Two Salvaged Planters Combined To Make One Great Bean Planter

2001 - Volume #25, Issue #1, Page #41

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Dan Beer wanted to plant soybeans in narrow rows but he couldn't justify the cost of an expensive new planter or drill.
    So, the Syracuse, Indiana farmer, hunted around for some older planters he could rebuild into a narrow row bean planter.
    He started with a 12-row rigid frame Deere 7000 planter that he bought for $4,500.
    Then he bought a 6-row 7000 Conservation planter that was in really bad shape for just $1,000. "It was a real bargain, but the planting units needed a lot of work. What I really wanted was the 7 by 7 toolbar and the 4 heavy-duty lift cylinders that were on it," he says.
    He took all the wheels and slave cylinders off the 12-row bar and then cut off the ends so it was the right length for a regular 8-row planter. Then he welded the pieces he'd cut off onto the bar of the second planter and then trimmed the ends so both bars were the same length.
    Then he mounted one bar 4 ft. behind the other by welding a 4 ft. section of 8 by 2 in. tubing from an old trailer frame on each end. Then he put several lengths of 2 by 2 square tubing between the front and back bars for support and spacing.
    He rebuilt 15 of the planter units to like-new condition and mounted 8 units on the front bar and 7 on the rear, offsetting them 15 in.
    He put the lift wheels and cylinders from the conservation planter on the front bar. When the planter is raised, the rigidly fastened rear toolbar raises a little higher in the air than the front bar, but he says this is no problem. "It's a little heavy in the back, but I use spacers on the hitch clevis to keep it from bouncing," he says.
    Powering the rear bar was a bit of a problem, since there were no wheels left on it. "We extended the shaft that drives the front bar and put an identical sprocket on the end. A chain from that turns the drive for the back bar. I had to offset the back drive by 15 in. from the front one," he says.
    A row marker was a bit of a problem. He had a 6-row marker on the conservation planter and a 12-row marker on the other one. He needed an 8 row marker, so he used the outside end section of the folding Deere markers and built the inside section the right length, similar in design to the original Deere marker, "I raise and lower this with the marker cylinder from an old IH 500 planter. It's a 2-way cylinder that mounts in front of the planter bar, so it doesn't extend past the end of the planter when the marker is raised and folded," Beer says.
    The 12-row planter had Yetter springs and coulters on it, so he used those on 12 of the 15 rows. The 6-row conservation planter had Deere springs and coulters on it, so he used three of those on the planter, too.
    Rather than buying a new planter monitor, Beer just hooked up the one that came with the 12 row planter. "I have three rows that aren't monitored, but so far, it hasn't been a problem," he says.
    Beer figures he has about $8,500 tied up in the planter. Rebuilding the planter units using the Deere radial bean meter was one of his biggest expenses. He's used it for two seasons now and is pleased with how well it peforms.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dan Beer, 3468E 1300 N., Syracuse, Ind. 46567 (ph 219-457-4633).

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Two Salvaged Planters Combined To Make One Great Bean Planter PLANTERS Planters Dan Beer wanted to plant soybeans in narrow rows but he couldn t justify the cost of an expensive new planter or drill So the Syracuse Indiana farmer hunted around for some older planters he could rebuild into a narrow row bean planter He started with a 12-row rigid frame Deere 7000 planter that he bought for $4 500 Then he bought a 6-row 7000 Conservation planter that was in really bad shape for just $1 000 It was a real bargain but the planting units needed a lot of work What I really wanted was the 7 by 7 toolbar and the 4 heavy-duty lift cylinders that were on it he says He took all the wheels and slave cylinders off the 12-row bar and then cut off the ends so it was the right length for a regular 8-row planter Then he welded the pieces he d cut off onto the bar of the second planter and then trimmed the ends so both bars were the same length Then he mounted one bar 4 ft behind the other by welding a 4 ft section of 8 by 2 in tubing from an old trailer frame on each end Then he put several lengths of 2 by 2 square tubing between the front and back bars for support and spacing He rebuilt 15 of the planter units to like-new condition and mounted 8 units on the front bar and 7 on the rear offsetting them 15 in He put the lift wheels and cylinders from the conservation planter on the front bar When the planter is raised the rigidly fastened rear toolbar raises a little higher in the air than the front bar but he says this is no problem It s a little heavy in the back but I use spacers on the hitch clevis to keep it from bouncing he says Powering the rear bar was a bit of a problem since there were no wheels left on it We extended the shaft that drives the front bar and put an identical sprocket on the end A chain from that turns the drive for the back bar I had to offset the back drive by 15 in from the front one he says A row marker was a bit of a problem He had a 6-row marker on the conservation planter and a 12-row marker on the other one He needed an 8 row marker so he used the outside end section of the folding Deere markers and built the inside section the right length similar in design to the original Deere marker I raise and lower this with the marker cylinder from an old IH 500 planter It s a 2-way cylinder that mounts in front of the planter bar so it doesn t extend past the end of the planter when the marker is raised and folded Beer says The 12-row planter had Yetter springs and coulters on it so he used those on 12 of the 15 rows The 6-row conservation planter had Deere springs and coulters on it so he used three of those on the planter too Rather than buying a new planter monitor Beer just hooked up the one that came with the 12 row planter I have three rows that aren t monitored but so far it hasn t been a problem he says Beer figures he has about $8 500 tied up in the planter Rebuilding the planter units using the Deere radial bean meter was one of his biggest expenses He s used it for two seasons now and is pleased with how well it peforms Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Dan Beer 3468E 1300 N Syracuse Ind 46567 ph 219-457-4633

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