Disc Harrow vs. Rotary Tiller

[pilonidal]

Land pride makes a cr tiller. Land Pride RTR20 Series Rotary Tillers there are some others. No time to search now.

 

[HEC]

Yes ,I put 2 heavy rocks on my 6ft. disc and it made a big difference and my disc isn't a heavier duty model than yours maybe even a lighter version than yours.It has been that way now for 15 yrs or more with no problems due to the extra weight.You won't be unhappy if you get a tiller they do a great job.As for me I like the forward rotating tines, just take your time.I have a spring tooth harrow also which I use to go over my garden area with in the spring to break up the ground first and it makes tilling very easy.I picked the spring tooth up for $100 , great investment.

 

[Neophyte]

I turned it over with a 2 bottom plow, gave 3-4 days for grass and weeds to dry, disced to powder, smoothed with a drag.

Do you have a drag harrow or do you have something homemade?

 

[flusher]

That said, I realize most smaller disc's don't have enough weight, nor are most set at sharp enough cutting angles to do much serious ground work. Also, most of them are built with 7" disc spacing. That is good for "finishing" but not good for digging in to unworked soil.
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I'm looking for a disc to use with my MF-135 diesel to till my 7 acres of flat pasture, now covered with native growth (i.e. weeds). Any suggestions on type, brand, etc. of disc to do this job? Or should I be looking at some type of plow?

I talked to one of the UC Extension folks in Red Bluff a few weeks ago. He suggested mowing the weeds real short, running a disk back and forth across the area and then planting annual rye just before a rain, sometime in Nov (I don't have access to cheap water from the irrigation district, unfortunately).

I have a 4-ft Yanmar 1200 rototiller, but I hesitate to use it for a large job like this. It's more for the garden area.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I'm looking for a disc to use with my MF-135 diesel to till my 7 acres of flat pasture, now covered with native growth (i.e. weeds). Any suggestions on type, brand, etc. of disc to do this job? Or should I be looking at some type of plow?

I talked to one of the UC Extension folks in Red Bluff a few weeks ago. He suggested mowing the weeds real short, running a disk back and forth across the area and then planting annual rye just before a rain, sometime in Nov (I don't have access to cheap water from the irrigation district, unfortunately).

I have a 4-ft Yanmar 1200 rototiller, but I hesitate to use it for a large job like this. It's more for the garden area.

Back on "page 3" of this forum, there's a post I entered about a Massey Ferguson #25 disc. If you can find one, that's (IMHO) the best 3-point disc anyone ever built. It has the capability to allow each individual gang to "float" by removing a bolt on each gang. The two levers change the pitch of front or rear gangs on the move if needed. The pictures I posted are of a 9'-7" model. It was available in 6'-6" and 8' versions too. (A 135 will handle the 8'er with ease)

I'm at work now, and have no way of posting pictures, but can show you more about the MF #25 when I get home.

There are several good 3-point discs on the market. Just get one with enough built-in weight.

If you have remote hydraulics on the 135, a wheel disc will do an even better job. (over 3-point)

A week from today, I'll start re-seeding my pastures in the same exact manner you described. (That's why I bought the MF #25 disc) I'm seeding 17 acres in one field and 11 in another. A couple passes with the disc, then seed with a Brillion Sure Stand seeder.

 

[Neophyte]

I'm looking for a disc to use with my MF-135 diesel to till my 7 acres of flat pasture, now covered with native growth (i.e. weeds). Any suggestions on type, brand, etc. of disc to do this job? Or should I be looking at some type of plow?

Typically a disc harrow is used in conjunction with a plow. You turn the soil using the plow and then break up the mounds of overturned soil with the disc harrow. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you would want to use a plow by itself for your application. If you are going to use only one, I would think a heavy duty disc harrow is the way to go.

Farmwithjunk, do you drag your field after seeding it?

Here is the link to Farmwithjunk's post with the pictures.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/86387-massey-ferguson-25-disc.html#post965313
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[Farmwithjunk]

Farmwithjunk, do you drag your field after seeding it?

Absolutely no need to with the seeder I'm using. It drops seed in front of a packer wheel that resembles a cultipacker. One pass and done.

 

[Neophyte]

If I'm using a basic seeder without any packer wheels, would you recommend a drag harrow to follow the seeding?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

If I'm using a basic seeder without any packer wheels, would you recommend a drag harrow to follow the seeding?

I'd drag something, but not anything too heavy or aggressive. Grass seed doesn't need to be buried. Just make contact with the dirt. SouNdguy had a great idea. Take a stock panel, cut it to desired width, then cut a few of the wires within the panel, then bend them down to form "teeth". Makes a good lightweight drag. Stock panels are available at your friendly neighborhood TSC.

 

[Slamfire]

The name of the implement indicates it's use. In your case it is a disc harrow, and is best used in harrowing applications. There are disc plows also, but I'd prefer a moldboard plow, if there are many stones. Yes the ground is lumpy after plowing, then you harrow to smooth things out. Before I saw disc harrows, everybody in our area used a roller to crush the lumps, then followed with a spike or spring tooth harrow. A cultvator loaded up with s-tines can be substitued for a spring tooth harrow, but demand close attention to the depth it is running.