Info/opinion on new combination drill?

Insp. Harry Callahan

Hi I am thinking of purchasing a new power harrow and seed drill, currently using a 3metre Maschio powerharrow and Amazone seed drill that needs upgrading.Dont need anything too complicated, sowing 130 acres/year.

The only new one I was looking at so far is Amazone,the option that best suited me with them was i think a Kx 3metre with tooth packer roller, and an Ad303 seeder. The 302 we have uses the ordinary ws type suffock coulters.
Would these be what to go for again or is there much advantage is going for the disc RoTec coulter?
Was wondering if anyone here this machine and their opinion on it?, or got another type/brand they recomend?.
Thanks..

Grass Hopper

I had a kg303 with an ad303 for 4 years and couldnt fault it.Was a big step up from the Accord we had before it.
I had the Suffolk coulters but had a rubber wedge ring roller which was the bee's knees for grain even though the majority of its workload was grass seed.
Lately I have been using a Kuhn 3003 and Venta drill and its definetly a step back from the Amazone in build quality and not near as convenient to use.

SkittlesTom

Lemken or Amazone

Insp. Harry Callahan

I was looking at a local farmers new 3metre Lemken today,was a great looking machine.On the seeder it has twin disc coulters and a press wheel behind,no need for the trailing after harrows. He says it leaves a nicer looking seedbed and its more even seed depth. A fine machine but probably would cost 25% more than the Amazone.
There is a deal on with the Amazone at the mo, 2000 off,got the sales rep coming out to price mine,will get the Lemken chap out aswell and decide then.

richie123

Insp. Harry Callahan wrote: »

Hi I am thinking of purchasing a new power harrow and seed drill, currently using a 3metre Maschio powerharrow and Amazone seed drill that needs upgrading.Dont need anything too complicated, sowing 130 acres/year.

The only new one I was looking at so far is Amazone,the option that best suited me with them was i think a Kx 3metre with tooth packer roller, and an Ad303 seeder. The 302 we have uses the ordinary ws type suffock coulters.
Would these be what to go for again or is there much advantage is going for the disc RoTec coulter?
Was wondering if anyone here this machine and their opinion on it?, or got another type/brand they recomend?.
Thanks..

lad the old 4 metre massey drill the only job!!
cheap to buy
cheap to run
very reliable
sow your fertiliser is wel(kill two birds):D
what more could u ask for;)
friend of mine has one sows up to 8 /9 acres an hour!!some machine an you dont need a big tractor burning twice the amount of dear diesal!!
friend pulls it wit a 2wd 5610 ford with duals!

Manoffeeling

richie123 wrote: »

lad the old 4 metre massey drill the only job!!
cheap to buy
cheap to run
very reliable
sow your fertiliser is wel(kill two birds):D
what more could u ask for;)
friend of mine has one sows up to 8 /9 acres an hour!!some machine an you dont need a big tractor burning twice the amount of dear diesal!!
friend pulls it wit a 2wd 5610 ford with duals!

Some lads shut off the fertiliser and let the seed into it. Holds about 8-9 acres. Most manure is bought spread anyway. Cheap and effective.

SkittlesTom

richie123 wrote: »

lad the old 4 metre massey drill the only job!!
cheap to buy
cheap to run
very reliable
sow your fertiliser is wel(kill two birds):D
what more could u ask for;)
friend of mine has one sows up to 8 /9 acres an hour!!some machine an you dont need a big tractor burning twice the amount of dear diesal!!
friend pulls it wit a 2wd 5610 ford with duals!

Loading with small bags, screw that!!
Involves pricking about with another harrow of what ever choice usualy what ever choice is more than once unless p/h
Needs dry seed beds/ cant drill after plough which is a wee bit difficult this backend
Seed dept accuracy especialy with what ever post 2012 the next crops crap shrivelled/low vigour/fusarium infected 'shyte' seed will be vital which doesnt work very well
Metering accuracy is suspect.
And there is actualy a Massey 30 rellic in the shed here it shall be staying!

stanflt

SkittlesTom wrote: »

Loading with small bags, screw that!!
Involves pricking about with another harrow of what ever choice usualy what ever choice is more than once unless p/h
Needs dry seed beds/ cant drill after plough which is a wee bit difficult this backend
Seed dept accuracy especialy with what ever post 2012 the next crops crap shrivelled/low vigour/fusarium infected 'shyte' seed will be vital which doesnt work very well
Metering accuracy is suspect.
And there is actualy a Massey 30 rellic in the shed here it shall be staying!

bit like sowing grass seeds in ideal conditions-

air seeder vs conventional barrow- in good conditions both will do the exact same job except you cant brag in the pub about using a barrow.

SkittlesTom

stanflt wrote: »

bit like sowing grass seeds in ideal conditions-

air seeder vs conventional barrow- in good conditions both will do the exact same job except you cant brag in the pub about using a barrow.

Prefer to use the wag tail vicon

yellow50HX

richie123 wrote: »

lad the old 4 metre massey drill the only job!!
cheap to buy
cheap to run
very reliable
sow your fertiliser is wel(kill two birds):D
what more could u ask for;)
friend of mine has one sows up to 8 /9 acres an hour!!some machine an you dont need a big tractor burning twice the amount of dear diesal!!
friend pulls it wit a 2wd 5610 ford with duals!

Yeah but still need a nice bit of tilling before hand. That said they are great for reseeding grass, was thinking of picking one up for doing just that. Use a wagtail to put out the seed but that's fine as long as it not too windy. The combo drill and power harrow on a big tractor will still make more sense on big acres. You might use more diesel for 1 pass but add up how much diesel you use on a smaller tractor and the how many passes you need, how many implement changes or extra tractors and drivers? I know of a tillage farmer that does about 300 acres a year and was able to make the repayments on a brand new tractor on diesel savings alone by changing his tractor, and drill. But as he said if he was doing smaller acres then it mightn't have made sense. All depends on your system I suppose

richie123

SkittlesTom wrote: »

Loading with small bags, screw that!!
Involves pricking about with another harrow of what ever choice usualy what ever choice is more than once unless p/h
Needs dry seed beds/ cant drill after plough which is a wee bit difficult this backend
Seed dept accuracy especialy with what ever post 2012 the next crops crap shrivelled/low vigour/fusarium infected 'shyte' seed will be vital which doesnt work very well
Metering accuracy is suspect.
And there is actualy a Massey 30 rellic in the shed here it shall be staying!

no small bags of seed and big bags of fertiliser ya your right power harrow only job for straight after the plough, massey drill more suited to dry spring time conditions.

richie123

yellow50HX wrote: »

Yeah but still need a nice bit of tilling before hand. That said they are great for reseeding grass, was thinking of picking one up for doing just that. Use a wagtail to put out the seed but that's fine as long as it not too windy. The combo drill and power harrow on a big tractor will still make more sense on big acres. You might use more diesel for 1 pass but add up how much diesel you use on a smaller tractor and the how many passes you need, how many implement changes or extra tractors and drivers? I know of a tillage farmer that does about 300 acres a year and was able to make the repayments on a brand new tractor on diesel savings alone by changing his tractor, and drill. But as he said if he was doing smaller acres then it mightn't have made sense. All depends on your system I suppose

you no ive sowed grassseed with a barrow and a accord drill an they both drop the seed in lines thats 2 year ago and i can stil see the lines bad job!! vicon spreader is wat i use now and its the most even way of spreading grassseed but ...you have to pick your day wind can be a bastard!

richie123

Manoffeeling wrote: »

Some lads shut off the fertiliser and let the seed into it. Holds about 8-9 acres. Most manure is bought spread anyway. Cheap and effective.

some lads maintain fertiliser down the spout beside the seed at the same time is a much better job better yields weather dats tru or not i cant say.

Insp. Harry Callahan

We used to have a MF30 seeddrill,good machine for sure but not really suited for autumn conditions,one pass outfit is the only job for it also it can do it all with one person,a big factor.
sowing the fertilizer with the seed like the mf30 would do is a benifit though id reckon, we normally sow it after crop is sowed, a few years ago it was very dry afterwards and the barley was very slow coming through,fertilizer didnt get washed in for a good while.not usally a problem often though here in Donegal,rain never that far away!

Grass Hopper

richie123 wrote: »

you no ive sowed grassseed with a barrow and a accord drill an they both drop the seed in lines thats 2 year ago and i can stil see the lines bad job!! vicon spreader is wat i use now and its the most even way of spreading grassseed but ...you have to pick your day wind can be a bastard!

Can you answer me why you consider the seed being in lines is a bad job

richie123

Grass Hopper wrote: »

Can you answer me why you consider the seed being in lines is a bad job

for some reason it just didnt tiller out to this day was sown april 2010..im actually thinkin bout buying in 100 store lambs to sort out the field!!thoughts of dat!!:eek:

Manoffeeling

I have used a MF and filled with the half ton seed bags. The best corn is always after the older drills because it tends to be sown in better conditions. People can justify everything.

CAtocork

Hey lads.
I have 350 acres of spring barley to plant.
I'm seriously considering a 4 meter Massey 30 combine drill to get the fertilizer into the row and eliminate an extra run with a fertilizer spreader.
Im open to other options.