Adding another string to the bow...

[B'o'B]

I'm currently thinking of getting a disc drill to compliment our Dale drill (4.16m wide).

I'm looking at a 3m 750a, partly due to hp restrictions on our current drilling tractor which is a JD3350. I would almost certainly need to add a PTO driven hydraulic pump to drive the fan.

If horsepower wasn't an issue I would probably be looking at a 4m because don't I think you can ever have to much fire power when it comes to DD and timing is everything when it comes to getting it right.

Do current 750a users think a JD3350 would be up to pulling a 3 meter drill and be boss of the job? We would be looking at about +700 acres a year drilling split on average 50:50 winter and spring cropping.

 

[Hartwig]

George,

good to hear from you - seems anything is going to change for you or why are you looking for a disc drill ?? From what I saw on your farm it all looked fantastic - but that was just before the rain never stopped 2011......so what were your experiences from then on ??

 

[marco]

Well i'm pulling a 4meter with 140hp, this would equate to roughly 105hp for a 3 meter. So i'd say it would pull it fine.

 

[B'o'B]

Hello @Hartwig , how are you?
Planting has been a "challenge" the last 2 years but we have got crops in and established well on the whole. Having said that, last year we were down 22Ha on planned wheat area and this year, as things currently stand, we are 13Ha down on what we planned. Last year the field in question was never fit to drill in the autumn and this year it is because the field was not cleared until just before the weather broke. Not that its a big problem, as Dad says when asked what our rotation is his response is "its flexible".
The Dale drill is serving us well still after 12 years. It has been cheap to run (we put a new set of points on it this autumn, only its 3rd set in 12 years), but no drill is perfect for all conditions.
Trash handling can be a challenge in damper times and I always feel I would like to leave the stubble longer with the combine in wheat but this can cause issues with spring drilling if I get carried away!
Also I would like to get away from feeling we need to roll and/or use the Phoenix harrow after the drill.
Consistent seed depth has never been a strong point of the seed hawk tine, I think in a drier year this is not an issue but I am beginning to wonder if it does have a bit of an effect in a very wet time with pre-em herbicides.

@marco That is good to hear although after 23 years it may have lost a few horses!

 

[Hartwig]

Thank you George, I`m fine ! I had 3 "challenging" years now with this season normal again, all crops established early and dry, only the last 4 weeks were far too wet, some spots turning yellow.

Have you ever thought about adding a bar with cutting discs in front of your Dale to improve trash handling and make it more versatile ?? I`m thinking this with my GENs, like Knockie is already welding it on his Freeflow frame. Have talked to some on Agritechnica and common experience was that it should make the drill a different machine, running much smoother, needing less draft, more precise placement, etc.

 

[Jim Bullock]

Thank you George, I`m fine ! I had 3 "challenging" years now with this season normal again, all crops established early and dry, only the last 4 weeks were far too wet, some spots turning yellow.

Have you ever thought about adding a bar with cutting discs in front of your Dale to improve trash handling and make it more versatile ?? I`m thinking this with my GENs, like Knockie is already welding it on his Freeflow frame. Have talked to some on Agritechnica and common experience was that it should make the drill a different machine, running much smoother, needing less draft, more precise placement, etc.

Hartwig
Are you not just making a Simtech-T-Sem in another format? And I understand that Amazone offer a disc attachment for their Cayena drills. We have been in France this week talking to another manufacturer of a very similar drill who told us he does not need to advertise as he has orders which will keep him busy until the middle of 2014..

 

[Simon Chiles]

I'm currently thinking of getting a disc drill to compliment our Dale drill (4.16m wide).

I'm looking at a 3m 750a, partly due to hp restrictions on our current drilling tractor which is a JD3350. I would almost certainly need to add a PTO driven hydraulic pump to drive the fan.

If horsepower wasn't an issue I would probably be looking at a 4m because don't I think you can ever have to much fire power when it comes to DD and timing is everything when it comes to getting it right.

Do current 750a users think a JD3350 would be up to pulling a 3 meter drill and be boss of the job? We would be looking at about +700 acres a year drilling split on average 50:50 winter and spring cropping.

It'll pull it easily.
Re the hydraulic fan, I think there is a kit ( small disc) that you need to fit in your tractors hydraulic cicuit, either a JD drill manual or ask a dealer to search on DTAC

 

[Jim Bullock]

I'm currently thinking of getting a disc drill to compliment our Dale drill (4.16m wide).

I'm looking at a 3m 750a, partly due to hp restrictions on our current drilling tractor which is a JD3350. I would almost certainly need to add a PTO driven hydraulic pump to drive the fan.

If horsepower wasn't an issue I would probably be looking at a 4m because don't I think you can ever have to much fire power when it comes to DD and timing is everything when it comes to getting it right.

Do current 750a users think a JD3350 would be up to pulling a 3 meter drill and be boss of the job? We would be looking at about +700 acres a year drilling split on average 50:50 winter and spring cropping.

George
When we were looking to buy a 750A to go on the back of our JD6900 we were told we needed a priority spool valve which was about £700 and an auxiliary oil reservoir which was about another £700 plus fitting costs...which is one of the reasons why we bought the Kuhn which has its own PTO driven hydraulic fan.. so hearing from Simon Chiles that possibly all we needed was a small disc in the hydraulic circuit makes sense as I know any number of "Old JD" users using hydraulic fan drills without expensive valves and reservoirs..

 

[Hartwig]

Hartwig
Are you not just making a Simtech-T-Sem in another format? And I understand that Amazone offer a disc attachment for their Cayena drills. We have been in France this week talking to another manufacturer of a very similar drill who told us he does not need to advertise as he has orders which will keep him busy until the middle of 2014..

Yes Jim, it`ll be basically similar like the T-Sem-Concept.
Had a look at Amazone Homepage but didn`t find any option for discs on the Cayena - have you any details ??
Can you give us some details which manufacturer in france it is and what type of drill, please ?

 

[SilliamWhale]

Have pulled the drill up slopes with a NH7740 and when full it is a little bit of a struggle. Now use 137hp but I'd say anything around 110hp is about ok

 

[Jim Bullock]

Yes Jim, it`ll be basically similar like the T-Sem-Concept.
Had a look at Amazone Homepage but didn`t find any option for discs on the Cayena - have you any details ??
Can you give us some details which manufacturer in france it is and what type of drill, please ?

Hartwig
These photos were taken at LAMMA 2012..

 

[Bob lincs]

I'm currently thinking of getting a disc drill to compliment our Dale drill (4.16m wide).

I'm looking at a 3m 750a, partly due to hp restrictions on our current drilling tractor which is a JD3350. I would almost certainly need to add a PTO driven hydraulic pump to drive the fan.

If horsepower wasn't an issue I would probably be looking at a 4m because don't I think you can ever have to much fire power when it comes to DD and timing is everything when it comes to getting it right.

Do current 750a users think a JD3350 would be up to pulling a 3 meter drill and be boss of the job? We would be looking at about +700 acres a year drilling split on average 50:50 winter and spring cropping.

Hi I'm pulling a 6 meter 750a with an extra fert hopper that adds about 1.5 tons with a Jd 6930 no probs at all .

 

[Dan Powell]

Hartwig
These photos were taken at LAMMA 2012..

Those discs look like they are all mounted together as a unit on a single axle? If they are, then the Simtech ones are better as they are spring loaded in pairs and so can ride out over stones without affecting the others.

 

[Andrew K]

Pukey sort of green, not Amazone though?