Inventor’s Simple Idea Works Wonders For Wine Industry Workers
Making wine is full of tradition and history, and behind the scenes some backbreaking work goes on.
But one Marlborough inventor has transformed one of the most labour-intensive jobs in growing grapes – bud rubbing – with a simple scrubbing brush on a stick.Rubbing off unwanted new growth so the vines can flourish and produce a bumper crop of grapes is back-breaking work.
And this year one simple invention has made the job a lot easier.
The ‘bud brush’ was invented by Martin Thompson, who has lived amongst the vines in Marlborough for six years.
It is basically a stick with hard bristles on the bottom. In fact, his prototype was a piece of wood with a bristled doormat stuck to it.
“It wraps itself around the brush and you can use the outer edge for harder bits at the bottom, and it’s so nice and neat in there that it just grabs around the edge of the vine,” he says.
The idea came to Mr Thompson when he saw his friends having to bend down so often to do the job.
“For some reason no one has come up specific idea so I looked at it, done a prototype, made sure it worked and now it’s come to this.”
Photo by glovsky225.
Jaclyn on December 8th, 2008 12:59 pm
Great job and idea Martin! being so simple and probably very easy and cost effective to produce…it is a wonder why no one had thought of it yet…but who better it to be then you right! i bet your friend’s were very happy to see you create that invention and probably couldn’t wait to start using it.
Matt Helphrey on December 8th, 2008 3:50 pm
That is a great invention. Now people will be harvesting the vineyards well into thier 80’s…well maybe not. But a few chiropractors may lose some clients
Forex on December 9th, 2008 10:45 am
Great idea! It is always the simple ideas that work out best.
I hope this becomes widespread and wish you much success.
cassy on December 14th, 2008 12:13 am
Great idea Martin! You just dont know how much you give a very easy work to your friend and also to others.
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