GP/LP 3P600 or 3P606NT user thread

[356]

This thread makes me not want to get a no-till drill even though they were on my long-term shopping list! I only want one if it would save me time and some seed cost, but it sure sounds like it takes a lot of tinkering to get them to work correctly.

On a somewhat related note, are the 3 point no-till corn and bean planters less fussy or are these kinds of continuous adjustments needed to get them working as well?

I am in my third year of NT. The first was with a rented unit from the state. The second was with my own drill, and had a real learning curve, but good results. This year was relatively easy and went off without a hitch. All of the popular brands of no-till/min-till (Genesis/PH Outdoors, Great Plains, Tar River, Firminator) have brand specific forums/facebook pages that offer lots of insights. Remember that most posts are to solve problems or overcome some limitation or issue, and not comment on successes or uneventful outings.

 

[buckdeer1]

Hard pan is created from disking or plowing at same depth every year,very rarely will a a food plot tractor and small drill cause an issue unless driving when too wet.We NT ag fields and you don't have to change anything.Sometimes on a field that is getting tough you can plant a cover crop with radishes and turnips then s breaks up soil

 

[Foggy47]

I am in my third year of NT. The first was with a rented unit from the state. The second was with my own drill, and had a real learning curve, but good results. This year was relatively easy and went off without a hitch. All of the popular brands of no-till/min-till (Genesis/PH Outdoors, Great Plains, Tar River, Firminator) have brand specific forums/facebook pages that offer lots of insights. Remember that most posts are to solve problems or overcome some limitation or issue, and not comment on successes or uneventful outings.

100% agree. I think if you survey'd the drill owners.....almost none would go back to doing tillage and broadcast or planter as the preferred method of getting it done. No way for me......tho "no till" has opened my eyes to other methods too......like throw and mow. The "light-weight" min-till (conventional) drills are somewhat of a new method to get 'er done.

From my experience now......I'd buy another drill tomorrow.....and I'd buy a GP/LP 3P600 with small seed box and agitators.....and I'd add foam markers and a rear walk board/step too. For my soil it's about perfect. Many of us had zero experience with no till planting......It's been fun talking about these drills and learning how to operate them.

 

[TreeDaddy]

I need a primer on press wheel settings

The GP 3pt 606NT manual is clear that forward =shallow and back =deep

Manual states increments are 1/8 in. There are 10 increments , so does this mean the depth range is 0 to 1.4 in?

How do the experienced operators address the press wheel issue?

thanks

bill

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I need a primer on press wheel settings

The GP 3pt 606NT manual is clear that forward =shallow and back =deep

Manual states increments are 1/8 in. There are 10 increments , so does this mean the depth range is 0 to 1.4 in?

How do the experienced operators address the press wheel issue?

thanks

bill

That section of the manual contradicts itself. 0-3.5” but only 1/8” per adjustment doesn’t compute. I think drive wheel setting impacts potential depth as well.

 

[Foggy47]

I need a primer on press wheel settings

The GP 3pt 606NT manual is clear that forward =shallow and back =deep

Manual states increments are 1/8 in. There are 10 increments , so does this mean the depth range is 0 to 1.4 in?

How do the experienced operators address the press wheel issue?

thanks

bill

Drills are a funny machine to set up.....and in some ways takes a little "art" or experience to find what you want. Can be a bit of a guessing game at first.

I beleive there are allot of variables on those press wheel settings. The soil type, texture, moisture, crop residue, travel speed, how the drill is leveled, and more will affect the settings. That drive wheel on front will determine a primary depth range.....and the press wheels will allow you to tweak the depth a bit based on the variables stated. I needed to adjust my drive wheel three times to get my drill into the range I want / need for my land (more shallow).

Now I believe I can plant from about 1.5" to about 1/8" if the ground is flat enough. This works just fine for what I try to grow......mostly grains, clover, brassica. My small seed box contents are dropped behind the seed trench and the press wheels just push those seeds into contact with the soil (therefore the 1/8" depth said here).

I find that my hydraulic top link provides the tweaking I need when setting the depth.......maybe better than fooling with the press wheel settings (?). Truthfully, I have not messed with the press wheel setting very much......and use my top link to make small changes.

 

[Brian662]

Wanted to share these photos of my plot "failure" with my 3p600. We've had one sprinkle for rain since planting about 6 weeks ago. The failure is attributed to the lack of rain but it is interesting to see that where the rye thatch is, enough soil moisture existed for germination and a little growth. Absolutely depressing how little rain we've had this fall. Still have 8 bags of rye I bought back in August I can't even spread to "rescue" my plots. Sad about the shape the plots and soil will be in coming out of winter.

 

[swat1018]

Yea, it's dry across much of the midwest. My rye was planted last week of August in NEMO because I was going to MT hunting. My plots are poor, but not that bad. I can see rows of rye/wheat, but they are grazing it hard and it isn't growing much. I used a NT version.