Used vs. New disc harrow? Smooth or Serated disc?

[npaden]

Okay, I've been looking at discs for a couple weeks. I think I need one to loosen up the soil to plant a food plot for birds. I think I want to plant some sorghum and sunflowers.

King Kutter has a nice box frame for $1,250 for a 7 1/2' one for my 45hp tractor:

I found a decent looking used one for $650 at one of the local used equipment places. They said it is a 7' or 8' I guess depending on what angle you have it set at.

Both are adjustable on the angles and the used one has scrapers. The biggest difference I can tell is that on the King Kutter the front discs are serated and on the used one all the discs are smooth. I wasn't planning on plowing first so not sure if that makes a difference.

The used equipment place said that they have gone through the used disc and checked the bearings, etc. and would stand behind it. They have a pretty good reputation. They have slapped a new coat of paint on it for sure. Not that that makes it any more useful though.

Any input or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, Nathan

 

[3RRL]

IMO your money is better spent on the used one in this case. It appears to be in great shape and about ½ the price. If plowing first, the smooth discs should work just as well as the serrated ones to bust up any clods. The serrated ones appear to allow better penetration on harder surfaces, such as if you don't plow first, but are no guarantee that they will penetrate deep enough anyway as is mentioned in another thread going at the same time.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

If you have a chance to get a good used one with scrapers too, I'd jump on that one. I had a 7-1/2' KK disc here a few years back. (Bought at action) It worked OK for as light as it is, but tended to "plug" between disc blades in damp soils. Scrapers will eliminate that problem.

Does the used one have roller bearings, or is it a cast "boxing" type bearing? (Either will work just fine. Roller bearings are better if you plan on using it on bigger acreage though.)

 

[KentT]

IMO, the most versatile is what we used to call a "pick-up disc" -- a type of disc with two sections similar to your KK picture above, but that is hinged between the front and the rear sections. This allows you to pick up the rear section, putting all of its weight on the front section. The front section has the serrated discs for cutting, while the rear section has the smooth discs for smoothing out the soil...

To disc under a cover crop or food plot, you'd begin with the rear picked up, making the serrated front discs cut the growth and the undisturbed soil. After a couple passes like that, when you have everything chopped up and the soil loosened, you let the rear section back down and smooth out the plot to get ready for reseeding...

IMO, the used disc you've shown above will almost force you to plow the plot first -- with the smooth discs and the way the gangs are pitched out, it wouldn't cut unplowed ground much at all...

 

[Highbeam]

Could you shorten the heck out of the top link to roll the rear discs out of the dirt and then maybe also add weight?

 

[KentT]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Could you shorten the heck out of the top link to roll the rear discs out of the dirt and then maybe also add weight? )</font>

Perhaps. The one my brother has uses something quite similar to an adjustable toplink to pick the rear gangs up 90 degrees.

 

[wushaw]

Get the used one and leave it set at the high angle and go plowing, you will have to make many passes to get what you want but it will work just fine.

 

[Egon]

Three point hitch.

Just take off the rear disk row.

You may also be able to replace smooth with serrated discs.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[JoeinTX]

Yes, the used 7-8' is your best option....jump on it and don't look back.

Serrated discs are good and I prefer them, but for the money and end result, there won't be too much difference. Get it, weight it down, and get to plowing.

I've tried to use the hinged, "pick-up" disc and it was near worthless. The difference between solid and serrated is really very little especially in multiple-pass situations and really un-noticeable if enough weight is applied.

Buy it cheap and be proud...

 

[texasjohn]

This is an easy decision. Go with the cheaper one because:

It is cheaper
The dealer stands behind it and its bearings.
It has scrapers.. you will find they are very necessary.
It is as wide, if not wider.
When a disk breaks... and it will... you can replace with serrated as they break.

And, like JoeinTX said, put weight on it... lots and lots of weight! Did I say weight it down??

Go across your field 3 times.

1st from side to side, long ways.
2nd at about a 30 degree angle to the first rows.
3rd at about a 30 degree angle from the opposite side.

Between each pass wait for the previous clods to dry out a little so that they shatter when you hit them on the next pass.

If it turns out that your tractor is insufficiently powered to pull the rig, you can remove disks until the horsepower matches the disk resistance.

Go for it!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif