MF 30 seed drill

[Stevethemeat]

I have a MF 30 seed drill counters not discs 4 Mtr end tow
It has seed and fert 23 rows
I noticed the fert rollers are 6 star where the seed rollers are 13 star
Can any one tell me what the difference is e.g. Small seeds or is it an up grade on later model I always thought the seed rollers were all 6 star type

 

[MF-ANDY]

I thought they changed to finer flutes to prevent bunching and a more even feed

 

[Stevethemeat]

I thought they changed to finer flutes to prevent bunching and a more even feed

That sounds like a reasonable explanation as why
My problem is rats have chewed all the flutes off so there kinda round I was thinking of changing the fert rollers for the seed ones and just running seed from the front of the drill where you can see it flowing out

 

[MF-ANDY]

should be ok. early ones were 5 flutes iirc

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

@two-cylinder

 

[two-cylinder]

A bit of history.
The fluted roller feed system was designed in the USA by Daniel van Brunt in 1890's - John Deere bought the company in 1912. The rollers had several small flutes. (Some John Deere Van Brunt drills of this type came here in WW2- I have 5 in my collection)
By the late 40's the patents had expired and enabled Ferguson to use a copy of the Van Brunt mechanism on his grey ferguson drill - this drill evolved into the MF 34.
The 34 was a cracking little drill which earned a great reputation for accuracy.
However when MF replaced the 29 and 34 with the 30 some one decided to reduce the number of flutes- claiming they would be better for drilling large seeds such as beans!
Trouble was they were less accurate at drilling small seeds such as cereals, and almost impossible to calibrate.
A friend proved it was possible to get vastly different seed rates depending on forward speed as the flow of seed was not regular enough!
Thankfully MF accepted their error and later fitted rollers with finer flutes!
The flute size chosen was no surprise - identical to the 34 and Van Brunt!

From 1910 catalogue:

 

[bobk]

I've got one for spares , small rollers .

 

[renewablejohn]

While the experts are on I would like some help as I have a grey fergie drill that is 15 coulters wide which attaches on the 3 point lift with metal seed hopper and wooden fertiliser hopper. Problem I have is the MF plates it looks like manufactured in 1967 and model 732??. So if MF why is it grey or have I got a mongrel. Also does anyone know how the fertilizer cogs fit back together as at the moment I have boxes of parts. I presume it was dismantled to stop corrosion from the fertilizer.

 

[David.]

The fertilizer stars just drop into the hollow drive shaft in the bottom of the box, there should be a pin both sides of the the shaft on the bottom of the star(looks like a pin through shaft but don't think it actually is), that engages in the keyways in the drive.
The rounded castings then sit in the seats along the front of the fert hopper base, and are held in place by the toggles and wing nuts. You have to be careful to engage the fert slide fork correctly over the adjuster shaft, as you twist the castings forwards into the home position, so that slides raise and lower properly with the handle on the outside of the hopper.

 

[two-cylinder]

While the experts are on I would like some help as I have a grey fergie drill that is 15 coulters wide which attaches on the 3 point lift with metal seed hopper and wooden fertiliser hopper. Problem I have is the MF plates it looks like manufactured in 1967 and model 732??. So if MF why is it grey or have I got a mongrel. Also does anyone know how the fertilizer cogs fit back together as at the moment I have boxes of parts. I presume it was dismantled to stop corrosion from the fertilizer.

Not sure when the 34 replaced the 732?
Know the 34 was out in '68 as ours was new in March of that year.

 

[MF-ANDY]

The fertilizer stars just drop into the hollow drive shaft in the bottom of the box, there should be a pin both sides of the the shaft on the bottom of the star(looks like a pin through shaft but don't think it actually is), that engages in the keyways in the drive.
The rounded castings then sit in the seats along the front of the fert hopper base, and are held in place by the toggles and wing nuts. You have to be careful to engage the fert slide fork correctly over the adjuster shaft, as you twist the castings forwards into the home position, so that slides raise and lower properly with the handle on the outside of the hopper.

good old star wheel and knocker. can remember fishing the star wheels and covers out an old grease bucket filled with waste oil where the were stored every season and passing them to dad to fit. happy days

 

[renewablejohn]

good old star wheel and knocker. can remember fishing the star wheels and covers out an old grease bucket filled with waste oil where the were stored every season and passing them to dad to fit. happy days

Can throw them in a bucket of waste oil if you want to re-live your childhood memories.

 

[Flat 10]

I have a grey 732 at home.Remember it being used! I will show you it if you are interested and you remind me @MF-ANDY

 

[renewablejohn]

Not sure when the 34 replaced the 732?
Know the 34 was out in '68 as ours was new in March of that year.

But was it red. Cannot understand why this one is grey but has MF plates.

 

[David.]

This is what we had and it was red

Notch 3 drilled just shy of 1.5 cwt/ac which was not quite enough,and notch 4 put too much on
The neighbourhood certainly knew when you were going drilling, and if you had to get over a bit for traffic, the drill would completely jacknife round behind the tractor before those damned wheels would mount the kerb

 

[renewablejohn]

Thats nothing like mine which has rubber wheels similar to fergie front wheels.

 

[David.]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/40SUWcwghVw?ecver=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Like this?

 

[renewablejohn]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/40SUWcwghVw?ecver=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Like this?

Yes but with wooden fertilizer box as well. That video also explains why no tramline coulters. I thought they where missing off the drill did not think of extending the wheelbase of the front wheels to be your drilling guide.

 

[David.]

Yes but with wooden fertilizer box as well. That video also explains why no tramline coulters. I thought they where missing off the drill did not think of extending the wheelbase of the front wheels to be your drilling guide.

I shouldn't bother, it isn't helping him much.
All what I wrote about fert system may be irrelevant to your drill then, based as it was on the old 728 drill.

 

[grainboy]

Have one for sale if anyone interested,
Also a selection of Massey spares