Wooden gutter cleaner chute?

Bret4207 · Jul 21, 2008

My Patz chute finally bit the dust, gotta love rust. I'm thinking of replacing it with a treated wood chute. It doesn't get used everyday and with a 4x6 for the main beam and 2x for the bottom I would think it would work all right while avoiding the cost of a factory chute. I would use some 1/4" plate for the transition from the gutter to the chute. Has anyone else ever done this?

dwrk · Jul 21, 2008

You'd probably be ok with wood for the bottom, but there's enough force on the drive unit at the top that it'll snap a 4x6 pretty easily. I'd at least go with a steel tube or beam for the main.

We replaced a 16' chute last year, options were $8,000 for a factory Patz one or $1400 for a custom-fabricated one made out of heavier material. Pretty easy decision.

vtstew · Jul 21, 2008

Replaced my Badger chute with wood probably 18 years ago,,,,,,, smartest move I ever made. I used green hemlock 6x6 and 2" hemlock for the bottom and sides. I occasionally dump a little old oil on it , but because it is in daily use and stays wet ,I have had no rot problems, this is a 16 foot elevator and has two treated poles holding it up close to the power unit

Don-Wi · Jul 21, 2008

It may wokr and it may not. For us, it probably wouldn't hold up the the amount of chain it's gotta pull. Instead of it having 2 units and 2 separate gutters, it runs behind the tie stalls where we milk, and then it goes outside and to the back barn where the young stock are and goes outside up the chute.

Comes back in in the back barn behind the little calves and then goes back outside and around to the tie stalls. Sucks in the winter when something breaks, and the chain is getting worn out so it's starting to happen alot more again. HAd a used chain installed when I was in grade school- that was over 10 years ago.... The slide has been going for atleast the last 2 years...

Donovan from Wisconsin

Bret4207 · Jul 22, 2008

Thanks guys. I'm revising my plan to a 6x6 steel reinforced main beam.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 23, 2008

Got tired of replacing the tray on my wheel barrow.Made one from plywood, works fine.

Wooden gutter cleaner chute?

Bret4207

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dwrk

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vtstew

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Don-Wi

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Bret4207

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Anonymous-0

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