little thicker which lasts longer. Doesn't hurt anything except the pocketbook.

 

[Paul swpa]

I still overlap a bit as the marker isn't perfect. Any wind at all moves where the foam lands to a small degree as well as on hillsides it should drop straight down which is not necessarily where your chemical is going with the boom parallel to the ground. Paul

 

[Muir hill 101]

I can see that might not even hurt to mount the drops hoses inside the from the very edge of the boom a foot maybe ? Sure would be nice to have a better idea where youve been . In grain I can judge pretty well but in pastureland I have a harder time

 

[Paul swpa]

I don't think I would recommend moving the drops in on the booms as they hang down far enough to get in the spray nozzle pattern. I tend to have mine facing close horizontal when in the field, but bouncing around they work back to vertical over time. Ya, my fields aren't table-top smooth and throw in a few holes I don't always see, can get jerked around a bit. If it's a nice flatter field I run the last nozzle right over the foam drop, so not a lot of overlap at all. If it's a steeper field or have enough wind to move drop away from boom, I might run 1 to 2 nozzles past the mark in direction opposite how foam moved. If that makes sense? Seems to work for me and is a lot better than my guesstimates when broadcast spraying. Paul

 

[Bud Sather in MT]

I use a marker just like that one. I really like it and works great. I did some remodeling in the switches to make them more convenient for the operator. I use a lot less chemical with it. I bought mine from somebody who went with gps. $ 150.