The Zapper line-up has continued to grow, and that means the options for your operation have grown too! So, in pure disinterest and strictly out of the goodness of our own hearts, (and definitely with no thoughts of selling more Zappers!) we’ve compiled this handy list to help guide you to the right Zapper for your operation! From The OG Annihilator to the latest release, The Digital Cultivator, Old School Manufacturing has a lean, mean, weed killing machine to satisfy even the most demanding of farms. So, without further ado, let’s hop right in!
Peanut Butter and Jelly. Ketchup and Mustard. Bonnie and Clyde. Lynyrd Skynyrd and “Free Bird”. Farmers and Freedom. They’re classics for a reason- and the OG Zapper? She fits right in.
Making her debut in 2017, the Annihilator initially came in 6 (15’), 8 (20’), and 12 (30’) row boom options, which have now been expanded to include the most popular 16 row (40’) and (44’) 24 row option. The 12R30 systems have the option of 15’, 20’, or 30 ft booms, while the 16R30 system can choose from all boom options.
Outfitted with up to a 250,000+ watt generator and upgraded to the new and patented Scratch Pad Applicator, from the original copper bar design, The Annihilator is able to cover up to an average of 20 acres per hour, and is even able to be used in wet ground conditions.
The Annihilator series operates off of any front 3pt hitch, loader or our custom 3pt hitch. It is carried on the front of the tractor to help minimize operator fatigue. We recommend at least a 100-250 PTO horsepower tractor for a 12R30 system, or a 200-350 PTO horsepower tractor for a 16R30 system.
The Annihilator often operates as a “knight in shining armor”; offering both weed maintenance options, and excelling in rescuing problem fields that have gotten out of hand. When combined with other, more preemptive practices, the Annihilator forms part of a balanced and well-rounded weed control strategy, but this machine’s main focus is not just on weed prevention- but weed destruction.
The big, beefy brother of the Annihilator, the greatest strength of the Terminator is that it is a self-contained, self-propelled unit! It was born ready to kill weeds, no need to free up a tractor for use! While the Annihilator runs off of tractor PTO, the Terminator is essentially a modified sprayer unit providing all of its own power.
Both the T1 and the T2 models are outfitted with a field contouring 30’ or 40 ft boom, while the T3 comes equipped with a massive 60 ft boom. Just like the OG Annihilator’s, the Terminator has been upgraded from the original copper bar applicator, to the Scratch Pad Applicator. (See more information on The Scratch Pad below!)
Twin engines on the Terminator units produce up to 850 horsepower- that’s roughly half a megawatt, or just over 500,000 watts! The Terminator is truly industrial grade machinery, not just a chick magnet. (Can confirm- this machine turns heads! The girls at Old School all agree!)
The Terminator is able to cover up to 35 acres per hour, as well as burning around 1-1.5 gallons of fuel per acre.
Like the OG Annihilator, the Terminator’s main focus is on weed control, not weed prevention. Targeting both between-row and in-row weeds, the Terminator and Annihilator will both be best suited for weeds growing above the crop canopy; however, the high boy styles offer a little more opportunity for tall growing plants like corn, hemp, or sunflowers.
Not a machine per se, but a powerhouse nonetheless! Both the Annihilator and the Terminator series Weed Zappers are eligible for a Scratch Pad applicator bar, and Annihilator models 2022 and newer, and Terminator models 2023 and newer, are now eligible for machine upgrades in order to run The Scratch Pad operating system. (Upgraded machines will need to have the generator system reconfigured; for more info, see our latest email about The Scratch Pad Update.) All 2026 model Weed Zappers will now be automatically outfitted with a Scratch Pad applicator bar- it’s that much more effective than the old copper systems!
The Scratch Pad itself is aptly named: two rows of sharp “teeth” scratch the tops and stems of weeds to make them “bleed”- literally causing the water inside the plant to become more accessible, and therefore more conductive. The Scratch Pad has had extensive success with all weeds, but is particularly effective for grasses, woody stemmed weeds, and hairy stemmed weeds. The addition of The Scratch Pad to the OG Weed Zapper line-up has been an incredible boon to farmers everywhere!
Made in collaboration with Agro-Thrive, an Argentinian company, The Orchard Model Weed Zapper doesn’t “tango” around when it comes to weeds. (I’ve been waiting to use that line for months!) The Orchard Model may be the smallest of the Weed Zapper line-up, but make no mistake: it’s not how big the machine is, it’s how you operate it.
Catering specifically to our customers operating in orchard and vineyard type settings, The Orchard Model’s compact size is a true flex, making the machine highly maneuverable. The boom itself is also easily adjusted from 6-25ft widths, making even narrow orchard spacing accessible. The adjustable booms are designed for both tree/row application and complete burn down application.
We recommend a 60-120 PTO horsepower tractor for use with The Orchard Model Weed Zapper. The Orchard Model operates at about 2-3 miles per hour for precise weed management.
The Orchard Model Weed Zapper is a reminder that good things really do come in small packages!
Finally! The one you’ve all been waiting for!
We’ve kept our hand pretty close with the designing, creation, and soft launch of The Digital Cultivator, but we’re finally ready to spill the tea!
The Digital Cultivator is OSM’s answer for weed prevention: an under-the-canopy Zapper that kills weeds of all sizes. The Digital Zapper is our most eco-friendly machine yet, causing less erosion due to low soil disturbance, especially in comparison to traditional mechanical cultivation methods. The low profile design of the Digital Cultivator that contributes to low soil disturbance also aids in weed prevention by not transferring weed seeds. Instead, weed seeds are zapped and made ineffective, impacting the weed seed bank. Preliminary university studies of The Digital Cultivator show fields cultivated with the machine have nearly 80% less in-row weed pressure than even top rated mechanical cultivators with camera guided systems!
The Digital Cultivator can be used rain or shine, even in wet ground conditions that are too wet for other traditional implements. The Digital Cultivator can also be used in any crop type, including corn. As with all of OSM’s machines, The Digital Cultivator produces no residual energy, meaning weeds cannot develop future resistance.
The Digital Cultivator will first be available this Autumn 2026 as a tractor model like the Annihilator, with a self propelled model (à la Terminator) soon to follow. We recommend a 200+ PTO horsepower tractor to operate The Digital Cultivator.
We firmly believe that there is a Zapper for every operation, and the best one for yours will depend on what your farming goals are:
However you choose to zap, we are sure that one of our models will strike a spark in your heart! Contact us today to get your Weed Zapper under contract!
Business here at Old School Manufacturing has been booming, and we’re not expecting it to slow for some time yet! Still, the end of the busy season is in sight, and we are looking forward to what is next to come. (Like the first family vacation we’ve taken in 10 years, or getting our new building finished!)
In anticipation of our new building, OSM has created a package deal for 8 of the last 2025 12R30 machines available. This deal includes the 12R30 cart system, 30’ boom, Front 3pt Hitch, a 30’ Scratch Pad, and prearranged shipping within the U.S.A. This deal is priced at $82,000, making it an $8,000 discount. This is a limited time offer, so it will not be available for long.
One of the exciting changes within the workplace is the addition of two members of our family to the team: Teagan and Savannah Kroeger. These lovely ladies will be helping out part time in their respective positions, and aiding us to create a better, more well-rounded team.
Teagan graduated this spring with an interest in automotive mechanicing, and will be putting those skills to use in the assembly of new machines. Additionally, she’ll be undergoing training in diagnostic and tech- some of you may have already spoken to her in the last couple of weeks.
Savannah also graduated in the spring, and will be using her abilities to help in the shipping and parts departments, as well as taking charge of our social media pages, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Too, her organizing abilities will be tested to the max as we look to update inventory for the next season, as well as making the big move to our new facilities in the fall.
We are looking forward to creating positions as more of our family looks to join the business, and getting to experience all of the things that make the family dynamic unique and fun. It has been a goal for a long time to find an area where each member can not just fit, but excel, and hopefully use their God-given talents.
Speaking of family dynamics and God-given gifts, it should be no secret by now that the guys at Old School are constantly looking to innovate, create, and invent- and to that end, you can expect to see a new Zapper being released this fall.
She’s called the Digital Zapper, and she’s been in the works for several years- a between-the-row zapper with some interesting features including digitally altered energy. Like the high-boy Terminator series, the Digital Zapper is mounted on a sprayer unit, but unlike the Terminator and Annihilator series’, the Digital Zapper does not have a copper applicator boom. Instead, finger-like projections reach between rows to zap hard to reach weeds- or weeds that have not yet emerged over the crop canopy. This means that the Digital Zapper works not just as a Zapper, but also doubles as a cultivator- and if you’ve ever been frustrated that your weeds have re-rooted after cultivation, you’ll be pleased to find that nothing re-roots after it has been hit with roughly 14,000 volts of electricity! You can see our first teaser videos about the Digital Zapper here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16uvbHdMRo/ and here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HvLVi9axv/
My grandmother often says, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating!”, and if that is the case, you can see our “pudding” is just about as full of ingredients as it can hold! It can feel hectic when we are all running about with parts orders, tech calls, credit card payments, and the like, but in the midst of the chaos, there is the realization that the Lord enables us to do all things, and we are very blessed to be doing what we are doing. All the same, we are looking forward to the new season- but we’ll tell you all about that in the next OSM Review!
While we didn’t blow much of anything up this year for our 4th of July celebrations, nor stage anything Boston Harbor-esque, it is still safe to say that the OSM team did celebrate in the best manner: one worthy of our forefathers. Rumor has it that even George Washington himself attended for a night of pleasant company, delicious food, and electric conversation.
Dominating the party chats was the release of OSM’s latest machine: the Orchard Model. Specifically designed for use in orchards and vineyards, the Orchard Model is compact, easily maneuvered, and eco-friendly. More information and photos can be found at: https://theweedzapper.oldschoolmanufacturing.com/products/orchard-model/
Another titillating topic was the discussion of OSM’s new building. Situated on 40 acres of excellent hunting ground, the new “shop” represents so many of the things that make OSM what it is. It will be a hub of family activity, the site of new experiments and machinery, and a place to focus our goals and plans for the future- those within the company, but also those without.
OSM expects the building to be finished this autumn, although production at the new building does not aim to start until Spring 2026. The new structure promises to be convenient, well organized, and will provide much more work space- essential, particularly in the manufacturing and development of our Terminator line. As for our Patriarch, he is most looking forward to the addition of a solidly built fiberglass single accommodating corner office: also known as a Johnny-on-the-spot.
Something else causing excitement to stir in the hearts of our OSM boys is the release of The Scratch Pad, a new applicator bar that promises not just weed death, but retribution. With a slogan like, “Make your weeds BLEED”, no weed is safe. It is particularly effective against weeds growing in hot, dry environments like the Southwest U.S., where weeds can develop thick “skins” that don’t conduct electricity as well.
The Scratch Pad works precisely how its name suggests: the rows of jagged teeth rake over the surface of weeds, tearing small scratches across them, and drawing moisture to the exterior. This creates another path for electricity to follow, straight through the weed, and into the root. Some farmers have already claimed that it is a night and day difference from the original applicator bar: more than doubling its previous efficacy. See it in action here: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1AZc8cUPQT/
From sparks to fireworks, business has been booming here at OSM- and we plan to keep it that way! It has been a great start to our busiest season, and we are looking forward to all of the opportunities for growth that the Lord has provided for us. Happy 4th, and we’ll see you all again, in the next OSM Review!
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