Vaderstad Seed Hawk

jd9600

New Member
Location
Canada
The Dale is a much better drill IMO if you want a tine
BB,

Would you be looking at a new drill or a secondhand one as there are differences? I have an 8m "old" style one which due to the weather I have not done much drilling with. The row width is an issue, but not insurmountable as vaderstad do a twin opener to give 2 rows of seed. It does look a little brutal though and I am sure something more subtle could be done.

In answer to Clives point, the seedhawk coulter assembly is tried and tested in the field, and has been for a while. I am fairly sure that in a comparison of ha's drilled between the seedhawk coulter and Dale coulter, the Dale's area would be insignificant. That said I like the look of the dale, but the seedhawk is cheaper secondhand.

There is no drill that will suit all conditions. You probably have 2 types of cultivator, therefore you will need 2 types of drill to suit conditions.

I am on a similar rotation to you and looking to use the drill in a similar manner.

I tend to agree with Will7, there won't be one drill that will suit all conditions. If you are looking at switching to zero till there's going to be challenges, but the system works and has worked on our farm for over 20 years now. Having dealt with wider spaced rows for so long it's hard to imagine going back but now but I realize there are still advantages to smaller spacing, we just chose the system that works best for us.

I've never heard of a Dale drill before as I'm from Canada but after some research, and correct me if I'm missing something, but is the Dale zero till drill not equipped with Seed Hawk openers?

To further both discussions, one of the founders of Seed Hawk is a regular contributor on another forum I follow that is focused on zero till. It might be worth a read if you're interested in some more international discussions!

http://www.notillville.com/
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
I tend to agree with Will7, there won't be one drill that will suit all conditions. If you are looking at switching to zero till there's going to be challenges, but the system works and has worked on our farm for over 20 years now. Having dealt with wider spaced rows for so long it's hard to imagine going back but now but I realize there are still advantages to smaller spacing, we just chose the system that works best for us.

I've never heard of a Dale drill before as I'm from Canada but after some research, and correct me if I'm missing something, but is the Dale zero till drill not equipped with Seed Hawk openers?

To further both discussions, one of the founders of Seed Hawk is a regular contributor on another forum I follow that is focused on zero till. It might be worth a read if you're interested in some more international discussions!

http://www.notillville.com/


the Dale drill was equipped with seedhawk openers in it early years, they now make their own which are of similar design but tweeked fro UK conditions as a result of a few year experience (and I guess no longer being allowed to use seedhawk when vaderstad did a deal with them !)

Vaderstad use the seedhawk opener (they own them now) - they started selling them here about 6 years or so ago fastened to a European designed and built frame and hopper - a chap from vaderstad told me this was a mistake for various reasons (depth control and wheel issues @Andrew K mentions) so the drill they now sell is a Candian design frame and hopper and much better than the early drill here as a result
 

ajd132

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Suffolk
The wheat we drilled with a sprinter after beans direct was very good this year. Interestingly the direct drilled wheat after beans was next to some wheat drilled after beans that had been topdowned, the direct drilled stuff was alot easier to work this summer/autumn
 
Looking to dip my toe into DD, every drill I look at seems to have some merit. Latest thought is possibly Seed Hawk. I would initially be trying some first wheat after osr and possibly some 2nd wheat after a light pass with a carrier. Mainly heavy land without serious hills.

ALL opinions received will be welcome (its a minefield out there!!)

BB

BB, After phaffing with this on and off for a long while Ive come to the conclusion it will only work long term if your soil is good enough not to be moved, so a proper no till drill is the way forward.

Looking at clives trial every single drill has moved to much soil except the JD so that narrows it down an awful lot more. A 6m new JD and then put the gutters on it would be a very good all round drill. The one we used for 3 years back in the late 90's without the gutters worked on ploughed and min tilled ground without bother and we all know it works direct so a good option ......

Even on min tilled seedbeds it will still move less soil than anything else available so wheres the downside to it?
 
BB, After phaffing with this on and off for a long while Ive come to the conclusion it will only work long term if your soil is good enough not to be moved, so a proper no till drill is the way forward.

Looking at clives trial every single drill has moved to much soil except the JD so that narrows it down an awful lot more. A 6m new JD and then put the gutters on it would be a very good all round drill. The one we used for 3 years back in the late 90's without the gutters worked on ploughed and min tilled ground without bother and we all know it works direct so a good option ......

Even on min tilled seedbeds it will still move less soil than anything else available so wheres the downside to it?
Price?!
 

db9go

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Buckinghamshire
We have used a Vardastad rapid drill only using the drilling part straight into the stubble with out moving any ground and that has helped us get on top of the BG
 

db9go

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Buckinghamshire
In the three years we have done it no problem. we do not run on the ground we just use the tram lines for everything been like that 14 years and nearly always chop
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Must be cheaper than a 6m Vaddy, almost? What would Needham V 8s, Bonilla tabs etc cost as extras?

seed tabs are very cheap - couple of £ each, no need for v8's on 90 series drills as JD themselves fitted an much narrower profile firmer - so just Gutters to add

it is actually probably cheaper than a rapid as you say
 
BB, After phaffing with this on and off for a long while Ive come to the conclusion it will only work long term if your soil is good enough not to be moved, so a proper no till drill is the way forward.

Looking at clives trial every single drill has moved to much soil except the JD so that narrows it down an awful lot more. A 6m new JD and then put the gutters on it would be a very good all round drill. The one we used for 3 years back in the late 90's without the gutters worked on ploughed and min tilled ground without bother and we all know it works direct so a good option ......

Even on min tilled seedbeds it will still move less soil than anything else available so wheres the downside to it?

@warksfarmer have you been to Clive's test site?
 

3m is £37k new but probably get it for less. I'd call that a 600-800 acre season drill. It is capable of more easy enough but if you have say 700 acres to drill @ £15 acre it would pay for itself in 4 years. I call that 60% winter 40% spring crops.

120hp tractor, 50 acs a day, 1l/acre of fuel, £20/acre fixed costs establishment costs - what's not to like? :)
 
Must be cheaper than a 6m Vaddy, almost? What would Needham V 8s, Bonilla tabs etc cost as extras?

you don't really need needham wheels on a new one as the john deere firming wheels are thinner now. they would be fine. Bonilla tabs - don't bother!

Just guttlers or alternative closing wheels needed - if anyone is confident of their workshop skills I'll send them a thompson wheel for them to make a copy of if they want (make a couple for me as well though :) ) - its only a bit of steel.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
you don't really need needham wheels on a new one as the john deere firming wheels are thinner now. they would be fine. Bonilla tabs - don't bother!

Just guttlers or alternative closing wheels needed - if anyone is confident of their workshop skills I'll send them a thompson wheel for them to make a copy of if they want (make a couple for me as well though :) ) - its only a bit of steel.


what dont you like about the bonilla tabs Will ? I think they are doing a nice job and they are cheaper than JD ones - they are wearing quick but the JD ones do on our soils as well
 
what dont you like about the bonilla tabs Will ? I think they are doing a nice job and they are cheaper than JD ones - they are wearing quick but the JD ones do on our soils as well

I thought they were dearer, can't remember now! They wore v quickly with me, praps I'd try them again if cheaper than the originals tbh I don't think the tabs to a lot with me esp as I don't have an air drill so no bounce
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
I thought they were dearer, can't remember now! They wore v quickly with me, praps I'd try them again if cheaper than the originals tbh I don't think the tabs to a lot with me esp as I don't have an air drill so no bounce

IIRC when I priced the JD ones they were about the same price so very little difference
 

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