Power Harrow Combis, Are they really any good?

[Nearly]

been needed in only 2 places at a time!
Sheer luxury imo


Oh did I mention I’m also the receptionist and have to steer the tractor myself, which is why the drilling is a bit wobbly in places cos obviously been a bloke I’m unable to multiitask

and you have to keep count of tramline bouts.

 

[Drillman]

and you have to keep count of tramline bouts.

No no the drill box replacement from ‘Nearlys emergency spares LTD” is working well

 

[glasshouse]

Not wishing to suck up clives arse but how many businesses is he running? He's not actually what you'd call a 1 trick pony?

Farming forum, grain storage, contract farming keeping many individual customers happy isn't easy, simple in my experience. Runs commercial storage sheds. Sells grain conditioning equipment. Lecturing on farming practices That's just ones I'm aware of.

Wouldn't say your unique in juggling lots of balls.

There is a diffrence
One is necessity
Other is greed

 

[bobk]

I think we would all no till if we had the land but I'm convinced it's a dry land system .

 

[glasshouse]

Yes on our 4th one here and good in all soil types it has to be on the point you really shouldn't be in the field before you get any bother .

As above very heavy with 1ton of seed on board this is light ish on the nose .

Yhe older ones the nc was even heavier but a very good drill . The LC wasn't strong enough for the good disc coulters

How do they sow small seeds?

 

[Drillman]

If it’s all about efficiency and cost saving would it not be better to do the work yourself instead of paying a workman so you can sit on a beach 🏖






(just pulling ya leg)

ps, or are you the “less skilled man”

Maybe the staff paid to get him out the way

unfortunately Clive became wise to there plan and returned just as they were getting plough and combi hitched up

 

[Renaultman]

My old 155/65 can't believe these pictures were taken 10 years ago. I still have the combi but it now had tined coulters

 

[Renaultman]

The discussion is about combi s not ploughs.
I wouldnt entertain a tractor that couldnt lift a muddy 4m combi drill
The point i am trying yo makeis that 250 hp on a 4m willhavenearly double the output of 150hp On the same unit

I put a 200 on my ageing 4m combi last year, normally 155, must say I was seriously impressed with how much easier it went, until it burnt the PTO slip clutch out on the PH

 

[Renaultman]

We finished 3 weeks ago. Amazing what one man can do with 165hp tractor in a tricky season considering he’s also the combine driver, baler driver, contract baler driver, drier man, contract drier man, bale cart man, bale wrapper man, ploughman, contract plough man, Drillman, contract drillman,sprayer man, contract sprayer man, grain lorry loader man delivery lorry unloader man, mechanic, parts run man, stockman and still has time to help neighbours gather sheep up and tuck his little boy in to bed every night.

To be fair though without the scary finance lady at head office who does the rolling, grain carting and helps with stock work I be snookered.

I'd be lost without my scary finance lady although she never lets me have any money.

 

[glasshouse]

I put a 200 on my ageing 4m combi last year, normally 155, must say I was seriously impressed with how much easier it went, until it burnt the PTO slip clutch out on the PH

Bit too much for the old thing!!
I was always amazed at the punishment a kuhn gearbox could take in stiff going with 240 hp on the front

 

[glasshouse]

My old 155/65 can't believe these pictures were taken 10 years ago. I still have the combi but it now had tined coultersView attachment 914870View attachment 914873View attachment 914872View attachment 914871

That fastrac combo would Love a tight corner!!

 

[ollie989898]

I put a 200 on my ageing 4m combi last year, normally 155, must say I was seriously impressed with how much easier it went, until it burnt the PTO slip clutch out on the PH

A client of mine a few years ago bought a very spangly folding 4m (or 5m?) Amazone powerharrow designed go behind his near 300hp New Holland and I could not believe the size of the secondary gearboxes never mind the main one. I have spent many an hour working a 3m powerharrow behind a 90-150hp tractor in my youth (a boys job if there ever was one as you could only go steady) and could not believe the difference 15 odd years of progress had brought. The end result on his heavy land was far superior to anything I ever saw behind in one pass behind my work.

 

[Renaultman]

A client of mine a few years ago bought a very spangly folding 4m (or 5m?) Amazone powerharrow designed go behind his near 300hp New Holland and I could not believe the size of the secondary gearboxes never mind the main one. I have spent many an hour working a 3m powerharrow behind a 90-150hp tractor in my youth (a boys job if there ever was one as you could only go steady) and could not believe the difference 15 odd years of progress had brought. The end result on his heavy land was far superior to anything I ever saw behind in one pass behind my work.

The company I drive for have a 6m folding Amazone with front grain tank on a big John Deere very useful bit of kit. They won't min till but now don't plough everything. Very big and successful outfit with potatoes on the rotation. I am not going to be the one to tell them they are doing it wrong.

 

[Will 1594]

flood ? thats just wet ! we have gave pulled our CO through worse !

Clive i will give £500 of my own cash ,for haulage ,for you to bring the avator or co , and drill some of that going ,got a bit more in a spud field at minute like it ,if we have a decent crop to harvest ,will gladly pay you for the drilling ,if not you stand the loss if you think you can put wheat into water like thatand it survives ,
Think you need to change your name to " moses"

 

[ollie989898]

The company I drive for have a 6m folding Amazone with front grain tank on a big John Deere very useful bit of kit. They won't min till but now don't plough everything. Very big and successful outfit with potatoes on the rotation. I am not going to be the one to tell them they are doing it wrong.

The nature of spuds is that they are a high value crop that have a huge amount of investment attached. In such a system I would be doing whatever I needed to make it work. It's hard enough with the weather against you and dealing with supermarkets is a nightmare at the best of times. My soil structure or levels of organic matter would be the last thing on my mind if I was big into potatoes. I'd just try to have a sensible rotation and ensure land was worked and ridged sympathetically. People still have to eat.

 

[Renaultman]

Bit too much for the old thing!!
I was always amazed at the punishment a kuhn gearbox could take in stiff going with 240 hp on the front

I think the gearbox may take it with a heavier clutch but don't really want to take the chance. Also I quite like tootling along at 7 or 8 K in my 155 it's a lot more relaxing than 11 or 12 with the Vaddy on some of my small fields. It's the fuel gauge falling I find depressing

 

[chaffcutter]

I know Clive would agree that the ph combi has its place in many situations and on smaller one man operations it takes some beating, also roots in a rotation don’t allow the soil conditions to develop which are needed for successful no-till.
As a weatherproof system close behind the plough it will do a great job and that’s how a lot of folk still managed to get their wheat in last autumn despite the wet. I’m no fan of power harrows mind you, forcing a tilth is no good for soil structure.
Stubble is the safest state for the next operation and that’s where DD scores, Having seen some heavier land ploughed into horses heads and then left to dry into concrete, then batterred into some sort of tilth by multiple cultivation passes,
I’m sure that on such land DD would not only be possible, but economically desirable and save a massive amount of time and diesel.
Seeing Simon Chile’s heavy land DD convinced me that it could work anywhere. After all almost all the crops elsewhere in the world are grown that way?

 

[Will 1594]

A client of mine a few years ago bought a very spangly folding 4m (or 5m?) Amazone powerharrow designed go behind his near 300hp New Holland and I could not believe the size of the secondary gearboxes never mind the main one. I have spent many an hour working a 3m powerharrow behind a 90-150hp tractor in my youth (a boys job if there ever was one as you could only go steady) and could not believe the difference 15 odd years of progress had brought. The end result on his heavy land was far superior to anything I ever saw behind in one pass behind my work.

And oil coolers on gear box will be as big as a 90 hp radiator ,

 

[Clive]

Clive i will give £500 of my own cash ,for haulage ,for you to bring the avator or co , and drill some of that going ,got a bit more in a spud field at minute like it ,if we have a decent crop to harvest ,will gladly pay you for the drilling ,if not you stand the loss if you think you can put wheat into water like thatand it survives ,
Think you need to change your name to " moses"

not sure how many tines i have to agree with you that zerotill is not something you can do after potatoes ??

for clarity “zerotill will not work after potatoes ”

 

[FarmyStu]

I'm assuming that the zero till guys are using nothing but artificial fertilisers? Will the new ELMS scheme perhaps reward people using "natural" sources of N/P/K? Which will them demand a return to cultivations?