2023 - Volume #47, Issue #5, Page #17
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Planter Tool Helps Improve Depth Control
The planter accessory is the invention of Blake Patton, a self-proclaimed tinkerer from Nashville. “I’ve been a precision planting dealer since 2015,” Patton says. “I help retrofit planters with new technology and provide maintenance services. There are times when I help customers set the depth of the planter to make sure there is uniformity across it. If the planter units are all set in the same notches or number, it doesn’t mean they’re all at the same depth for each row unit. This could cause emergence issues, especially when planting into dry conditions.”
Patton initially used two 4 by 4 blocks to set the depth on each row unit. While this system worked, the process was slow and tedious. Inspiration struck with the idea of the Set-N-Seed, a tool that doesn’t just check the depth but actively sets it. “At that point, I made a few prototypes and realized I wasn’t the only one with this issue,” he explains. “So, I decided to patent it and make it available to farmers everywhere.”
Using the Set-N-Seed makes it possible to plant uniformly, even with heavily used disk blades, gauge wheel arms, and rocker arms that could otherwise cause uneven performance. As Patton explains, “The farmer can quickly set the depth to what he believes is at or under the soil moisture line across the entire planter before heading to the field. After starting to plant, he’ll still need to check to ensure the seed is planting at the correct depth based on that soil moisture line, but they don’t need to dig up every row, knowing that the planter is equally calibrated.”
Once in the deepest setting, the disc openers will rest on the metal production plate while the gauge wheels rise to the desired depth determined by Set-N-Seed block and additional side attachments. Almost all planter makes and models utilizing 1/4” notches can be set this way.
Patton began experimenting with a Set-N-Seed prototype in 2019 and received a patent in 2022. “I wanted as much of the Set-N-Seed to be local as possible,” he explains. “Luckily, I live in an area with plenty of resources from wonderful people/companies.” Every component, even the shipping boxes, is made within 30 miles of his house in Illinois. The only exception is the plastic mold injection sourced from Detroit.
This tool is well-suited for any farmer that utilizes a planter or seeder. With a little familiarity, it takes just 30 seconds to calibrate the Set-N-Seed for each row. Patton believes it should take just 15 mins. to calibrate a 16-row planter, which otherwise takes over an hour. “As long as the depth is set with a gauge wheel, the Set-N-Seed can give peace of mind to the farmer that the row units are true to the depth they set. Knowing the depth is calibrated is one box that can be checked before going to the field.”
Set-N-Seed costs $185 for one 1-in. main block and multiple 1/2-in. stackable inserts.
Coming Fall of 2023, Patton will release two new adaptors that will allow for more precise depth. This will create the ability to set your planting depth from 1/4 in. to 2 3/4 in.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Set-N-Seed, 10000 Pleasant Hill Rd., Oakdale, Ill. 62268 (ph 618-538-1991; info@setnseed.com; www.setnseed.com).
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