Your likes and dislikes of your existing seed drill, would you like a change?

[Hamloc]

We run a 3440 New Holland TBT tank and a 45 foot Flexicoil 5000 drill.
Atomjet high rate side band openers, 10 inch spacing and 41/4 inch rubber capped packers.
System works well. I would like scales on the tank, a bit bigger tank would be nice, maybe a conveyor for loading and maybe precision hydraulic openers. For some reason the Seedmaster SR-15 Ultra looks interesting. Also a Bourgault with PLDS openers peaks my interest as well. Not sold on MRB’s.
The new John Deere tank with electric meter motors looks good but big dollars, all new tanks are big dollars lol.

[Hamloc]

I have to admit I am surprised. Each grain farmer in western Canada has just spent multiple days to weeks in their seed drill, due to the weather many still are seeding. But no opinions? Loading methods, auger, conveyor mounted or separate? Dependability? Tow behind or tow between? Seed placement, twin row, single row? Start up issues? Any issues with electric meter motors? Did you change drill from last year and are impressed?! Or disappointed? Blockage monitor systems, Intelligent Ag, Agtron, J.Assy. Any issues?
Drill frame issues? Does a Seedhawk pull straight when the sections lift out of the ground? Opener selection, does one work better in stones than another? Does a Conserva Pak pull up more rocks than a Seedmaster or Seedhawk or vise versa?

[furrowtickler]

We really like our seed master SR set up
works great for canola , peas and some wheat
Lentils it’s great for disease but a bit wide when they dry down as they tend to curl
still use the ole Bourgault for most the wheat and barley…… age and acres are catching up to that drill now

[furrowtickler]

In wet conditions the SR can’t handle wet straw very well , but mostly just sprayer tracks , wraps on the trash cleaners
I just went ahead on the first field after that 3 inch shot in mid May with the gates coulter harrow then did a few low areas of heavy straw . Within a few hours the SR went right through with no issues
Most cereal stubble was seeded direct in standing stubble not harrowed with no issue
But definitely need good choppers on combines

one thing that does stand out on canola fields now is zero wheel tracks after wet conditions and many low wet areas . He just backs of the pressure to get through muddy areas

[Hamloc]

We really like our seed master SR set up
works great for canola , peas and some wheat
Lentils it’s great for disease but a bit wide when they dry down as they tend to curl
still use the ole Bourgault for most the wheat and barley…… age and acres are catching up to that drill now

If I remember your Bourgault is 12 inch spacing with 4 inch twin row openers. Single or twin row on the SR?

[SmallTimeOperator]

Had MRB’s for 10 years. Series 1, Series 25, MRBIII. Only good if you can trade the drill off every 2 years. Maintenance is too much work. 3-5 days crawling underneath changing sc****rs and busted springs. Pull into a stoney field, leave with half the sc****rs having busted carbides. Was $80 each last time I bought them 5 years ago. They suck in the mud, as wet straw gets in behind the sc****r and it flips out sideways to drag 5 inch wide strip. At every fill you have to spend half an hour crawling around cleaning the mud around the sc****rs with a screwdriver. MRBIIIs have different geometry and like to ski on top of tall canola straw and push dirt, and if you are looking the wrong way, by the time the tractor pulls heavy, you have a pile the size of a car in front of your wing. Discs in the tractor wheel tracks break every year from the stress of trying to punch into the packed ground. Deadhead rocks will break discs too. Have to grease MRBs often or the bearings will go out on them.

The Bourgault Knock on openers will break off in a field with deadhead rocks. Also rocks will break off your tips and bust carbides on them.

I had 5710, 5810, and went back to 5710, as trash clearance is better on the older drill. Took off the MRBs, went to Atom Jet double shoot openers and now life is good.

[GALAXIE500]

I really like my new to me flexicoil 2340 air drill. 2nd year of running it , like the accuracy of the variable rate and my tractor handles it good. With the weather conditions at seeding time that we have had the last few years , I am throwing the idea around of putting shovels on my outfit and cutting back on pre-seed spraying , but there is a flip side to both scenarios. Weed control and extra hp for the shovels vs openers. A few guys in my area have also talked about this and I know of one good sized outfit that pre-worked all of his land ahead of seeding. Just tired of poor results with pre-seed burn-off , which I blame mother nature entirely for that one.

Kochia is the biggest problem , and a few others to go with it.

[furrowtickler]

If I remember your Bourgault is 12 inch spacing with 4 inch twin row openers. Single or twin row on the SR?

yep the Bourgault is 12 in , 3.5 in paired row , it’s been great but getting tired

Single row on the SR
looking at possibly another 15 in SR with paired row for wheat / barley to eventually replace the ole Bourgault

[LEP]

A few years ago, I was driving to town and I realized every drill was a bourgault 3320. Now about half Vaderstad drills. Not sure if it is price or more even seeding depth. Neighbors with one have said they get atleast a couple days each spring where it is too wet to seed. So they sit. Used to be you couldn't unload every tank with the conveyor on a Vaderstad. Not sure if that has changed.

Alot of the bourgaults have the XTC opener now to get a more even job on canola.

My nephew is in dealer support at Case. He was saying a couple years ago Case only sold 6 new drills company wide. Haven't had a more recent conversation about it.

I am still seeding with a 3310 bourgault. 3/4 in knife. Too dry for a paired row opener. Used to seed with a Morris maxum. Thought they were ok. But definitely wouldn't have been durable enough to do the acres we do now. I have almost 80,000 acres on my 3310.

Morris tank was accurate how ever the cleanout wasn't great. Have to sweep down the tank multiple times to reduce the amount of leftover seed. I have found the bourgault to be accurate as well. Usually left with an ice cream pail of seed at the end of canola.

I am upgrading drills this year and will likely stick with bourgault.

[Old Cowzilla]

The fields sown with Bourgault drills with midrow look impressive but notice most locals do field work in fall. Our old JD 1820 with 10 inch narrow points is good for seeding in firm ground but have to get n in somehow preband or spread ahead. Time consuming and more expense . Neighbors drill has 450 grease fittings that would give an older guy like me a good workout. Every seedhawk I look at needs a lot of time and money to get back in shape. Funny thing most of our BTO's get most of there fert blow on ahead of drill and don't seem to give a hoot about placement.