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Corn planters

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2005-12-02          120309

What size corn planter should I be looking for to pull behind my tc40? Any tips on how to use and WHAT TO LOOK for when buying one (as to the condition of it) would be a great help.

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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2005-12-03          120314

Probably a 2 row would be enough. The older ones will be 36" rows. Any newer will be 30". Some are towed some are 3ph. There are some 1 row out there also.

These seem to be hot products so not sure what kind of prices they are fetching at auctions.

I'd look for one that has not sat out for 30 years, give or take. Also a better kept/maintained unit will have several different seed disk feeders with them.

I have not been to many auctions where you see these, most were parked in hedge rows. You will need to pay close attention to your auction listings. Ones with older equipment will be the most likely and be chance for a well kept one. ....

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BrendonN
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 89 Central Kansas
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2005-12-03          120316

As Harvey said above, a two row would suit well although your tractor could probably handle four rows if the planter was light (no fertilizer boxes, no-till coulters, etc). I assembled a two row rig using John Deere 71 units that I could buy cheap from a used equipment dealer. The cost of small planters on eBay and other on-line sites has gotten way out of hand as folks are buying them for putting in wildlife food plots. You maybe could buy a four row for less money then cut it down to two rows. If you are going to plant into any kind of trash or crop residue a planter with double disk openers would work better than runners. With a clean seedbed, runners will work just fine.

One thing that you might find out is that there are seemingly limitless options when it comes to planter plates, hopper bottoms, cut-offs, false rings, floor plates, etc. that are used for different seeds. If the planter you buy is already set up for corn you won't have to worry about all this stuff but having a selection of plates would be a good idea. There are dozens of plates made just for corn alone and it is important that you have one matched to the size seed you are using. ....

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2005-12-03          120319

Have you checked with your local Agricultural Extension Agent or FSA office? In many areas, they have seed drills that they will rent out that you can sign up for to use. For the small or occasional user, this can be a win/win situation that allows you to use the latest modern seed planting equipment without the expense of buying new or used and the upkeep. ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2005-12-03          120326

Two row is the max that you should be playing with but a light four row from 30 years ago might also work. ....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2005-12-03          120349

Thank you all for the info! This is the way it always goes, when your looking for something, one is never around. Last year I had the chance to buy a two row that was barn kept (Sounds kinda un heard of) Of course I was not looking for one and the darn thing woulda just fell in my lap for cheap too! (That would be my foot in my butt) if you heard something. Thanks for the info on openers too, I have alot to learn on this subject and only a few months to learn it.
Thanks again
....

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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2005-12-04          120350

Why only a few months to learn it? You got Cancer?

There are lots of ways to get corn in the ground with out a planter. Planters just make it nicer and easier. ....

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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2005-12-05          120412

When I grew up we had a 4 row planter and pulled it with a Farmall Super "C". I think the "C" only had about 23-30 HP. Granted the newer planters may have heavier frames. You will want to pull something with a setup where the rows fit between the tires so you don't compact the soil over the row. The 40 has really big, wide tires.

Any good farmer has his stuff stored in a shed out of the weather. I won't buy anything that has been out in the weather, except if it were at the road being sold. ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2005-12-05          120479

Newer planters weigh two to three times the weight of the lod planters used behind a farmall C. The older 455 or 56 models were light even when full. The jd 449 and 1240's also had far lighter frames. Many of these older wide row planters can be narrowed from the 40 inch spacing to 32 or 30 inch widths. If you are choosing to do that be sure the shafts that run the seed and fertilizer are not all rusted! ....

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2005-12-06          120489

If you are planting corn to be harvested by machine be sure your planters are the width that machine will need. You also need to be sure the width matches your tractor width.

Depending on your state, you may find your Dept of Agriculture has a sales paper or web site for such as low or no cost.

I could not find it, but Cole still makes a single row planter I think the unit is about a $1,000.

I think 2 row is as much weight as you will want. I use a light weight with no fertilizer on four row with heavier tractor. Also the wider width will slow you down in turning around. If area to be planted is short, you will spend more time turning around with four row rather than planting. All four rows I have seen have some kind of row marker that must be raised and lowered or if you forget torn off. Most two rows just run a simple marker that is fixed.
....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2005-12-07          120626

Thanks again.
Harvey, like every thing else we talk about here, a back hoe instead of a shovel, a back blade instead of a walk behind snow blower, I realize this can be done with out a planter. I have been planting for 4 years with out much equipment at all. Untill recently (2 years) with out a tractor that worked. The time need to learn this stuff is before I buy it. The precious time I have left on this earth has nothing to do with the reason I need to learn this stuff fast. Besides. I need the corn to actually look as good as it grows (Its a personel thing). LOL ....

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