One Pass Seeder Saves Time And Money

One Pass Seeder Saves Time And Money DRILLS Drills (42C) 25-1-40 Brent Pidgurski knows that time is money, especially when it comes to field work. That's why he considered buying a new $60,000 triple tank air drill that would allow him to apply nitrogen and seed in a single pass. After mulling it over, however, the Buchanan, Sask. farmer opted instead for a home-built system that ended up costing him only about $5,000. He bought a used John Deere 665 air tank to hold dry fertilizer and pulls it directly behind the tractor. His 42-ft. field cultivator trails the 665 and a John Deere 775 air tank, loaded with seed and starter fertilizer, trails the field cultivator. In the three years since he put the new system to work, fuel savings alone have more than paid for it, says Pidgurski. "I was looking for a way to increase my available time for seeding," he recalls. "On a good day, I can now seed and fertilize over 200 acres." Pidgurski selected the 665 for its rugged construction. The only modification he had to make was to build a swivel hitch on the 665 strong enough to pull both the field cultivator and the second air tank. The first step was to remove the clevis from the field cultivator hitch and replace it with 2 by 4-in. rectangular steel beam to extend the reach of the hitch. The beam was bolted to the cultivator hitch arms and attached to the rear frame hitch of the 665 with a simple drop pin. The existing hitch on the 665 was also modified. Pidgurski reinforced the simple round shaft that extended from the frame with heavy rolled pipe. This allows the beam to swivel from side to side as the cultivator flexes over uneven terrain. "With this system, I can vary the N supply as required for a given field," says Pidgurski. "I have two separate meters in the cab, one for each unit, and can shut one off or adjust the flow on the go." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Brent Pidgurski, Box 116 Buchanan, Sask. S0A 0J0, Canada.

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