GP/LP 3P600 or 3P606NT user thread

[omicron1792]

Nope. I'm not going to pay these ridiculous prices for something I can get done with a cultipacker and sprayer.
This was a fair price on the used one, I would have bought it.

I’m with you. I use mine once a year. Now that one time it does perfect. And I plant and crimp in one pass. But it sits 364 days a year. If you lived closer you could just use mine.

We could all save money to load up a trailer and just rotate this equipment to everyone property for like a week at a time. Most of us use them at different times anyways.

There will never be a time on a random day where I’m like “hey, I’m gonna pull out my crimper and use it today”.

Even my drill probably gets used 10 days a year total. It works so well I get everything planted in a day or two. Twice a year. Maybe a few days for some native grasses.

 

[Skye King]

I’m with you. I use mine once a year. Now that one time it does perfect. And I plant and crimp in one pass. But it sits 364 days a year. If you lived closer you could just use mine.

We could all save money to load up a trailer and just rotate this equipment to everyone property for like a week at a time. Most of us use them at different times anyways.

There will never be a time on a random day where I’m like “hey, I’m gonna pull out my crimper and use it today”.

Even my drill probably gets used 10 days a year total. It works so well I get everything planted in a day or two. Twice a year. Maybe a few days for some native grasses.

A good idea for those who live relatively close to each other. Sounds kinda like a co-op,

 

[WKyGasDoc]

you think the T handles are the first thing we should adjust for depth control? After assuring planter is level, or should we look elsewhere?

I have same problem in my hard clay Ky ground

 

[Foggy47]

^ What I found when setting up my GP. 3P500 was that getting the drive wheel set correctly with a level drill was the most important set up. I had to lower my drive wheel two holes to get the seeds to drop at a shallow setting. With the drill level......I can now adjust those T handles to get depths from 1/8" to 1.5" by adjusting those T Handles that control the closing wheels and the depth. Also I can make minor tweaks via the hydraulic top link.

I've got my bases covered when operating on my land with the seeds I plant. I have not had a need to plant deeper than 1.5".....but I suppose I might get more depth with more change to the T handles.....and possibly the top link.

I like the hydraulic top link as you can make minor changes on the fly as conditions sometimes change a bit.

 

[Skye King]

I have a pull type 606NT and was having trouble with the depth control. My machine wasn’t even putting the seed in the ground. So, I called and talked to one of the company techs. He told me to make sure the seed box was level then adjust the depth of the coulters. After doing that and replacing all of the trunnions associated with the T handles I have not had any more problems with seed depth.

 

[WKyGasDoc]

my west ky hard clay ground esp in august/sept when I plant makes planting deep and covering WW/ Oats tough. My plots look fine, but the seed doesn’t always get covered up . The turkeys love it when I plant. The hydraulic top link is a game changer for me. I don’t like hopping down and adjusting. My knees are not young anymore

 

[Foggy47]

my west ky hard clay ground esp in august/sept when I plant makes planting deep and covering WW/ Oats tough. My plots look fine, but the seed doesn’t always get covered up . The turkeys love it when I plant. The hydraulic top link is a game changer for me. I don’t like hopping down and adjusting. My knees are not young anymore

^That is allot of my problems too. I don't hop up so well anymore. The last two years have really slowed me down. Sadly, laying on the floor and spinning wrenches and climbing up and down on a machine is not easy anymore. I'm grateful to have decent machines and HVAC in my cab. The drill has been a big game changer in so many ways. Over time I have reduced the work load and have most of my machinery on rolling platforms, etc. Most of my hard projects are behind for some time to come. Others may wait to get any attention from me. I kinda work the low hanging fruit these days. Grin.

 

[chucho23]

Does anyone who has the 3p500 or 600 have any feedback as to how it does in a no till setting? Any regrets with not getting the no till model?

 

[omicron1792]

Does anyone who has the 3p500 or 600 have any feedback as to how it does in a no till setting? Any regrets with not getting the no till model?

Multiple multiple posts on this exact question. My 3p600 works perfect for no till, and I wouldn’t trade it for a 3p606nt. Many think the front coulters on the no till version do more harm than good. Maybe I’d no tilling constantly into corn stubble, but mine does great in thick thick sorghum Sudan and such

 

[Foggy47]

Does anyone who has the 3p500 or 600 have any feedback as to how it does in a no till setting? Any regrets with not getting the no till model?

I've used 3P500 as a no-till drill. I don't think my tractor would handle Great Plains mounted no till drill. I thought long and hard before making the change from a Tar River drill I had. It worked fine too......but the longevity and seed delivery system on the GP 500 is much better. We did write about these drills extensively here....and so far I have not run into anyone with these drills that is dissatisfied with the unit(s). Unless you have hard clay soils....I'm quite certain you would like the 3P minimum till models used for no till.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Does anyone who has the 3p500 or 600 have any feedback as to how it does in a no till setting? Any regrets with not getting the no till model?

Verdict is out for me still.. will get my 3p600 planting pretty soon and hope it does a little better than it did on my short trial run last fall. It didn’t bury seed and plant as well as my esch pull type no till drill does.

 

[chucho23]

Thanks for the help. It looks like I found one and it should be heading my way soon.

 

[matinc]

Can anyone provide any information about this drill. My neighbor sent me the pic

 

[Foggy47]

Can anyone provide any information about this drill. My neighbor sent me the pic

That appears to be a pull-type conventional drill with a rope trip? Probably for a wheeler, small tractor, or SxS. It does appear to have some seed cups and a hopper and frame system much like the Tar River product.....and various other brands that originate out of China. Never seen one like this advertised. Does he have a "brand" or model number??

If I am correct in the above assmuptions.....you can buy a 3 point mounted drill like this for about $3500. Not sure what the lift system and tires here would add. I do know a few guys that use the Tar River 3 Point conventional drill to do "no-till" planting in sandy soils. Likely not going to penetrate hard clay soils tho.

 

[matinc]

Foggy I am trying to get model number and manufacturer. Will keep you updated. Thank you for the information provided.

 

[Brokenbear]

Verdict is out for me still.. will get my 3p600 planting pretty soon and hope it does a little better than it did on my short trial run last fall. It didn’t bury seed and plant as well as my esch pull type no till drill does.

Hey WG I am still learning on my new to me used 3P606NT also but what settings are you using on your drive axle and press wheel Tee handles ?

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Hey WG I am still learning on my new to me used 3P606NT also but what settings are you using on your drive axle and press wheel Tee handles ?

I don’t recall all the settings I’ve tried on the t handles but 2-6 slots from the shallow end I’d say. I’ve only had the drive wheel in the middle factory setting. I tried a couple passes on Friday in my buddies sandy ground and had similar mediocre results. I don’t have much time to mess with it but might try adjusting the drive wheel lower and adding weight.

 

[Foggy47]

One thing I find questionable about the 3P 500 and 600 drills.........is that the drive wheel is in the center of the drill........and the drill tends to "teeter" on that drive wheel which allows the drill to go deeper or more shallow from one side to the other base on how it "teeters" from one side to the other. Maybe that is happening more when you stop forward progress?....but it seems to be a factor for me.

You do need to keep ground contact with that center wheel in order to turn the seed cups.......but too much weight on that drive wheel allows the "teeter" effects......IMO. Anyone else with this same concern?

 

[Foggy47]

Maybe the individual spring row units compensate for this?

 

[Brokenbear]

I cannot help much on the teetering 3P500/600 as I have a 3P606NT and I am sure the front cutter discs do some stabilizing on mine that would be absent from the 500/600
This next part might just be a foolish statement ..but keep in mind that I am in black river bottoms soil but I am to the point where I keep the drive tire one hole from the bottom and keep the tee handles as the depth control which generally keeps the press wheels with some weight of the machine bearing on the press wheels and I would think to a degree certainly somewhat counter teeter on the 500/600 and 606NT
With the above as I am switching seeds n mixes about the only change from seed to seed/mix is seed cup gate setting and feed rate setting ..very occasionally I get out of 2nd gear to first gear on the gear box but 2nd gear is doing the Lion's share of the work ..

Bear