TCN or YL183

[Boohoo]

Why do you say this? Still comes down to man on seat and conditions but on most occasions yl’s would prevail!

I said it because, despite what many say, YLs aren't the only option for success in the vintage class. Of course it has more to do with the man on the seat than anything.

 

[wuddy]

I said it because, despite what many say, YLs aren't the only option for success in the vintage class. Of course it has more to do with the man on the seat than anything.

I ploughed for years with idcp 7 boards on epic frogs and had great success with them getting as far as 5th at the british! They are by far the easiest bodies to put a crown together with (along with frdcp) but always lost points on the openings finishes and in some soils firmness!

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

How do FRDCP's differ to YL's ? I assume there a lot more difficult to get hold of than YL or TCN's.

My comment for what its worth would be to go with TCN's, I always think they make a great job, especially with someone on the seat that knows what they're doing. I'd love a go with a TCN bodied TS86...it would just go nice behind my MF148! Clearly you'd be lining yourself up for the classic class with those though....the choice is yours.

 

[arcobob]

How do FRDCP's differ to YL's ? I assume there a lot more difficult to get hold of than YL or TCN's.

My comment for what its worth would be to go with TCN's, I always think they make a great job, especially with someone on the seat that knows what they're doing. I'd love a go with a TCN bodied TS86...it would just go nice behind my MF148! Clearly you'd be lining yourself up for the classic class with those though....the choice is yours.

FRDCP was a semi digger body somewhat similar to EPIC but without a shin, also reminiscent of an early International ACE body. I have not ploughed with either the ACE or FRDCP but in my opinion EPICs are the work of the devil. I think the production run on FRDCPs was far smaller than YL 183s though they had a big following, like EPICs, in arable areas such as Norfolk where YLs were as rare as hens teeth.

 

[Cordiale]

Definitely so but when discussing the merits of the board think on this. For match ploughing it’s a numbers thing. RWM’s are relatively rare. Not everybody can afford or can be bothered to find a pair. Not everybody who has a pair uses them as they take a lot of patience and time to set up properly - unless you are lucky enough to get a set which run. Regardless they are the best as currently classified classic in England. Trouble is that on some soils 7 x 11 work is too big for them - one of the reasons these parameters exist. Regardless they are a superb body.

Anothr superb body - the one RWM’s were developed from is the RND. Set right nothing will beat them in the vintage class. They come with several different share patterns for different work. Commercially they were common to some regions, not others, at a time when YL’s were King. In a lot of regions rules were scheduled to exclude them, ostensibly due to their length, more than likely by owners of other boards who they were beating. Nonetheless a superb body.

TCN’s on the other hand were produced commercially and are relatively abundant, as were YL’s at one time, IRDCP & FRDCP in IRELAND In the late 50’s ploughing matches were also a numbers thing with guys taking the plough they used during the week to matches. In our area everybody competed with YL’s hence if you wanted to compete everybody told you it’s YL’s you need. In the mid 90’s there was a resurgence of match ploughing and the Classic Class was born. Whilst a lot of people still used YL’s the body of choice soon became the TCN - a body with which even moderately skilled ploughmen could produce good middle work. Another superb body.

What do you classify as a match body? In the late 60’s, early 70’s Ransomes delivered 3 TS 86’s FOC into our area specifically for match ploughing, to 3 of the most skilled ploughmen. One was fitted with YL’s, one with TCN’s and t’other fitted with RWM’s. Match bodies? You decide.

That’s not to say that there was not widespread malcontent when people started using RWM’s in the Classic Class in this part of the world. Most of us thought it an unfair advantage. So here we are again back to ‘when in Rome’ or even ‘If you can’t beat em join em’

That's the sort of comment I was hoping for Dave!!!

 

[wuddy]

FRDCP was a semi digger body somewhat similar to EPIC but without a shin, also reminiscent of an early International ACE body. I have not ploughed with either the ACE or FRDCP but in my opinion EPICs are the work of the devil. I think the production run on FRDCPs was far smaller than YL 183s though they had a big following, like EPICs, in arable areas such as Norfolk where YLs were as rare as hens teeth.

Strange how people differ I found the epics easier to set up and much more forgiving than yl’s! Have a set of frdcp as well but not had any time to play about with them yet

 

[Mydexta]

Strange how people differ I found the epics easier to set up and much more forgiving than yl’s! Have a set of frdcp as well but not had any time to play about with them yet

You had a play with those guidtops yet???

 

[wuddy]

You had a play with those guidtops yet???

Not yet but had a shot with one on a horse plough at the weekend

 

[Fergie Ploughman]

FRDCP was a semi digger body somewhat similar to EPIC but without a shin, also reminiscent of an early International ACE body. I have not ploughed with either the ACE or FRDCP but in my opinion EPICs are the work of the devil. I think the production run on FRDCPs was far smaller than YL 183s though they had a big following, like EPICs, in arable areas such as Norfolk where YLs were as rare as hens teeth.

Oh right. Epic’s are definitely the work of the devil, I used to have them on my plough when I first had it , absolutely detested the horrific things!

 

[RW1]

That's the sort of comment I was hoping for Dave!!!

Strange how people differ I found the epics easier to set up and much more forgiving than yl’s! Have a set of frdcp as well but not had any time to play about with them yet

Any body know where I would get a set of genuine FRDCP Match points

 

[wuddy]

Any body know where I would get a set of genuine FRDCP Match points

Never heard of any genuine ones west lake was making reproduction ones! Two guys up here weld a tcn point and wing together weld up the holes and re-bore

 

[RW1]

Yea I’ve seen the copy’s and have a set of 7a copy’s but don’t work well for match work. I have a set of 9ws which do a nice job but well worn. Thanks il have a look at the tcn mod.

 

[Howard150]

FRDCP was a semi digger body somewhat similar to EPIC but without a shin, also reminiscent of an early International ACE body. I have not ploughed with either the ACE or FRDCP but in my opinion EPICs are the work of the devil. I think the production run on FRDCPs was far smaller than YL 183s though they had a big following, like EPICs, in arable areas such as Norfolk where YLs were as rare as hens teeth.

When I started out I had a PM3 on Epic 41’s. It was all I could afford. I stuck with it and made it plough. I won a fair bit with it. My mate from the next village recently bought it back from the guy I sold it to for use on his E27N.

Back then it was a very different and internet free world, eBay just starting. You ploughed with what you found locally at farm sales. Now everything is off the shelf and available. Might not always be genuine but it’s there. Then as now it was the C Nut on the seat that was the crucial part. Then as now their skill and capability that won out.

There were a lot of Epics made, I think the first ones were fitted with IRDCP7 mouldboards. They were a semi digger not really for match work although the 37’s are better that 41’s as they are closer to the ground. (Hope I got that right way round - I’m sure to be told) Middle work was never an issue. It did not need heavy manipulation with a tailpiece as Ransomes videos show. Problem was with the set pieces wher you needed to be too deep as the back of the board was so far away from the ground.

Regardless of what you plough with, it’s all part of life’s rich learning curve and all great experience. Not very often said on here but one very big advantage is having some ground to practice on. Messing about with time on your hands, not working to strict limits and having little or no interference is a massive thing. Guys whose practice plot is their plot at the next match are up against it.

 

[Howard150]