Tar River DRL-072 Grain Drill...

[davel]

Thinking about pulling the trigger on one of these after watching some YouTube videos. Anyone had any experience with it? Not a no till drill. My biggest concern is durability. For $4K+ I want it to last.
Thanks.

 

[Jim Boyd]

If you are a weekend warrior my guess is it will last forever

Mine was worn out when I started with it 10 years ago and it is still worn out

And going…..

 

[Elkbane]

I have one and have planted with it for two seasons. The main difference than with a drill is that since seed drop is operated by the rotating cage which makes qround contact, you will need to be extra careful with your top link to keep the frame parallel to the ground and with the roller cage on the ground.. That way you can then djust the coulter depth to get the seed to the right depth. It won't cut through standing grass like a drill - not heavy enough. It doesn't have slit closers, the spring loaded flaps at the back does that.

Take the lightweight cultipacker off the back and pitch it - it does nothing.

WHat we do is good dirt prep and then drag the site to smooth and compact harrowed ground. Then we spread wheat, brassicas and clover with a UTV seeder. Then load Tar River with Oats and anything else that needs to be planted deeper and run the seeder. The rear flaps firm up the seedbed and press the wheat brassicas and clover into the surface and the oats get planted 3/4 to an inch deep.

Make sure you torque down the stop knobs on the seed drop adjustment shaft near the handle - or they will vibrate loose and your seed drop adjustment will change.. Its a decent tool for the money.
Elkbane

PM me if you want more info.

 

[davel]

Thank you for the information!!!

 

[davidhelmly]

I have one and have planted with it for two seasons. The main difference than with a drill is that since seed drop is operated by the rotating cage which makes qround contact, you will need to be extra careful with your top link to keep the frame parallel to the ground and with the roller cage on the ground.. That way you can then djust the coulter depth to get the seed to the right depth. It won't cut through standing grass like a drill - not heavy enough. It doesn't have slit closers, the spring loaded flaps at the back does that.

Take the lightweight cultipacker off the back and pitch it - it does nothing.

WHat we do is good dirt prep and then drag the site to smooth and compact harrowed ground. Then we spread wheat, brassicas and clover with a UTV seeder. Then load Tar River with Oats and anything else that needs to be planted deeper and run the seeder. The rear flaps firm up the seedbed and press the wheat brassicas and clover into the surface and the oats get planted 3/4 to an inch deep.

Make sure you torque down the stop knobs on the seed drop adjustment shaft near the handle - or they will vibrate loose and your seed drop adjustment will change.. Its a decent tool for the money.
Elkbane

PM me if you want more info.

Is that not a no-till drill?

 

[Bigearl68]

Is that not a no-till drill?

Technically yea but no not really. I just looked the drill in question up and while it does have a coulter for no till applications it just won’t work. As the gentleman stated it’s not heavy enough. For comparison this drill is 6ft and weighs 550lbs. An actual no till drill like a Great Plains 7 ft drill weighs around 3,800lbs.
It’s basically a glorified grain drill.

 

[davel]

They make a no till and a regular drill. The no till isn't as heavy as the expensive ones. I just got the DRL-072 and it weighs 650lbs. We have sandy soil so mine will act like a no till. There are some videos on YouTube that show how it can work like a no till in soft or sandy soil.

 

[davidhelmly]

Technically yea but no not really. I just looked the drill in question up and while it does have a coulter for no till applications it just won’t work. As the gentleman stated it’s not heavy enough. For comparison this drill is 6ft and weighs 550lbs. An actual no till drill like a Great Plains 7 ft drill weighs around 3,800lbs.
It’s basically a glorified grain drill.

I was just curious why Elkbane was prepping ground before using a no till.
That’s what I love about my Woods, it cuts planting time by about 2/3rds by being a single pass planter.

 

[Bucaramus]

I was just curious why Elkbane was prepping ground before using a no till.
That’s what I love about my Woods, it cuts planting time by about 2/3rds by being a single pass planter.

How does the Woods do with small seeds such as clover?

 

[Elkbane]

David,
I got it because it was cheap - for me at least - a friend offered to split the cost but leave it at my farm most of the time. I knew when I bought it it wasn't a turn-key solution, but alot of the things I do are by myself with no help, and this filled a critical need - getting oats planted at the right depth after having top-sowed clover and brassicas on prepped ground.

I also use it to suppplement/overseed my perennial clover with a clover mix and wheat, set to have coulters just break the soil surface, and closure flaps do a decent job of just covering the seed.

This tool isn't for everyone or every situation, but in my situation working by myself most of the time and at half cost, its been a big timesaver.
Elkbane

 

[davel]

Exactly why I got it too. Walking around spreading seed (multiple times if planting a mix), dragging it, hoping you got good coverage (which you don't most of the time), was getting old quick. Wife was against it until I told her no more walking around doing laps for 2 hours...she said buy it!

 

[davidhelmly]

How does the Woods do with small seeds such as clover?

They do great, I have large and small seed boxes on mine.
I normally put cereal grain in the large box and a mix of clovers and brassicas in the small box and plant them all in one pass.
My only regret about the Woods is that I didn’t buy one 10 years earlier!

 

[davidhelmly]

David,
I got it because it was cheap - for me at least - a friend offered to split the cost but leave it at my farm most of the time. I knew when I bought it it wasn't a turn-key solution, but alot of the things I do are by myself with no help, and this filled a critical need - getting oats planted at the right depth after having top-sowed clover and brassicas on prepped ground.

I also use it to suppplement/overseed my perennial clover with a clover mix and wheat, set to have coulters just break the soil surface, and closure flaps do a decent job of just covering the seed.

This tool isn't for everyone or every situation, but in my situation working by myself most of the time and at half cost, its been a big timesaver.
Elkbane

If it works for you and saves you time, that is what it’s all about!