home improvement turns into science fair projects?

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JR.
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Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?

Post by JR. »

terkio wrote: Wed Apr 01, 2020 6:08 pm I missed something.
What is the purpose of your tree sprayer ?
to spray my pecans trees... I only sprayed up 10-15' from the ground with neem oil, during dormant winter season... Now that spring is sprung I have two other sprays to hit them with (insecticide, and anti-fungal).

My trees are tall, so even the extra 15' will not get it completely covered but a lot better.

JR

PS: I tried to connect my 3000psi pressure washer to the hose end spray bottle but it blew it apart.
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terkio
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Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?

Post by terkio »

Pecan nut harvest.
Have you seen good and bad years, trouble from long drought periods.
Any tips about Pecan trees care.
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JR.
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Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?

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terkio wrote: Thu Apr 02, 2020 6:45 am Pecan nut harvest.
Have you seen good and bad years, trouble from long drought periods.
Any tips about Pecan trees care.
I am still learning, after decades of inattention, I have actively tried to help them for last several years,,, I have fertilized, and used tree spikes. This is my first year for spraying. Apparently there are several different sprays for pecan trees... horticultural oil (like neem oil) in winter while trees are dormant to kill insect eggs. Then there is anti fungus/mold spray, and then insecticide... Some people spray zinc but my trees do not look deficient (I spread some zinc on the ground last year).

For now I am dealing with insects that bore holes in the shells, and squirrels that poach my pecans. I have killed about a half dozen squirrels over the last two years. I got a couple clean shots at a squirrel this week but missed. I need to re-zero in my scope sight, I may have bumped it.

JR

[edit- I just ordered a 25' collapsable hose that will be much lighter than standard 3/4" hose full of water.
I also ordered a laser bore sight so i can zero in my scope at least left/right.... I will still need to manually set elevation. [/edit]
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JR.
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Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?

Post by JR. »

latest version of my diy tree sprayer.
spray_pole.jpg
I got a reminder about leverage and moment arms with the sprayer attached to the top of a 15' extension pole not to mention dragging a heavy hose full of water... hard to aim, and manage.

Improved plan is to move the sprayer down to the bottom of the extension pole and push the output up a 3/8" diameter plastic tube. The water was only dribbling out, so I made a makeshift nozzle for the end from a hollowed out ball point pen that gets me another 10' of spray distance.

I can now reach up to roughly the bottom 2/3 of my trees branches, significantly higher than before. 8-)

JR

PS: It turns out the extension pole is more than 15' long so tubing I bought isn't long enough. New plan is to move the spray bottle a couple feet up from the bottom of the pole gaining me even more height.
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Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?

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No plan survives contact with the enemy... The back pressure from the long hose on the outlet and restrictive nozzle (made from a hollowed out ball point pen) caused water to spray out of the air inlet metering jets. Not only would this trash the mix ratios, but I do not want to get sprayed with insecticide. :oops:

Plan c or d by now , I moved the spray bottle back up to top but secured it pointing straight up so it isn't pushing the extension pole at a right angle at the end of a 15' pole (leverage). With the pole not even fully extended I am now reaching closer to the tops of my trees.

I just ordered a 3/8" diameter garden hose that should reduce the weight and still deliver adequate pressure...

This plan is coming together, after enough tries. :lol:

JR
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terkio
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Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?

Post by terkio »

I understand the bottle contains pure product and the mix with high pressure water at some ratio is done near the bottle thanks to calibrated jets. Right ?
This is tricky hydrodynamics that makes me think of an injector.
Actually, I do not well understand, please give me a user manual with detailed picture and instructions. Thanks in advance.
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JR.
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Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?

Post by JR. »

terkio wrote: Tue Apr 21, 2020 2:12 pm I understand the bottle contains pure product and the mix with high pressure water at some ratio is done near the bottle thanks to calibrated jets. Right ?
This is tricky hydrodynamics that makes me think of an injector.
Actually, I do not well understand, please give me a user manual with detailed picture and instructions. Thanks in advance.
Sorry I don't have a detailed explanation or diagrams, this is just a cheap hose end spray bottle.

The effect is similar to carburetor metering jets somewhat but not exactly.

The sprayer has a 10 position metering dial and a crude scale alteration that selects between teaspoons per gallon, and tablespoons per gallon.

The water flowing past an opening at high volume creates some suction (Venturi or Bernouli, or something like that effect). Restricting the air flowing back into the product bottle is probably used to meter the mix ratio.

All I know is that too much back pressure on the output, caused water to back up and out the air metering ports, that should have air going in them.

JR

PS: I suspect there may be more hydrodynamics involved with the flow restricted first to a narrow passage that then expands at the outlet creating reduced pressure (suction).
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mediatechnology
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Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?

Post by mediatechnology »

I did some SSL repair for Tony Ranchic at Sonic Ranch studios a couple of decades ago.
https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/t ... ng-studio/

Sonic Ranch is built on Tony's pecan plantation in Tornillo, Texas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_Ranch

Thought it was relevant to this thread/forum since it combines nuts and recording. :lol:

Image
Sonic Ranch Pecan Orchard
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JR.
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Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?

Post by JR. »

I am down to about 5 or 6 pecan trees (counting the one junk tree, sprouted from a dropped nut, in my back yard that I am in the process of rescuing by cutting down nearby trees that were stealing light from it).

My sprayer is finally reaching near the top of the trees but to date I've only sprayed the bottom 1/3.... This is the first year I even did that. When the lighter 3/8" hose arrives I can hit them again with more spraying.

I lost one pecan tree a couple years ago that inexplicably had a bumper crop of pecans that were so heavy the tree trunk, weakened by ants, fell during a rain storm.

JR
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Re: home improvement turns into science fair projects?

Post by JR. »

Finally got my smaller diameter (lighter weight) 3/8" hose.
IMG_20200507_135104450.jpg
I wish I had this sorted earlier in the year... but its all good.

I can now spray closer to the tops of my pecan trees.

JR
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