Strip-Till Toolbar Uses Wavy Coulters
 ✖  |
Marion Calmer, Alpha, Ill., made his own fall strip-till rig by converting a 3-pt., 7-row anhydrous ammonia toolbar into a pull-type, 8-row strip-till toolbar. He uses it to clear and work strips of soil while applying anhydrous ammonia in the fall.
Components include two rows of 20-in. wavy coulters, followed by knives and double disc sealers (to seal in anhydrous). The wavy coulters are spaced 3 1/2 in. apart, creating a 7-in. wide strip of tilled soil.
"We've found that two rows of wavy coulters work better for fall strip-till work than ripple coulters because they loosen up the soil without moving it to the side, which can result in a trench that causes erosion," says Calmer. "They also do a better job of loosening up the soil to reduce surface soil compaction and they work better than ripple blade coulters commonly used on anhydrous applicators because they don't cause the soil to slab. We've found that 13-wave coulters work best because they loosen the soil without a lot of disturbance. Spring down pressure keeps the coulters cutting through heavy residue.
"The inverted double disc sealers behind the injector knives leave a mound of soil that dries out and warms up early in the spring. We plant into the cleared strips in the spring using intersecting row cleaners on the planter that are set shallow so they clear away any residue that remains in the strip-till zones over the winter."
The anhydrous applicator was originally equipped with 7 knives. Calmer removed one of the knives and added 20 in. onto each end of toolbar, then moved the other knives over to match planter's row unit pattern.
A hitch on back of the toolbar is used to pull an anhydrous tank. Toolbar is equipped with hydraulic markers. Calmer says summer tours of his research farm are available.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Marion Calmer, 550 N. Knox Rd., Alpha, Ill. 61413 (ph 309 334-2609).
Click here to download page story appeared in.
Click here to read entire issue
Strip-Till Toolbar Uses Wavy Coulters NO-TILL EQUIPMENT No-Till Equipment 18-3-27 Marion Calmer, Alpha, Ill., made his own fall strip-till rig by converting a 3-pt., 7-row anhydrous ammonia toolbar into a pull-type, 8-row strip-till toolbar. He uses it to clear and work strips of soil while applying anhydrous ammonia in the fall.
Components include two rows of 20-in. wavy coulters, followed by knives and double disc sealers (to seal in anhydrous). The wavy coulters are spaced 3 1/2 in. apart, creating a 7-in. wide strip of tilled soil.
"We've found that two rows of wavy coulters work better for fall strip-till work than ripple coulters because they loosen up the soil without moving it to the side, which can result in a trench that causes erosion," says Calmer. "They also do a better job of loosening up the soil to reduce surface soil compaction and they work better than ripple blade coulters commonly used on anhydrous applicators because they don't cause the soil to slab. We've found that 13-wave coulters work best because they loosen the soil without a lot of disturbance. Spring downpressure keeps the coulters cutting through heavy residue.
"The inverted double disc sealers behind the injector knives leave a mound of soil that dries out and warms up early in the spring. We plant into the cleared strips in the spring using intersecting row cleaners on the planter that are set shallow so they clear away any residue that remains in the strip-till zones over the winter."
The anhydrous applicator was originally equipped with 7 knives. Calmer removed one of the knives and added 20 in. onto each end of toolbar, then moved the other knives over to match planter's row unit pattern.
A hitch on back of the toolbar is used to pull an anhydrous tank. Toolbar is equipped with hydraulic markers. Calmer says summer tours of his research farm are available.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mar-ion Calmer, 550 N. Knox Rd., Alpha, Ill. 61413 (ph 309 334-2609).
To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click
here to register with your account number.
