any tips on discing?

[funny farmer]

Went and looked at an 8 foot tandem disc today not sure what brand it is, I couldn't find any tags on it but it's red so i'm think I.H. possible, it looked to me like it was in pretty good shape, it's adjustable as far as how aggressive I want it to be. All that for $450. I think it's a pretty good deal but the guy is acting like it's still to much, you don't meet very many people like that anymore, even offered to haul it 110 miles for me. I told him not to worry about it and I'll be back on thursday to pick it up. I was just wondering if I could get any advise on how to operate it. I'll be discing the 20 acres I finished plowing last week. I know I have to pick it up when I make sharp corners, but what else is there? Just go round and round till it's pretty? Then straightin the gangs out and go around again? Can't wait to get it home, wish it was here right now. I'm sure by the time I'm done I'll be sick of it. thanks.

 

[texasjohn]

Welcome to TBN!!!

OK... I assume this is a 3 point disk.

pick it up when you turn

I disk the long way of the field, assuming a rectangular field, from end to end. Start at one fence, go straight, turn around at the other end and come back along side your track... overlap a little bit.

then, I let things sit for a few days, maybe get a light rain on it. This allows the clods to break up better.

then I disk again at approximately a 30 degree angle from the first disking. For me, this often means that I start at one corner and aim for the far corner, then back and forth for each half from there.

At the end of each disking, I go around the entire field once or twice along the fence to get all the areas skipped when the disk was picked up.

Don't worry too much about getting close to the fence... you can take out a post or two if you do.. don't ask me how I know.

I find for my soil, which is Houston Black Clay, that I need to add weight to the disk to get it to cut sufficiently deep. Weight will depend on soil conditions.

There are scalloped disks and round disks... I prefer the scalloped disks, they seem to cut in better and turn under trash better, for me.

Bearings can go bad on the disk... replacement is a pain, but is not too difficult...just undo nut at end of axle and unstring components until you get to the offending bearing.

Often, I found that the best way to get a smooth seed bed was to pull a tooth drag harrow behind me while disking... particularly on the 2nd or 3rd pass.

experiment with different ground speeds.... I find that if the tractor will pull the disk at a goodly speed the dirt gets thrown up and over better...will depend on your tractor and dirt characteristics.

if you try to disk when it's too wet... mud balls up on the disk... big mess... and compacts the field as well... will depend on your soil type.

there are scraper blades for each disk ... the purpose is to keep debris and soil from building up on each disk.... this is less of a problem if the disks are really smooth from use.. worst if they are rusty and pitted. Try to keep each scraper properly located and functioning.

 

[Egon]

My back would prefer to go in the same direction as the plow for the first disking.

 

[funny farmer]

thats pretty much what i was thinking, i was just wondering about speed, and it's a pull type. think i'll take some pictures of the progress and post them. thanks for the advice,

 

[JDeerekid]

You think $450 is expensive for a pull type 8ft. Does it have hydraulic lift. If it does they are getting around $1,000 for them around here in so so shape.

I would disk in the direction you plowed first just to get the rows nocked down first then diangle across the field then back the way you plowed so it will be level for seeding.

 

[ryanbr]

I dont think it has been said yet, but I found you will want a consistent speed of about 5-6mph. Any slower and the disk doesnt float (it acts more like a drag), any quicker and it bounces on top of everything. My experience is with a 12ft pull type, and a 110hp 2wd tractor.

 

[texasjohn]

if pull disk with hydraulic cylinder and 2 tires that hold air... you got a deal...unless you need to replace a bunch of disks, scrapers, bearings, etc.

 

[JoeinTX]

"All that for $450. I think it's a pretty good deal but the guy is acting like it's still to much, you don't meet very many people like that anymore, even offered to haul it 110 miles for me. I told him not to worry about it and I'll be back on thursday to pick it up..."

Isn't that funny. I'm the kind that when I find something I like at the price that I think it's worth, I buy it. If it's too much, I pass, I don't haggle and such. Ot, but I've been looking for another rifle recently and I found one just this past weekend that was exactly what I wanted for exactly what I was expecting to pay and when I said "box it up for me" you'd have thought I just fell out of the sky. They acted shocked and as if they needed to do a bunch of things for me and all...........no, just take my money and let me be on my way, thanks. My vehicles are the same way. I have a reasonable "target" in my head and when I see it I do it. There's nothing I hate more than haggling.


"I know I have to pick it up when I make sharp corners, but what else is there? Just go round and round till it's pretty? Then straightin the gangs out and go around again? Can't wait to get it home, wish it was here right now. I'm sure by the time I'm done I'll be sick of it. thanks...."


Yes, you need to lift it on your corners to prevent ridging lest you'll create a series of berms and humps over the multiple plowings you do. There's no reason to angle the gangs "straight" on later passes........they do their best work at an agressive angle and the more passes over the field with a good angle the more they'll till/level/even/pulverize the existing clods, berms, roots, rocks, and residual plant growth into a finer material. Unless you're worried about fuel use, leave them be and run them the same for each pass over the field from start to finish.

Going 'round and 'round over and over? Yep, that's exactly the idea. I don't know your piece of ground there but I'd expect one pass with the moldboard followed by a pass with the disc and then planting/sowing followed lastly with the disc and drill. We don't moldboard plow here (we chisel) but I understand it and know the idea and I'm not sure how you plan to actually plant the property while we either sow (grain drill) or broadcat (spreader) depending upon the plant/seed and ground.


Anyway, good luck.....

 

[JoeinTX]

I reviewed back through your "This is what I bought" thread, thus an addendum.


"WOW! Milking a beef cow that would not take their calf seems to me to be akin to playing with a loaded gun....."


Any, every cow not use to routine milking that I've ever tried to milk for calving has been a disaster. They are not use to it, don't know what you're doing, and try to defend themselves against something they aren't comfortable with. Don't do it. Go the powdered milk route if you've got momma cows and calves not pairing up but keep them together as much as you can while doing so.


As for the "left/right" working thing it's all about how you keep your cattle. Our entire operation is built upon being upon the left-hand side of the cattle we're working........they know us from the left. In your own herd, over time, you could teach them that or the opposite.......work them from the right. Cattle don't like "new" things since they work from history and rote. Call them.......heard them........treat them the same all of the time than they'll fall in line and remarkably pass that along in short order to their offspring and fellow cattle.