Drill and Price Comparisons

[Old apprentice]

A lot of big heavy drills would just pan my ground. When I spray in October if I go of tramlines by this time late November the crop is dying with all the rain.

 

[Renaultman]

A lot of big heavy drills would just pan my ground. When I spray in October if I go of tramlines by this time late November the crop is dying with all the rain.

I wouldn't like to go any heavier than my Vaderstad, press wheels carry the weight well as long as you respect when to 'stay or when to go now'

 

[neilo]

Exactly the same here, went from a 3m to a 4m Vaddy last year and also run a 4m combi as spare. The 3m box drill would probably be more than adequate for me as the 3m Vaddy was just a 3m box drill too. The other thing I keep thinking, especially with diesel prices, is how cheap the box drill was to run. In Comparison with the air drill. Granted we have saved a cultivator pass so the extra cost is more than compensated but that wouldn't be the case with DD.
Saw the Simtech at Groundswell like something lost, in comparison to all the huge super drills, but it was doing as good a job, or looked to be.

Surely the simplicity of the Simtech is a plus point? It certainly is to me anyway.
It’s essentially a seed box mounted on a spring tine, with baker boot coulters fitted. Very little to go wrong and very cheap to run.
They used to reckon on about 500ac to asst of points (c.£500), but the points on the new drill last a hell of a lot longer ime.

 

[neilo]

What have you decided on @Jerry , assuming you have?

 

[Drillman]

Surely the simplicity of the Simtech is a plus point? It certainly is to me anyway.
It’s essentially a seed box mounted on a spring tine,

Yes I’ve said the same. Unfortunately it seems the price of a drag with a box on top is quite a lot nowadays!

 

[Jerry]

What have you decided on @Jerry , assuming you have?

I’m about 95% decided…..

 

[Boydvalley]

I’m about 95% decided…..

He doesn’t want it to be like electric fencers and everybody order one

 

[Jerry]

He doesn’t want it to be like electric fencers and everybody order one

Hahaha. Well my application will include a few solar fencers on the grant as well. Get on well with those and a couple more won’t go amiss.

 

[alomy75]

Budget wise We’re like that every year,

trouble I have is we’re on 4m combi now and don’t really want to go back to 3m

And I know if I could find one (which currently I can’t) a Horsch CO4 could be bought and modified for no more than a poverty spec, shiny paint, grant aided 3m box drill Would cost me.

Plus the Horsch would be twice the drill and would probably appreciate in value rather than drop like a stone. Talk to ellis machinery they’ll find one for you within 3 months I bet. Sprinter in farmers guide this month but it’s slightly pricey at 30k for a 2009 4m

 

[neilo]

Yes I’ve said the same. Unfortunately it seems the price of a drag with a box on top is quite a lot nowadays!

It always was, but things have got ridiculous now.

 

[Renaultman]

Surely the simplicity of the Simtech is a plus point? It certainly is to me anyway.
It’s essentially a seed box mounted on a spring tine, with baker boot coulters fitted. Very little to go wrong and very cheap to run.
They used to reckon on about 500ac to asst of points (c.£500), but the points on the new drill last a hell of a lot longer ime.

It is very much a plus point for me.

 

[clbarclay]

i queried thus abs that say that it is marked as 750l but in reality over 825l.

Are you ever likely to fill the hopper from 500kg bags? If so then I strongly recommend going for a 1000L minimum on any drill.

I had a simtech demo a few years ago which had their basic box hopper on it. It is big enough to hold one 500kg bag of wheat, but it was from completely empty. You don't want to have to be running a box drill empty before every refill. Try filling with something lower bushel like oats and it won't even hold a single big bag. The lid on that box made it even more awkward to fill from a big bag without spilling.

You don't have to fill a hopper chock full, but some spare capacity makes it so much nicer to live with.

 

[Jerry]

Just a word of thanks to @JumboUk for his time at the weekend to show me his drill and also walk some crops drilled this autumn.

Some very nice to crops to walk around on a cold Sunday morning.

Credit to you.

 

[dirty harry]

Will a horsch sprinter qualify for this funding or does the front packet preclude it possibly? Cheers dh

 

[alomy75]

Will a horsch sprinter qualify for this funding or does the front packet preclude it possibly? Cheers dh

Good question. Presumably you want one with a front packer or are the new ones not available without?

 

[dirty harry]

I think it’s optional……? Cheers dh

 

[alomy75]

I think it’s optional……? Cheers dh

Depends how switched on they are then; they would have a ‘Horsch sprinter’ down on their list as a dd drill. But the full width packer option could be argued is a cultivation element…depends what appears on the invoice I guess…

 

[dirty harry]

Do they have a master list of eligible drills…? Wandering if it’s worth contacting them?
Cheers dh