Seed Drills

[sumdumguy]

We have been using a 60 ft SeedHawk with 12 inch spacing, gonna try a 43 foot JD1895 Single Disk with 10.

Any experience out there?

[bigzee]

Stick with Hawk, best drill out there for accuracy IMO. I have rolling land and every seed comes you the same time. Of course hills to you would be a gopher mound. Lol
An agronomist I know said the Hawk is actually “too perfect”. I have nothing bad to say about BG just out of my price range, then again they all are.
Good luck with the disk.

[farmaholic]

From 60 to 43....speed will make the difference? Will be like seeding with a Lemken! Go fast or go home. Minimal ground disturbance might be a good thing as dry as it is in this area.

I have 2" openers on tens with a coulter between every two shanks. Is there ever a "prefect" configuration for all conditions?

[bucket]

Yup, good drill been using JD disc drills since 2000. Smoother fields. Nice germination.

They have a 60 foot 1895 now.

Your fertilizer with the right rain won't give the crop a kick until later but you will notice when the roots hit the mid rows.

Simple drill... less hydraulics... pain in the ass to change depths but its about 10 minutes once you are good at it and have skinned your shins.

If its a used drill...look at the depth setting ladders for wear. Lift the gauge wheels to see the slack movement..


Disks will take a day and half to change.

It also doesn't hurt to go an extra setting deeper I have found.

The first year from hoe drill to disk drill will need to seed on a slight angle to get the disks to contact....if your seed hawk left deep gouges. You will understand that quickly...the gauge wheel will prevent the disk from going in the ground.


If new buy it with spoked gauge wheels and notched closers...

[GDR]

Yup, good drill been using JD disc drills since 2000. Smoother fields. Nice germination.

They have a 60 foot 1895 now.

Your fertilizer with the right rain won't give the crop a kick until later but you will notice when the roots hit the mid rows.

Simple drill... less hydraulics... pain in the ass to change depths but its about 10 minutes once you are good at it and have skinned your shins.

If its a used drill...look at the depth setting ladders for wear. Lift the gauge wheels to see the slack movement..


Disks will take a day and half to change.

It also doesn't hurt to go an extra setting deeper I have found.

The first year from hoe drill to disk drill will need to seed on a slight angle to get the disks to contact....if your seed hawk left deep gouges. You will understand that quickly...the gauge wheel will prevent the disk from going in the ground.


If new buy it with spoked gauge wheels and notched closers...

How long do your bearings last? I used to have an old Jd750 with the single disc openers, worked awesome but pretty much daily had a bearing to change, was cheap and easy but still a pain.

[bucket]

Good question GDR....to date I have never changed a bearing for the main disk for failure...

I have taken them apart to see how difficult....and it is until you realize there is a left and right hand design ...Little bit of thinking there...dumb****led..

Other bearings have failed on the gauge wheels but I have spares.

Bushings I haven't done either ...but I trade them by that time...

A guy redid a drill in his shop and bought parts in the states....saved a bunch and had essentially a new drill.

[sumdumguy]

Yup, good drill been using JD disc drills since 2000. Smoother fields. Nice germination.

They have a 60 foot 1895 now.

Your fertilizer with the right rain won't give the crop a kick until later but you will notice when the roots hit the mid rows.

Simple drill... less hydraulics... pain in the ass to change depths but its about 10 minutes once you are good at it and have skinned your shins.

If its a used drill...look at the depth setting ladders for wear. Lift the gauge wheels to see the slack movement..


Disks will take a day and half to change.

It also doesn't hurt to go an extra setting deeper I have found.

The first year from hoe drill to disk drill will need to seed on a slight angle to get the disks to contact....if your seed hawk left deep gouges. You will understand that quickly...the gauge wheel will prevent the disk from going in the ground.


If new buy it with spoked gauge wheels and notched closers...

We did the change-up. We have variable soil from pretty sandy stuff near 48 highway to the blackest gumbo you’ve ever seen, so seeding will probably be interesting this year. Check back to see which unit is parked by the dug-out😂

[farmaholic]

We use wheel bearing grease in tubes to grease the hubs on our midrow bander coulters. Probably would be a good idea for disc drills?

I swore I'd never have a disc seeding implement on this farm, well I'm half way there with the Bourgault MRBs. Just be prepared for the maintenance I guess.

[MBgrower]

almost all disc drills around here, mostly BG and JD some CaseIH. if you are buying second hand do your homework, check all bearings, and wear on all openers.