Sky drill experiences

[chester]

Thinking of getting a Sky drill for our own use plus some contracting.We would be doing some pure dd with it and some after potatoes and fodder beet.Would like to go for the 6m version but not sure what size tractor we would need to handle it? As have heard you get little weight transference onto the tractor and traction could be a problem?
Should we go for 3 hoppers as we would be drilling some cover crops with it?
What are they like penetrating hard dry ground in a pure dd situation?
Anything else users have found with the drill good or bad please?
Like the idea of the press wheels at the front to firm the ground where it has been worked,it seems to tick the most boxes for our situation so we may have to compromise on the penetration front.
We had demos of a 3m Sky and the demo Sly unit and felt the Sly was better for out and out dd because of it's better penetration capabilities but think the Sky would be a better all round fit for our circumstances.

 

[Andrew K]

Whats the price difference?
Sly looks good on paper, but few users as yet.

 

[chester]

Sly a bit more expensive and we share your thoughts re lack of experience but I do like the double angled coulter definitely worth a look.

 

[York]

I would track down the Felxicoil unit which is operating in GB for exchange of experiences. This units where marketed in competition to JD750 in the '90's.
Wonder why they never took off....
York-Th.

 

[Matt77]

I had a sky drill on demo a couple of years back, demo man struggled to get winter wheat seed depth into ex spring bean ground, lots of excuses
Didn’t grow too bad and combine showed it yielding the same as the Vaderstad in the same field, grass weed control was good compared to the Vaderstad.
We also had a Mzuri in the same field, we now own one

 

[Alistair Nelson]

I would track down the Felxicoil unit which is operating in GB for exchange of experiences. This units where marketed in competition to JD750 in the '90's.
Wonder why they never took off....
York-Th.

From memory think there only was 1 and it was never sold but just lent to a farmer for evaluation. And then djsappeared along with flexicoil in the uk

 

[York]

From memory think there only was 1 and it was never sold but just lent to a farmer for evaluation. And then djsappeared along with flexicoil in the uk

I'm pretty certain that it stayed in the UK as we tried to get it over but suddenly it wasn't available. You can be certain that we didn't want to lend it. Where where offer hard German Marks.
York-Th.

 

[Clive]

Sly or Sky ?

Confused !

 

[Matt77]

Sly or Sky ?

Confused !

I think op had a demo of both

 

[farmerfred86]

Had a sky easy drill on demo and was impressed. Even more impressed with the company and factory in France. Very forward thinking outfit and staff and probably where we all need to be thinking at the moment. (No1 selling drilling in France within 3 years of starting production!)
It coped well in some tough ground conditions.
Very versatile and would be ideal if you only wanted to own one drill. It would cope with almost any conditions.

Price is expensive though but if you spec other drills to 3 hoppers you soon get to those prices.

 

[ajd132]

Basically a Moore isn't it?

 

[Matt77]

Basically a Moore isn't it?

With a price hike Yep! Neighbour brought a sulky few years back, (Moore again) now uses a tine drill! Works for some, just not everyone.

 

[farmerfred86]

Which a price hike Yep!

certainly is, the lower pound hasn't helped but still expensive. British made drills have a little advantage at the moment.

Basically a Moore isn't it?

Yes very similar, Moore design underneath.

 

[Will Blackburn]

The Moore didn't have enough weight per coulter for all DD situations. I don't know whether the sky is heavier?

 

[farmerfred86]

The Moore didn't have enough weight per coulter for all DD situations. I don't know whether the sky is heavier?

Similar but lots of changes from the old Moore, it just uses the same coulter chassis on the rear disc.
Yes can puts a lot of weight where you need it depending on the conditions. We tried it in some very tough ground, move all the weight to the rear disc and it went in with ease. I found the seed placement of hopper 2 and 3 a clever idea but unless you are going to use all these features regularly and have a full DD/cover cropping and companion cropping system on the farm it's difficult to justify the extra cost. Excellent drill though.

 

[ajd132]

certainly is, the lower pound hasn't helped but still expensive. British made drills have a little advantage at the moment.

Yes very similar, Moore design underneath.

Andrew may had a sumo versadrill for about a week a few years ago and it didn't really work but I think they had a leading leg before the Moore coulter? It made a mess but the rape he drilled for us was actually really good in the end however he sent the drill back so we never tried any cereals with it.

 

[farmerfred86]

Having the legs at the front is a nice idea but goes totally against the low disturbance strategy. Far better drills about if you want “one pass” drilling.
The sky drill is very low disturbance compared to the sumo though and uses coulter pressure to get into tough ground without the need for a leading tine.

It’s real strength is for cover cropping and companion cropping.

It’s a pity Claydon don’t make a decent disc drill... British built and nearby but we all own European drills!

 

[Andrew K]

Tried a Versadrill in 2010, I think it was.
Good drill, good result but we didnt have enough hp really to pull the front tines at any depth which may have been needed after spuds or before rape etc.

 

[Clive]

Not sure if it will happpen yet but hopeing to put a Sly, JD 750a, Sky and Avatar in the same field this spring drilling oats into a 3ft green cover crop, long term zerotill field

Hope it comes together as would be really interesting

 

[E_B]

Not sure if it will happpen yet but hopeing to put a Sly, JD 750a, Sky and Avatar in the same field this spring drilling oats into a 3ft green cover crop, long term zerotill field

Hope it comes together as would be really interesting

That would be interesting for the fun of it. I believe the Essex Monitor Farm did a trial this Autumn, wheat into bean stubble, using a 750A, Sky, CS, Mzuri, Simtech & Amazone. I think the Sky had the best plant count that I last saw, for what it's worth.