Picked up a disc harrow...

[RickB]

Ok - I have to ask. What is the difference between a disc harrow and a disc plow? This one is so heavy with large serrated blades that I would say is a disc plow but where is the line drawn?

A true disc plow has very large diameter discs mounted on a frame very similar to a moldboard plow. It is a primary tillage tool. Like many things, the definition has stretched over the years and may now include what used to be called a plowing disc. A plowing disc is a very heavy disc harrow used for primary tillage and configured similarly to either a tandem or offset style disc harrow. Turby’s new disc is not a disc plow. Most of us would not call it a plowing disc, either.

 

[prof fate]

disc harrow is the 'second' step in plowing. It can be used as the first step as well.

A true disc plow has only 1 row of disks and all angled the same way.

 

[Turbys_1700]

We used disc plows when I was a boy. Worked really well in trashy ground. Did better than a bottom plow. We had a high clearance bottom plow that handled trashy ground better. We mostly plowed in the fall and harrowed in the spring followed by a chain harrow or log to smooth then drill. Plowing in the fall wet was of no consequence. Don't want to do it in the spring. Used a finishing disc and also had an 8 foot offset Taylor Way. Our disc harrows were either Taylor Way or Athens. Good implements.