Notched disc blades?

[Andy Carson]

Does anyone use notched disc blades? I thought they might be more efficient than smooth discs at cutting through and burying some corn stalks that are (frustratingly) still hanging around.

[Tim Harrigan]

The notched blades will be better for pinning residue and penetrating hard ground. A little more weight on the disk might help with burying the residue a little better. Are you getting ready to plant something now? What type of disk do you have as far as blade spacing, diameter, single gang etc. It might be a finishing disk and not really made for corn residue.

[Andy Carson]

I am doing a summer fallow trying destroy weeds without burying thier seeds too deep. When the weeds are under control, I plan to plant a cover crops (probably oats and peas) for next year. I am using a converted single gang disc (designed for a lawn tractor) it has a single gang of 8 12 inch diameter smooth discs, and is about 40 inches wide. I would estimate it weighs 75 pounds, but I sit on it, making the whole thing weigh almost 300 pounds. It is adjusted to maximum angle, but I would be guessing at what that angle is… It does a good job knocking down and uprooting weeds and grass when I make a pass in one direction and return with a pass in the opposite direction. The penetration is variable because the disc tends to roll over the corn stalks bringing them back to the surface. As far as draft, this seems a little light for my horse on some days, just right on others. I definately couldn’t double the draft and pull it for very long, but she could probably pull 25-50% more without trouble. I have about 4 of 5 acres disced, but broke a disc and thought it was a good time to reevaluate the technique…

[Tim Harrigan]

With the 12 inch blades and relatively light frame the disk is not really made for corn stalks. They will become more brittle over time and break up more easily. Some residue on the surface is usually a good thing unless you think it will interfere with the seeding of the cover crop. Do you have a lead on a disk with notched blades? I liked the KOTA single gang with notched blades that we used for seedbed tillage and I reported on earlier in a previous post, I think I included a picture.

[Andy Carson]

Thanks Tim,
The residue is preventing me from using my springtooth. It plugs up within 20 feet. Maybe I am better off forgetting that part for now… Maybe I’m better off going disc, disc, disc, then harrow, seed, harrow, roll. At least these implements don’t plug… Most of the horse discs I have seen are two horse types 4-5 feet wide. My mare is strong, but can’t do the work of two horses… Luckily, most of the lawn tractor implements seem sized just about right for a single, they just need tweeked. I had a lead on notched discs that I could replace these smooth discs with. They are 14 inch rather than 12, but I measured and they should fit. Maybe I will add some weight too. I could put on another 100 punds without much trouble. That would be 50 pounds per disc…

[Tim Harrigan]

If your main goal is weed control you do not need the springtooth right now. A spiketooth would probably work better if you lay the teeth down on an angle. But if you are only seeding a cover crop you do not need a smooth, level surface like you would want in a hay field or pasture. So consider seeding directly into the disked seedbed or find a good size branch to drag around for a little more fine-tuning.

[Andy Carson]

Awesome, thanks alot!

[Tim Harrigan]

Andy: I described the disk we used in this thread http://www.draftanimalpower.com/showthread.php?t=2716

The disk was a single gang, 10-18 inch diameter notched disk blades, 18 degree gang angle, 7.5 inches between blades. The disk with rider was about 109 lb/foot width at the light setting, 136 lb/ft with the additional weight. The draft in the chain was about 2/3 of the weight of the disk, or about 72 to 92 lbf per foot of width. We overlapped 1/2 of the disk width so we would make a pass and then come back over 1/2 of it on the way back. It did a nice job.

[Andy Carson]

Thanks again Tim. Based on some rough math, it looks like with notched blades and another 75-150 pounds I would have a smaller version of the disc you measured. The draft with these modifications comes out with my single pulling about 45-65% of the team, which seems about right. I have to say that your measurements are invaluable for someone who either has to (or wants to) make custom equipment.

[Matthew]

The notched harrow blades work well. My harrow is a dubble gang with notched blades in the front and smooth round blades in the rear. The front ones can be angled in the more the v the deeper it digs in. The key is the weight. I have tried rocks, cinder blocks, old propaine tanks filled with water, the best is sand bags they dont move.

[Andy Carson]

Ha! Good tip Matthew! I tried to wire on some cinderblocks tonight, but it wasn’t the best arrangement and I ran out of room fast… I have a perfect place for a sandbag or two.

[jac]

I know im miles behind on this but iv been away… would a bigger diameter disc of 24″ help…. would it pull easier because of the bigger dia and do away with the need for ballast ??..
John

[Tim Harrigan]

jac;20980 wrote:

I know im miles behind on this but iv been away… would a bigger diameter disc of 24″ help…. would it pull easier because of the bigger dia and do away with the need for ballast ??..
John

I don’t think it would make much practical difference. With the bigger blades the disk would be heavier and pull a little harder because of the added weight, but the bigger blades would put more steel in contact with the ground and therefore not run as deep. So those tend to offset each other.

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