Questions on using a tandem disc

[npaden]

Okay, I've used my 8 foot tandem disc a few times now and I have some questions.

It is not a lightweight disc, it probably weighs around 1,000 lbs. It is the heaviest 3 point implement I have and I have a 7' Bush Hog Medium Duty box blade that is listed as weighing 710lbs and the disc is a good bit heavier than it.

In operation if the ground is a little on the hard side I end up with the disc set as aggressive as possible and the top link shortened all the way up to get the disc to dig in good. It digs in a good 8" on the outside (the 20" outside discs are nice and polished all the way to the hub) but in this configuration it doesn't dig in at all in the middle. If I set it less aggressive or if I don't run the top link shortened all the way up it doesn't dig in as well. With the toplink extended to where the disc is about level the outside discs probably dig in 5" but the middle only digs in about 2". The 2" doesn't end up enough to uproot the weeds so I end up going over it again anyway.

So far I just go back over the entire field and on the 2nd pass I run the outside of the disc where the middle was on the previous pass. This ends up getting the entire field dug in well, but it takes twice as long and ends up with some berms where the sides of the disc runs and kicks up a little hill on the end of the discs. I could fix this by setting the disc back to a less aggressive setting and lengthing the top link but I just leave the field bumpy and this last time running the grain drill over it smoothed it out quite a bit.

Is this how everyone else runs a disc? Does anyone have a disc that allows them to make just one pass and it does a good job over the entire width of the disc? When I have mine set aggressive and the top link shortened all the way the back gang of discs don't even touch the ground.

I know some people will say I need to add wieght but I've talked to others who say that adding weight will tear up the implement.

Mainly I'm just curious how others operate their discs.

Thanks, Nathan

 

[Soundguy]

With the toplink real short you are lifting the rear o fthe disc and prefventing it from getting in as much,.. though you are weighting the front in a bit. sounds like the frame is flexing, and letting the middle ride up.

If it were me.. i'd let it run level and add weights evenly on it.. IE.. side to side and front to back.

notched or scalloped discs cut vegitation better.

Also.. disc's were not really meant to be 1-pass 1 shot deals. multiple passes at angled to the first pass produce better results

also.. if you are trying to cut 8".. you have the wrong tool.. you need a plow.. plow it, then disc those furrows down.

Soundguy

 

[Glowplug]

The way I understand it is that you need a 16" wide moldboard to "till" 8" deep. Most disks are secondary tillage tools.

 

[hudr]

FIrst off, I have never gotten the results I wanted w/ a 3pt disc. Pull type disc have always worked better for me. That being said, the other guys are right, a disc is not a 1-pass implement. When we were still farming full time we usually hit a field at least twice w/ a cutting disc and then at least twice w/ a "pulverizing" disc for leveling and seed bed prep.
I see lots of folks now using a turning plow to "break" with and then a disc for final prep. In our current operation (mostly hay production) everything is planted w/ an Aerway and a spreader truck unless we need to do some leveling.

 

[Glowplug]

When we were still farming full time we usually hit a field at least twice w/ a cutting disc and then at least twice w/ a "pulverizing" disc for leveling and seed bed prep.

Is a "pulverizing" disc another term for a "cultipacker"?

 

[hudr]

Is a "pulverizing" disc another term for a "cultipacker"?

I don't think so. Our "pulverizing" disc is a 21' wide Massey Ferguson Model 52. A relatively light disc w/ close pan spacing and no adjustment on gang angle, just for downpressure on the tongue.

 

[vallyfarm]

If you shorten up that top link you are raising the back of the disk into the air. At full cut the front gangs have the outside blades well infront of the inside blades. Lift up the back, and you also lift up the middle some. At full cut and a short toplink you are causing only the front outer blades to be the only things ALLOWED to be in the dirt. Mike

 

[npaden]

If you shorten up that top link you are raising the back of the disk into the air. At full cut the front gangs have the outside blades well infront of the inside blades. Lift up the back, and you also lift up the middle some. At full cut and a short toplink you are causing only the front outer blades to be the only things ALLOWED to be in the dirt. Mike

Yes, this describes the way I'm using it exactly. BUT, this allows it to dig in the deepest. I AM using it for my primary tillage implement and I felt that I wanted to dig as deep as possible even if it meant making more passes. It takes a good deep cut to pull up the weeds.

Using a disc just to break up clods after plowing with a real plow would be a breeze, and thinking about it, it probably wouldn't take a lot more time to actually plow it first the way I'm doing it. Around here no one uses the old moldbord plows anymore they use chisel plows. I've been looking for one, but haven't found a good one that will fit my tractor. I've thought about buying a 7 or 9 shank one (they are fairly common) and then remove however many shanks I need to allow my tractor to pull it. I've heard that you need around 15hp per shank to do a deep rip with one.

 

[darkviper]

OK lets see if i can make sense with what i am about to say. A tandem disc is meant for leveling. What you are experincing with a 3 pt version is typical. It has more to do with physics then the disc. Pull types typically dont fall victim to this as bad. As everone says a tandem disc isnt meant for what you are trying to do with it. Then we come to the offset disc or "cut away as some puts it. 38 - 42 - 63 Series Offset Disc - Monroe Tufline. As you can see in the design they are more aggressive and because you dont have 4 angles to work with they cut a lot better. HOWEVER were you may be able to pull a 12 foot tandem disc you may only be able to pull about a 6' offset. Typically farmers that do not use plows or chissel plows use one of these first. Then pull the tandem behind it. When you use a 3pt tandem your best method of work is to make half passes. Meaning that you set the outside of the front gangs in the middle of the last pass. Like the other siad, if a 8" "break" is your goal then the truning plow is your best option. Chissle plows are great if you have little vegitation on the soil. If you have a lot of vegitation and want it turned under there is no substitute for the turning plow. Contrary to alls belief they are still used very heavily where the land is flat. On hilly terrain it is a last recourse method to control soil errosion. offset Disc are real nice if your tractor is big enought o handle on. I am in the process of building ones small enough for my tractor now. An offset on about a 120-200HP machine will cut about 6-8" but agian look at what size tractor we are talking about. Look at this one Big G 1700 offset disc for land clearance, deep soil cutting & construction. it has 42" disc and is meant for thoes 8 wheel articualting tractors. I have seen one of these work and they will cut closer to 12" But again that is a 16,000 pound disc and about 300 HP in front of it. I hope this helps

 

[npaden]

When you use a 3pt tandem your best method of work is to make half passes. Meaning that you set the outside of the front gangs in the middle of the last pass.

Okay, that's what I'm doing. I'm not getting a full 8" depth everywhere but if the soil is moist I can dig in pretty deep. This method seems to work very well for getting weeds turned under and everything. I could probably use a 3rd pass with the top link longer and the discs adjusted straight to smooth everything out better, but so far it has worked okay with just 2 passes. I was just trying to figure out if people were able to get by with just one pass with a disc before planting but it doesn't sound like it.

Thanks, Nathan