PLOW-SPEAK . . .

[inveresk]

I've been trying to decipher plow terminology but haven't got very far. I take it single bottom, two bottom, etc. is the number of blades that turn the soil? But what does 2 point or 3 point refer to?

Also what are the benefit/disadvantages of pull plows against 3ph plows apart from the ability to lift and lower remotely?

 

[RonR]

Three point is the standard way the implement mounts to the tractor, such as "a 3 point tiller". The unit attached to the tractor with 2 lower arm pins and a top link.

Two point, as far as I know, was limited to International Harvestor mounts. They used bars that went into receivers on the tractor, and didn't need a top link.

ron

 

[Toolguy]

RonR is correct on the definition of 3pt and 2pt plows.

The pros and cons of 3pt vs pull type are subject to opinion. As far as the facts, pull types came first as they were originally pulled by horses and then tractors. Lift type plows came later as they can be pulled by lighter weight tractors than pull types since the plow itself adds weight to the tractor for traction. As tractors got larger a popular compromise was the semi-mounted plow. Most, but not all, 4 bottom or larger plows are too heavy to lift by the tractor alone so the front is carried by the 3pt hitch lower links and the rear of the plow carried by a separate tail wheel. This method has a lot of advantages in that much of the weight is transferred to the tractor and the lift control is done by the tractor also. That eliminates the complexity of additional wheels and hydraulics to lift the entire plow. Hope that helps.

 

[andrewj]

Inveresk, also check out chisel plows. If you only have a thin layer of topsoil that has not been worked regularly for some time you may want to use either a disk harrow or a chisel plow.

the bottom plow you are talking about inverts the soil layer and you can find red clay on top if you are not careful.

 

[inveresk]

Thanks for the information. I've had a quote to plow one of my meadows but for the price could buy a good used plow and have a chunk of change left over. In addition, it's a skill I'd like to try to learn and am happy to put in the seat time.

My land is clay but has a good covering of topsoil, about a foot, so I should be able to throw it without too much trouble exposing the subsoil . I could disk it but it's as rough as the proverbial badger's ar$e, with humps and hollows all over the place and I thought I'd need to go deeper than a disk would allow if I'm going to have a chance to level it out.

 

[Egon]

There are different width shares on ploughs and also different mouldboards for different ploughing. Note: The share width should be greater than the width of the tractor wheel.

There are mouldboards for breaking sod that will turn the soil over and leave nice strips of sod. A conventional mouldboard does not completly turn the sod over and leaves broken strips of sod. The mouldboards should be interchangeable on the same plough.

Haveing the top of the sod turned under is important as the grass roots are exposed to air and will die allowing for much easier subsuquent cultivation.

Pull type ploughs usually have a trip release if some imovable object is hit. The release may be on the hitch or if hydraulics are used will allow the share shank to release. This should also be the case for three point ploughs.

Some ploughs will have two sets of shares that flip over when the end of the field is reached. This is for contour ploughing and/or eliminateing the dead furrow.

How will you work the plowed field ?

web page

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[inveresk]

Thanks for that useful link, Egon.

I have a couple books on agriculture that give guidance on plowing, staking out the headlands in which to maneouvre, plowing in parcels, etc., and by and large I'll likely follow the advice in those.

I'm also on the side of a hill with other complications like existing, mature fruit trees. I intended on not plowing too close to those, instead describing a circie well outside the canopy diameter with the plow then shallow disking inside that diameter enough so I can resow.

Once I've ripped the field up I'll try to level out the lumps and hollows using either the box blade in the worst parts to drag soil around then a couple railway sleepers tied to a section of chain link to smooth it off, useful advice I got from you in my first days on tbn, Egon.

But before I do any of this, I've field drains to install so need to dig trenches obliquely across the field, get the drains wrapped in geotextile fabric then backfill with drainrock.

I have until probably April after which the rains will stop and the ground will start to harden, making plowing difficult. I would like to get the field replanted this year with a wildflower meadow that I only have to cut a couple times of year.