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Add-On Furrow Closer For Planters
'Farmers who've tried them can't believe how well they work," says Paul Schaffert, Indianola, Neb., about his new "Furrow Closer" attachment for row crop planters that's designed to close the seed furrows better than existing covering wheels.
It consists of a 5 1/2-in. dia. abrasion-resistant poly wheel, mounted
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Add-On Furrow Closer for Planters PLANTING EQUIPMENT Accessories 16-6-22 'Farmers who've tried them can't believe how well they work," says Paul Schaffert, Indianola, Neb., about his new "Furrow Closer" attachment for row crop planters that's designed to close the seed furrows better than existing covering wheels.
It consists of a 5 1/2-in. dia. abrasion-resistant poly wheel, mounted on a triple-sealed bearing, that sets between the disc openers and angled closing wheels. The disc runs 3/4 to 1 in. off to the side of the furrow at about 3/4 to 1 in. deep.
"It eliminates air pockets in the furrow and improves seed-to-soil contact. Works great in heavy or light soils and in no-till, ridge-till or conventional tillage," says Schaffert, noting that the problem with existing angled press wheels is that they don't al-ways get the furrow closed in heavy soils and often apply too much down pressure in light soils, forcing the seed up out of the ground.
"The Furrow Closer wheel lets you re-duce down pressure on the angular press wheels by half or more," says Schaffert.
The patent pending poly disc self-cleans even in wet gumbo soils and is resistant to herbicides and liquid fertilizers. "At first we tried a steel disc but it would plug up in wet soils and didn't do nearly as good a job as this self scouring poly disc. Nothing sticks to it," notes Schaffert, adding that some farmers with prototypes haveputover 1,000 acres on the discs with "very little wear".
Schaffert says the discs result in higher plant populations due to increased germination and reduction of compaction over the seed due to the lessening of down pressure on the press wheels.
The Furrow Closer mounts on a bracket - takes less than 10 min. per row to install - that makes it easy to adjust pitch, depth and distance from the row. Sells for $70 per row. Fits Deere 7000 Series planters, Kinze planters and White 5000 and 6000 Series planters. Brackets for other planters are being developed.
For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Schaffert Manufacturing, Co., Rt. 1, Box 157, Indianola, Neb. 69034 (ph 800 382-2607 or 308 364-2607).
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