Need advice on buying old disc

[yahoosier]

If this has alrdy been covered on a previous thread let me know (I couldn't find one).

I am going to be planting a "food plot" on some land that used to be pasture. It has some (weird) scrub ever green stuff grown in a patch - but I'll cut that down to ground level.

Current plan is to buy an old disc to disc it up prior to throwing seed down.

QUESTION: any advice on buying a used disc ? What do I look for to make sure the disc will work ? Do I make sure the discs rotate ?

thanks.

(I have a JD 1050, 4wd, 33HP if that makes a difference. Won't be buying anything too large).

 

[jeff9366]

The two key implements for food plots are a Disc Harrow and a Cultipacker.

You need quite a bit of weight on each Disc Harrow pan in order to cut in food plots. Research 16/18" and 16/20" 3-Pt. mounted Disc Harrows, which will give about 40 pounds bearing on each disc for the 16/18" and 55 pounds bearing on a 16/20", yet be reasonable for your Deere 1050 to pull. You want a Disc Harrow slightly narrower than your rear tire width, so when you go through tree and boulder gaps you Disc Harrow will follow true and not "hang up" in the gap. This is especially important on sloped land. Normally, food plots are only cut once per year, so buy enough Disc Harrow weight per pan.

(20" Harrows need 1-1/8" axles, which are fairly standard.)

I recommend notched pans for food plots. Smooth pans roll over vegetation which will be cut by notched pans. Almost all <22" Disc Harrows are sold with notched pans for that reason.

The layout of 3-Pt mounted Disc Harrows is pretty much the same: width, pan diameter, notched or smooth, pan spacing (7" or 9") and "clamp plate" adjustment of the gang angles. I have a Howse 16/18" with clamp plate adjustment; the build quality is good.

The only extra cost feature to consider in other brands is lever or screw quick-adjustment of gang angles. (Everything Attachments, Leinbach, Brown, Monroe Tufline ~ some)

I seed over harrowed ground. Food plot seeds are strong germinators and smoothing, at least in rock free north Florida, is a waste of time and fuel. After sowing I roll in the seed with a Cultipacker, which presses in the seed and creates ridges, which should be oriented across slopes to prevent/reduce erosion on slopes. Cultipacking is more important than smoothing after harrowing.

Voila!

PS: A 3-Pt. mounted Cultipacker makes excellent rear ballast; very heavy yet compact.

 

[jeff9366]

QUESTION: any advice on buying a used disc ? What do I look for to make sure the disc will work ? Do I make sure the discs rotate ?

Have the seller lift the Harrow, then turn each pan with a gloved hand; also 'wiggle' each pan to check for play. Buy a box frame Harrow, an angle-iron frame harrow will not be heavy enough; used they tend to be weak.

Agri Supply has 518 individual replacement pan types on their web site; axles too. If you replace one pan, you may have to replace complementary pan on the other gang, or the Harrow will not pull straight.

Howse dealer should be willing to sell you a new, box frame Howse 16/18" Disc Harrow for $1,000 plus tax.

LINK below has relevant posts from the T-B-N archive:

https://www.google.com/search?clien...lots+site:+tractorbynet.com&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

 

[Gary Fowler]

A better disk will be made from box tubing rather than angle iron for more weight. Notched blades that aren't worn down too much or broken would be the choice and the thicker the better. Check the bearings, by rolling each of the gangs and see how smooth and easily it rolls. Listen for a grinding noise in the bearing that may indicate a bearing worn out or dry of grease. Make sure there are no cracks or breaks in the frame components or in the disk spacers between the disk blades. Not much else to wear out on a disk.