Which to buy, 10' tandem or 8' tandem?

[jenkinsph]

Working for others can make it harder to decide which implements will fit the best. If the cost is low enough I would consider buying both disks, after using them you should be able to sell the one you don't need with no money lost. You might find both handy to have too.

I have to transport my equipment around Ruidoso NM on a trailer all the time. If and when I buy a disk it will be an 8' pull type with 22" notched blades, just easier to manage. Most of the jobs I work are small and range from 3 to 10 acres fields so it doesn't take long to do and I am moving equipment again. When you are moving the equipment longer distances as you have indicated it becomes more important to have the right stuff. The right drill or power till seeder might be a better fit for you as I have found that the truck and trailer will often use more fuel than the tractor for small jobs.

 

[tmc_31]

Jenkinsph, after reading Deerherds comments I started looking at the no till seeders. Nice pieces of equipment but way out of my price range at this stage of the game. I've done one 18 acre field, but most have been between 2-8 acres, so yes there is a lot of moving. Being able to transport the equipment easily is very important.

Tim

 

[jenkinsph]

I have been using a 6' heavy tiller for the small fields so far. Much more compact and easier to transport than a disk. The right sized tiller to match your pto is another choice for the small fields. I am installing a 12" irrigation pipeline right now but will have to till, smooth and laser level a 6 acre field next. The tiller will be used to break up the field enough to use the box blade and landplane to level.

 

[tmc_31]

I have been using a 6' heavy tiller for the small fields so far. Much more compact and easier to transport than a disk. The right sized tiller to match your pto is another choice for the small fields. I am installing a 12" irrigation pipeline right now but will have to till, smooth and laser level a 6 acre field next. The tiller will be used to break up the field enough to use the box blade and landplane to level.

Are you in the food plot business? Sounds like you have the right equipment for it.

Tim

 

[Deerherd]

Tim,

I didn't't mean to be snarky in my last post, but I have been where you are at. Not sure what it's like in Texas but most food plots in my area need two trips at least. First trip usually involves a rotary cutter to cut up stubble etc and a sprayer for weed control. Without weed control most food plots will fail.

Second trip has tractor with chisel plow on back, forks on front with no till seeder on pallet strapped down real nice. One trailer, no fuss no muss.

If you are serious about turning this into a business, a no till seeder will pay for itself in gas, time, fines for pulling the Sanford and Son trailer boondoggle and the number of clients you can actually serve. Up north we have a narrow planting window and need to make hay, so to speak.

Broadcasting seed and fertilizer into once disced ground will have dormant seeds exposed, new seed from 6" down to on the surface and cultipacking that will only result in a bumper crop of weeds.

Preparing a proper seedbed, planting at the proper depth and rate is the whole reason you are being hired in the first place. Most of your clients will be people who have researched what equipment it takes to do it right or tried a method similar to what you are attempting, that's why they called you. Repeat and referral business is the the key to building any successful business.

Good luck!

 

[tmc_31]

Snarky? ya think? No worries dude, I am seriously considering the points that you have made. The biggest problem I am having is putting out $11,000 or more for an implement that still won't do it all. Admittedly I don't know much about "no till seeders" It appears to me that besides being a more compact unit, It uses a drill rather that a broadcast seeder to sow the seed. I have spent some time researching them since reading your post. One thing I found is that they don't seem to be available around here on the used market. I did a craigslist search and found nothing within 500 miles. Also, not much on Ebay. Yes, you can buy them new but jeeze. You may still have to mow and chisel and spread weed killer before planting with one of these. I assume that you can premix the seed and fertilizer.

Are you in the food plot business? Do you have one of these seeders? Or have you hired someone with this equipment to do you own food plots?

Tim

 

[Halftrack]

Maybe I missed it, if someone mentioned it, but for many years I backed a 14' tandem transport disc through 12' gates everywhere I went. Assuming there is some clearence around the transport wheels, should be possible in your situation. Before you buy the 10' you might set some stakes and try it.

 

[jenkinsph]

Are you in the food plot business? Sounds like you have the right equipment for it.

Tim

Not in the food plot business persay, I do custom tractor work for small horse and cattle hobby farms. Right now I am concentrating on building up my laser grading with automatic machine control set up. This is needed for flood irrigated fields and some small construction site work.

 

[JoeinTX]

Judging by a few other 8' discs with boxed construction I'm guessing your little 8'er is around 800lbs or so. I bet you could add a hundred or two pounds right quick w/o trouble and your tractor has 3500-4000lb capacity on the 3-pt.

 

[tmc_31]

Halftrack, ok man, I have been racking my brain all night on how you would back a 14' tandem through a 12' gate. I have gotten into some tights spots before so I am not sayin that it can't be done. Can you describe how you would do that or send a drawing a picture or something!

That is impressive jenkinsph, I have looked at those laser leveling systems for my skid and for the box blade on my tractor to use in grading ballfields. As I remember it was a pretty expensive proposition. Sounds like our businesses are somewhat similar.

joeinTX, I had guessed the weight of the 8' disk at around 1000lb. A friend of mine has a 6' landpride tandem that weighs in at 714lb not including the steel weights that I added for him when he bought it. I don't know if it matters or not but since weight is your friend, I did a quick calculation to determine what the weight per ft was on the tandems I am considering. The smaller 3 pt tandem is 125lb/ft. The larger pull type tandem is 300lb/ft. In order to get a similar weight/ft on the 8 footer, I would have to add 1400lbs. A bit much I think. I am thinking 500-600lbs may be the max I would want to add. The fact that I could be wayyy out of line is the reason I asked the question. As you say, the tractor will easily handle the extra weight. I am just not sure about the frame of the tandem or the disks themselves. Maybe a better way to look at it would be lbs/disk.

Tim