Vaderstad Rapid - Disc versus tines

[Hjwise]

I currently hire in a newish System disc rapid, but I’m contemplating buying an older tine Rapid to reduce costs and increase flexibility. I don’t think I’d miss the staggered wheels as I generally drill in September. I certainly wouldn’t miss the iPad control. I could pull it with my own tractor.

Would I regret this move??

 

[snarling bee]

We all thought they were the dogs whatsits before system disc was invented!
My neighbour has ditched discs and gone to agrilla tines as a front tool.

 

[Hjwise]

That’s what I was thinking of doing. My main concern is that it might stop the coulter disc turning?

 

[Flatlander]

Tines will run in wetter conditions better than disc but harder pulling. little chance of hair pinning residue but will require a cleaner field to work in.less maintenance and cheaper on parts. Disc will conserve moisture and generally be more accurate at seed placement and run great in heavy trash assuming disc are sharp. Lot of moving parts and lots to wear out if it’s anything like my unit. Won’t be going back to a tine drill but really miss the simplicity of them. F

 

[Hjwise]

Thanks for the reply, but the drill will still have the disc coulters. The older Rapids had tines in front of the drilling discs, newer ones have a set of short discs.

 

[SpottedFlycatcher]

Thanks for the reply, but the drill will still have the disc coulters. The older Rapids had tines in front of the drilling discs, newer ones have a set of short discs.

What did you do in the end? Looking at getting an old 3 m with the tines in front but disc coulters, plus rear tyre packers. Been put off by this wet weather though, wouldn't travel I don't think! How do the front tines deal with trash? I suppose they can be lifted out of work. Thanks

 

[Hjwise]

What did you do in the end? Looking at getting an old 3 m with the tines in front but disc coulters, plus rear tyre packers. Been put off by this wet weather though, wouldn't travel I don't think! How do the front tines deal with trash? I suppose they can be lifted out of work. Thanks

I bought a 4m tine Rapid. It’s been good but the system disc is much better for trash. If it starts to block I lift out every other tine - in this case I pretty much create a seedbed before drilling.

 

[nxy]

I have just bought my 4th Rapid with rigid tines in front. The first thing we do on arrival is throw the tines in the back of the shed and forget we own them until we are looking to sell the drill. I actually think they ruin the drill because if you have good wearing parts on they will drill in conditions when you would think it wouldn't go as long as you leave the tines in the shed. I expect the front discs would be the same. The drilling discs work best in firm ground.

 

[ollie989898]

The original idea of the Vaddy (and several other drills of that original era) was that you could cover the ground faster. This would in effect mean you should be able to pick your time to drill. It's not a drill you can plug on with regardless of the conditions- they are a big lump and can be a dead pull and in effect rely on a high forward speed to get the best effect.

 

[Flat 10]

I have just bought my 4th Rapid with rigid tines in front. The first thing we do on arrival is throw the tines in the back of the shed and forget we own them until we are looking to sell the drill. I actually think they ruin the drill because if you have good wearing parts on they will drill in conditions when you would think it wouldn't go as long as you leave the tines in the shed. I expect the front discs would be the same. The drilling discs work best in firm ground.

Have you ever tried one with system discs? Only ever had a very old system disc here and not sure I’d want a tine version.

 

[Highashgrange]

Have you ever tried one with system discs? Only ever had a very old system disc here and not sure I’d want a tine version.

Had them both disc and tine (rigid tine not the agrilla tine) and the disc is far better. There’s a reason 99% are sold with discs. The rigid tines bring stones to the surface as well. I only know if one agrilla tine version and it’s quite new as well.

 

[Hjwise]

I would have got discs if the budget allowed. This year after beet the tines we’re quite useful, but for the second wheats I only used the tines behind the wheels.

 

[nxy]

Have you ever tried one with system discs? Only ever had a very old system disc here and not sure I’d want a tine version.

No we have never tried one with system discs but can't think anything other than it would be total over kill on my land. We have a carrier and try not to use it directly in front of the drill because it almost always leads to blockages and poor depth control unless we roll as well and even then the results are usually better if we went straight in without cultivation. We have medium light land with very sandy patches and in loose soil the discs will stop turning no matter how new they are and how loose you have the coulters.

We get very good results from using it as just a drill with no cultivation elements attached so why bother with them?

 

[Flat 10]

No we have never tried one with system discs but can't think anything other than it would be total over kill on my land. We have a carrier and try not to use it directly in front of the drill because it almost always leads to blockages and poor depth control unless we roll as well and even then the results are usually better if we went straight in without cultivation. We have medium light land with very sandy patches and in loose soil the discs will stop turning no matter how new they are and how loose you have the coulters.

We get very good results from using it as just a drill with no cultivation elements attached so why bother with them?

Interesting. Thanks

 

[Spud]

We have a 4m rapid with rigid tines. She's 25yrs old but still drills 400acres a year, over half that is cover crops direct into stubble. In heavy trash we lift every other tine out but it copes pretty well really. Not a wet weather drill in any way.
Discs are ok but more expensive and are a bit smeary for my liking in tender conditions

 

[SpottedFlycatcher]

I have just bought my 4th Rapid with rigid tines in front. The first thing we do on arrival is throw the tines in the back of the shed and forget we own them until we are looking to sell the drill. I actually think they ruin the drill because if you have good wearing parts on they will drill in conditions when you would think it wouldn't go as long as you leave the tines in the shed. I expect the front discs would be the same. The drilling discs work best in firm ground.

I'm looking at the 1995 3m one listed on FF classifieds at the moment. We have a tine box drill that is really a grass drill and it can't cope with any trash for drilling into stubbles due to narrow spacing between the 3 rows of tines - it works very well for drilling winter cover crops though, you just have to lift every now and then to clear trash.
I had resigned myself to depending on contractors to do the wheat and barley, but now with no wheat drilled I'm realising that won't work in catchy years. I thought the old Rapid would be a good disc drill alternative and it's in working order as it's our neighbours and he has upgraded. I just have reservations about using it in these sort of conditions (clay/loam) and if our 150/170 hp will pull it up some of our slopes.

I assumed I'd just lift the tines out of work unless I wanted a bit of tilth in front of the discs and trash wasn't bad?

 

[nxy]

I'm looking at the 1995 3m one listed on FF classifieds aut the moment. We have a tine box drill that is really a grass drill and it can't cope with any trash for drilling into stubbles due to narrow spacing between the 3 rows of tines - it works very well for drilling winter cover crops though, you just have to lift every now and then to clear trash.
I had resigned myself to depending on contractors to do the wheat and barley, but now with no wheat drilled I'm realising that won't work in catchy years. I thought the old Rapid would be a good disc drill alternative and it's in working order as it's our neighbours and he has upgraded. I just have reservations about using it in these sort of conditions (clay/loam) and if our 150/170 hp will pull it up some of our slopes.

I assumed I'd just lift the tines out of work unless I wanted a bit of tilth in front of the discs and trash wasn't bad?

They cope very well with trash or even direct into stubble but whether its a good idea to press on and use in wet conditions on your land or not i couldn't comment, my land is not the type to smear when wet. I will say one thing you only really want to get one stuck once there is no bigger "anchor" on the farm.

As for horse power we use 260Hp on an 8m without a problem. I would have thought 150Hp more than adequate for a 3m Rapid without the tines (right up to the moment you realise you shouldn't be out there and it starts to sink)

 

[SpottedFlycatcher]

They cope very well with trash or even direct into stubble but whether its a good idea to press on and use in wet conditions on your land or not i couldn't comment, my land is not the type the smear when wet. I will say one thing you only really want to get one stuck once there is no bigger "anchor" on the farm.

As for horse power we use 260Hp on an 8m without a problem. I would have thought 150Hp more than adequate for a 3m Rapid without the tines (right up to the moment you realise you shouldn't be out there and it starts to sink)

Thanks. Yeah I doubt I could use it any time soon unless it dries out and stays dry. I also have spring wheat to drill after cover crops so would need to wait for it to be properly dry then too. This land does smear and can be very sticky in places. Perhaps patience for contractors will be best and leave it for now

 

[nxy]

Thanks. Yeah I doubt I could use it any time soon unless it dries out and stays dry. I also have spring wheat to drill after cover crops so would need to wait for it to be properly dry then too. This land does smear and can be very sticky in places. Perhaps patience for contractors will be best and leave it for now

If I only had one drill on the place it would be a mounted tine drill because it will go in almost any conditions. I wouldn't want to have just a trailed disc drill so we have both.

The tine drill is a 4m KRM box drill that used to live on a power harrow now mounted on a spring tine cultivator frame and cost hundreds not thousands so is really cheap insurance in the shed.

 

[ollie989898]

To be honest there is nothing wrong with keeping a 3 or 4 metre power harrow combi and hiding it in the back of your shed gathering dust provided it will fire up when you need it in a dodgy autumn. It doesn't need to be an all singing all dancing one and might not drill an acre in 10 years but it is seasons like this that you'd be glad to have it because you know it will go when nothing else will.