Tiller Harrows Vs, tillers.

[jeff9366]

If you go to their build your own web site small disks don't even come up as an option even though there are some options you can add.

That is because 18" and 20" Disc Harrows, which are light, require notched blades to cut, so all ship notched. Beginning at 24" pans are sufficiently heavy may or may not need notches to penetrate; depending on crop residue and soil.

Only at 20" are frames heavy enough for other load increasing options, such a center balk breakers, outriggers, etc.

Pans without notches are very unlikely to deform and wear less fast. Wear is an issue to those who pull a disc 200+ miles per year.

26"+ diameter pans come only smooth.

Price a Deere DH11, probably around $2,400.

See if you can negotiate "free" delivery on a Tufline. It is pretty quiet in the tractor dealerships when snow is on the ground.

Price a Howse 16/20". Nothing dysfunctional about a no frills Howse. (My Howse 16/18 was much cheaper from my local Kubota dealer than price shown on Howse web site.)

Howse seems to have a dealer over every hill.

 

[Gary Fowler]

What do you think of this one.
HawkLine by Behlen Country Heavy-Duty Tillage Disk Category 1, 6-ft.6-in. Working Width, Model# DISC2018NSB | Category 1 Disc Harrows Rakes| Northern Tool + Equipment
$1400 plus $260 shipping. Not as heavy duty as I'd like but at least it is available.

I have an 8 foot disc with similar frame geometry and it cuts fairly well with the addition of two section of railroad tracks. For a small garden area, the time needed to make 2 or even 4 or more passes is usually not an issue. Rocks and tillers don't go together, even small soft ball sized ones. I have a lot of rocks also and even after running box blade scarifiers and disking many times and even digging up the garden with my backhoe and picking up all the rocks I see, I still hit some with my tiller.

I would go with a disc harrow for your requirements just based on the rocks. Get the heaviest one that you can afford with the largest diameter pans with scalloped edges. Be prepared to add some ballast to it like concrete blocks, etc to make it cut more aggressively in turf covered soil.

 

[dirtwurx]

i had the same decision to make in the past few weeks, and spoke with a few pros for advise for my area. first off i will say that i have a lot of rock in my ground as well, so much in fact that a quarry moved into my neighborhood a couple years ago. we have lots of grazing animals and for the first time would like to replant the pasture with grass/clover mix. i decided to take the advise of a k-state graduate (local agricultural college, in case you weren't familiar). he told me most of the food plot and clover seed do better when planted very shallow (surface to 1/2" deep), and disking or tilling isn't necessary. his recommended equipment was a drag harrow, to me this was good news because i too have a limited budget. he even offered to rent me one. i ended up buying a 6 foot by 8 foot harrow from tractor supply ($500), and it is built very well. i also purchased their 3 point spreader, also seems to be good quality, with a 900 pound capacity (cosmos 500-$479). the drag harrow is useful for many things other than this, so if this doesn't work out for me, at least i can use it to recondition my gravel. good luck to you! I love the 5045 by the way, very nice! Deere rocks!

 

[vtsnowedin]

That is because 18" and 20" Disc Harrows, which are light, require notched blades to cut, so they all come notched. Beginning at 24" pans are so heavy may or may not need notches to penetrate.

Only at 20" are frames heavy enough for other load increasing options, such a center balk breakers, outriggers, etc.

I was just lost in the wrong part of the build your own site. You have to come in from Frontier to get the full list of disk harrows. The site annoys me no end. The go from $2200 to $4200 pretty darn quick. It seems each mm of blade thickness costs $1000.

 

[jeff9366]

I was just lost in the wrong part of the build your own site. You have to come in from Frontier to get the full list of disk harrows. The site annoys me no end. The go from $2200 to $4200 pretty darn quick. It seems each mm of blade thickness costs $1000.

There are numerous features on the Tufline that make it more costly than the Howse, in addition to greater weight. I had to look two years before I could appreciate features value to me as an operator.

The implement business is very competitive. In my opinion, you are going to get pretty much what you pay for new. There are no magic bullets; except, sometimes, used in lieu of new.

(I doubt my tractor, nor your tractor, will pull a $4,200 Disc Harrow.)

 

[vtsnowedin]

Thanks for the replies guys. A lot of well considered advise in the above that I will put to good use. There is four feet of snow on the ground here so I'm in no hurry and can spend some time on line researching all available brands and will probably drop into a few local dealers just to see if they have anything they haven't put on line. I might wait for the spring equipment auctions to see what I can find there. I'm definitely going for heavy if I can find it and it doesn't have to be green. I Know how to run a spray can.
It's surprising that anyone would put a for sale picture on the net showing an end blade and nut missing. And you have to think twice when you read a review that starts with "destroyed on first use" Could the metal and welding be that bad or is the operator so stupid he destroyed a new machine in one day due to operator error.
Keep the tips and reviews coming if anybody has any.

 

[vtsnowedin]

(I doubt my tractor, nor your tractor, will pull a $4,200 Disc Harrow.)

Probably not. The problem is I don't have $4200 worth of tillage work in front of me in say the next five years. On the other hand I don't want to pay $2100 and have it be junk in three years.
A good heavy used unit that doesn't need a complete rebuild would be ideal.

 

[jeff9366]

He told me most of the food plot and clover seed do better when planted very shallow (surface to 1/2" deep), and disking or tilling isn't necessary. his recommended equipment was a drag harrow, to me this was good news because i too have a limited budget. he even offered to rent me one.

This is true for clover mixes, some of which are marketed as NO TILL. However, standard food plot mixes have forage not 2" tall but 24"- 40" tall, which yield much more food per acre. To get through summer without irrigation, especially on marginal land, standard food plot mixes almost require four inch soil preparation.

 

[jeff9366]

And you have to think twice when you read a review that starts with "destroyed on first use" Could the metal and welding be that bad or is the operator so stupid he destroyed a new machine in one day due to operator error.

Its the latter. Some people strap a length of railroad track on their DH. Then, if they turn without raising the implement, the strain of turning with 16 bilge keels in the water snaps the frame welds. Most often occurs before implement "lift" prior to turn becomes habit.

Buy heavy to begin with. Don't add the railroad.

 

[nybirdman]

Keep in mind that disc will need multiple passes compared to one with a tiller.Disc for smaller tractors will be fairly light.I till up to ten acres a year in the very rocky Northern Ny will no problems.I just leave the discharge flap wide open and make sure the slip clutch is working.
I plow with a two bottom,till,plant and then cultivate to help level.Mostly soybeans and sunflowers.We purchase a small grain drill so the corn will be drilled this year.