What to look for when buying a chisel plow?

[bullockcm]

Wemsit, what are your plans for next year and beyond on the 8 - 10 acres? How you intend to use the land could play an important role in how you need to prep the land and what implements will be the best match for your use. Whatever means you end up using to break the ground will benefit from performing a burn down on the existing vegetation. Typically this means an application of Roundup or the like and a waiting period of 2 weeks, sometimes a second application and waiting period may be necessary. I don't care for using chemical but it does have it's place and converting 30 year old sod to workable ground is one in my opinion especially if using an implement other than a moldboard plow.

Chisel plows and the field cultivators mentioned in this thread are nice tools to have especially after the initial ground breaking is done. In my limited experience a tiller or moldboard plow are significantly better at the initial ground breaking. As Jeff's post notes both chisel plows and field cultivators are conservation plows and designed to leave residue and a portion of the surface undisturbed. Depending on your future use you may need the full surface disturbed and broken up. Depending on your soil these tools plus an appropriate disc harrow may accomplish this.

Last note to your original question: I believe your tractor would pull the Fred Cain 7 shank field cultivator, I pull a 7 shank from another manufacture with a Kubota L4240 and with R4 tires I always run out of traction before power. I suspect you would only be able to pull a true 5 shank chisel plow to the depth you mentioned and depending on conditions even that could be tough. Does your tractor have draft control?

 

[wemsit]

Moldboard Plows invert the soil. One object is to bring up fresh top soil nutrients from below. Another object is to kill and compost verdure existing in the field when plowing commences. Moldboard plows are pulled through moist soil.

Note rough condition of moldboard plowed field.
VIDEO: Tractors At Work | Ploughing - YouTube


While I have considerable experience with my Dirt Dog Field Cultivator I have no operating experience with a Chisel Plow. Following extrapolates from my Field Cultivator experience.

Conservation Plows, which include Chisel Plows and Field Cultivators, do not invert the soil. Primary field function is to fracture/aerate soil including fracture of hardpan, preserving existing verdure to prevent rain and wind erosion. In order for fissure to be preserved, conservation plows are pulled through fairly dry soil, another reason a lot of tractor power is required. Since voluminous furrows are not created, winter freeze/thaw cycles to assist furrow and vegetation breakdown are not important.

VIDEOS: Note flatness of field after Chisel Plow passes.
ag tractor chisel plowing field - YouTube

You can conservation plow any time soil is fairly dry before crop is planted.

Wow, thanks for the great info. I for sure want to do more conservation tillage, not only because I like the idea better but I知 also worried about bringing all the clay up to the surface.

Also, I know it would be way easier to spray roundup, but I am strongly against any herbicides/pesticides/ etc unless they are biological or nearly organic.

 

[BAP]

If you are tilling you a field that is in grass and has not been tilled for 20-30 years, you DO NOT want to use a chisel plow on it. If you do use a chisel plow, you will have long ribbons of sod that will be an absolute nightmare trying to get broken with a disc harrow. I have seen the ribbons drag behind until you have a big ball of them. Chisel plows work on land that is cropped and tilled every year. They do not work well on virgin soil. Yes, they will work, but they leave a rough mess that is hard to get smooth. Your best bet is to moldboard plow it. Set your plow for 7-8 deep. A properly set moldboard plow will roll the sod over and leave fresh soil on the top. Also properly set, the moldboard will leave a smoother surface than a chisel plow except for the dead furrows and ends. Jeff is wrong in saying a chisel plow leaves a smoother surface, try driving crossways on a chisel plowed field, it sucks. I have plowed thousands of acres with a chisel plow and hundreds with moldboard. Each has there places, but a moldboard for virgin soil works best. Chisel plow works good for tilling each year after if you are planting row crops.

 

[wemsit]

Hmm okay this is good info. Thank you. Could my 50hp pull a three bottom plow or would I be better off sticking with a 2 bottom?

 

[jeff9366]

Your Deere 5103 can pull a three bottom 12" or 14" without strain. A three bottom 16" moves a lot more dirt and would make the Deere grunt a bit but the tractor and 16" plows will proceed over the field.

Plowing takes time to learn. The more plow bottoms the longer the learning curve.

Don't plow up subsoil and invert over top soil.

 

[wemsit]

Your Deere 5103 can pull a three bottom 12" or 14" without strain. A three bottom 16" moves a lot more dirt and would make the Deere grunt a bit but the tractor and 16" plows will proceed over the field.

Plowing takes time to learn. The more plow bottoms the longer the learning curve.

Don't plow up subsoil and invert over top soil.

Thank you. I was hoping to get a chisel plow so I wouldn稚 have to worry about being bringing the clay up to the surface but if I知 only going 7-8 deep I should be okay. I currently have a Ford 2-14 that I got dirt cheap but am just now figuring out the parts of it and I知 not 100% what the condition is. I知 not opposed to finding a 3 bottom if it痴 gonna speed up the work. There are some places on my farm I can 菟ractice on until I figure out how to get it right so I don稚 mess up any fields I want to plant a money crop on.

 

[BAP]

Rule of thumb with plows is to set the depth at 1/2 of the width of the bottom. So 12” would be 6” deep, 14” 7” deep and so on. That is just a starting point. You can go shallower, but if you go too deep, you will end up with your furrows standing up and not rolling over all the way.

 

[3gunr]

You would be much better off getting a local farmer to turn over your ground initially, then you can work it from there , it will take a long time to plow ten acres with a 2 bottom plow . I love doing this stuff and if your not in a hurry then go for it.. i have used my 28 hp tractor to pull a two bottom plow no problem.