Tiller/disc

Typhoon · Aug 8, 2004

I have a slight delimma, just wanted a little insight. I think I have made my decision however, but want to see what you all think. I own 50 acres of country property. I will be building a house on it next year, am building a big pond on it now. If you were maintaining this property, and taking on some of the following chores, and you could only choose between a disc and a tiller, which would you choose and why?
Planting food plots, leveling high spots and filling low spots, making a 1/2 acre garden, planting grass around the lake and planting a lawn, landscaping, building a road, and more.. but thats in a nutshell. And because of the lucky circumstances that I have ran into, I can pick up the tiller (brand new) for the same price as the disc. From talking to friends, the consensus is to go for the tiller. The tiller is 5ft, the disc is 6ft. What do you think!? Now I know that with the jobs that I mentioned, sometimes the disc would be better, and sometimes the tiller would. It would be best to buy both. But I can't right now. My question is, which would you choose if you could only choose one.?
Thanks in advance..
-Brad

Birdhunter1 · Aug 9, 2004

For the landscaping the tiller would work better. I would bet though for building a road a tiller would fluff the dirt too much and make it very soft, deep and slick in the rain.

Egon · Aug 9, 2004

Go for the tiller. It will work much better overall than the disc. This will be exspecially true in small areas when landscaping.

Neither will be of much use for building a road.

Egon

yoyo · Aug 9, 2004

I just got my First Choice 52" sideshift tiller. I played with it just a few minutes yesterday morning as I had to move it out of the driveway. I think I will like it very much. I want to work a small garden , and level out some high spots. I think I made a wise choice.

Yoyo

NATTYBUMPO · Aug 9, 2004

Another vote for the tiller here. I've got both and for all of the jobs you mentioned (except road building) the tiller wins hands down. Much better seedbed preparation for the garden, lawn, food plots, etc. And much better when chopping up and incorporating old crop residues back into the soil on your food plots.
Without knowing the specific brands, etc, I'm thinking the tiller would run 3-4X times the cost of a disc new. If I had a deal like that, I'd jump on it. Just be sure the tiller gear box rating and your tractor PTO HP match. Good luck. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Soundguy · Aug 9, 2004

For small work, a tiller makes a better seed bed for a garden plot. Feed plot is ok too.. but a disc would work for a feed plot. Since they ar ethe same price.. hard decision.

I know on my farm I'll get more use out of a disc..

To scratch the top 4" and add seed around a pond.. I think the disc would be better.

for the road.. neither.. get a box blade,

Soundguy

Glenn9643 · Aug 9, 2004

I would buy the tiller now and if I thought I needed a disk later look around until I found a used one at a reasonable price. You can find a good used 6' disk around here for less than $500 around here just about any time of the year with a little patience.
I have a 6' disk. I've been pricing tillers the last few weeks but need a six-foot model. I've been hesitant to buy what was available used, as they all looked rough and were priced too high. A used disk is much simpler and cheaper to repair if you go that route. Generally about $15-$18 for replacement blades, etc.
I've about decided to go with the 70" Howse model for $1400. No one here seems to have any experience with them but they're all gear driven, weigh a couple of hundred pounds more than the bush-hog brand, and I can get it cheaper.

Bowhunter · Aug 9, 2004

I agree that for most of your work the tiller will be most versatile. When I upgrade tractors I'll be looking for a tiller for myself for landscaping and food plots.

Which implement is better for food plots will depend somewhat on what you intend to plant. Clover, alfalfa and chicory need to be planted about 1/4" deep. A tiller would work very well for this. Till the soil, broadcast seed, then go over it again with a cultipacker or a drag. Oats and chufa need to be planted 1" to 2" deep. This could be very difficult with a tiller but with a disk you can work up the soil, broadcast the seed, then disk the seed in.

If you can't buy both which most of us can't, I'd buy the tiller then borrow or rent a disk as the need arose. Good luck in your ventures and let me know if you want help with your food plots (a hobby of mine)......and if you're looking for a hunting partner from just down the road. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

DiskDoctr · Aug 9, 2004

Brad,

I vote tiller. I have both.

I would certainly recommend picking up a box blade in addition (with the teeth). Use this to tear up ground first for moving/leveling, then use tiller.

Using tiller on unbroken ground is a lot of beating on the equipment...

-JC

Typhoon · Aug 9, 2004

Ok.. looks like the tiller. I will eventually have both, but we are building a house next year so I need to make my $ count. I already have a boxblade, and I can imagine that the tiller and boxblade combination can make for some easy ground work and leveling.. etc. As far as building the road as I mentioned above, we are going to build it with a Cat D-5H dozer but I will use the boxblade (and tiller if I need it) to dress it up after we are finished. I wont be trying to cut a road with my tractor from scratch. Anyways, thanks for the advice! I will let you know how it works out.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif-Brad