Used Grass/Grain Drill

[ValleyView]

I am interested in purchasing a used Grass/Grain drill and honestly prefer a no-till type drill but don't want to spend that much. I have been renting a Great Plains 606NT from the county at $10 per acre and $100 per day.

That said, I guess my budget would be around $1K as I spend around 10 days a year planting. I'd like the ability to plant grasses and legumes with whatever I end up buying. I am open to having to disc as well, since a no-till is quite a bit out of my price range.

Anybody have any recommendations of what to get or stay away from? Thanks in advance!

 

[hurleyjd]

Any John Deere with single disc openers. Deere will always have parts for them. The single disc opener will do a good job of getting the seed at the right depth. Some of their had a small seed box on the front for legume seeds and other small seeds.

 

[hurleyjd]

Here is one in Farmersville Texas last updated in august. Looks to be in pretty good shape. I cannot tell if it has single disc openers. You might call.
https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/33148771/john-deere-fbb

 

[callmefence]

Any John Deere with single disc openers. Deere will always have parts for them. The single disc opener will do a good job of getting the seed at the right depth. Some of their had a small seed box on the front for legume seeds and other small seeds.

This is spot on. . The single disc with good springs will perform shallow notill functions.
In soft soil. Parts everywhere.
Often can be bought at auction for a couple hundred. I bought on last spring for 50 bucks with the shaft siezed . I poured diesel in the seed box. The next day put a wrench on the shaft and broke it free. It's probably been over 300 acres since . Bought another one for 200.00 a couple weeks ago. I think tires is all it will take to get it going.

Stay away from double disk openers.

 

[hurleyjd]

Any John Deere with single disc openers. Deere will always have parts for them. The single disc opener will do a good job of getting the seed at the right depth. Some of their had a small seed box on the front for legume seeds and other small seeds.

This is spot on. . The single disc with good springs will perform shallow notill functions.
In soft soil. Parts everywhere.
Often can be bought at auction for a couple hundred. I bought on last spring for 50 bucks with the shaft siezed . I poured diesel in the seed box. The next day put a wrench on the shaft and broke it free. It's probably been over 300 acres since . Bought another one for 200.00 a couple weeks ago. I think tires is all it will take to get it going.

Stay away from double disk openers.

Also each spring can be adjusted for more pressure to keep the disc in contact.

 

[ValleyView]

Any John Deere with single disc openers. Deere will always have parts for them. The single disc opener will do a good job of getting the seed at the right depth. Some of their had a small seed box on the front for legume seeds and other small seeds.

This is spot on. . The single disc with good springs will perform shallow notill functions.
In soft soil. Parts everywhere.
Often can be bought at auction for a couple hundred. I bought on last spring for 50 bucks with the shaft siezed . I poured diesel in the seed box. The next day put a wrench on the shaft and broke it free. It's probably been over 300 acres since . Bought another one for 200.00 a couple weeks ago. I think tires is all it will take to get it going.

Stay away from double disk openers.

Thanks to all for the information!

So, if I understand you both right a single disc opener is sufficient for a simplified no-till set up? Also, what about the need for a grass seed box? Most of the John Deere B's don't have small seed boxes, only the grain boxes. Do you all run grass seed through the grain boxes?

 

[Stocker Steve]

Why are most traditional grain drills made with double disk openers ?

 

[hurleyjd]

Any John Deere with single disc openers. Deere will always have parts for them. The single disc opener will do a good job of getting the seed at the right depth. Some of their had a small seed box on the front for legume seeds and other small seeds.

This is spot on. . The single disc with good springs will perform shallow notill functions.
In soft soil. Parts everywhere.
Often can be bought at auction for a couple hundred. I bought on last spring for 50 bucks with the shaft siezed . I poured diesel in the seed box. The next day put a wrench on the shaft and broke it free. It's probably been over 300 acres since . Bought another one for 200.00 a couple weeks ago. I think tires is all it will take to get it going.

Stay away from double disk openers.

Thanks to all for the information!

So, if I understand you both right a single disc opener is sufficient for a simplified no-till set up? Also, what about the need for a grass seed box? Most of the John Deere B's don't have small seed boxes, only the grain boxes. Do you all run grass seed through the grain boxes?

I have an old B drill and I plant rye grass seed and that is the smallest I use. In my experience you will need the small seed box for legume seed such as clover. Vetch is a large seed and can be sued in the main box.

 

[hurleyjd]

Why are most traditional grain drills made with double disk openers ?

The double disk openers I would think would be for a prepared seed bed. The single disk openers will do a light disking like most have recommended her when over seeding. Rye grass seed will come up on top of the ground.

 

[ValleyView]

Why are most traditional grain drills made with double disk openers ?

The double disk openers I would think would be for a prepared seed bed. The single disk openers will do a light disking like most have recommended her when over seeding. Rye grass seed will come up on top of the ground.

Hmmm... Double disc seems to me like it would do more tilling on its own than a single disc. I assumed a double disc would have a better shot of working without discing first, but I definitely have no real idea!

I'd like to be able to seed native grasses in whatever I buy in addition to other legumes, but won't try legumes next year due to residual. Learned that expensive lesson the hard way last spring with a failed legume no-till stand.

 

[bird dog]

If they don't have a small seed box, planting small legume type seeds and grass seeds is very difficult. Most of the time you plant them to deep.

I also use a single disc model B. It works fine for big seeds but to use it to plant small seeds you have to have a carrier like sand or fertilizer. I have had some success doing this but also have had expensive failures.

 

[ValleyView]

If they don't have a small seed box, planting small legume type seeds and grass seeds is very difficult. Most of the time you plant them to deep.

I also use a single disc model B. It works fine for big seeds but to use it to plant small seeds you have to have a carrier like sand or fertilizer. I have had some success doing this but also have had expensive failures.

Very good information, thanks. Do you always disc before seeding (other than rye)?

 

[bird dog]

Not always but discing will always give you a better result, Rye grass included.

I used the old drill like a no till to put out some oats on a pasture where I had planted some Johnson Grass. Actually it was Sorghum Almum. The cows had eaten it down to short stalks and the sorghum kind of breaks up the soil so it was kind of soft.
It planted real well and I'm optimistic it will work if we get some rain.

 

[callmefence]

Why are most traditional grain drills made with double disk openers ?

The double disk openers I would think would be for a prepared seed bed. The single disk openers will do a light disking like most have recommended her when over seeding. Rye grass seed will come up on top of the ground.

Hmmm... Double disc seems to me like it would do more tilling on its own than a single disc. I assumed a double disc would have a better shot of working without discing first, but I definitely have no real idea!

I'd like to be able to seed native grasses in whatever I buy in addition to other legumes, but won't try legumes next year due to residual. Learned that expensive lesson the hard way last spring with a failed legume no-till stand.

A double disc opener runs straight. It requires very loose soil to open a furrow. A single disc has a little canter to it. That's how it makes a furrow. And is what gives it a very light discing effect. I can run no till ryegrasses and crimson clover quite effectively.
Oats , wheat, SS in soft soil and Max spring pressure and sometimes I'll let most of the air out of the tires.
Warm season grass I don't think I would attempt without the small seedbox. And if very much acreage. Seeing how these seeds are usually pretty spendy. I would lean toward renting a drill or hiring it done.

 

[Texasmark]

Any John Deere with single disc openers. Deere will always have parts for them. The single disc opener will do a good job of getting the seed at the right depth. Some of their had a small seed box on the front for legume seeds and other small seeds.

Stay away from double disk openers.

How come? I have an old JD that I have had for 30 years at least, used every spring with dual disc openers. Had a few parts go out over the years and ebay had all of them from time to time as they were needed. Seems to me a double is better as you have a V for the seed to fall into for a more precise deposit and if drilling when windy, helps to keep the seed where you dropped it, then come the chains to smooth things out. Sometimes I hook my roller behind it when planting plowed soil.

 

[callmefence]

Any John Deere with single disc openers. Deere will always have parts for them. The single disc opener will do a good job of getting the seed at the right depth. Some of their had a small seed box on the front for legume seeds and other small seeds.

Stay away from double disk openers.

How come? I have an old JD that I have had for 30 years at least, used every spring with dual disc openers. Had a few parts go out over the years and ebay had all of them from time to time as they were needed. Seems to me a double is better as you have a V for the seed to fall into for a more precise deposit and if drilling when windy, helps to keep the seed where you dropped it, then come the chains to smooth things out. Sometimes I hook my roller behind it when planting plowed soil.

Because it works better in a notill application.
I explained why above.

 

[Texasmark]

Stay away from double disk openers.

How come? I have an old JD that I have had for 30 years at least, used every spring with dual disc openers. Had a few parts go out over the years and ebay had all of them from time to time as they were needed. Seems to me a double is better as you have a V for the seed to fall into for a more precise deposit and if drilling when windy, helps to keep the seed where you dropped it, then come the chains to smooth things out. Sometimes I hook my roller behind it when planting plowed soil.

Because it works better in a notill application.
I explained why above.

You in sandy loam soil down there? I'm in Houston Black Clay; mush when wet and rock when dry, have to plant when soil is soft but does a nice job for me.

 

[callmefence]

How come? I have an old JD that I have had for 30 years at least, used every spring with dual disc openers. Had a few parts go out over the years and ebay had all of them from time to time as they were needed. Seems to me a double is better as you have a V for the seed to fall into for a more precise deposit and if drilling when windy, helps to keep the seed where you dropped it, then come the chains to smooth things out. Sometimes I hook my roller behind it when planting plowed soil.

Because it works better in a notill application.
I explained why above.

You in sandy loam soil down there? I'm in Houston Black Clay; mush when wet and rock when dry, have to plant when soil is soft but does a nice job for me.

Black clay and rock