'Nuther New Playtoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Indydirtfarmer]

\'Nuther New Playtoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just left the "ISCO" warehouse in Clarksville, Indiana. They're a distributor for Buehler among other products. I picked up my latest "toy".

I bought (through Ken Sweet/Sweet Farm Equipment) a 7' Ferguson "Yardmaker" seeder aerifier/roller. I'll post a few pictures later tonight when it's out of the truck and hooked to a tractor.

It's essentially a 7' "drop spreader", with a drum roller, covered with spikes. It's a 3-point mounted affair. With the drum full of water, it SHOULD hit the scales at a shade over 2000lbs. It will spread grass seed, fertilizer, lime, and/or granular pesticides. I'm planning on using it to do new lawn seeding mostly. Also, I'm re-seeding several grass waterways on the farm.

I've already got a few idea's on how to "improve" the seeder. (Seed box extentions, a hydraulic shut-off seed gate, and a couple other ideas.

I wanna seed something!!!!!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Bowhunter]

Re: \'Nuther New Playtoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I look forward to pictures.

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

Re: \'Nuther New Playtoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I look forward to pictures. )</font>

And here they are! This thing was a bear to get out of the bed of my pick-up. Lots of "paint rippers".

I'll "calibrate" it tomorrow. How I do that is to measure the circumference of the roller. Then fill the seed hopper with grass seed. Set the seed gate at a pre-determined opening. (lbs. per acre?/sq.ft)(Ky31 fescue in this case) Then I'll roll it 20 times. (That gets a better average than just 1 or even a few turns) I measure the width X (20Xdia.) to get square ft. coverage. Then I weigh the seed dropped. That number will be checked against the #,s Ferguson list's in the owners manual. Adjust the calibration gauge on the seeder accordingly.....

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

Re: \'Nuther New Playtoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd like to thank Ken Sweet, and his salesman, (also) Ken. He went WAY out of his way to help me get this seeder. I'd like to thank the fine folks at ISCO, the distributor for Ferguson Products, for GENTLY loading it into my truck. ( I live minutes from ISCO, and MANY MILES from Sweet Farm Equipment. Ken let me pick it up direct to save BOTH of us some money, time, and trouble) Also, I'd like to thank the fine folks at Ferguson. I contacted them directly, to get some specs on the seeder. They've sent me everything I need, and offered to send me some extra/new decals and paint to keep my seeder looking new.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Re: \'Nuther New Playtoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK maybe I don't get it but it seems backwards to me, but still seems like it could work very well for laying down grass seed. First it drops the seeds then it pushes random holes into the ground? Its sort of like a simple slit seeder, but the slit seeder controls the seed depth. This looks like the seed falls on the surface, what doesn't get punched down by a spike would obviously be compressed by the roller. A lot less complicated than a slit seeder, probably a lot less money too. I like it! But since I am too cheap to buy one, and since you are a fellow Hoosier, mind if I come down with my trailer to borrow it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

How well does it meter the seed out? Can it be used for other things than grass seed? Fertilizer? Other seeds?

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

Re: \'Nuther New Playtoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's plant some grass!!!!!

The first job I have to do with it is to spread some fertilizer on my lawn! That'll happen tomorrow!

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

Re: \'Nuther New Playtoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It cost about 30% of what most slit seeders run. I've rented a 6' Yardmaker before, and had fantastic luck with it. It is essentially a drop seeder/spreader. You can spread seed (Of almost any size) fertilizer, lime (both pelletized and hydrated), and granular pesticides. This one will do MOSTLY grass seed or fertilizer. I'm going to make seed box extentions that should hold enough seed to plant 4 to 5 acres without stopping. I also plan on adding a "small seed attachment from a John Deere FB-B grain drill. It will ACCURATELY drop seed as small as alfalfa or clover. It's only 3" longer than the seed box already on the Ferguson.

I can't leave ANYTHING alone.......

 

[firtol88]

Re: \'Nuther New Playtoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

looks neat how much did ya pay?

 

[DannyD]

Re: \'Nuther New Playtoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got an area that needs reseeding if you want to try that thing out, you know jsut to see how well it does really work.

other than that, I have to till the sucker again, and this time plant real grass seed

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

Re: \'Nuther New Playtoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I got an area that needs reseeding if you want to try that thing out, you know jsut to see how well it does really work.

other than that, I have to till the sucker again, and this time plant real grass seed )</font>

Here's "GOOD LUCK" if I've ever seen it.....

I get the seeder unloaded, hooked to the tractor, and calibrated, Ready to rock and roll.....

The phone rings. A guy that called a few weeks ago, asking about seeding a new yard. He has his own tractor. The lawn is ready for seed. FOUR ACRES!!!! I just got back in the house. It worked to perfection. Saturday's rain left just the right amount of soil moisture. We set the seeder up for 35 lbs per acre. He had 150 lbs of seed. When I got done, there was 10 lbs of seed left. Spot on calibration!

I'm a happy man......... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif