From Storage to Repairs: 14 Farmer-Approved Shop Hacks

Farmer ingenuity comes in many forms: reusing materials to give them a second life, creating tools for very specific uses, and making typically fixed items portable. These ideas from farmers appear in the All Around the Farm pages in Successful Farming magazine. Below are a collection that are particularly helpful for farm shops.

1. Hog Panel Storage Rack

Hog panels are the perfect size to use for organizing our farm feed room. You can cut individual rods and bend them out to make a paper towel holder or a hanger for boots, gloves, and hats. You can also mount a magnetic tool organizer. The options are endless, and the cost is relatively cheap. -Ailsa Bier, Longmont, Colorado

2. Handy Absorbent Dispenser

I was looking for a way to store spill absorbent in my shop. I used an old planter insecticide box for the task. I thoroughly cleaned the unit and removed the divider, while enlarging the dispensing gates for increased flow. With small spills, I can use one or two of the gates to access the absorbent. With large spills, I snap open the lid and dip directly from the box. Angle iron brackets attach the box to the wall, and it looks good while keeping the absorbent dry. -Kevin Storms, Darlington, Indiana

3. Tool for Picking Up Metal

I made a nifty tool to pick up small nails, screws, parts, and metal shavings. I had strong round magnets with small holes in the middle. I cut a 2×4 board to make a handle 6 to 8 inches long. I screwed the magnets to the edge of the board in a line. Next, I cut a piece of aluminum flashing to the same length as the board. I bent the flashing to cover the magnets and the side of the board. To operate, hold the flashing in place to pick up the metal pieces. Once the bottom is full of items, simply pull the flashing away from the magnet and the pieces fall right off. This is better than scraping items off an unprotected magnet. -David Willhelm, Cedar Grove, Indiana

4. Doorknob Covers

In the winter, I was having problems with the doorknob locks freezing on my shop and machine shed. Rain and snow would work their way into the keyhole, eventually freezing the lock. After thawing the locks out several times, I purchased a 1 1/2×3-inch rubber plumbing coupler and a 2-inch rubber end cap, along with radiator hose clamp. I cut a slit on the bottom edge of the coupler, which allowed it to expand and fit over the doorknob. I then placed the 2-inch cap over the end of the coupler and clamped it to create a watertight seal. It works great! I just pull off the cap and unlock the door. -Ken Miller, Rochelle, Illinois

5. Front Wheels for Pressure Washer

Pressure washers are hard to move because they’re heavy and only have one set of wheels in the back. I fixed that problem by adding a set of wheels that can be purchased at most farm stores. I attached the wheels so they can be lowered when the pressure washer is being moved and raised out of the way when the washer is in use. -Darwin Rambow, Walworth, Wisconsin

6. Less Mess Filling Batteries

Filling lead acid batteries can be frustrating. The batteries are often in an awkward location, making the process messy and difficult. I use a veterinary 60-cc catheter-tip syringe and rubber hose for this task. You have precise control of the water going into the battery, no wasted water, and no mess. -Greg Nishi, San Luis Obispo, California

7. Floor Jack Swivel Block

To keep my floor jack close to the ground, I used a short piece of railroad tie in which I drilled 1-inch holes on all sides. This block sits on a shaft and plate I made. I inserted this assembly in place of the factory swivel plate that came with the jack. -Randy Wortmann, Hartington, Nebraska

8. Hydraulic Press Assistant

My 20-ton hydraulic shop press was always trying to walk when pressing objects. One day, while trying to straighten a tractor front axle, part of the press got bent. As I fixed it, I cut two pieces of 1/2×1-inch bar stock to match the width of the shop press on both sides. I welded the bar stock to the floor of the press mount. Next I drilled holes for bolts so I could attach sealed bearings that would roll against the inside of the vertical rails. Now the bar stock and bearings prevent any movement or shifting while using the press. -Larry Edelen, Vine Grove, Kentucky

9. Adjustable Pipe Stand

I wanted a pipe stand that would be easily adjustable for height but would allow pipes to be rotated with little effort. First, I made a three-leg base with a plate large enough to attach the foot of a hand-cranked trailer jack. Once the jack was attached, I cut a short piece of ⅛-inch, 2×4-inch square tubing. With a cutting torch, I removed a section from one side, which allowed the top of the jack to snugly fit inside. Then I tack welded the jack into place. For the top, I cut two U-shape plates from ⅛-inch flat iron, drilled holes, and mounted four sealed bearings. Lastly, I welded the bearing assembly to the top of the square tubing. -Josiah Hofer, Graceville, Minnesota

10. Easy Air Compressor Shutoff

Has an air line in your shop ever blown out when no one was around? We put a 110-volt air solenoid valve at the compressor tank and tied it into one of the switches to a light bank in our shop. When the lights are on, the air is on. When the lights are off, the air is off. No more compressor running all night. -Tim Stengel, Milbank, South Dakota

11. Rolling Cutting Table

While upgrading a metal cutting saw, I decided to mount it to a table. I found a 6-foot table at a surplus store, cut it down to 4 feet, and mounted wheels. My next step was to attach telescoping supports on both ends. I used chains to control the angle of the supports. This allows me to expand my support from 64 inches to 110 inches. I added a shop vacuum underneath the table to aid with collecting metal chips. On the front of the unit, I mounted a switch and outlet. This project totaled $110. -Kevin Storms, Darlington, Indiana

12. Quick, Portable Light Tester

I wanted a quick and portable way to check lights and other electronics around the shop. We have multiple battery-powered tools and an idea came to mind. I attached the receptacle from an old cordless power tool to a mount in a way that allowed my cordless batteries to fit onto the mount. For ease of use, I attached clamps to the ends of wire and secured them to the receptacle. Next, a switch and an inline fuse were attached to the hot wire. Lastly, I attached magnets to the mount to make it easily attachable to metal surfaces. –Jordan Waldner, Blanchard, North Dakota

13. Simple Shop Monitor

On many occasions, I would forget to turn off the heater or lights in my shop when leaving. To solve the problem, I purchased a blank outlet plate and drilled six small holes to insert LED lights. After mounting the lights, I attached one leg of each of the six indicators together and connected those wires to the neutral bar on the electrical panel in the shop. I then connected the other leg of each LED to a 16-gauge insulated wire, which runs to the non energized side of the individual switch that needs monitoring. If the switch is left on, the LED lets me know which one is specifically energized. –Joseph Kansak, Ocean View, Delaware

14. Work-light Modernization

I decided to modernize an outdated halogen work light by switching it to LED and converting the power source to run on electric tool batteries. In an attempt to make it moisture resistant, I used an ammo can for the batteries, heat shrink on the connectors, and a water-resistant toggle switch. I wired the two electric tool battery adapters in parallel to allow using either one battery or two, depending on the desired run time. My setup uses about 3.0 Ah of power per hour of operation. –Dillon Gratz, Atwater, Minnesota

Share Your Ideas

Successful Farming magazine invites you to share ideas with our readers. 

Enter idea(s), with a daytime phone number, email address, and complete mailing address using this link  or mail to: Successful Farming Magazine, All Around The Farm, 1716 Locust Street/LS257, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023

Submissions should be precise. Include a sketch or photograph when needed. If your idea is used in print, we pay $400 for the Idea of the Month, $200 for ideas that appear with drawings, and $100 for unillustrated ideas. All material submitted becomes the property of Meredith Operations Corporation. If your idea is used, you give Meredith Operations Corporation the right to use it in any manner.