Home made foam marker for boom sprayer

This is an updated video showing my homemade foam marker used on my tow-behind boom sprayer behind a zero turn riding mower. It leaves a trail of soap so I can see where I've sprayed. With my sprayer each pass must overlap the previous pass so accuracy is important. Works great.

[@williamwallum1236]

Thank you for this video. I was thinking about buying a foamer for spraying pastures. I had no idea it was that simple. You just saved me 500 bucks.

[@stephenmeador4549]

Great video. I just made a spray rig from a 55 gallon drum and an RV water pump and this will be a great edition to it. Thanks for the help.

[@louconboo]

This was awesome. I just made one from the info you provided on this video. Works great and saved us a bunch of money. $70 total investment verses $800.00 Thank you greatly appreciated

[@jcw74801]

You're welcome, I'm glad the video helped. Mine is still working great. I am waiting for the wind to stop blowing so I can spray for sandburs.

[@warrenmayfield4876]

Ok thanks for the help and actually replying back!! I’m going to try to make one this is way better than buying all the green dye.

[@DocJaeBass]

Thank you! I'm not a farmer and don't have fields to spray or mark, but i do have a BIG need for a foam generator for making aircrete. This is by far, hands down, the simplest, low cost, safest, way to go. I'm making mine this afternoon. By the way, if you haven't heard of aircrete, it's a very cool, low cost, building material using Portland cement and is both cheep and light. Aircrete Harry has the best information on it on YouTuve. I'm not connected to him in any way other than watching and occasionally commenting on his videos.

[@rod.jordan]

I like it...good job!

[@duanewalker7294]

you sound like Jimmy Stewart! Awesome info thank you!

[@watermelonacres3895]

Looks great! Gonna have to build one.

[@tomschreiber9388]

Excellent video. Excellent design. Excellent craftsmanship and material selection. Thanks you very much.

[@michellesmith2440]

Thank you this was great. I was looking for a do it yourself project for spray foam and you made this real inexpensive

[@WorldsOkayestFarmer]

sweet video I'm going to adapt this to my tractor sprayer much cheaper then $700

[@gregorysampson8759]

That's awesome what he did. I'm looking to spend $800 on a small unit.

[@paulclancy9836]

This is exactly what I was looking to buy/build. It is so simple. I was thinking a marker would be something more complicated. My only problem is that I am spraying 16ft wide with a larger sprayer on my farm. My sprayer is boom less so there is no structure to hang the marker from. There is about to be though. Thank you.

[@simmywilliams4424]

They make lightbar apps for your phone

[@hitomiprimo2657]

What are you using to get rid of the sand burrs? I have a bad problem with them.

[@jcw74801]

I use Drexel Pin Dee 3.3 EC pre-emergent herbicide in the spring when soil temperature is below 52 degrees fahrenheit. I try to apply it again in 4-6 weeks. During the hot dry summer I will still get a flush of sandburs in some areas. Then I use MSMA Target 6 Plus on the young plants and it kills them in 24 hours.

[@astroken573]

I need to make one of these to spray 35 acres, but wonder how long the cheap inflator pump will run. I have a pricey Viair pump that heated up so much it melted the rubber feet just pumping the 4 tires on my camper. I started looking at 12V aquarium pumps since they're rated to run continuously, but they're ~$100.

[@jcw74801]

The cheap inflators are the weak link for sure. I always have a spare on hand. I have had them last for years. Most failures were my fault. Water, dirt, running them over with the tractor. I was on my tractor spraying most of the day yesterday and my cheap inflator got hot but worked great. I turn it off whenever I can to give it a rest. There is a video of a guy using a 12v aquarium pump on his foam marker. Like so many things, their price has doubled recently. I also have a Viair compressor but have not used it. Some models have a higher duty cycle rating than others. With 35 acres you will surely find the limit of the cheap inflators. The CropCare F2500 kit looks pretty good for a complete system. It looks like it has a beefy pump. A little over $300.

[@coltc5360]

@Astro Ken you might try a live well air pump.

[@catbirdfeeder]

Thanks for making this video. That blue stuff is a total FAIL ! I used half the jug last time I sprayed cause I needed precision , total fail. I'm gonna build me one this weekend.....

[@fishatlantic]

Thanks for doing the video

[@geraldskaggs3903]

Jeff, I already have my tow behind sprayer pump wired to a switch on my mower so I can control the pump while I turn around. I should be ok if I wired the mini compressor to the same switch and turn both of them off at the same time. What do you think?

[@jcw74801]

Yeah, that's a good idea. I think you should be OK. The main consideration would be that the combined amps being pulled by the sprayer pump and compressor don't exceed the rating of the switch or wiring. If the switch or wiring doesn't get warm you're probably OK.

[@geraldskaggs3903]

@@jcw74801 I have both wires fused. Tested it today and so far it's working perfect. My mini compressor says the run time is 10 minutes, I'm a little concerned about that because if I am spraying the entire yard I need to run it quite a bit more than 10 minutes. Do you know what the run time on yours is?

[@jcw74801]

@@geraldskaggs3903 I believe the one I'm using now has the same warning. If you've ever taken one apart there's not much in there. They're not made to last or to run continuous so I buy the cheapest I can find. Some last a few seasons, some less. I have a nice Viar compressor for my car but I don't want to use it for the sprayer. I only spray once or twice per season.

[@rongreen5836]

Great job. Thanks for making this video. I will be copying your design

[@tgjones2717]

very nice.

[@ftworthtexan9082]

Great set up!! How did you get the air hose inside the tank attached to the Schrader/tire valve? I've seen many videos onlilne on how to install the tire valve by using wire and pulling it thru the hole.....but don't see how my fat fingers will be able to attach a tube to make the air go to the bottom of the tank .

[@jcw74801]

I have a tire valve stem tool that will screw into the internal threads of a tire valve (or use a screw that fits). I tied a string onto it and was able to fish it through the hole. Also, I recently added some aquarium air line and an air stone inside the tank and it seems to make better foam. I also switched to Suave Daily Clarifying shampoo and get much better foam.

[@kevinorr2549]

was wonderinf if anybody can help me out on why the jug i am useing to hold the foam starts to expand and looks like it could explode i have a 3/4 line ruing out from the top to my boom and the air compersor pluged in to the bottom with a tire valve thank u

[@jcw74801]

It sounds like you have a blockage in the 3/4 line to the boom. See if you can get air or water to go through it. Sometimes I run water through my lines to clear the soap residue.

[@kevinorr2549]

i got water to run threw it and hooked it back up the tank is still looking like it could explode i have some foam running out the line but its not steadily coming. out any other idea why?thanks

[@kevinorr2549]

and can u tell me what the clear tube u have runing inside the take is for

[@jcw74801]

The tube is connected to the tire valve so the air blows into the water. You have to blow bubbles into the soapy water for it to make foam.

[@jcw74801]

What are you using for air supply? The mini compressor tire inflator works well. I tried a swim toy/air mattress inflator. It was too much air and caused the tank to swell and didn't work. The mini compressors don't pump very much volume and that seems to be the key.

[@jeffbrent1006]

Very cool video and concept! Thanks for putting this together

[@TheRobertralph]

So cool. Thanks for sharing.

[@warrenmayfield4876]

How did you attach the hose on the inside of tank to the tire valve and what's on the end of that clear tube?

[@jcw74801]

I got lucky and the piece of clear tube fits snug into the bottom of the tire valve. It has fallen out, I should glue it. I think the tube is from a spray bottle. On the end of the tube is a filter screen which is not needed. Anything you can come up with that will put the air into the soapy water should work fine.

[@donraabe3529]

Wow, exactly what I needed to know. How long can you go with the gas can half full? Great video!!

[@jcw74801]

Hey, thanks. The only thing leaving the tank is foam which contains very little water so it lasts a long time. I might add a little water and soap occasionally but not very often.

[@eoinconheady8455]

This video shows how to make something that would be complicated to come up with and make yourself at home or expensive to buy. Top quality video. Thank you and well done.

[@jcw74801]

Thanks everyone for the comments. It continues to work surprisingly well considering how little I spent on it. Not my idea, of course. I found it on the internet and adapted to my needs. It's the same principal as the commercial farming kits which cost a whole lot more money.

[@TxTropicalPond]

Very good idea! What are you spraying to get rid of the sand burs?

[@jcw74801]

I spray Pin Dee 3.3 T&O pre-emergent herbicide early in the season and 6 weeks later if there is rain. In late summer I usually get a flush of new sandburs pop up and I spray them with MSMA. Took several years to regain control.

[@etmpres]

How is it powered? Alligator clips? Like to see that.

[@jcw74801]

I installed two switches on the mower and hard-wired them into the mower 12-volt supply. Each switch goes to a quick connect. The sprayer pump and the air compressor each have a quick connect. With the switches I can turn off the pump and/or soap at the end of each row and then turn them back on after I turn around. The quick connects make it easy to unhook everything and return to regular mowing. Example connector: tinyurl.com/ya2wjp3s. Example switches: tinyurl.com/y92jxj42

[@etmpres]

J.C. So was the end of compressor a plug into the cigarette lighter? And you cut it off?

[@jcw74801]

Yes, I cut off the cigarette lighter plug from the compressor and attached the quick connect. Another option is to install a cigarette lighter socket on your mower so you can plug in the compressor. Like this: tinyurl.com/y8gfron6

[@jcw74801]

To answer your first question, if your sprayer has the big alligator clips you could just clip those to the mower battery. But you need an easy way to turn the sprayer on and off and that's why I installed switches.

[@etmpres]

J.C. I’m putting on my turfco t3000 sprayer for one property that’s a few acres. Only gonna use it for a couple of hrs every few weeks. Thank you for the information

[@cooperjones4245]

How did you affix the valve stem to the gas jug?

[@jcw74801]

It's a "snap-in" valve stem. It's like a rubber grommet on the end. Just drill the right size hole and pop it in. Like these: tinyurl.com/y49kbs8y

[@lawrencekonis8099]

Outstanding! Can’t wait to make one this weekend.

[@jcw74801]

Better hurry, the weeds are here! I'm waiting for a day with no wind or rain so I can spray.

[@ripvanwinkle9647]

awesome im impressed

[@brashiertw3]

This is genius

[@aklein318]

Brilliant!!!!

[@billbradley805]

What are you using to kill the sand spurs and how's it working?

[@jcw74801]

It took a few years but I have them under control. I use a pre-emergent in the spring. I can get Pin Dee 3.3 T&O locally and it works great. I apply it again 6-8 weeks later when I can. In late summer I watch for them and spray with MSMA 6 PLUS which kills them by the next day. I have to spray every year or they will come back. My soil is sand and I'm in Oklahoma.

[@billbradley805]

@@jcw74801 Thank you for the information. I'll give it a shot. Sandy soil here too in Florida. - Bill

[@ronswanson8247]

what size tubing did you use? I tried to use 3/8 and it seemed like it was too much resistance and wouldn't make foam. Any thoughts?

[@ronswanson8247]

oops... NM... you said half inch poly... should have listened twice! Thanks for the video!

[@jcw74801]

@@ronswanson8247 Yep, 1/2" poly pipe. I originally made it from some old garden hose as a prototype. I think it was also 1/2".

[@ronswanson8247]

So I have it working, but I seem to be getting mostly air, and then the occasional glob of suds. Any thoughts?

[@jcw74801]

@@ronswanson8247 I get that too sometimes. I've never really figured out the magic formula. Different brand of soap, more soap, less soap, more water, less water. Sometimes I need to flush the lines out. They seem to get built up with soap crud inside. Also, some of those cheap mini compressors work better than others.

[@MrRsj803]

@@jcw74801 add knox gelatin to the mix. It will help

[@charleswilliams7746]

You ever try adding dye to the sprayer? Food coloring even

[@jcw74801]

Dye is a popular way to go. I've never tried it. I didn't like the idea of the extra expense for the dye.

[@boeingav8r]

Hey @@jcw74801 Great invention! Regarding the color marker dye, I purchased the blue dye a while back and use it in a pump sprayer for spot treating the lawn. I LOVE how it accurately shows where I've sprayed, but it never fails..you WILL spill it, it WILL dribble down the side of the tank when you pour it in and the worst part is, it always gets on your hands and won't wash off LOL. It usually takes about 2 days for it not to be visable on your grass. I continue to use it and its very accurate.

[@bogieman101]

@@boeingav8r I tried the dye, but I spray very close to my brick home and shop and close to concrete pads and walk ways, so it was actually extra work for me to make sure to stay away from those areas. The dye will be an almost permanent stain into concrete. Worked fine for the open yard

[@SimonCoates]

7:14 why does it make black people curious? :) Great idea btw - love it.

[@justin51986]

neighbors....he said neighbors...

[@kisseihb]

um excuse me ?

[@slliks67]

Asshole

[@miteykwin]

This is awesome! Great job. Thanks

[@ThousandWordImages]

American ingenuity at it's best! Thanks

[@jeffpodest1371]

T Galloway in

[@Adi-S]

I can understand a word, the quality is very bad.

[@duaneweldon296]

The quality is fine. You are having a hard time understanding English. You shouldn't criticize something you haven't learned yet.Your reply isn't correct English either. You say you can when you can't understand..

[@JM-oi1mj]

Duane Weldon He’s a pendejo