A Jinman inspire auction buy - cultivator

[txdon]

After seeing Jinman in his garden thread I went to the local auction today and bought this cultivator. Now, since it did not come with instructions, can anyone tell me how to space the sweeps properly? It would save me a lot of time experimenting with the spacing. Thanks!

 

[txdon]

Front view.

 

[Fredex]

Sure looks like an old Dearborn or Ferguson cultivator made for 9N/2N/8N Fords, etc. Originally designed to cultivate 2 rows of corn before herbicides replaced cultivating. Isn't set up that way in the picture. To do 2 rows of corn the 8N's would have the rear wheels reversed and fronts pulled apart to straddle both rows. The 2 outside rear sweeps would be positioned to sweep the wheel tracks; center rear sweep as in your pic. Then 2 smallest shovels would be set to closely straddle each row of corn - probably the 4 tines/shovels lying on the ground in your pic. Remaining shovels would be spaced to provide coverage of remaining space between the tractor wheels. Depth was rather shallow; just break up the crust and cut out the weeds. Pieces missing in your pics; the "fenders" which were used when the corn was still small to keep the shovels from covering the new plants.
As set up in your pics it seems to be set up for tillage rather than row crop cultivation. Set fairly evenly all across with no gaps for rows, narrower than 2 rows corn plus wide wheel spacing. This setup would now be called a field cultivator and running depth would be deeper

 

[Nat]

It is spaced correctly now for 1 row, just remove the middle shank. HTH, Nat

 

[jinman]

Don, that looks like a great buy. I'd be as excited as a kid at Christmas to find one of those with as many feet and sweeps plus at least one fender. In your sandy Lee County soil, that will work great.

If you are lucky enough to have a good tractor dealer like I have, you can get sweeps in various sizes and even chisels for a wide variety of applications. You'll be a "grade 5 sweep bolt expert" before it's all over. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif You'll know that to attach a sweep to a shank takes two bolt lengths or two long bolts. You'll also know just what pieces take carraige bolts and which ones take grade 8, 7/16" bolts.

I've never tried to plow two rows at once with this cultivator. I think for that application the rows would be a little narrower than the ones I make now. I can tell you that would sure speed up the operation, but I'd suggest you just concentrate on making the cultivator a one-row. I never could get two rows staight enough to plow them both at the same time anyhow. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Now, since it did not come with instructions, can anyone tell me how to space the sweeps properly? )</font>

I agree with Nat that you are set up correctly for single row cultivating. Just remove that center sweep and the fender in front. I'm assuming you have already planted, but that may not be true. If you are going to plant, you need that center sweep to lay out your row. I don't normally use such a big sweep for my planting row. I use a medium (10") sweep. I use big sweeps (14") only behind the wheels to lay a wide furrow to follow on the next pass. If I didn't have medium sweeps, I'd just go ahead and use the big one for planting.

Experiment with the angle of the sweeps by loosening the foot and changing the angle for more or less aggressive digging. With the tip of the sweep pointing down, you get a cleaner furrow (less dirt falls back into it). Also you can vary the depth by setting some sweeps deeper with the shank all the way down and the others shallower. If you just want to uproot weeds, a shallow sweep can do that fine. If you want to go deep and really aerate the soil, set the shank all the way down. At any depth, I try to make sure the sweeps don't go to deep. If the adjustable feet are in the soil, you are way deep. Just covering the sweeps is the best in my opinion. Just experiment with your conditions. There are thousands of ways to set up one of these cultivators. You'll love having the ability to use it instead of herbicides to control weeds.

I'm green with envy. You have a much more complete cultivator than me. The only thing I have that you don't is a big middle buster for mine. Maybe I can get a picture of that today. If so, I'll post it.

Now get out there and till some soil. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( you can get sweeps in various sizes and even chisels for a wide variety of applications )</font>

Tractor Supply Co. has a pretty good selection, also.

 

[JerryG]

That's funny. I also went to an auction yesterday and bought a Ferguson plow similar to yours. It is a similar model, but a different version. Mine has eleven spring shanks and it came with the original crop shields. I’ll have to post a picture of it. If you don't mind, what was you able to get yours for?

 

[Bird]

I bought one from Tractor Supply Co. with the 6 spring shanks, took the chisel points of and put 6" sweeps on with the right and left hand ones in the middle so I didn't throw dirt on the plants. It served my purposes, but I would much rather have one like jinman and txdon with rigid shanks.

 

[JerryG]

I have one like that also, but needed a bigger one. This one is 7'.

 

[Fredex]

Hi Jim, In my youth I cultivated many acres of corn with a cultivator like that set up for 2 rows. Can't remember exact row spacing - maybe 38"???. Of course it was planted with a 2 row planter. We usually planted with the tractor wheels wide which helped guage the spacing to the next 2 rows. For small plots it would be easier to manage 1 row at a time. Easier still to just use it in tillage as a field cultivator