2 bottom plow question

[Egon]

They may be harder to use in confined areas. Turning will require more room.

As a farmers plough , in my opinion of 40 years ago, they are more desirable that the three point.

Egon

 

[LoganWildman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( Around here, you can pick up a 2 bottom fergusson, ford or deere for around $200-$250. )</font> Where IS around here Logan? thanks, John )</font>

Logansport, IN

 

[sassafraspete]

This post brought back memories. As a kid, I would help my dad prepare the garden in spring each yr. We had a 2 bottom Ford plow. We were not always faithful about greasing or painting it after finishing up the previous spring, and we always started with a trip to a small creek that ran through our place. The water was shallow, there were plenty of gravel bars of our local sandstone. We would find a nice gravel bar with small gravel and plow away until the rust was scoured off the plow. Then it was a trip to the garden patch to start. I remember fiddling with the top link and lift arm adjusters to get that thing plowing right . Seemed like it always took us an acre just to get the thing working like we wanted...and then it was over. Typical things would be that one side would be digging deeper...so you got this up and down look to the top of your plowed field....then it would either be too deep or too shallow...or the bottom of the furrow was not flat , or sod was'nt cutting cleanly and balled up in your plow... and on and on. After many years...I realized that plowing is an art form....and admire those who can make a beautiful plowed field shine in the spring sunshine. As an 8 yr old....I remember reaping the bonanza of earthworms by walking behind the plow as my dad drove. I too, will soon be on the search for such a plow....for use on my small acreage.

sassafraspete

 

[Soundguy]

I'll have to go out and look in the morning.. I honestly can't say.. though I've never plowed 1" deep either...

Soundguy

 

[Egon]

There is one advantage to a drawbar plough. Once it's set up it stays that way unless you wish to change the depth. Only adjustment usually required is pinning the swinging drawbar into the proper position.

Egon

 

[Laminarman]

Three questions: First, I've never seen a drawbar plow, only 3PH plows. Where is a photo of an example to look at online? Second, should I explore this avenue. Some posts have suggested it's easier than a 3PH plow; what are the drawbacks? And finally, C, what do you "grease" a plow with? Seems anything would scrape right off mighty quick.

 

[Soundguy]

I've seen everything from mower deck underside coating..
( silicone spray? ) to pam cooking spray... to help it scour. Sandy soils aren't a problem.

Soundguy

 

[kensfarm]

I've been really having fun this spring w/ my refurbished McCormick-International 2 bottom moldboard plow.. the auto-trip capability saves the tips of the plow blades from being bent.. once tripped.. you just stop.. back up.. and they reset themselves back in position. It also has a landslide wheel.. what I call the "depth quide".. this helps keeps the blades at a constant depth when plowing. It has brackets for the coulters.. but I don't have these.

Adjusting the plow isn't that hard.. this is what I do for a 2 bottom plow.

Hook up the plow.. on level ground.. bring the tips of the plows down until one or both tips almost touch the ground.. then use the top link to raise or lower the back blades tip level w/ the front blades tip.. then use the side link adjustment to level the blade tips from side to side.

Try one pass.. if the blades go too deep.. adjust & lower the landslide wheel. The first pass.. in either direction.. all 4 tractor wheels are on level ground.. on the second pass.. the tractor's right side wheels will ride in the plows trench from the first pass. Before the second pass.. drive into the trench and adjust the side link to level the blade tips from side to side. This is why one of the bottom links on the plow is lower then the other.. and is adjustable on some plows.

After I'm done.. I use gear oil on a rag and wipe the blades down.

 

[Soundguy]

Try some spray on cooking oil.. works great for me.

Soundguy

 

[Laminarman]

I just saw some stuff at TSC that is a paint on type of coating made of graphite. Says it will dry hard and is used to help materials slide off metal. I'd assume this is meant for plows as well?