I cannot believe it worked out ...

[Brokenbear]

First severe drought then 10" of rain in 7 days with floods that are just now dry enough to plant so we are planting yesterday and today our fall covers, brassicas and legumes to be followed with cereal rye in a few weeks ..

New to me a used 3P606NT drill to learn up on (and how!) so what should have been a days drilling became two running into today ..2 days in a row in this heat is dancing around being stupid for this old man by the way ..

Calibration of the big n small box was very close ..would have worked as the first guesstimate was only 15% off so did the math and reset the feed handles and boogied to the field
Now the first day (Yesterday) real feel was 119 F and aggravating it was as the 3 drops from big and small box worked flawlessly during calibration

In the field the remaining 6 drops on the small seed box plugged ..one at a time ..run/ unplug ..run/ unplug .. finally pulling them all down and cleaning out the entire drop system
Now this is absolutely pilot error as I should have anticipated the lethal little silk egg pouches spiders leave in hollow spots ..but in my defense my old VanBrunt Drill had those steel slinky type drop tubes that were evidently not attractive to spiders ..

I expected to be done yesterday but as the first shot was fired.. the plan went awry so the most acres were done today ..kind of hard to push it as the rain forecast kept shrinking and though cooler air no rain in sight ..

Long story short I had just finished my last round today and headed to the barn when I heard thunder and low and behold black sky to the northwest ..

I cannot believe it worked out to get a rain out of nowhere after all the trials and tribulations.. finished planting and rain !

I guess it reminds us there is always something good to come ..
Bear

 

[Bill]

Count those blessings!

 

[Wild Thing]

Congrats on successfully calibrating and planting with the new drill Bear. FYI - I have encountered a plugged seed tube 2 or maybe 3 times as well. I usually have my air compressor near where the drill sits in the barn so I now make a habit of blowing some compressed air through the tubes when I am getting ready to plant. Seems to help as I haven’t had a clogged tube for a while now

 

[Foggy47]

I was told to keep some dryer sheets in each of the openings for the seed drops. Keeps mice and spiders out of your drill. I never had an issue so far.....so I am gonna keep doing it. Cheap insurance.

 

[BobinCt]

Good to hear Bear because usually it’s the other way around .

 

[TreeDaddy]

First severe drought then 10" of rain in 7 days with floods that are just now dry enough to plant so we are planting yesterday and today our fall covers, brassicas and legumes to be followed with cereal rye in a few weeks ..

New to me a used 3P606NT drill to learn up on (and how!) so what should have been a days drilling became two running into today ..2 days in a row in this heat is dancing around being stupid for this old man by the way ..

Calibration of the big n small box was very close ..would have worked as the first guesstimate was only 15% off so did the math and reset the feed handles and boogied to the field
Now the first day (Yesterday) real feel was 119 F and aggravating it was as the 3 drops from big and small box worked flawlessly during calibration

In the field the remaining 6 drops on the small seed box plugged ..one at a time ..run/ unplug ..run/ unplug .. finally pulling them all down and cleaning out the entire drop system
Now this is absolutely pilot error as I should have anticipated the lethal little silk egg pouches spiders leave in hollow spots ..but in my defense my old VanBrunt Drill had those steel slinky type drop tubes that were evidently not attractive to spiders ..

I expected to be done yesterday but as the first shot was fired.. the plan went awry so the most acres were done today ..kind of hard to push it as the rain forecast kept shrinking and though cooler air no rain in sight ..

Long story short I had just finished my last round today and headed to the barn when I heard thunder and low and behold black sky to the northwest ..

I cannot believe it worked out to get a rain out of nowhere after all the trials and tribulations.. finished planting and rain !

I guess it reminds us there is always something good to come ..
Bear

I relate as I'm about to start my second fall with the drill

At what point does one graduate from the "on and off" the tractor phase of checking the seed boxes, planted rows, etc?

bill

 

[Brokenbear]

Well my old John Deere VanBrunt drill I was successful in keeping it free of critters with two cottage cheese cups full w/ lids off ..one with ammonia and the other bleach with wadded aluminum foil in the box at each drop hole and pressed to shape/plug in place ...so i am going to try the dryer sheet trick however ..
I'm thinking as the manual says "long term storage remove the drop hoses" ..Dropping the hoses on the small box drops will be easy plus I can wash them up inside and out ..after dry treat the exterior with Armor-All let dry then bag them thus sealing them from air/aging ..I WILL buy a pair of hose pliers for the drill "tool Box"
The big box will be more difficult but the previous owner has already change the drop tubes over to large winged wingnut clamps so the big box may go only a bit slower than the small box to service/store the drop tubes ..

My stoppages were the sticky spider egg sacks (and one dirt dobber ball) that I am not sure air alone will clear but I do have some very long handled brushes designed to clean laboratory test tubes and other glass tubing found in labs and industry that will for sure wind in the silky stuff ..

TD not sure if your drill is 3 point or pull type but I learned real quick with my 3 point to keep it moving as I lift at the end of the row then back to the unplanted side and pull across the row I just pulled from and examine the seed lay of all 9 drops in that 2 foot long space where seed is dropped and yet to be covered by the press wheels ..this I do at the end of each pass then about every 4 passes it's off the tractor full inspection precipitated by a short 3 foot pull.. then lift and pull off the 3 foot "check Lane" and if all is well I back straight back to the start of the row and 4 passes again ..I am confident that once the equipment is fully functioning it will seldom start failing short of pilot error ..like backing up with the drill in the ground

One work around I developed because of bad knees and the first step up on my drill is balls high is I have a small plastic kitchen step stool (wally world Steralite weighs 2 pounds) that I just stretch cord it upside down to my rear stand board and if I need up on top I throw it beside the drill and step right on up but even more ..I an set it at either side(s) of the seed boxes and see in without climbing all the way up on top (kind of a concession to my wife also as we have buried 3 guy friends in the last year from falling off stuff)

By the way our rain as of this morning final total was .95" ..outstanding in all respects !!!

Have a great and safe week everyone

Bear

 

[Brian662]

Great stuff Bear! Glad you got the weather to cooperate! Please send rain to SE MN and SW WI when you get a chance!

 

[Bill]

I relate as I'm about to start my second fall with the drill

At what point does one graduate from the "on and off" the tractor phase of checking the seed boxes, planted rows, etc?

bill

That F-it stage takes years to achieve. I'm happily there. Only once did I plant a whole field with my seed tubes blocked after graduation.