Disc plows

[WSJ]

That is cool. I was looking at and getting a lesson on disc plows just this week end from my FIL, who has at least half a dozen of them laying about in his 'collection', some of which they used to use and ome he bought much later for sentimental reasons. I'd looked at them for years and never really understood exactly how they worked or what they looked like when being pulled.

And looking through an IH history book, I was amazed how late they were made or used, at least in some parts of the country. I'm from Ohio and my dad's family all farmed in SE Arkansas and I'd never seen one before. According to FIL Jerry, they were a great alternative to moldboard when roots or rocks (the most common problem in Jefferson Co. NY) were an issue.

Most of his willl no longer lift using the ground driven mechanism, which apparently the operator actuated by pulling a rope (except for the little Farmall A version).

This new type GB with hydraulic lifting is interesting and I'd love to see a video of one. Anyone?

-WSJ

 

[Reg]

That is cool. I was looking at and getting a lesson on disc plows just this week end from my FIL, who has at least half a dozen of them laying about in his 'collection', some of which they used to use and ome he bought much later for sentimental reasons. I'd looked at them for years and never really understood exactly how they worked or what they looked like when being pulled.

And looking through an IH history book, I was amazed how late they were made or used, at least in some parts of the country. I'm from Ohio and my dad's family all farmed in SE Arkansas and I'd never seen one before. According to FIL Jerry, they were a great alternative to moldboard when roots or rocks (the most common problem in Jefferson Co. NY) were an issue.

Most of his willl no longer lift using the ground driven mechanism, which apparently the operator actuated by pulling a rope (except for the little Farmall A version).

This new type GB with hydraulic lifting is interesting and I'd love to see a video of one. Anyone?

-WSJ

I have been "On their case" for several months.
The place in Canada answers my calls, promises to get back to me with pricing, but never does.
They don't seem THAT interested in selling small ploughs.
I don't exaggerate it is probably 5 calls at 1 to 2 week intervals, plus I think two e-mail requests.

I searched around for videos, found nothing.
Their GB-line is NOT sold in France, or USA - - and given that the "World" representation here;

GREGOIRE-BESSON CANADA INC
4480 RUE MARTINEAU
J2R 1V1 ST HYACINTHE (QUEBEC)
Tel. : 0014 507995615
Fax. : 0014 507995629
CANADA

doesn't respond, I have about given up.

There MIGHT be some videos or something on UK or some other European web sites, but I haven't found it (yet) and even if I do it seems they want to not sell to me anyway.
I could "border hop" to St Hyacinthe in about 4 hours and I have suggested that I could do that to "buy in Canada", but they haven't called back with pricing.
I do KNOW that there is quite a lot of their large equipment in use in Vermont - which has/had a more or less open border.

BTW, that unit is hydraulically REVERSING, so you can flip all your field one way, no need to block it.
In addition to being 3pt lift.

The ground driven lifts on the old ones have PROBABLY lost their clutches, no biggie once apart (-:

EDIT:
I went off on a search for "GREGOIRE-BESSON England" and sure enough they have a UK web site.
Again, a lot of LARGE tillage stuff, but I could NOT get any links to the 3 and 4 disc reversible disc ploughs.
Even copy of the model numbers from the France site and /paste into the UK web site search box returns no results.
END EDIT

 

[Grimstock]

If you are still looking for a short film clip of the disc in action you should try Movie Clips where they have a very short film of one. Seems that there are a few manufactures in india and the middle east that make these kinds of ploughs for the 50hp tractor range, but I have no idea if they will ship them to the US.

If any one happens to know a where to lay there hands on one of these in the USA I would be most interested in knowing.

 

[sweettractors]

We usually keep a couple 2 and 3 disc plows here. Ken Sweet

 

[Reg]

Much as I like the idea of a reversible disc plow I think that is probably all it is, i.e. I just like the IDEA of one.
Rolling over roots and rocks, though I'm sure they catch on one once in a while, coming back the other way and flipping the whole field one way instead of all the dead furrow stuff with single direction plows, etc.
Not that I need to plow anything very much, the KK tiller is plenty good enough for just about all my needs, though if I didn't have that things might be different.

No/low til is the way to go anyway.
I'm at about the point of thinking that plows have just about gone the way of animal powered Ag - Yeah, I know, that still EXISTS in some parts, but it isn't exactly making a come back.

 

[duwem]

I built one for my garden tractor for plow days:

 

[duwem]

In action:

 

[Reg]

I built one for my garden tractor for plow days:

Care to share some details ?
e.g. disc size, angles of... whatever, probably axis to furrow and tilt/tip to horizontal ?
disc spacing ?

Then frame material, which LOOKS like 2 x 2 square tube.

and what tractor ? (weight of) is pulling it through what sort of soil ? & how fast ?

It IS interesting, thanks for the pics.

 

[Reg]

Follow-up question;

Would it be "practical" to start with a junked 2 bottom moldboard plow and replace the worn out boards, shares, etc with spindles, then mount discs on them ?

Most things COULD be done with a plasma torch and welder, I'm asking how "practical" it might be, i.e. would an old moldboard frame be a fair platform to start from ?

 

[duwem]

Here are the FULL details:

Weekend Freedom Machines: Custom Disk Plow- 2 Bottom 3pt