T_Max
PMA Member
That was a very good video, Skip. I have a general question about drills for the group. There are some things I would never buy used. Too many chances to buy a lemon and not know it until it is too late. There are some things I would never buy new, because used ones are much cheaper and are easy to repair / hard for the previous owner to mess up. Where do drills fall on this spectrum for you? New prices are pretty high for most guys. Do you need a degree in mechanical engineering to maintain / repair them? If you bought a used one with plenty of miles, is it reasonable to expect you can put many more on it? I often have to look at / buy things online through auctions due to time and distance. I have a hard time pulling the trigger on something with so many moving parts sight unseen. Is it reasonable to assume that a guy with some general mechanical skills could overcome most of the issues he might face on one of these machines? I would love to have one, but I have never really been around them.
deep woods goat hunter
PMA Member
Skip-
I that doubletree mix planted or something different?
I that doubletree mix planted or something different?
Really good ?!!!!!!!
1) they are not complex. A planter is much harder to work on. Drills are for sure more basic…. Chain drive system that just meters seed out as u go. Few big metal boxes, some tubes, etc. Changing clutches, chains, bearings & OPENERS is main things & it’s pretty rare I’m ever doing it. Every couple thousand acres maybe. It’s easy & not that expensive Labor is most because there’s so many more rows (7.5” spacing vs a 30” planter)…..
2) being that they are pretty basic - a used Great Plains wouldn’t spook me a bit. Even the worst repairs- not bad at all. They are basic. But the guts of a GP drill are just so much heavier built - why I wouldn’t be afraid of used one. I got a couple other brands used- never again. GP- I’d be just fine with it.
3) so say someone is a “medium size” plotter…. Even a 6’ drill be fine. & a used one…. Not bad. If u own land & gonna do plots forever & want equipment to last- I’d get one. If u aren’t it & maybe not a lot of acres- I’d hire it out or buy cheap stuff. Or heck - guys on a budget- go buy an old minimal till drill with 2 boxes. Lots of options. IMHO- the rotary tillers & the aggressive tillage for years - yikers…. Over time the soil will get worse & worse & failures will be more prevalent and take all the tillage tools - the value- coulda just bought a drill in many cases. Controversial & I’ll upset a few of my friends but rotary tillers should be sold for scrap & destroyed.
. Dbltree mix with some slight tweaks.
T_Max
PMA Member
Sold! I rebuilt a corn planter from the ground up, so looks like I'll have to go ahead and jump in on this! Haha!Really good ?!!!!!!!
1) they are not complex. A planter is much harder to work on. Drills are for sure more basic…. Chain drive system that just meters seed out as u go. Few big metal boxes, some tubes, etc. Changing clutches, chains, bearings & OPENERS is main things & it’s pretty rare I’m ever doing it. Every couple thousand acres maybe. It’s easy & not that expensive Labor is most because there’s so many more rows (7.5” spacing vs a 30” planter)…..
2) being that they are pretty basic - a used Great Plains wouldn’t spook me a bit. Even the worst repairs- not bad at all. They are basic. But the guts of a GP drill are just so much heavier built - why I wouldn’t be afraid of used one. I got a couple other brands used- never again. GP- I’d be just fine with it.
3) so say someone is a “medium size” plotter…. Even a 6’ drill be fine. & a used one…. Not bad. If u own land & gonna do plots forever & want equipment to last- I’d get one. If u aren’t it & maybe not a lot of acres- I’d hire it out or buy cheap stuff. Or heck - guys on a budget- go buy an old minimal till drill with 2 boxes. Lots of options. IMHO- the rotary tillers & the aggressive tillage for years - yikers…. Over time the soil will get worse & worse & failures will be more prevalent and take all the tillage tools - the value- coulda just bought a drill in many cases. Controversial & I’ll upset a few of my friends but rotary tillers should be sold for scrap & destroyed.
Dbltree mix with some slight tweaks.
Bucksnbears
Well-Known Member
Great video Skip.
I personally have no need for one as all my plots are 1/4 acre or less.
I'm stuck to the broadcast and drag method.
I personally have no need for one as all my plots are 1/4 acre or less.
I'm stuck to the broadcast and drag method.
Well done, Skip! You made some excellent points on soil health. I started with 2.8% organic matter on a soil health project on May 1st of this year, and will be monitoring it. Good stuff!