Based on the outskirts of Kells, Co Meath, Farrelly Bros contracting is owned and ran by Peter and Patrick Farrelly. The Farrellys offer a wide range of services alongside the typical agri-contracting duties, some of which include willow harvesting, site clearance, civil works, road maintenance and tree care. The diversity of the business is what ultimately led to the purchase of a stone picker in 2007.
The two rotors fold vertically for transport.
A large proportion of the Farrellys work is site clearance and tidying up after civil works such as motorway/gas line projects which usually involves preparing ground for grass seed after the project has been completed. Up until buying the stone picker, stones were mainly picked manually which is by no means an easy task.
Thirteen years on with the machine, Peter explains that it has been a great addition to the business as it eliminates the need for a team of men picking stones as well as speeding up the process.
Peter saw the machine in Hanlon Machinery’s yard (Irish Kivi-Pekka importers) back in 2007. Having liked the concept of the machine, it was demoed and later purchased. Peter noted how the simplicity of its design was a stand-out feature which has proved trouble free over its 13 years of work.
How it works
The way it operates is simple. Stones are guided to the centre of the machine using the two 1.8m rotors which are fitted with hardened steel tines. These rotors can be hydraulically raised and lowered. There are depth wheels on each rotor so that working depth can be manually adjusted. Each rotor is belt driven which also serves as a method of protection if the rotor jams – the belts will slip.
The two 1.8m rotors guide stones to the centre of the machine.
Once stones are directed into the centre, they are then fed into the 400mm wide lifting drum. The drum is fitted with 18 large tines in total, across five rows. Last year, Peter replaced each of the 18 tines for the first time since it was new in 2007. The drum is also belt driven which is powered of the same driveline as the right hand rotor. The three individual belts and are fitted with an automatic nylon tensioner.
The standard lifting drum is designed to lift stones up to 30cm in size although a larger drum is available capable of lifting stones up to 50cm in size. Stones are then thrown from the drum into the hopper which is capable of holding in the region of 4t Peter explains. The hopper has a high tip design so that it can tip into dumpers.
The high tip design of the hopper leaves it possible to tip directly into dumpers.
Peter explains that the drier the weather the cleaner the stones will come out of the hopper. On a good day, Peter says the machine is capable of lifting 1-1.5ac/hr.
Although Peter has used the machine a number of times to pick stones for local farmers, he said the majority of the work is cleaning sites after civil project. To date he has worked the machine across the country and as far away as Scotland.
For the full story and to find out Peter’s verdict on the stone picker, check out this week’s edition of the Irish Farmers Journal.
Watch the video here:
Based on the outskirts of Kells, Co Meath, Farrelly Bros contracting is owned and ran by Peter and Patrick Farrelly. The Farrellys offer a wide range of services alongside the typical agri-contracting duties, some of which include willow harvesting, site clearance, civil works, road maintenance and tree care. The diversity of the business is what ultimately led to the purchase of a stone picker in 2007.
The two rotors fold vertically for transport.
A large proportion of the Farrellys work is site clearance and tidying up after civil works such as motorway/gas line projects which usually involves preparing ground for grass seed after the project has been completed. Up until buying the stone picker, stones were mainly picked manually which is by no means an easy task.
Thirteen years on with the machine, Peter explains that it has been a great addition to the business as it eliminates the need for a team of men picking stones as well as speeding up the process.
Peter saw the machine in Hanlon Machinery’s yard (Irish Kivi-Pekka importers) back in 2007. Having liked the concept of the machine, it was demoed and later purchased. Peter noted how the simplicity of its design was a stand-out feature which has proved trouble free over its 13 years of work.
How it works
The way it operates is simple. Stones are guided to the centre of the machine using the two 1.8m rotors which are fitted with hardened steel tines. These rotors can be hydraulically raised and lowered. There are depth wheels on each rotor so that working depth can be manually adjusted. Each rotor is belt driven which also serves as a method of protection if the rotor jams – the belts will slip.
The two 1.8m rotors guide stones to the centre of the machine.
Once stones are directed into the centre, they are then fed into the 400mm wide lifting drum. The drum is fitted with 18 large tines in total, across five rows. Last year, Peter replaced each of the 18 tines for the first time since it was new in 2007. The drum is also belt driven which is powered of the same driveline as the right hand rotor. The three individual belts and are fitted with an automatic nylon tensioner.
The standard lifting drum is designed to lift stones up to 30cm in size although a larger drum is available capable of lifting stones up to 50cm in size. Stones are then thrown from the drum into the hopper which is capable of holding in the region of 4t Peter explains. The hopper has a high tip design so that it can tip into dumpers.
The high tip design of the hopper leaves it possible to tip directly into dumpers.
Peter explains that the drier the weather the cleaner the stones will come out of the hopper. On a good day, Peter says the machine is capable of lifting 1-1.5ac/hr.
Although Peter has used the machine a number of times to pick stones for local farmers, he said the majority of the work is cleaning sites after civil project. To date he has worked the machine across the country and as far away as Scotland.
For the full story and to find out Peter’s verdict on the stone picker, check out this week’s edition of the Irish Farmers Journal.
Watch the video here:
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