Bourgault VOS Horsch Co / Sprinter Conversions

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
I'm planning some fresh upgrades to out 10 k #pimpmydrill ULD CO6 conversion https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/my-new-drill-pimpmydrill-part-2.94490/ I will start a thread about that when we get going on it in a couple of weeks time

Its a great drill and a very cost effective solution that has given us a lot of extra capacity and the flexibility of using a tine in those situations where a disc is a compromised solution.

I've never really been 100% happy with the points though, we started off with Metcalfe conversion points (the only option really at the time) but I found a few problems with them. wear rate was terrible on ours soils and they blocked in beans, we made wider bean tubes but they wear fast as they become outside the shadow of the narrow point.

I then had a go at our own design of points, laser cut from Hardox and improving on the Metcalfe design (angle of attack and Ferobide tiles vs tungsten) and they were an improvement but still not really 100% happy with them

So looking at alternatives there is the Dutch and Bourgault VOS available. I had a good look at both yesterday and the Bourgualt looks a far superior built and designed solution, the leg offers choice of angle of attack through different mounting holes, the wear tiles more comprehensive and the seed flow route seems slot better.

Both Dutch and Bourgault VOS offer various seed / solid and liquid fert options to mix product with seed or place separately in various positions

The VOS are a slight price premium tithe Dutch but not as much as expected given the clear difference in design ad quality

Anyone got much experience of them ?
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
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Edit 2021 - Now Available on Farm Marketplace direct from Bourgault - https://www.marketplace.farm/farm-machinery-parts-and-spares/tillage-parts/bourgault-tillage-tools/
 
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Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Working on some thing like this now along with discs for 750. Looking good so far for both.

I did see in the catalogue that Borgault did a 750a disc - not sure they are available in the UK though ? - have you tried one ? they have a reputation for high quality products in the USA / Canada so if priced right maybe a better alternative to the JD OE ones
 

Deutzdx3

Member
On the horsch I’m working on a boot redesign so as to eliminate wear and stop plugging.

750 were making discs to try. More wear resistant that’s currently out there. Numbers are looking good so far for wear resistance.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
On the horsch I’m working on a boot redesign so as to eliminate wear and stop plugging.

750 were making discs to try. More wear resistant that’s currently out there. Numbers are looking good so far for wear resistance.

is your design similar to the flat plate cut Hardox Metcalfle style ? I've com to the conclusion after several attempts that its not the right way to go - I think a double shoot narrow winged casting like the Dutch and Borgault VOS is the better way to go
 
Can’t decide on this myself.

The pic taken off Facebook is a Dutch universal 1 inch sowing beans direct into grass.
 

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Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Can’t decide on this myself.

The pic taken off Facebook is a Dutch universal 1 inch sowing beans direct into grass.

Comparing the Dutch and Borgault VOS side by side and understanding the design that’s gone into them I think the VOS looks a much better bit of kit - just the £10 a unit more expensive though but from what I’m told about wear rates the VOS would be the cheaper to run

Not many running them though, Dutch have been sold by Spaldings so much more widely adopted were as I believe the VOS has been kept very limited while they got design right for UK conditions
 

T Hectares

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Berkshire
Yep, I'm in my third season on VOS openers on a 6 m Sprinter.
I'm on very abrasive Flint soil and they are wearing well, the first ones could crack across the mounting hole but I've not had an issue since the broken ones were replaced 2 years ago.
I've used them for everything from cereals and osr to Beans, maize and hemp with no blockages, in ploughed, shallow till and dd
The grain only ones became available the year after I bought mine, I'll replace with these once I've used my spares up.
Some of mine have covered 1600ha which is very good on this type of land...
IMAG1559.jpg
IMAG1557.jpg

IMAG2824.jpg
 

goodevans

Member
I'm planning some fresh upgrades to out 10 k #pimpmydrill ULD CO6 conversion https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/my-new-drill-pimpmydrill-part-2.94490/ I will start a thread about that when we get going on it in a couple of weeks time

Its a great drill and a very cost effective solution that has given us a lot of extra capacity and the flexibility of using a tine in those situations where a disc is a compromised solution.

I've never really been 100% happy with the points though, we started off with Metcalfe conversion points (the only option really at the time) but I found a few problems with them. wear rate was terrible on ours soils and they blocked in beans, we made wider bean tubes but they wear fast as they become outside the shadow of the narrow point.

I then had a go at our own design of points, laser cut from Hardox and improving on the Metcalfe design (angle of attack and Ferobide tiles vs tungsten) and they were an improvement but still not really 100% happy with them

So looking at alternatives there is the Dutch and Bourgault VOS available. I had a good look at both yesterday and the Bourgualt looks a far superior built and designed solution, the leg offers choice of angle of attack through different mounting holes, the wear tiles more comprehensive and the seed flow route seems slot better.

Both Dutch and Bourgault VOS offer various seed / solid and liquid fert options to mix product with seed or place separately in various positions

The VOS are a slight price premium tithe Dutch but not as much as expected given the clear difference in design ad quality

Anyone got much experience of them ?
You could always get some Triton legs and do the job properly
 

Colin

Member
Location
Perthshire
Would a co have enough pressure for using to put in covers in stubble in lighter soils that are in conventional cultivation got a Claydon but it's too slow
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Yep, I'm in my third season on VOS openers on a 6 m Sprinter.
I'm on very abrasive Flint soil and they are wearing well, the first ones could crack across the mounting hole but I've not had an issue since the broken ones were replaced 2 years ago.
I've used them for everything from cereals and osr to Beans, maize and hemp with no blockages, in ploughed, shallow till and dd
The grain only ones became available the year after I bought mine, I'll replace with these once I've used my spares up.
Some of mine have covered 1600ha which is very good on this type of land...View attachment 786180 View attachment 786182
View attachment 786140

That’s impressive wear. I’m thinking the double shoot grain only version with a liquid fert tube running down the back

Maybe a set of single shoot without the wings for OSR as well ?
 

T Hectares

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Berkshire
That’s impressive wear. I’m thinking the double shoot grain only version with a liquid fert tube running down the back

Maybe a set of single shoot without the wings for OSR as well ?
This is it DD'd into chopped wheat straw,
IMAG1949.jpg
probably a bit more disturbance than you're used to ??
But it's worked well for everything so far so I leave it on the one set of points, but it is only one Allen head Bolt to change so not much of a task...
Single shoots would be useful for beans also, I pull mine with a T7.270 fine, but bean depth does slow forward progress!! Single shoots might help a bit here...
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
This is it DD'd into chopped wheat straw,
View attachment 786294 probably a bit more disturbance than you're used to ??
But it's worked well for everything so far so I leave it on the one set of points, but it is only one Allen head Bolt to change so not much of a task...
Single shoots would be useful for beans also, I pull mine with a T7.270 fine, but bean depth does slow forward progress!! Single shoots might help a bit here...

that's not actually as much more disturbance as I thought there could be vs the narrow Metcalfe

I think the ideal would be single shoot for OSR and Beans and a double shoot for cereals - as you say the Allen bolt to change looks a lot easier than the roll pin on the Dutch so it would be a big job to switch between them
 

Tom H

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Vale of Belvoir
Looked at both before we went Dutch. Slight different situation to you Clive though! We are high seed rates drilled late October/November. we couldn't get the volume of seed through any off them reliably, other than the open backed Dutch. Fert outlet on the VoS is great, but is known to plug in the wet. I be our 5inch Dutch have done 4000-5000ha (12 meter drill) and still have another 1000ha plus left in them! different soil to you though.
 
Have you seen the new Metcalfe cereal point with wings. It looks good but I think it should have a longer point below the wing to create a deeper slit below the seed to improve drainage and root growth. I will be trying some this spring alongside some Dutch opener 2" standard Metcalf and Duets. Possible the wings are a little too wide for my liking, but I like the way it should prevent the seed from dropping to the bottom of the slot Crossdrill/ Triton style style.
 
Pictures attached. I had to cut down the body by about 40mm to bring them in line with the drilling depth of the Dutch openers and Duets as I will be comparing them on the same drill.
IMG_20200305_080736.jpg
IMG_20200305_080725.jpg
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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