Help me justify a TILLER.

[Mickey_Fx]

Tony, I forgot this thread. Here is a pic of the top link set-up for my tractor and tiller. I was correct in remembering the various models this link was intended for. There is an adj bolt that needs to be facing up when mounted. The adj is for helping with the alingment of the lower cross mount pins. If done properly, when the top pin is in place, all the holes line up for the lower pin.

You tractor, set-up may be completely different.

Your pic showing the tiller working really shows how nice these tillers work up the ground.

 

[shimp]

Just got home with the tiller and spent about a half hour getting it on.

Got the model number and all....it is an RS1400.

I heard others comment on how close they are to the rear tires. Mine actually rubs at one point in the lift, and when on the ground is only a half inch off the tires. Is that about right?

Will post a photo or two this weekend.

tony

I haven't seen a mention of the upper link 'bridge' that is needed to reach out from the tractor to that special short Yanmar upper link. This 'bridge' has two holes and is pinned to the upper/lower upper link holes on the tractor, so the rearmost end of the 'bridge' maintains a constant height. With the short upper link pivoting around this extended swivel point, the tiller lifts high without being drawn forward into the tires. Be sure you get the 'bridge' and its mounting pins, along with the special short top link.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/115848-yanmar-tiller-just-got-home.html

 

[RalphVa]

I had a Gravely plow. Used it ONCE to turn under the grass in the area where my garden is now and ONCE again to create raised rows.

Now have a JD 4010. Friend gave me a soil ripper from his JD M. He helped me adapt it to the 4010's 3ph. Used it ONCE to remove the raised rows created by the Gravely. Used the disc hiller added in place of the chisel plows to make new raised rows ONCE.

Sold the Gravely plow. Soil ripper and disc hillers now are in storage, probably to be never used again unless or until I do another new garden.

I'd rent a tiller or plow unless you can get them cheap (my Gravely plow was only $250). The soil ripper and adaptations cost less than that, or near that by the time I repainted them and all.

You can create raised rows with a Keulavator gizmo from Agro Supply.

Ralph

 

[tony123]

It was timely that this thread was resurected. Just a few weeks ago I used the tiller again to scarify about an acres worth of ground for grass seeding. It worked fantastic!

Shimp, I have always had the bridge, but the part I was missing was that "extra short" toplink. I now have that and the tiller is positioned just right! It also runs sooooo much smoother. I had to get off to make sure the tines were turning.

Ralph, I got this tiller for $280, so between doing my garden once a year and the above mentioned grass seeding, it has paid for itself already. I would have thought long and hard about renting though if my only option were the pricier tillers.

Mickey, thanks for that photo a few months ago! It was helpful.

 

[pitt_md]

john_bud

That is great! That explains why you are an Elite Member.
------------------------------
For what you are looking at, search the for sale's in the paper and yard sales and buy a $50 24" wide walk behind tiller. Have your wife run it. When 1/4 of the garden is tilled, take her to the farm store and bring home a tiller.

jb

[/QUOTE]

Actually the 4200+ posts explains why he is an Elite Member....

 

[xlr82v2]

If you're in the same situation that I'm in, it takes nearly 4 hours to work the garden over 1 time with the TroyBuilt... so I broke down and got a KK2 6' tiller for my tractor. That 4 hours is now reduced to about 40 minutes, and the KK2 does a much better job.

And remember, it's always easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

After SWMBO saw how good of a job it does and how much faster, she wasn't so mad anymore

 

[pitt_md]

I'm so lucky in this regard. My wife knows nuttin about living in the country. Picture Eva Gabore from Green Acres - Thats her! If I told her I needed gold plated tools she would say "ok darling".

 

[Rara Avis]

I'm so lucky in this regard. My wife knows nuttin about living in the country. Picture Eva Gabore from Green Acres - Thats her! If I told her I needed gold plated tools she would say "ok darling".

If your wife looks like Eva Gabor...what the heck are you doing out in the garden????

 

[Phil Timmons]

This is a pretty good thread.

Never used a tiller much, but they sure look attractive. Was wondering if there is some general rule-of-thumb guidelines for sizing and use --

It probably takes more power to turn according the width, correct? (yeah, I know, MOTO -- Master Of The Obvious). But what are the numbers? Something like maybe 5 hp per foot of width?

And how fast can you cover area? -- again I follow it would be a width and power based calculation. But maybe some guidelines for fallow fields, and/or "planted last year," etc.

And I see folks mentioning multiple passes. What is typical to create a good seed bed? I guess I am comparing in my mind with the traditional mold-board plow - disk - drag - plant -- 4 pass world and trying to do comparisons.

Thanks.

 

[Rara Avis]

This is a pretty good thread.

Never used a tiller much, but they sure look attractive. Was wondering if there is some general rule-of-thumb guidelines for sizing and use --

It probably takes more power to turn according the width, correct? (yeah, I know, MOTO -- Master Of The Obvious). But what are the numbers? Something like maybe 5 hp per foot of width?

And how fast can you cover area? -- again I follow it would be a width and power based calculation. But maybe some guidelines for fallow fields, and/or "planted last year," etc.

And I see folks mentioning multiple passes. What is typical to create a good seed bed? I guess I am comparing in my mind with the traditional mold-board plow - disk - drag - plant -- 4 pass world and trying to do comparisons.

Thanks.

Number of tines per unit will control horsepower needs
Chain vs Gear drive mechanism will also contribute to horsepower needs

The type of soil, has it ever been turned?
Sandy Loam vs Pure Clay will all contribute to the number of passes you may have to do...

Basically there is a dozen answers for each question depending on where you are in the country and what state your soil is in...

 

[xlr82v2]

This is a pretty good thread.

Never used a tiller much, but they sure look attractive. Was wondering if there is some general rule-of-thumb guidelines for sizing and use --

It probably takes more power to turn according the width, correct? (yeah, I know, MOTO -- Master Of The Obvious). But what are the numbers? Something like maybe 5 hp per foot of width?

And how fast can you cover area? -- again I follow it would be a width and power based calculation. But maybe some guidelines for fallow fields, and/or "planted last year," etc.

And I see folks mentioning multiple passes. What is typical to create a good seed bed? I guess I am comparing in my mind with the traditional mold-board plow - disk - drag - plant -- 4 pass world and trying to do comparisons.

Thanks.

My opinion is, at least with the soil in my area, and in my experience with different tractors and tillers, is that 3.5hp/ft is really about as low as you want to go. Any less hp than that, and you're probably going to be overloading the tractor on a regular basis.

Best speed to till with the tiller at 540rpm on the pto is probably in the neighborhood of .75mph to 2.5mph, depending on soil conditions. The slower speeds for really working the soil, the faster speeds for just breaking up the top crust to help things dry out. So, you can see that it's rather slow going. But, a tiller works the soil up so much better than plow/disk/... So, you will save passes. But, the other methods are faster, so, if you have a lot of area to work, tilling may not be the best option. But for garden work, large or small (not farm fields) I dont' think it can be beat. Our garden is about 100'x100' right now, and we're planning on making it bigger next year. It took me 4 hours with the troy built tiller to make one pass over it, but with the tractor mounted tiller, I did one pass in about 40 minutes, and the tractor tiller did a superior job to the TB. One pass, and it was ready to plant. I plowed everything under last October, and it hasn't been worked since until this spring. I also tried the tiller out on some virgin sod, and after the 2nd pass, the soil was worked up very fine, and the grass was chopped up fairly well. I let that sit for about 2-3 weeks (because of the spring monsoons we've been having, not by choice), then made another pass over it with the tiller, and it was ready to plant as well. All of the grass in it was dead. I don't think you could have sod ready to plant quite as fast with plowing/disking, at least not without a LOT of passes with the disk to get the grass/roots blended up.

 

[mrutkaus]

Yes, like Brian above says...I have just expanded to about a 60x45' garden and used for first time the KK 5' tiller on ck30hst. I bought the tiller cause it was on sale and for a toy, thinking overkill (well, did two plots for neighbors).

BUT. It took me overall a couple hours tilling new rocky rooty soil, slowly. And I more or less could not have done it with anything smaller, which kind of surprised me.

Mike