Simba Cultipress/Unipress or similar

[Tarw Coch]

I’m looking for opinions/recommendations on a cultivator to work land down before sowing to grass. Currently using a power harrow, several passes to try to get a firm level seedbed, the firm and level being the priorities for medium term grass leys. Power harrow is relatively slow and overkill from a cultivation point of view so looking for something wider, probably faster and probably better for consolidation.

My first thoughts after looking what’s available second hand was a Cultipress but a bit more looking I see vardestad rexius seem to be cheaper for a similar type of machine . However as I’d probably need several passes to get the smooth surface I’d want I was wondering if the extra weight of the rexius would be too much consolidation and if the single packer on the Unipress would give enough consolidation for what I want with subsequent passes.
Also interested in similar machines that would do the job, I did see a cousin’s 28 advertised but that looked to have more hooked tines, we do have quite a bit of small stone in the ground which I’d rather stayed down/were pushed down than hooked up.
Any thoughts, opinions and experiences welcome
Thanks

 

[Boysground]

I use a simba unipress a lot. Its a 4.6m with ridged tines. It is ancient and also a great bit of kit. My soil is mostly chalk but also have some clay cap and alluvial silt. The unipress is great for grass after the ground has been ploughed. For me consolidation is key, it is surprising the lumps it will break down. With the ridged tines it is not great at leveling big holes, a bit of keen use of the level board and driving in different directions will usually sort the problem. We missed out on a bigger one with sprung tines last spring which I really would have liked. I also use it for min tilled cereals, some of my light ground can get really soft and the drill sinks too much. A quick pass with the unipress after primary cultivation solves the problem.

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[alomy75]

I’m looking for opinions/recommendations on a cultivator to work land down before sowing to grass. Currently using a power harrow, several passes to try to get a firm level seedbed, the firm and level being the priorities for medium term grass leys. Power harrow is relatively slow and overkill from a cultivation point of view so looking for something wider, probably faster and probably better for consolidation.

My first thoughts after looking what’s available second hand was a Cultipress but a bit more looking I see vardestad rexius seem to be cheaper for a similar type of machine . However as I’d probably need several passes to get the smooth surface I’d want I was wondering if the extra weight of the rexius would be too much consolidation and if the single packer on the Unipress would give enough consolidation for what I want with subsequent passes.
Also interested in similar machines that would do the job, I did see a cousin’s 28 advertised but that looked to have more hooked tines, we do have quite a bit of small stone in the ground which I’d rather stayed down/were pushed down than hooked up.
Any thoughts, opinions and experiences welcome
Thanks

We had a type 28. It gave quite a bit of bearing trouble. Another vote for unipress if you can find one with good rings. I think there’s one on eBay actually with new rings for about 8000

 

[Lowland1]

I’ve got a Galucho double press and a Simba double press with DD rings. I’m a big fan of presses for preparing a seed bed. Obviously they don’t like wet ground but they are cheap now and I think very effective. Neither of these two cost more than £3000 . I’d like a cultipress though.

 

[KB6930]

If you've got stones stay away from a rexus they get stuck in the spokes of the rings and jam it up solid .

 

[Tarw Coch]

I’ve got a Galucho double press and a Simba double press with DD rings. I’m a big fan of presses for preparing a seed bed. Obviously they don’t like wet ground but they are cheap now and I think very effective. Neither of these two cost more than £3000 . I’d like a cultipress though.

I take it that’s what they call a double press with leading tine’s, don’t know how similar that would be to a Cultipress , some of which don’t seem to have the levelling paddles.
Other question I didn’t ask is how big a tractor is needed or more to the point how big a machine could my tractors manage, got 215 hp fir biggest tractor but after that fall back to 150, nit that they should be needed to put infront of it but it’s always good to have a plan B

 

[Welderloon]

Plough, Simba Toptilth shallow pass, grass seed sown with Vaddy paddle rollers.

 

[alomy75]

I take it that’s what they call a double press with leading tine’s, don’t know how similar that would be to a Cultipress , some of which don’t seem to have the levelling paddles.
Other question I didn’t ask is how big a tractor is needed or more to the point how big a machine could my tractors manage, got 215 hp fir biggest tractor but after that fall back to 150, nit that they should be needed to put infront of it but it’s always good to have a plan B

4.6m on your biggun. Speed is your friend. I can haul up my challenger with paddle boards and tines in on my 4.6

 

[Lowland1]

I take it that’s what they call a double press with leading tine’s, don’t know how similar that would be to a Cultipress , some of which don’t seem to have the levelling paddles.
Other question I didn’t ask is how big a tractor is needed or more to the point how big a machine could my tractors manage, got 215 hp fir biggest tractor but after that fall back to 150, nit that they should be needed to put infront of it but it’s always good to have a plan B

The Cultipress has more aggressive vibroflex tines and levelling boards or paddles. The 7.6 m Simba was an impulse buy because it was so cheap but we ran it on 270 hp Claas. The Galucho has been on anything from 125 hp to 200 hp and it’s all about how deep you want to run the tines. A power harrow will always run in mud but the results are never good bad conditions always stop a press before you do too much damage.

 

[Boysground]

175hp fine here on the unipress do have some steep banks

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[Tarw Coch]

Plough, Simba Toptilth shallow pass, grass seed sown with Vaddy paddle rollers.

I’ve seen those Simba top tilths advertised, think they were the predecessor to the Cultipress ? My thoughts were they didn’t look like they’d consolidate as well as some of the newer machines, it would be a far better machine than I could possibly imagine if it were capable of creating a seedbed suitable for a grass ley in one pass though.
My criteria for a good seeded, next summer when I come through the gate with an empty trailer and the chopper has just filled the last trailer at the far side of the field, I don’t want a rough field slowing me down and I don’t want to be bouncing all over the cab …………….which is probably smoother than a lot of the roads around here

 

[Tarw Coch]

175hp fine here on the unipress do have some steep banks

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It’s pretty flat here so 150 would probably do as a plan B then

 

[Boysground]

It’s pretty flat here so 150 would probably do as a plan B then

Will be fine on 150, but use more when you can. Hard on the level board will stop the tractor

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[alomy75]

I’ve seen those Simba top tilths advertised, think they were the predecessor to the Cultipress ? My thoughts were they didn’t look like they’d consolidate as well as some of the newer machines, it would be a far better machine than I could possibly imagine if it were capable of creating a seedbed suitable for a grass ley in one pass though.
My criteria for a good seeded, next summer when I come through the gate with an empty trailer and the chopper has just filled the last trailer at the far side of the field, I don’t want a rough field slowing me down and I don’t want to be bouncing all over the cab …………….which is probably smoother than a lot of the roads around here

Simba toptilth/galucho tilthmaster are levelling board (not paddles) 2 rows HD pigtail tines, packer roller, 2 rows pigtail and another packer. Basically a power Harrow sort of job but quicker and cheaper; even with a second pass. You’d pull 6m one with your big hoss

 

[Zebbedee]

Top tilth a very good leveller and decent consolidation too ideal for grass reseed but can lift stones with tines

 

[rob h]

Simba toptilth/galucho tilthmaster are levelling board (not paddles) 2 rows HD pigtail tines, packer roller, 2 rows pigtail and another packer. Basically a power Harrow sort of job but quicker and cheaper; even with a second pass. You’d pull 6m one with your big hoss

We have a 4m toptilth with front leveling paddles I think it was a option as I've seen a few others. It has made our 6m power harrow almost redundant it's far cheaper to run and leave a very level seed bed

 

[HarryB97]

I used to use a powerharrow, now I just do a very shallow pass with a set of discs, blow the seed on the top and roll. Works well.

 

[mo!]

Nearest thing to a new Cultipress these days is a Philip Watkins trailed press. TerraTech will make something similar as well. Either way it's made in Yorkshire. A Unipress is a toy compared to Cultipress/Rexius Twin, as others have said more power is better.

 

[Tarw Coch]

Another question, how much are parts for these machines?
New times and points, new paddles and I believe the dad rings need replacing eventually too

 

[alomy75]

Another question, how much are parts for these machines?
New times and points, new paddles and I believe the dad rings need replacing eventually too

All but the dd rings will be cheap. Dd rings will cost 000’s