New KRM Sola direct drill

[Joe Boy]

I tried one of these out for drilling some peas, they are just coming through nicely.

They come in at £27k for a 6 meter drill so probably one of the cheapest dd drills available.

Bit like a poor mans Aitchison I thought. Anyone else tried or brought one. I'm thinking of getting one for when I want closer row spacing than my Claydon can offer.

 

[Wheatland]

I've just had a look on their website: very similar coulter to a weaving sabre tine or Amazone Cayenne.

http://www.krm-ltd.co.uk/Sola/Drills 1909.htm

 

[Andrew K]

Looks good, but I would also give the Mounted Dale eco a look as well.
The cheapest option for close spacing would be to fit a Twin Tine kit on your Claydon?

 

[Joe Boy]

Looks good, but I would also give the Mounted Dale eco a look as well.
The cheapest option for close spacing would be to fit a Twin Tine kit on your Claydon?

I'm not that keen on the twin tine kit. It would be a pain swapping it between setups as I would still want wide rows for wheat into borage stubble and borage drilling. I could also pull a 6 M tine drill with my tractor which would be much better. I think that kind of tine drill needs to be something light weight.

A second hand 6 M mounted dale or aitchison might fit the bill, but I can't find any for sale

 

[Timbo1080]

I tried one of these out for drilling some peas, they are just coming through nicely.

They come in at £27k for a 6 meter drill so probably one of the cheapest dd drills available.

Bit like a poor mans Aitchison I thought. Anyone else tried or brought one. I'm thinking of getting one for when I want closer row spacing than my Claydon can offer.

Yes, tried one last autumn. Nice light drill, good coulter pressure. Was looking at this drill to complement the 750a. Not in favour of modifying a free flow/Horsch as I don't like the idea of trailed drills late in the season on clay. It will eventually replace our aged KRM R600 tine drill. Not much more to say, just that it put the seed in the ground & it grew well. Didn't try going direct into stubble, unfortunately, but confident that it would in the back end of the season at least.

 

[Andrew K]

Anyone else tried one of these drills?

 

[chunky]

Had a quote for one in the autumn, couldn’t get to see one for obvious reasons. Would have planned on looking at Cereals as not sure if it’s robust enough for DD?
Interested to hear any experiences.

 

[Timbo1080]

Bought a 1909 shortly afterwards, as a backup. Turns out that for the backend of Autumn, the 750A would still go long after the KRM. Drilled about 25Ha of stubble turnips in May (IIRC), behind some land drainage work, some direct into our nicer stuff (40% clay, 40% Silt), and the rest was in the recently drained areas. Ground was very hard. It put it in fine. Sold it last Autumn (of all times!). Definitely felt that it would have coped very well with the wet on a couple of the light contract farms, but wouldn't have put it anywhere near the clay. Kept telling myself that if the 750A wouldn't go, nothing else would, so felt happier about the sale. New owner is chuffed as punch & local enough for me to see his crops which look very well. Personally don't think I would look at it if you're looking to drill into either hard clay, or as a "wet weather" drill on clay. But then there's Clay and CLAY. There's also drainage and DRAINAGE.

 

[Andrew K]

What was the problem with the 1909 in the wet,trash flow maybe?

 

[Timbo1080]

What was the problem with the 1909 in the wet,trash flow maybe?

Yes, but predominantly just classic “slottiness”. Smeared slots. Nasty.

 

[chunky]

After having seen one of these earlier in the year we’ve just taken delivery of one, had it a couple of weeks so its spent most of its time looking at the rain.We have drilled a few hundred acres though and have had a chance to try it in cultivated ground, cover crops and direct into both stubble and sprayed off grassland.
I have to say we’ve been very impressed, has done an excellent job in cultivated ground and seems to cope well drilling direct. Given the price of it and the build quality we are happy so far. We’re just starting down the direct drilling road but this seems to be a low risk route into it for the time being.