routine plow question

[akjohnston]

I posted a recent thread in ref to a turning plow. I now have a stupid question that I probable know the answer.
I am plowing with a b7800 and using a 16in single plow. It just turns to much dirt and makes the land so rough. Instead of turning the full 16 in, Is it possible to use this plow and adjust so as to only turn 12 in or so.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

find a point on your three point hitch lever that only allows the plow to go down a few inches or to what ever depth you need.

I have a single 16 and for example, if I want to plow deep I drop the lever all the way down. Some places I don't want to plow as deep so I set the lever to stop at the number 8. If your lever is not numbered you may have to play with it to find the spot you want. You may also need to adjust you top link once you find the desired depth you want to plow.

You can actually set a plow to where it just cuts the sod off the top of the ground about 2" deep.

Just play with the lever a little until you find the right setting.

It called manual draft control

David

 

[Fredex]

The width of your plow-cut (furrow) can usually be adjusted, within limits, unless everything is welded solid. Often involves moving the beam to the right on the drawbar.
However, I don't think a narrower furrow will resolve your issue i.e. rough ground after plowing. Plows usually do their best work when properly adjusted for their design. Roughness after plowing is pretty much the norm when breaking sod or anything that hasn't been plowed for a number of years. After being worked for a year or two it should be better but a plow never leaves the ground ready to plant. Follow-up with a disc or tiller to finish the seed bed. Also don't plow wet ground or too dry.

 

[Pooh_Bear]

Shorten the top link to go deeper.
Lengthen the top link to go shallower.

Pooh Bear

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Shorten the top link to go deeper.
Lengthen the top link to go shallower.

Pooh Bear

Not entirely accurate.... Putting a plow "nose down" will make it dig in QUICKER, but a plow needs to run ALMOST level to turn the dirt right. Too much down turned angle will make a plow "porpoise". It digs in too far, then draft control or position control (depending on what your tractor employs to maintain plow depth) brings it back to normal pre-set depth, then it tries to dig deep again, over and over. You end up with a rough plow job, working your tractor MUCH harder than needed, and a stressed out/worn out operator. Adjust the top link out too far and you can't get the plow in the ground in the first place. The entire "range" of adjustment in the top link (screw in or out) should be less than 1 full turn from level.

GOOD, un-worn shares make a plow go deeper with no unorthodox adjustments required.

A plow needs to be level "side to side" as well as "front to rear" to do a good looking job. If you have to go outside those parameters to get a plow to cut, you have other issues.

To the original poster, what sort of ground speed are you plowing at? Too slow will among other things, not break up the dirt as it flips. MOst plow bottoms designed and built in the last 50 years or so need at a MINIMUM, 4 mph. (on up to 5 or 5-1/2MPH) Too fast tends to flip it too far. (More than 180*) Too deep won't turn at all, allowing the strip of plowed dirt tends to roll back "face up" into the plowed furrow. Too shallow is worthless and a waste of fuel at best.

For a "smooth" look after plowing, you want a smaller plow. (i.e. 12") A 16" plow will leave the plowed surface a bit rougher in most cases. (unless soil conditions are near perfect)

Plows are INTENDED to be used at a depth of 1/2 their width, + or - 1" (i.e. a 16" plow should be used at a depth of 7" to 9" with 8" yielding the BEST results)

 

[Pooh_Bear]

Yeah, what he said.

If I let my top link out too far the plow won't dig in at all.
And if I shorten the top link too much my 8N won't pull it.
My draft control doesn't work so it just bogs down or starts spinning tires.
And plowing too slow is a total waste of time and fuel. Soil won't turn over.

I have a 2-16 plow and I just take one of the bottoms off.
And to further complicate matters the plow can't be set up correctly.
The lower link pins on both sides are the same height. No adjustment.
I plow it as best I can then disk it up real good.
Plowing it usually tears up the ground pretty bad.

Pooh Bear

 

[akjohnston]

I posted this thread not for the depth of the plow, but for the amount of land to be turned. I want to turn 10 to 12 inches instead of the 16 inches that the plow was designed to turn. I can adjutst the plow to run at 6 to 8 inches however the amount (width) that I want to turn over is 10 to 12 inches.
thanks to all that replied, further replies will be read to see what you may think. I normally plow in medium with a hydro trans at moderate speed. It may help to speed up the tractor some. B7800 with a hydro trans 4wd.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I posted this thread not for the depth of the plow, but for the amount of land to be turned. I want to turn 10 to 12 inches instead of the 16 inches that the plow was designed to turn. I can adjutst the plow to run at 6 to 8 inches however the amount (width) that I want to turn over is 10 to 12 inches.
thanks to all that replied, further replies will be read to see what you may think. I normally plow in medium with a hydro trans at moderate speed. It may help to speed up the tractor some. B7800 with a hydro trans 4wd.

With a single bottom plow, you should be able to cut 3/4ths the width of that one bottom (12" of the 16"...) If that was a two bottom plow, you'd be turning more dirt with the rear bottom than the front. That would leave ridges in the plowed ground. I don't see any problem with plowing 12" wide on a single 16" plow. You'll end up with a wider than normal dead furrow for a 12" cut, but that's no issue either. Slide the drawbar over so the last 4" of the share runs BEHIND the furrow wheel of the tractor. Try it and see what happens.

 

[vallyfarm]

Farmwithjunk I hink did a good job explaining what to do, but a "cheat" way to do the same thing is to keep the tires in the furrow to the far right side of the furrow. This will effectivley move the plow over to take a smaller cut. The plow needs to be fairly well adjusted for this to work, otherwise you can start to make a mess real quick. Within the first 20-30 feet you should be able to see if this trick will work for you or not. Mike

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Farmwithjunk I hink did a good job explaining what to do, but a "cheat" way to do the same thing is to keep the tires in the furrow to the far right side of the furrow. This will effectivley move the plow over to take a smaller cut. The plow needs to be fairly well adjusted for this to work, otherwise you can start to make a mess real quick. Within the first 20-30 feet you should be able to see if this trick will work for you or not. Mike

That'll get the same results in the end. It's easier for most people to plow "straight" if they can run a wheel against the furrow wall though.

Yep! If a plow isn't adjusted where it follows centered and straight behind the tractor, you'll end up with furrow that has a few more curves than planned.