Claydon users - why not use narrower batter boards?

[Andrew K]

Hi @Brisel I've tried all kinds of variations on the following harrow bars over the years on my Hybrid. The batter boards were simply a problem more often than not with soil build up so I haven't bothered with them for years. I've tried straight tines (didn't move enough back over rows. and blocked with straw) and I've tried some sweep tines like those in your pic above, I've tried them close spaced and then staggered on the two rows. They worked quite well and would last for thousands of acres I reckon, but they do stick a long way out the back and get dragged through hedges I found! I've now settled on 2 rows of the green Accord harrows, but I'm using the twin tine kit almost always now so they don't need to sweep quite as much soil back over row as with the a shares.
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Brisel,
You can get/make plastic batterboards for your Hybrid which will not pick up soil when its wet.We had some on our Hybrid for three years, and they are easily cut to size required if you want a narrower version.
Ours came through Claydons, but you could easily get some made by a local plastics fabricator.The size of ours was identical to steel versions, and they are also alot lighter.Win,win, wet or dry.

 

[Brisel]

Brisel,
You can get/make plastic batterboards for your Hybrid which will not pick up soil when its wet.We had some on our Hybrid for three years, and they are easily cut to size required if you want a narrower version.
Ours came through Claydons, but you could easily get some made by a local plastics fabricator.The size of ours was identical to steel versions, and they are also alot lighter.Win,win, wet or dry.

Thank you. I'll try a few and see if it makes any difference. Do you have stones in your soil? I have very abrasive flints that will soon scour plastic up. I wouldn't mind the wear.

Actually picking up soil isn't a major problem beyond reducing the clearance underneath - the lump that sticks to the board is round which helps move soil outwards into the furrows. Really, it's sideways movement I want so adding tines to the boards or swapping the boards for tines altogether would be the best. The bar the boards are mounted on is the same size so a double row of the Accord tines would be easy enough to fit and only take a couple of hours to swap.

 

[ratchet spanner]

Thank you. I'll try a few and see if it makes any difference. Do you have stones in your soil? I have very abrasive flints that will soon scour plastic up. I wouldn't mind the wear.

Actually picking up soil isn't a major problem beyond reducing the clearance underneath - the lump that sticks to the board is round which helps move soil outwards into the furrows. Really, it's sideways movement I want so adding tines to the boards or swapping the boards for tines altogether would be the best. The bar the boards are mounted on is the same size so a double row of the Accord tines would be easy enough to fit and only take a couple of hours to swap.

we tried plastic ones as trial for matt at Claydons a few years ago and they wore away in no time. Perhaps they have stronger plastic now?

 

[Andrew K]

we tried plastic ones as trial for matt at Claydons a few years ago and they wore away in no time. Perhaps they have stronger plastic now?

We found ours lasted well, in excess of a thousand acres, but we are farming clay soils with a bit of flint in them.Our boards were purple in colour, but that doesnt mean alot really.
High density polyeurethane was the material used IIRC?

Probably best to use double harrow in these wet conditions then swap back to boards when conditions are drier and you want more clod crushing/ levelling ability?

 

[ccp contracting]

I Have seen some drills dragging a chain across the width of the drill would that help to cover the seed.

 

[ratchet spanner]

We found ours lasted well, in excess of a thousand acres, but we are farming clay soils with a bit of flint in them.Our boards were purple in colour, but that doesnt mean alot really.
High density polyeurethane was the material used IIRC?

Probably best to use double harrow in these wet conditions then swap back to boards when conditions are drier and you want more clod crushing/ levelling ability?

We found ours lasted well, in excess of a thousand acres, but we are farming clay soils with a bit of flint in them.Our boards were purple in colour, but that doesnt mean alot really.
High density polyeurethane was the material used IIRC?

Probably best to use double harrow in these wet conditions then swap back to boards when conditions are drier and you want more clod crushing/ levelling ability?

We had blue ones. iirc Mat was trying different ytpes.

 

[Case290]

2 rows of harrows on my v drill ( Claydon ) both rows run in line in between the coulters and I’m happy with the finish once I added a bit of down force . I also found I had to run them kicked over so they don’t block in lots of trash. So they don’t look right and will wear out on the front corner, But they haven’t blocked like that and still level so I’m happy .