build or buy a planter?

[johnwayne360]

Since my last planned planter purchase fell through, im thinking about building a twin row planter. I do not want to go over a six row planter just because i dont have that many acres to cover. I have a four row now. Figure I can probably go twin row for 6k +/-. Or I could try to find a six row planter(why they are so hard to find is intriguing) and pay probably close to 10k. And have to buy a new head for my combine. Opinions?

[Jefe™©]

What kind of planter do you have now? John Deere, Kinze, 400 cyclo?

[JoshuaGA]

JohnWayne, shoot me an Email at johndeere7245 AT hotmail.com. I have some pictures of a twin row planter built out of a IH 800-955 Cyclo you might be interested in, I'll forward you the email.

[johnwayne360]

john deere 7200 4 row vacuum planter. Have access to a second 4 row to buy for the project. And Joshua..it will be a deere conversion..but thanks for the offer. I have pics off nat that someone else did. only problem is the parts planter is a 7000 so half the units would be finger and half vacuum..but i think that would be manageable with a little planning.

[Jefe™©]

You mean this one? Need more pictures?

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[johnwayne360]

I have 4 of that planter, if you have more id like to see them.

[Jefe™©]

I can go to the shed and take all you want. Something in particular you want to see? I'll just go take some and e-mail them to you.

[johnwayne360]

you know i forgot the name of the poster that had that planter..lol..I guess its just a couple questions. Did you use a 6 row frame for the 5 rear units? You did a very nice job. Although i was hoping to have insecticide on at least 4 of the row units. Looks like its a little light on the tongue? Im also trying to decide if i should mix vac/finger units or not, seems i might have to run 2 transmissions or figure out the correct gear ratio to get the fingers to plant the same as the vac. Otherwise it looks pretty self explanatory i think, at least until i start building..lol.

[Jefe™©]

Started out with two 4 row planters so the back we had to add a piece on. It would depend on the size of your frame on your 7200. Is it 7x7?

We didn't need the insecticide boxes plus it was to help with the tongue weight issue. If you had to have them you would need to figure out extra lift wheels. Then you wouldn't be able to slide the back units over to plant 19"beans.

I think running 2 transmissions would be an awfully big challenge to get the stagger correct. We even put in the 6 finger precision units this year just to get things running at the proper speed. Otherwise it's half rate on everything. They sure did help.

You're more than welcome to come visit an see it for yourself to try and wrap your head around it.

[JoshuaGA]

Your right on the two transmission deal, utterly impossible. Bout the same as all the ganged up KMC and 71 planters here, you get twin row, just not a accurately spaced version. To me the better way would be to find a double framed planter, something akin to a 1780 (Only one that comes to mind) and make it easier to hang units on. I see no reason to slide your units to 18", twin row beans work just as well IMO. I know I have seen another version of those twin row setups where the have ran a bar between two units with the transmission chain and all and hung the row units off that bar to create twinrow, that way you can still step between every row. How many acres we talking anyway JohnWayne, I know my little two row will do 2 acres an hour without straining myself.

[johnwayne360]

only about 100 acres, just trying to figure out if its worth it to get this thing built, trying to figure out the details that may or may not kill me...lol...