Importance of coulters?

   / Importance of coulters? #1  

remington270

Silver Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
158
Location
Alabama
Tractor
Kubota M7040, Kubota B2710
About to get a plow, I know what coulters do, but how much easier, if any, do they make it to pull the plow? Are there any benefits other than some ease of pull and maybe a better looking field?
 
   / Importance of coulters? #2  
Marginally eaier to pull the plow, depends on the soil type, but probably not an important difference. Hard dry clay soils probably helps to cut the ground some.

Coulters cut the trash - dead or living plants - on the surface so they clear through the plow, instead of bunching up and plugging the plow. Most of the time it's meeded if you have some sort of straw/ stubble/ grassy multch on the ground. In rare cases, it will plow easier through this stuff with no coulters. Highly subject to soil type, multch type, and moisture of the soil and the multch. But in general, most of the time, the coulters help get the biomass through the plow with less plugging.

--->Paul
 
   / Importance of coulters? #3  
About to get a plow, I know what coulters do, but how much easier, if any, do they make it to pull the plow? Are there any benefits other than some ease of pull and maybe a better looking field?

I don't know where the coulter phenomenon came from? I started noticing it becoming a important accessory for plow buyers about 2 yrs ago. We have just about stopped buying plows with no coulters. Our plows would be $150-200 less money if we could delete coulters. On a side note, I run around 350 acres and I don't want them on my plows. Ken Sweet
 
   / Importance of coulters?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks for the reply, Ken. Personal experience speaks louder than anything. I have a Kubota M7040 which is 70hp, think it can handle a 3 bottom?
 
   / Importance of coulters? #5  
Thanks for the reply, Ken. Personal experience speaks louder than anything. I have a Kubota M7040 which is 70hp, think it can handle a 3 bottom?

Before we started no tilling our corn, I would plow 40 acres a year with a 65 HP 3020 John Deere with no problem in rocky, tight soil. You should be fine with 3-14 or 3-16's. Ken Sweet
 
   / Importance of coulters? #6  
"I don't know where the coulter phenomenon came from? I started noticing it becoming a important accessory for plow buyers about 2 yrs ago. We have just about stopped buying plows with no coulters. Our plows would be $150-200 less money if we could delete coulters. On a side note, I run around 350 acres and I don't want them on my plows." Ken Sweet

Ken with your experience and in your line of work I found that comment interesting.


Remmy 270
If you are going with a coulter(s) might wanna read FWJ link # 3 here.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/105470-adjusting-plow-coulter.html

Then also if going w/coulters theres the question(s) to be raised : What type knotched,smooth,etc and or :Where made Brazil,India,USA or Canada.

Being just a food plotter I don't have the experience some of the TBN folks have on here when comes to plowing, but do enjoy reading,learning,listening,etc.

Boone
 
   / Importance of coulters? #7  
Personally, I wouldn't own a plow WITHOUT coulters. Never would, never will be without. They don't do much (if anything) to make plows pull easier.....They make 'em pull with less aggrevation though....When plowing in crop residue (ie stalks) or weeds, they cut a slit where the plow can work through rather than dragging all that residue into a heap under the plow beam. Having coulters set properly makes the difference between working correctly and not seeing any advantage. I also INSIST on coverboards (AKA "trash boards") Until recent years, I wasn't aware anyone plowed WITHOUT coulters. Where I came from, plowing without coulters would make the neighbors start talking aboutcha! (In a not so nice way!!)

Competitors in "Match Ploughing" tournaments set coulters almost as deep as the plow is operating to give furrow walls a clean, crisp, straight look. That's not as critical when you're just plowing the "back 40" for a corn crop.
 
   / Importance of coulters? #8  
If I had my druthers, I would like all coulters to be spring loaded so they would Not ride the plow out of the ground when they hit a rock or root. Some companies did offer that feature, but not many. Here is a example of what they look like. I feel like Farmingwithjunk, Trashboards are really nice. Ken Sweet
Used 3-16 Inch Oliver Turning Plow, Cat 2, WE SHIP "SHOCKINGLY" CHEAP | eBay
 
   / Importance of coulters? #9  
Thanks for the reply, Ken. Personal experience speaks louder than anything. I have a Kubota M7040 which is 70hp, think it can handle a 3 bottom?

I plow with a 3-bottom Ford 101 without difficulty in the power area.

The lightness of the tractor is an issue depending on soil type and condition. Resorting to 4WD, FEL w/bucket and a load of dirt makes it track much better. You'll appreciate the syncro on the front axle.

Ken has seen this photo before but it may be new to you.
 
   / Importance of coulters? #10  
My FIL plows 10-20 acres twice a year with a 2-bottom plow withOUT coulters.

He used to use "straight-blade" coulters and did not like them. We were talking about a youtube video we saw that had a "rotary-coulter" (like a smooth disk blade) and he was a bit amazed. He had never seen "round" coulters before (he has been farming for 70+ years) and they never had anything other then the "straight-blade" type".

After seeing the video he did say if he needed them, that is the type he would use. But, since he is plowing soft Florida soil with a decent amount of sand that is plowed twice a year - he can plow just fine without the coulters even when there is weeds and grass growing in the field.
 
 
 
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