Simtech tsem and beans

[Robm 1959]

Looking at getting a tsem box drill. Has anyone used one for drilling beans ? Tried one on demo, drilled them at 5” no problem, but just a bit concerned that the foam discs might not work too well, and give a constant feed, and high enough seed rate .

 

[eagleye]

not used one myself but know someone has been using a simtech for beans for several years successfully

 

[Wigeon]

Sure I heard once that you need to keep the sponges moist- a quick spray each fill up etc

 

[Andrew K]

@Simon C ?

 

[will l]

Yes spray the sponges each filling and youll be fine

 

[Simon C]

I've drilled loads of beans with the sponges although I now have an air system Sim-Tech. Keep the sponges wet and they are fine, I have heard of people tipping a bucket of water on top of the beans in the hopper, but I always carried a pump up garden sprayer without a nozzle on, and then just sprayed each one every time I filled up. Take the front covers off so you can see the seed falling into the coulter pipes and you can tell straight away when the first on is starting to get too dry. All sounds a bit primitive, but it really is no problem at all.

 

[Robm 1959]

Thanks for the replies, all sounds good !

 

[kevindb880]

What happens if you don’t spray the sponges?

 

[Simon C]

What happens if you don’t spray the sponges?

They dry out.

Dry sponges don't grip the beans so they just turn and the beans stop coming out

 

[kevindb880]

They dry out.

Dry sponges don't grip the beans so they just turn and the beans stop coming out

Oh right, that sounds a bit different! No toothed metering rollers then?
What about when drilling wheat/ barley etc do you change the foam discs or whatever they are?

 

[kevindb880]

Looking at getting a tsem box drill. Has anyone used one for drilling beans ? Tried one on demo, drilled them at 5” no problem, but just a bit concerned that the foam discs might not work too well, and give a constant feed, and high enough seed rate .

Did the beans come up okay?
Are you changing from ploughing them in or drilling into a seedbed?
Boss is keeping an eye out for a Claydon to drill beans but we only have 150hp!

 

[BBE]

How do you wet the sponges with a hopper full of seed, do you have to run it completely empty?

 

[Sprayer 1]

How do you wet the sponges with a hopper full of seed, do you have to run it completely empty?

Just tip a bottle of water on the beans. It runs straight down to the sponges.

 

[nick...]

That sounds a right pain in the arse to have to do that.would put me of owning one
Nick…

 

[Adeptandy]

That sounds a right pain in the arse to have to do that.would put me of owning one
Nick…

+1

 

[le bon paysan]

Not planted beans with my grassland farmer, but have planted peas and maize with out any problems.

 

[clbarclay]

That sounds a right pain in the arse to have to do that.would put me of owning one
Nick…

tbh I didn't try planting beans with it but the foam metering units were about the only part of their box hopper I didn't grumble about when I had a demo.

 

[Robm 1959]

Did the beans come up okay?
Are you changing from ploughing them in or drilling into a seedbed?
Boss is keeping an eye out for a Claydon to drill beans but we only have 150hp!

Yes, they came well from my little late November trial plot ! Yes, moving away from spinning them on and ploughing them in. Want to see how direct drilling fares, so figured the Simtech was a good starting point, as the grant pays for half ! Seems like a no brainier to me ! Will add a pic of some wheat I drilled late November at the same time as the beans . Too late to change my mind now, George is on his way with the new one !!

 

[Robm 1959]

Second wheat direct drilled with Simtech late November, into our wettest field we couldn’t get near with our usual method! An experiment that helped me make my decision!

 

[Bury the Trash]

does the

C/W standard spec.? or is it an optional extra