Firminator

[Windlooker]

Thinking about picking one of these up. Anyone have experience using a Firminator on food plots? They look good but idk. I know they have a model with disks and one with a tiller. I have a tiller so would go with a disk model. Thanks for any advice.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

I had a client buy one. I used it a few times. I am not a fan. There is no way to calibrate it or verify your seeding rate for starters. It drives me nuts.

 

[Windlooker]

I see a chart on the back of it that provides type of seed and I assume the opening for dispersal rate? That doesn’t help?

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

I see a chart on the back of it that provides type of seed and I assume the opening for dispersal rate? That doesn’t help?

I have a chart like that on every piece of planting and fertilizing piece of equipment I've owned. They are really never that accurate. Thus everything gets calibrated. I think a guy is way better off with a small drill.

 

[Jbohn]

Thinking about picking one of these up. Anyone have experience using a Firminator on food plots? They look good but idk. I know they have a model with disks and one with a tiller. I have a tiller so would go with a disk model. Thanks for any advice.

is this for a tractor ?

 

[Jbohn]

is this for a tractor ? If so I would get a small drill ..

 

[Windlooker]

Seeding rate is set by seed size box adjustment with release also based on speed as its chain driven. Right? The chain drive increases and decreases with tractor speed which results in faster and slower seeding??????

 

[Windlooker]

One of my considerations is the many different seed types it can disperse. Idk.

 

[Duckriver]

Seed charts are as useful as women's clothing sizes...
Seed sizes vary too much from year to year and variety. Not to mention coated vs non coated Seed.
Calibration takes 3 minutes.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

Seed charts are as useful as women's clothing sizes...
Seed sizes vary too much from year to year and variety. Not to mention coated vs non coated Seed.
Calibration takes 3 minutes.

How do you calibrate a firminator? If there is a method, i'd like to know.

 

[Duckriver]

How do you calibrate a firminator? If there is a method, i'd like to know.

I will admit I have not calibrated a firminator since the first ones were sold back in early 2000's.
This method has some assumptions such as seeds per lb. But better Than guessing.


But you can use Seed count method for broadcast spreaders.

for example:Rye has 18,000 seeds/lb With a 90lbs seeding rate. That means 18,000 x 90= 1,620,000 seeds.
Divide 1,620,000 by 43,560 = 37.2 seeds per sq ft Is desired.

Make a square 1 ft x 1 ft square out of pvc pipe.

Make a drilling pass over a tarp. After making pass, randomly place pvc square foot onto tarp. Count the number of seeds found within the square ft.
Adjust output up/down as needed.

 

[Nightvision]

How do you calibrate a firminator? If there is a method, i'd like to know.

There is a good YouTube video on calibration of grain drills.
I’ll do my best to explain it but please forgive me if I Jack it up. It supposedly works for all drill types.

Drive a known distance while collection the seed from a tube. Distance has to be at least 150’ or so. Can’t remember but more is fine. I go around 200’. Weigh the grain collected in grams. Divide the seed collected by the distance traveled and then multiply by 153.65. The 153.65 is a constant.

In his video, he traveled 184’ and caught 81.5 grams of seed.

(81.5 / 184) x 153.65 = 68.05 lbs of seed per acre.

I’m not a farmer so I can’t tell you that this is the best way to calibrate a drill but the guy in the video is and it’s how he does it. If it’s good enough for a farming operation, it’s good enough for me and my food plots.

 

[Duckriver]

There is a good YouTube video on calibration of grain drills.
I’ll do my best to explain it but please forgive me if I Jack it up. It supposedly works for all drill types.

Drive a known distance while collection the seed from a tube. Distance has to be at least 150’ or so. Can’t remember but more is fine. I go around 200’. Weigh the grain collected in grams. Divide the seed collected by the distance traveled and then multiply by 153.65. The 153.65 is a constant.

In his video, he traveled 184’ and caught 81.5 grams of seed.

(81.5 / 184) x 153.65 = 68.05 lbs of seed per acre.

I’m not a farmer so I can’t tell you that this is the best way to calibrate a drill but the guy in the video is and it’s how he does it. If it’s good enough for a farming operation, it’s good enough for me and my food plots.

That is a great and simple method for drills. It also works great with multiple species blends in drills.
I use that method with our customers and it works well. When you do several hundred drill calibrations each year.... simple is your friend.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

There is a good YouTube video on calibration of grain drills.
I’ll do my best to explain it but please forgive me if I Jack it up. It supposedly works for all drill types.

Drive a known distance while collection the seed from a tube. Distance has to be at least 150’ or so. Can’t remember but more is fine. I go around 200’. Weigh the grain collected in grams. Divide the seed collected by the distance traveled and then multiply by 153.65. The 153.65 is a constant.

In his video, he traveled 184’ and caught 81.5 grams of seed.

(81.5 / 184) x 153.65 = 68.05 lbs of seed per acre.

I’m not a farmer so I can’t tell you that this is the best way to calibrate a drill but the guy in the video is and it’s how he does it. If it’s good enough for a farming operation, it’s good enough for me and my food plots.

I calibrate my drill and planter all the time. Firminator is best suited for small seeds like alfalfa, clover, switchgrass. I cannot reasonable see this method working very well.

 

[Nightvision]

I calibrate my drill and planter all the time. Firminator is best suited for small seeds like alfalfa, clover, switchgrass. I cannot reasonable see this method working very well.

Why would it not work? As long as the blend is mixed well enough you would know how many pounds to the acre you were putting out. As long as the Firminator has an agitator, I would think that it would work.

Does the Firminator not have drops? Does it only use a “splash” pan? If no individual drops, then I can see how it wouldn’t work.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

Why would it not work? As long as the blend is mixed well enough you would know how many pounds to the acre you were putting out. As long as the Firminator has an agitator, I would think that it would work.

Does the Firminator not have drops? Does it only use a “splash” pan? If no individual drops, then I can see how it wouldn’t work.

No seed tubes if that's what your asking.

 

[Nightvision]

No seed tubes if that's what your asking.

Ok. No seed tubes but I assume there are individual openings for the seed to come out. If so, if you could catch the seed coming out of the individual openings, you could still weigh the seed.

 

[Windlooker]

I think there are six individual drops

 

[Windlooker]

It’s a good food plot implement imo. This isn’t rocket science. Could care less about yield. Lol. Ive planted many plots walking and sowing seeds. I’m buying one. I’ll post results

 

[Bassattackr]

FWIW I thought the firminator seemed like one of the better built 3 in 1 implements. Strong box frame, Ag grade cultipacker, etc.

If we’re being honest, unless you have a row planter any other implement is just a “controlled spill” of seed