Spring cultivator vs box tines for scut

[jbwilson]

I have a Yanmar ea2400 (sc2400 equivalent). I am currently using a box blade with 3 tines to break up hard packed soil in my yard. It is hard work for my tractor, often bogging down or losing wheel traction when the tines bite into the soil. Would a spring cultivator be better for my situation by means of providing less drag resistance?

Thanking you in anticipation.

John

 

[DJ54]

If the soil is packed that hard, doubt the spring cultivator would do the job. Why not try removing the center tooth on the box blade, and see how you get along with that..??

 

[jeff9366]

If the soil is packed that hard, doubt the spring cultivator would do the job.

I own a Danish 'S' tine cultivator. It definitely would not stand the strain. Cultivators are engineered to be tertiary tillage implements.

I own a Rollover Box Blade and have shared your experience with the blunt, angled rippers being hard to pull. Wrong shape for your task, right shape for getting to bottom of road potholes.

I own a Field Cultivator as well. This is the implement you want, or alternatively a Subsoiler, preferably one with a parabolic shape blade. Parabolic shaped rippers pull through the soil with much less draft force resistance than other shapes.

Both my Box Blade and Field Cultivator have five tines. Tines on Field Cultivator are 1/2" wide, tines on Box Blade are 5/8" wide; close to the same.

A PTO powered roto-tiller would be another good choice.

Work your dirt when there is at least some moisture in it.

VIDEO: Tractor Ripper, Field Cultivator, Tillage Tool

 

[jbwilson]

DJ. - Thank you. I have reduced the tine engagement to two as well as reducing the depth of engagement. It does reduce the bogging issue. I was just wondering if the spring setup might also reduce the abruptness of sudden resistance that the solid tines encounters while in forward motion. The issue is more about resistance to forward tractor motion rather than pressing the tines into the ground. Usually the resistance is caused by a concentration of the roots of couch grass which is prevalent in my area. I was thinking that if the tines had some springiness it would simply yield on resistance and spring back after passing over the area of resistance.

 

[jbwilson]

Jeff 9366 thank you. I use a Del Morino tiller after I have cultivated the soil. Regarding soil moisture I usually wait a few days after reasonable rainfall before soil cultivation. Unfortunately it doesn't rain very often in my area. After reading your's and DJ's input I think I'll forego the spring cultivator idea and just continue cultivating with my amputated box scraper.

John

 

[jbwilson]

Jeff9366. I just reread your post. I missed the field cultivator suggestion - I'll look into that. Hoping there is something small enough for my tractor. Thank you.

John

 

[jeff9366]

The issue is more about resistance to forward tractor motion rather than pressing the tines into the ground. Usually the resistance is caused by a concentration of the roots of couch grass which is prevalent in my area. I was thinking that if the tines had some springiness it would simply yield on resistance and spring back after passing over the area of resistance.

The Field Cultivator was one of the earliest implements designed for Three Point Hitch tractors, from about 1934. It is a well proved design. The heavy springs are calibrated to the tines. Tines yield but only AFTER aerating the soil. Trust me.

It seems to me the Field Cultivator pulls through the soil with only about 60% of the draft resistance of my Box Blade, based on throttle settings, at the same time aerating 1" - 2" deeper. The reason may be that with parabolic shape the sharp chisel point on tine tip is opening soil in a more-or-less horizontal position. Resistance to bending/breaking of Field Cultivator ground contact parts may be five to seven times that of Danish 'S' tine cultivator.

Other USA names for this implement are Wire Grass Plow and Bahia Grass Plow. (In Australia it may be known as a Ferguson 'Tiller'.)

 

[jbwilson]

Jeff9366 - Thank you. The Ferguson Tiller seems to be proprietary brand of the stump jump chisel plough. From what I found on the internet in Australia they start from around 5 tines up - with 8-10 hp per tine. My tractor would be able to handle 2 tines, maybe 3 at a pinch. I'm probably make up my own frame and buy 3 sets of shanks, coils and tips.