Is that a grassfarmer model you adapted?
A Novice and his Aitchison Grassfarmer.
- Thread starter steveR
- Start date
Is that a grassfarmer model you adapted?
- Location
- Top of the Chilterns
No, seedmatic
- Location
- Top of the Chilterns
Well it's going sort of green. Not had a roll yet, but will do soon. Possibly even a flat one.
- Location
- North West
Christ want to sell me some gravel!
I really am so clueless to what conditions other people are farming in.
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G'wan, that is some bloody rocky old "land! I don't think I have ever seen so much stone outside a quarry...!
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- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
Dad has a 30 acre field that's like that one end and thick blue clay the other!
scottrac
Member
- Location
- lincolnshire
just had a quote for a grassland £17k for the 2.4m £19k for the 3m can't find any second hand and don't think anyone close has one.
Can anyone give an idea if this would work on horse paddocks?
Not a farmer,just a small holding with horses,have 10 acres and can't really have them off the fields for any length of time so was thinking of this route?
Currently use slug pelleter on quad and cambridge rolls
Have a jd6230 so think enough hp to run one but don't have sheep to graze it etc.
Am considering using it for myself and maybe do a bit of contracting with it to justify the cost? (lot of horsey folk round me)
Any tips/advice would be gratefully received.
Can anyone give an idea if this would work on horse paddocks?
Not a farmer,just a small holding with horses,have 10 acres and can't really have them off the fields for any length of time so was thinking of this route?
Currently use slug pelleter on quad and cambridge rolls
Have a jd6230 so think enough hp to run one but don't have sheep to graze it etc.
Am considering using it for myself and maybe do a bit of contracting with it to justify the cost? (lot of horsey folk round me)
Any tips/advice would be gratefully received.
Was that an Aitchison Grassfarmer @scottrac, from the new Importer, Neil Ford, or a Simtech? They have gone up in 12 months if the former.... As long as you can lift a 2.4m, a 50-60hp tractor will drag it easily, they are only working shallow.
It could work, but you would need to keep the animals off for long enough for the new seeds to grow, which I would suggest, you can't? The Aitchison would get the seeds in, even into hard land, but if it is typical of horse paddocks, and well trampled, again, this may be an issue.
I had that sort of problem years ago when I did paddock maintenance, and I would be asked to spread grass seeds and harrow in... A shower of rain, and the horses would be back on the same patch. Not surprisingly, it did not work very well!
scottrac
Member
- Location
- lincolnshire
no it was a simtech one,think i'll wait for a second hand one(long wait probably) as can't really justify it for my own 10 acres and if i did some contracting with it and new gorgeous grass didn't come through i'd probably get slagged off by all the horsey brigade in the village
That is pretty well a sure thing...no it was a simtech one,think i'll wait for a second hand one(long wait probably) as can't really justify it for my own 10 acres and if i did some contracting with it and new gorgeous grass didn't come through i'd probably get slagged off by all the horsey brigade in the village
- Location
- Top of the Chilterns
Generally pretty good thanks. Sp oats look mega. Some spring barley on strong land didn't get a roll before the weather broke after drilling, and this was a mistake- defo missing the consolidation element of horsch etc. Might try and find an old unipress or something to tow behind, but then again maybe not. Winter wheat pre-mods looks reasonably handy too, so all in all ok. Will put some pics up when I get a minute.
So, One full years worth of drilling with the Aichison GF, so time for an update I reckon! I seem to get a steady trickle of folks mailing about the drill, so I think I ought to get some commission
Much of my thoughts are in this thread already, so I will keep it simple with a pro's and con's list...
The good points in retrospect.
A simple drill, easy to set up and use, and nothing much gone wrong so far.
A new Importer now in place, which will make parts and purchase of a drill easier.
I like the flexibility to drill into different "seedbeds" with a variety of seed and mixtures. Best results I have had was in drilling into a stubble I reckon. A disced or worked seedbed needs rolling and preferably left for some weathering....like overwinter!!
Calibration is easy enough, but messing around at ground level is a pain with a muddy metering wheel. I bought a larger 1kg "drugs scale" for 7 quid and this is great for quick calibration when using larger quantiites/ha of seed.
I fitted mag rear lights which seem to stop on the seed box, even with the vibe action from the tines.
Wear seems minimal on the baker boots....
Cons and problems list...
Heavy old beast for just 2.1m, but I wish a 2.7m had been available at the time, so maybe an upgrade...
Needs a VERY long top link for getting the drilling "just so" and the drill level, and this causes the metering wheel to drag when the drill is lifted on a 100hp Kubota! A design flaw in my view, and the lower links need to be mounted lower on the drill.
Vibes can undo the top link, even when whaled up on the lock nut, I am using an old hydraulic top link at present which has made operations easier.
Seed does move across the box at times, which surprised me as the R clips for agitation are not fitted to create a "spiral auger effect".
Lack of access deck at the rear is stupid, as was the lack of a covering harrow. I have fabricated both.
As I was warned, the tines can come adrift, but only a couple and I now go round with a BIG socket to check them.
Recently, a right royal PITA was when the bolt that keeps the drive shaft from the gearbox attached to the metering shaft came loose, and I had not realised this as I was drilling a very low seed rate mix. More ground than I was happy with was then planted with fresh air!! I have replaced the bolt with one 5mm longer and fitted a lock nut.
Much of my thoughts are in this thread already, so I will keep it simple with a pro's and con's list...
The good points in retrospect.
A simple drill, easy to set up and use, and nothing much gone wrong so far.
A new Importer now in place, which will make parts and purchase of a drill easier.
I like the flexibility to drill into different "seedbeds" with a variety of seed and mixtures. Best results I have had was in drilling into a stubble I reckon. A disced or worked seedbed needs rolling and preferably left for some weathering....like overwinter!!
Calibration is easy enough, but messing around at ground level is a pain with a muddy metering wheel. I bought a larger 1kg "drugs scale" for 7 quid and this is great for quick calibration when using larger quantiites/ha of seed.
I fitted mag rear lights which seem to stop on the seed box, even with the vibe action from the tines.
Wear seems minimal on the baker boots....
Cons and problems list...
Heavy old beast for just 2.1m, but I wish a 2.7m had been available at the time, so maybe an upgrade...
Needs a VERY long top link for getting the drilling "just so" and the drill level, and this causes the metering wheel to drag when the drill is lifted on a 100hp Kubota! A design flaw in my view, and the lower links need to be mounted lower on the drill.
Vibes can undo the top link, even when whaled up on the lock nut, I am using an old hydraulic top link at present which has made operations easier.
Seed does move across the box at times, which surprised me as the R clips for agitation are not fitted to create a "spiral auger effect".
Lack of access deck at the rear is stupid, as was the lack of a covering harrow. I have fabricated both.
As I was warned, the tines can come adrift, but only a couple and I now go round with a BIG socket to check them.
Recently, a right royal PITA was when the bolt that keeps the drive shaft from the gearbox attached to the metering shaft came loose, and I had not realised this as I was drilling a very low seed rate mix. More ground than I was happy with was then planted with fresh air!! I have replaced the bolt with one 5mm longer and fitted a lock nut.
Have you tried it drilling any cereals?So, One full years worth of drilling with the Aichison GF, so time for an update I reckon! I seem to get a steady trickle of folks mailing about the drill, so I think I ought to get some commission
Much of my thoughts are in this thread already, so I will keep it simple with a pro's and con's list...
The good points in retrospect.
A simple drill, easy to set up and use, and nothing much gone wrong so far.
A new Importer now in place, which will make parts and purchase of a drill easier.
I like the flexibility to drill into different "seedbeds" with a variety of seed and mixtures. Best results I have had was in drilling into a stubble I reckon. A disced or worked seedbed needs rolling and preferably left for some weathering....like overwinter!!
Calibration is easy enough, but messing around at ground level is a pain with a muddy metering wheel. I bought a larger 1kg "drugs scale" for 7 quid and this is great for quick calibration when using larger quantiites/ha of seed.
I fitted mag rear lights which seem to stop on the seed box, even with the vibe action from the tines.
Wear seems minimal on the baker boots....
Cons and problems list...
Heavy old beast for just 2.1m, but I wish a 2.7m had been available at the time, so maybe an upgrade...
Needs a VERY long top link for getting the drilling "just so" and the drill level, and this causes the metering wheel to drag when the drill is lifted on a 100hp Kubota! A design flaw in my view, and the lower links need to be mounted lower on the drill.
Vibes can undo the top link, even when whaled up on the lock nut, I am using an old hydraulic top link at present which has made operations easier.
Seed does move across the box at times, which surprised me as the R clips for agitation are not fitted to create a "spiral auger effect".
Lack of access deck at the rear is stupid, as was the lack of a covering harrow. I have fabricated both.
As I was warned, the tines can come adrift, but only a couple and I now go round with a BIG socket to check them.
Recently, a right royal PITA was when the bolt that keeps the drive shaft from the gearbox attached to the metering shaft came loose, and I had not realised this as I was drilling a very low seed rate mix. More ground than I was happy with was then planted with fresh air!! I have replaced the bolt with one 5mm longer and fitted a lock nut.
I'm a complete novice just starting out!, and wondering what the capabilities of the drill are?
- Location
- Acton Scott, South Shropshire
Not sure about the Aitchison but with the duncan we cant get high enough seed rates for cereals which is a pain.
Not drilled a pure cereal crop as yet (all contract farmed out!) but seems fine to me in a mixture. The calibration guide charts give up to 350kg/ha!! Just alter the gearing to suit.
Should be grand into a clean stubble, or a lightly disced, stale seedbed.
Our french representative @le bon paysan drills all his cereals with a Grassfarmer I believe...
Can't alter the gear ratios?
- Location
- Acton Scott, South Shropshire
Ive a feeling I am going to look slightly silly but will have learnt something. What am I missing? Not found anything in the op manual.
Which model have you got? The Renovator Classic apparently goes to 230kg/ha on wheat.
- Location
- Limousin, France
Post #560
Pictures From France
They look happier today with rain on their backs. First rain they've seen since they arrived!!
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