Toro Thatcher/Seeder--Anyone familiar with this unit?

[npalen]

https://cdn2.toro.com/en/-/media/Fi...ecialty/Aerothatch93_Seeder93_Sell_Sheet.ashx

Looking at buying a used one and could use some feedback. One concern I have is that there are no seed meters, just and agitator and variable openings similar to a drop spreader.
The agitator is ground driven but the seed flow has to be turned off and on again like a drop spreader.
I like the PTO driven dethatcher feature for overseeding as well as new seeding. The 3" row spacing is a bit wide but probably need to seed in at least two directions anyway since the maximum feed rate for fescue is 2.6 lbs/1000 square feet.

 

[MultiMow]

I have seen them... but can't recall how much they go for. If it helps, it may be a rebranded unit. I recall seeing one by another manufacturer that was (for all intensive purposes) visually identical. I don't recall who the manufacturer was... but I'm thinking it may have been Caroni, or something similar.

Hope this helps.

 

[DJ54]

I have one, and used it to sow Timothy seed on the hayfield, 4 years ago. Worked great, and did little damage. You can see behind, and to the right where I've been. Bought this one used, it was used to reseed a local high school football field, until they installed astro turf. Got it off one of the bus drivers, who bought it at the schools surplus auction. It had sat for 3-4 years outside. I had to replace the drive chains, and 2 bearings on the seeder unit. All thatcher stars, and drop tubes, and inside the seed box looked like new. I only gave $100.00 for it, so a few more bucks for chain & bearings was not a problem. It's not pretty, but works great..!!

It's one of those implements I don't use all that often, like every 3 years or so, depending... So it's worth the space in the machinery shed to keep it around, no more than I have in it, versus renting one. Depending on what they are asking for it, it may be worth checking on renting one. A local Woods dealer here will rent a similar one for $175.00 a day.

Suggested speed to pull it is 6-7 mph. I pulled it with my IH 240 Utility, but near WOT in 3rd gear was only 3.5 mph. Plenty fast enough in a rough hay field. I did have to do some adjustment after getting started to let more seed out. Being the seed is so fine, I had it closed pretty tight. Ended up with a pretty good stand. I also made two passes, in a cross fashion.

I give mine a 2 thumbs up..!!

 

[npalen]

Thanks for the feedback!
I noticed that some of the newer ones have a remote shutoff with a lever mounted at the 3PH where the operator can shut off the seed flow. Does the seed flow stop on yours when you stop moving or you raise the seeder off the ground? It would be unhandy to have to stop the flow manually like on most fertilizer spreaders.
Does yours have an agitator shaft and then adjustable hole openings for the seed to fall through? Can the seeder be chained up so that the dethatcher can be used by itself?
Sorry for all the questions but your help is very much appreciated.

 

[DJ54]

I wasn't really concerned with the seed flow, because I figured the agitator shaft was stopped when I picked it up, making the 180º turn. I didn't figure I lose that much. Seeding rate was 10# to the acre so...

Agitator shaft with a slide to adjust the opening.

There are chains on it, to keep it from tipping back too far. I don't know that you could raise it up to dethatch. Don't know that I'd want it bouncing around back there. There are 2, 2 hole links that connect the seeder to the dethatcher, on each side. I had the seeder unit off, and did a quicky patch on the bottom of the hopper where it was rusted out. It's not that big of a job to take off, but I have a chain hoist on an I-beam to pick things up like that. An engine hoist, or come-a-long could do the same. I looked at the online Op. manual, and it says best speed to use, it at 3 mph. Not sure where I got the 5-7 mph, but, I know I read it somewhere. Maybe on the older version manuals, as this is for a newer model. Matching manuals for a certain machine, can be found, by using the serial number.

If you're on a PC, I attached links to both the Op. manual, and parts manual, if you haven't already. If your on a phone, I don't want you to use up a lot of data downloading them.

Op. manual. https://www.toro.com/getpub/19716

Parts Man. https://www.toro.com/getpub/19943

 

[npalen]

Another concern is the maximum seeding rate on fescue of 2.5 lbs/1000 sqft. A typical rate for K31 fescue is 6-8 lbs/1000 sqft so that would mean at least two or even three passes to get the proper amount of seed into the ground.
I see that timothy weighs about 45 lbs/bushel and fescue about 14 lbs/bushel. I guess that means it takes about three times as much fescue bulk to get equal weights of the two grasses. A person could change sprocket sizes to get more seeding rate if the unit actually had seed meters. Maybe a similar effect would be had by speeding up the agitator to get the seed to drop thru the holes faster?
I'm guessing that the reason for the remote seed flow shutoff on the newer models would be to prevent even minimal seed drop when transporting the unit. Some folks might get cranky if you accidentally dropped some lowly fescue on their fine bluegrass lawn.
I did find the Toro operators and parts books online.

 

[npalen]

Another concern is the maximum seeding rate on fescue of 2.5 lbs/1000 sqft. A typical rate for K31 fescue is 6-8 lbs/1000 sqft so that would mean at least two or even three passes to get the proper amount of seed into the ground.
I see that timothy weighs about 45 lbs/bushel and fescue about 14 lbs/bushel. I guess that means it takes about three times as much fescue bulk to get equal weights of the two grasses. A person could change sprocket sizes to get more seeding rate if the unit actually had seed meters. Maybe a similar effect would be had by speeding up the agitator to get the seed to drop thru the holes faster?
I'm guessing that the reason for the remote seed flow shutoff on the newer models would be to prevent even minimal seed drop when transporting the unit. Some folks might get cranky if you accidentally dropped some lowly fescue on their fine bluegrass lawn.
I did find the Toro operators and parts books online.

Forgot to ask you DJ54, is there any reason the seeder unit couldn't be used to apply fertilizer or insecticide? Looks like it would be similar to a drop spreader except the product would be dropped in 3" rows.

 

[DJ54]

I think it would probably be easier in the long run to broadcast those two. Fertilizer I'd imagine would eat it up pretty quick, if not really, really cleaned out, then maybe apply some diesel fuel to kill the fertilizer. Clean out of either would be my main concern. Time consuming, and the proper place to do it.

I guess I should have asked if you are doing a new seeding, or re-seeding. The re-seeding rate is normally a lot lower, than new seeding.

I just bought this to seed certain seeds in the hay field or pasture, like Timothy. Seems when it's time to seed, and I have a time slot, it's pretty breezy. Doesn't matter with this. With other seeds, such as clover, alfalfa, and Rye grass, I frost seed that with a small broadcast seeder. Here, usually the last two weeks of Feb. and first two weeks of March is when the ground normally thaws, and re-freezes, and it will form into a honeycomb. Broadcasting when it is like this, is basically mimicking Mother Nature, pulling in, and covering the seed. Plus, the freeze. cold cycle helps break the clover/alfalfa hard seed shell. I've always had good results with that method. I have disked it in late fall to turn up some earth, to make it easier for it to pull the seed in, and also just clipped it real short, once grasses have gone dormant, and couldn't tell any difference in the outcome.

 

[Sprinklerman]

I have an older model when it was made by jacobsen , i can tell you it makes a nice lawn .

 

[npalen]

Is the 3" opener spacing an issue when planting a lawn?

Edit: I notice that the Rogers by Jacobsen has actual seed meters under the hopper. Otherwise very similar to the Olathe and Toro versions.
Wonder who actually built/builds these units?