Tine Direct Drills

[Farmer Piles]

in August 2019 I visit James & Tom at Dale drills farm and my aim was to see how perform 12mm narrow opener in choped barley drilling OSR. I was more than surprised with results, wery even depth control and wery good tilth and smooth finish in clay soil. and now day after lamma I had oportunity to visit again this fields. fantastic results, even for year like this in UK conditions and in headland turn field side.

Thanks for that. I had a very useful conversation with James Dale a few days ago, he was very helpful. Looking a bit like a choice between the Dale and the Weaving. Both look like good machines for the money.

 

[Fish]

Which opener is everyone using?
Got a, new to me, horsch co coming, and I’m torn between the Metcalfe and the Bourgault VOS.
I like the versatility of the Bourgault, but Metcalfe’s are only 15mins away.
Anyone got experience of both ?

 

[Will7]

Which opener is everyone using?
Got a, new to me, horsch co coming, and I’m torn between the Metcalfe and the Bourgault VOS.
I like the versatility of the Bourgault, but Metcalfe’s are only 15mins away.
Anyone got experience of both ?

I would be worried about the recoil strength of the tine with a bourgault opener, I think it will trip back too easily. I use metcalfes on a seedhawk and are very pleased with them

 

[T Hectares]

I would be worried about the recoil strength of the tine with a bourgault opener, I think it will trip back too easily. I use metcalfes on a seedhawk and are very pleased with them

Really, why do you think this??
I use Borgaults on clay cap full of flints and sarcen stones, the legs are fine on my Sprinter, better than they were on Duets anyway!!

 

[Brisel]

Really, why do you think this??
I use Borgaults on clay cap full of flints and sarcen stones, the legs are fine on my Sprinter, better than they were on Duets anyway!!

You're using them in cultivated ground. Direct into untilled clay will have much more trip back force. Bourgault are wider than Metcalfes too.

 

[T Hectares]

I've dd'd quite a bit of CC, osr, grass and stewardship mixes with them, leg tripping hasn't been a problem.

The attraction of the Borgaults was that I could swap between narrow and 4 1/2 inch band if needed.

 

[Will7]

Really, why do you think this??
I use Borgaults on clay cap full of flints and sarcen stones, the legs are fine on my Sprinter, better than they were on Duets anyway!!

The trip back force of a CO is 100kg, and the sprinter 250 I believe. The op was referring to a CO.

 

[T Hectares]

The trip back force of a CO is 100kg, and the sprinter 250 I believe. The op was referring to a CO.

Indeed he was, well spotted sir!!

 

[Against_the_grain]

Thanks for that. I had a very useful conversation with James Dale a few days ago, he was very helpful. Looking a bit like a choice between the Dale and the Weaving. Both look like good machines for the money.

It's not a hard decision imo. Dale is a much more flexible machine.
Ability to alter row width
Fert and seed
3t hopper
180hp on 6m
Independent tine depth
All advantages over the weaving.
On my 2nd dale and very pleased.

 

[Surgery]

I've dd'd quite a bit of CC, osr, grass and stewardship mixes with them, leg tripping hasn't been a problem.

View attachment 859614
The attraction of the Borgaults was that I could swap between narrow and 4 1/2 inch band if needed.

What width drill do you have and power on the front , possibly looking at a sprinter 4-6m , would 200hp be enough on banks?

 

[T Hectares]

I have 240hp ( NH T7.270 ) on a 6m and some good hills
Bean drilling makes it cough, but all doable

 

[HarryB97]

What width drill do you have and power on the front , possibly looking at a sprinter 4-6m , would 200hp be enough on banks?

If you often drill beans then stick with the 4 otherwise a 6 should be fine, a 1 inch Dutch opener will obviously require much less power than a 5 inch as well

 

[Tiptoe Ted]

It's not a hard decision imo. Dale is a much more flexible machine.
Ability to alter row width
Fert and seed
3t hopper
180hp on 6m
Independent tine depth
All advantages over the weaving.
On my 2nd dale and very pleased.

Resurrecting this thread a bit but I am very interested in a Dale drill...ideally a second hand 6m machine with variable row width (post 2013 I believe).
Anyone any idea on approx price for such a machine and where to find one?!
Like hen's teeth from my research so far, even Dale don't get many in...I take that as a good thing, users tend to hold onto them but perhaps there's another reason for their scarcity...??

 

[Rihards]

All is wey more simple than we usualy are tended to think... If You invest Your money in good bit of machinery wich suit for You all what You expected from it, You finaly will not convert it back to Cash wery soon... ?

 

[Tiptoe Ted]

All is wey more simple than we usualy are tended to think... If You invest Your money in good bit of machinery wich suit for You all what You expected from it, You finaly will not convert it back to Cash wery soon... ?

If I understand correctly, you are saying that Dale Drills are so good that once you have one you don't sell it...?!!
You could well be right as I can't find any second hand machines but the new ones are big money...

Anyone got an approx price for a post 2013 6m Eco L with variable row width? TIA ?

 

[Compshire Farmer]

What about the Virkar Dynamic, tine drill with leading disc, narrow point, independent tine depth control and contour following and doesn’t look like it needs huge HP, I don’t know haven’t got one or seen one working other than on YouTube, just had a good look at Lamma, looks quite interesting and may try and have a demo this autumn or go and see one working if possible.

 

[Tiptoe Ted]

What about the Virkar Dynamic, tine drill with leading disc, narrow point, independent tine depth control and contour following and doesn’t look like it needs huge HP, I don’t know haven’t got one or seen one working other than on YouTube, just had a good look at Lamma, looks quite interesting and may try and have a demo this autumn or go and see one working if possible.

Yes I agree, they do look good. Problem is that there aren't any second hand machines around as they are so new and I am only really in the second hand market. Not sure their new cost but very likely to be too much for me!
My theory is to buy a wider, higher spec used machine which has depreciated quite a bit already. I am not keen on taking on a lot of finance at the best of times let alone now...
So a 6m Dale Eco ticks all of my boxes (depending on price!) but finding one is a challenge...

 

[fudge]

Yes I agree, they do look good. Problem is that there aren't any second hand machines around as they are so new and I am only really in the second hand market. Not sure their new cost but very likely to be too much for me!
My theory is to buy a wider, higher spec used machine which has depreciated quite a bit already. I am not keen on taking on a lot of finance at the best of times let alone now...
So a 6m Dale Eco ticks all of my boxes (depending on price!) but finding one is a challenge...

How many drills have dale ever made? I don’t think sourcing a good secondhand one is straight forward in comparison to something which produced in much larger volumes such as the horsch tine drill.

 

[Tiptoe Ted]

How many drills have dale ever made? I don’t think sourcing a good secondhand one is straight forward in comparison to something which produced in much larger volumes such as the horsch tine drill.

I agree! But as Dales are a bit less mainstream, I thought there wouldn't be as much demand for them as for the big brands such as Horsch.
I appear to be wrong...!!

 

[JimAndy]

It's not a hard decision imo. Dale is a much more flexible machine.
Ability to alter row width
Fert and seed
3t hopper
180hp on 6m
Independent tine depth
All advantages over the weaving.
On my 2nd dale and very pleased.

how does it handle cover crops on heavy damp clay soil ?