Looking forward to Lamma '10: Heavy, but effective SR style

Peter Dudley is no stranger to direct drilling techniques. The Essex grower has pursued the system at Pightle Farm, Chrishall, near Royston for the past 30 years – most of which using a Bettinson drill.

“I like the improved moisture retention, increased earthworm activity, reduced costs and fewer man hours which go hand-in-hand with direct drilling,” says Mr Dudley, of PJ Dudley Farms.

“We had been looking to replace our ageing Bettinson drill and first tried Claydon’s V-form for a couple of seasons,” he says.s

The folding drill means buyers have the choice of opting for a front-mounted hopper with integral metering system, or Claydon’s trailed seed pod which has its own linkage for carrying the drill behind.

At 4m wide, it currently remains Claydon’s only hydraulic folding version of the SR drill though it could easily be made much wider. The base machine uses a pair of 2m floating wing sections which fold vertically for transport.

Trailed seed pod

Peter Dudley’s folding SR is carried by the three-tonne capacity trailed seed pod, which also contains the Accord seed metering system. An RDS Artemis controller and ground speed radar complete the package.

“It is a heavy outfit, but it is carried on low ground pressure 700/50 flotation tyres, which helps to spread the weight,” he says. “Though having the drill hung off the back of the seed pod does take weight off the tractor’s rear axle.”

To counter this effect and to ensure traction is maintained, Mr Dudley chose to add ballast directly on to the seed pod’s drawbar.

“By keeping weight off the tractor, we use our New Holland 8970 on other tasks without having to constantly take weights off and then put on them back on to go drilling,” he explains. “The drill needs 50hp per metre, so 240hp is on top of the job.”

Output is an average 28 hectares (70 acres) per day on Hanslope series soils, and since taking delivery of the drill in late 2008 has so far covered around 1,600ha (4,000 acres) of work - much of it on a contract basis.

The SR drill’s deadweight comes from its use of a double chassis which separates seed coulters from auto-reset soil loosening tines, giving greater control over the relationship between tines and seeding depth.

Claydon’s chassis development has been achieved from using a parallelogram linkage connecting the two individual frames - one carries tines, the other carries coulters.

Independently adjustable

Each can be independently adjusted to maintain an accurate seeding depth, along with ground penetration at any depth, regardless of field conditions.

The key to the system’s effectiveness comes from mounting the coulter frame above the tine frame, and not below it, emphasises drill designer, Jeff Claydon.

“If I had placed the seeding tine section beneath the main frame on a suspended parallelogram linkage, it would simply rise up out of the ground as it was pulled forwards,” says Mr Claydon. “It had to be put above the main frame, so the parallelogram links would be pulled downward by draft forces as the drill is towed forward.”

“While spring tension and machine weight will get the leading tines into the ground, the geometry of the seeding frame means the tines will always be pulled downwards,” he says. “And the harder you pull, the more tip pressure it produces.”

To stop the seed tines being pulled into the ground and out of sight, depth control wheels are fitted to the front of the frame to hold the seeding tines at the desired depth.

Peter Dudley’s SR drill uses a 19mm narrow front tine to shatter the soil and create a drainage channel to a depth of up to 150mm, while the seeding tine follows directly in line behind it.

A-hoe winged foot

Equipped with an A-hoe winged foot, the seeding tine tills clean soil and create a shroud under which a 120mm band of seed is sown.

While standard models get rubber-tyre press wheels, Mr Dudley removed his during this season and switched to a set of Claydon’s recently-developed batter boards. “We do not anticipate putting the press wheels back on, unless conditions become very, very dry,” he says.

“The SR drill offers a hugely effective system which can operate on virtually any cultivated ground in addition to working direct into stubbles,” he says. “And with 600mm stagger between tines, there is a vast amount of space for trash and stubbles to run through the drill.”

The biggest drawback, he suggests – and it is one which is associated with any direct drill system – is that of the field’s initial appearance after seeds have been planted.

“Direct drilling always looks messy until the crop germinates and covers the surface, but I am happy to sacrifice cosmetics for the improved soil structure, moisture retention and earthworm activity which our land now has,” he says.

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