Something new to rc
 

...well not really, but I thought I'd share my latest new toy, just brought it home today. It aint no monster Case IH 4wd, which is what I'd really like to have, but it'll do. :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/IMG_0465.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/IMG_0464.jpg

Re: Something new to rc
 

Cool, New Toy:D:D:D

Re: Something new to rc
 

Nice. 90' boom?? I need to go spray soybeans here today, but only have a 45' trailer sprayer

Re: Something new to rc
 

100ft, 103.5ft w/fenceline nozzles.

It sure is a big improvement over the 16yr old 100ft pull type, can travel nearly 3x the speed in the field & just about double speed on the road!

The greatest feature of all it is the five section auto-shutoff. Auto-steer shaved off about 10% of the acres for both seeding/spraying, I'm hoping to gain another 5% on the spray.

Continuous cropping everything came on strong in the later 90's. The Richardson Ground Squirrel (gopher) was dominant in the hayland/pastures for-ever, but 50/50 crop/fallow kept them out of the cropland. The f#@%^&ing treehuggers got our 2% strychnine banned from regular use for rodent control in 99, so the gophers got over populated in the pastures and started moving out into the crops... and why not with an unlimited food supply!

So fast forward to 07, gopher populations are out of control, crop damage in the $40-100/acre or more, holes everywhere, badgers the natural predator to the gopher & they dig holes the size of a basketball / along with the huge mound of dirt on the surface... these pull type sprayers with small 24 inch wheels to carry the booms are getting the shyt beat out of them even at 5-6mph. I use to spray @ 9.5mph.

Now with this self propel with its huge tires with its long footprint on the ground, I can drive over the holes without dropping into them. Also I can spray 3x the acres as the pull type in the same alloted time, making myself more self efficient when the weather is agreeable.

We got our strychnine back in 08, but it's not as potent as the old stuff. It still works, though I wonder at times... but then again the populations were huge a few yrs ago. And now with extremely wet weather for the past yr, getting poison out in the spring/early summer has been next to impossible. I put out many cases in 09, covered most of the farm twice, some of it three times and I do notice a reduction in populations, but worse than ever now is the badger holes everywhere.

The last couple yrs I've been doing about 15% tillage during the growing season, which means 15% less crop planted/harvested. :rolleyes: Something I'm shopping for currently is a big field disc, as much as I can pull with my 1325 Panther Steiger, so I can till the bad areas after harvest - before the snow flies. Then maybe I can continue on with 100% cropping again. We only grow one crop yr here & the season is pretty short!

That's my plan, anyway. This yr is so wet that I only got half planted. Now I got lots of chem fallow to do, which is the biggest reason why I bought this outfit sooner than later.

I'll fill with it water this afternoon & go out & play with it some more... alot of buttons & settings to fine tune yet. In crop herbicides will likely start next week sometime.... if the sun will shine?!

Re: Something new to rc
 

You sir, have all the toys... you win!

Re: Something new to rc
 

now that is a fun toy!

Re: Something new to rc
 

Nice APACHE you have there Joe. I use to work on those sprayers and even more interesting the guy who started the company is my brothers neighbor and his brother is my neighbor. I also have a few friends of mine from college who currently work for them. Kind of a small world we live in. The current factory is only 60mi from my house.

Travis

Re: Something new to rc
 

Small world indeed Travis! :D

Yesterday, 1st tank (half a tank), I sprayed about 75ac of glyphasate/2-4-D to finnish out my chem fallow for the 1st pass, then I started to rinse out. I couldn't get the Roto Flush to work... it's suppose to be a simple half turn of one valve from Agitation to Roto Flush, but it just wouldn't come on. Boom press would bolt to 120psi & agitation went to zero... water flow was dead heading. Brand new machine... WTF?! :confused:

So I start pulling apart hoses and fittings till I found the problem....(drum roll)....


stuck in both sprinkler heads within the product tank looked like Milo?! HTF could that happen?! :mad: Some jackass at the factory thought he was being funny? This machine just come across the line last wk direct Indiana factory.

The Roto Flush now works perfectly! I can change chemical in a fraction of the time compared to the outdated pull type sprayer. Aint technology grand, more done with less effort. :D

Say Hi to your neighbors for me. :)

Re: Something new to rc
 

Nice, I wish we had one like that. I did manage to get 35 ac of Ignite sprayed today, then had to get the planter back out for some custom work. Feels weird planting corn in mid June, but it has been wet here as well.

Re: Something new to rc
 

Hey Joe, have you seen this? Maybe charge admission to see it work, LOL!
Home page
http://www.rodexindustries.com/4000.html
http://www.rodexindustries.com/action.html Page with video. I like blowing thing's up!

Later, Neil#2 aka doodlebug.

Re: Something new to rc
 

I've heard of them Neil, some farmers south of town bought one together, though I don't know specifically what brand name they have. I spoked to one of the owners of it, he felt that although the kill rate was 99%, it's a very labor intensive apparatus, takes three guys to cover any significant area in a day. 1st guy with gopher balster, 2nd guy with a shovel to block surrounding holes for maxium concussion and 3rd to drive towing vechile.

I have over 6000acres of pasture/hayland/cropland infested with these varmits, grain mixed poison put out with an electric 2" auger drive dispencer on a quad takes me a wk of 12hr days to paint the farm once with a tablespoon of poison @90% approx of the holes.

I saw this outfit at a farm machinery show a few yrs ago.
http://www.gophinator.com/

With a bit of research about it shortly afterward, the closest dealer for anhydrous is 150miles away, but it's likely they wouldn't sell me small quantities b/c apparently anhydrous ammonia is an ingredient for methamphetamine. So if it weren't for the meth head druggies, I'd probably try this for a more effective rodent control tool, it'd likely be 2-3 times quicker than the gopher blaster.

Re: Something new to rc
 

So what's your Liberty Link soybean seed & chemical cost you an acre there? Are you happy with the yield & weed control you get with it?

My dad yrs ago was growing the Liberty Link canolas, weed control was less than impressive and yield was no better than the generic polish canolas I was growing for half the price.

Re: Something new to rc
 

Hey Joe, that's a big spread. My relatives used to inject anhydrous ammonia into the corn chopper, preservative? Later' Neil#2 aka doodlebug.

Re: Something new to rc
 

First year we did liberty link anything. Have a 6 variety test plot of beans so will let you know in fall what it looks like, hoping to hit mid 50's for yield. Should know about weed control in a few days.

I think we paid $43.00 something per gal of ignite and running 24 oz per acre. We are all No till as well so weeds are a problem, Thinking a couple of the grassier fields may need a 2nd app.

Seed cost, I don't recall atm, but it was comparable to the RR varieties. Our normal fields are all 0.9 maturity, test plots have some 1.4, 1.7 and a 2.3 in

Our corn is all RR2, like the idea of liberty beans to keep from having any tolerant weeds in the rotation, and easy to remember Roundup on corn, Ignite on beans. Had to laugh a couple years ago when the neighbor forgot which field of corn was which type, sprayed Roundup on non RR corn and fried a nice 25 acre field off

Re: Something new to rc
 

HAH! my dad has had a few of them wrecks over the yrs, he smoked some oats of mine one yr spraying a wild oat herbcide in wht & the small oat field right next to it, sprayed it all... the last to be sprayed for the season & he was thinking about his 5day break at the cottage instead of what he was doing. :(

I've seen the neighbors' mishaps over the yrs too... I'm only on my 3rd yr spraying, no screw ups yet for me. :D


So I think I have my machine figured out now, burned through 5 tanks of water... I don't like this Raven Smart Trax auto steer, it's really a step down from the Outback as to how it works, it's gonna take some getting use to.

I loaded with chemical for my brown mustard when the skies finally cleared about 3pm today, 1st tank went well, the start of the 2nd tank the machine lost power & fault code appears @5:10pm... isn't the way?! Phone the dealership, everybody gone, except that one guy who doesn't know anything about my machine.

It's really a nice evening to be spraying too... :(

However, that one guy suggested it might a clogged fuel filter the way it's behaving... brand new machine, possibly some plastic shavings from factory installation, add on the bio diesel from the states that the machine started out with & the algae problems that can come with that...

What really burns my chaps when shyt like this happens... the longest days of the yr right now, could start @4:30am, virtually no wind - perfect sparying conditions but gotta wait till 8:30-9am for service 1st. By the time I get it going the wind will be howling! lol

Re: Something new to rc
 

It's broken already! :(

Transmission/torque converter troubles... mechanics coming tomorrow morning to figure it out.

Not even 50hrs use yet.

Re: Something new to rc
 

Hey Joe, will a regular obd/2 reader plug into your engine, for reading fault codes???
Later, Neil#2 aka doodlebug.

Re: Something new to rc
 

doubtful, if anything might be canbus or isobus

Re: Something new to rc
 

Oh and so far the Ignite is looking awesome. Within 3 days weeds were clearly dying. By 5 days they are about dry enough to burn with a match. Beans showed no signs of yellowing or growth lag from the application. We even had some comefrey plants in our test plot that roundup usually only holds back for a bit, the ignite has turned them into dry, brown clumps.

Re: Something new to rc
 

Turned out to be an oil pressure sensor for the torque converter lock up... if the weather is calm tomorrow, I've got a few hundred acres of chem fallow to do, it'll be a good test to see if it's working properly as there's hills & muddy soils to contend with.

What's comefrey plants?

Re: Something new to rc
 

was supposed to be a cure all type plant, but mostly it was a fast growing feed for steers, they loved the stuff. grows as a rhizome with underground roots that spread the plant out.

Re: Something new to rc
 

Cool!

Re: Something new to rc
 

Hey Joe, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfrey used take comfrey pill's when I was a kid, Now it's ILLEGAL! I can still taste the stuff-YUCK!
I had no idea about anhydrous and meth, what next?

Cheer's, Neil.

Re: Something new to rc
 

have you thought of renting out fields for gopher hunting?
a bunch of shooters would love to have a place to go shoot them,
or guided Gopher hunts

Re: Something new to rc
 

Nice project! Looking forward to more pictures...!

regards
Frank

Re: Something new to rc
 

Interesting... so you took this to improve teeth & bone structure Neil?

Thanx for the link, I don't recognize the plant at all from any of my own land.

Re: Something new to rc
 

Actually there is or was such an annual event about an hour from where I live that happened every Spring. Apparently it was done over 17 quarters of land, though I don't know if it all was adjoining or spread out and the land owner supplied all the ammunition.. I heard that one of the years was approx 22,000 gophers and 44,000 rounds = 50% kill rate or 10 cents a gopher. :D I never went to it, as I was busy taking care of my own farmwork.

It'd be interesting to know how they coordinated such an event, with so many ppl around shooting in all directions.. I would hazard a guess and say only .22 shorts were allowed.

Between my own diligent efforts of poisoning & the cooperation of mother nature the last couple of Springs, the gopher population is nothing like it was two yrs ago. ;)

Re: Something new to rc
 

I have no intention of building a model of this... I was just estatic about my new purchase and wanted to show it off. :D

You want to build it Frank? I can take pics & measurements for you.. in the Spring that is b/c it's now put away in the shed for winter. ;)

Re: Something new to rc
 

You betcha Shawn! :cool:

It's a great time saver & a Blast to cruze the field @21mph! :D

Re: Something new to rc
 

LOL! no for allergie's, I have one of those mother's, that like's the natural stuff first.

Cheer's, Neil.

Re: Something new to rc
 

Can't wait to see working model.

Re: Something new to rc
 

I used this Apache 1020 two seasons, worked really well... I was wowed with what muddy conditions this beast could blast through. I never ever got stuck, not even close ever once.

A new 1220 unit showed up on the dealer lot this Spring, I got to talking with the salesman about it & he struck me with a trade deal I couldn't refuse... so now I have a 1220 - 40hp more (215hp), 200ga greater capacity (1200)... the 1020 would cover 170 acre per tank @ 5.5ga/ac; spray two tanks 1st thing in the morning, then go seeding the rest of the day till late in the night. Now this 1220 does 220ac per load, maintains speed throughout the field much better than the smaller one and spraying a 100 ac more in just about the same time frame, maybe 30mins longer. I luv it! :cool:

Never got stuck with the other one, got too brave with the muddy areas, thought it would never happen... I buried the 1220 this morning!!! :eek: :( :p 7 foot tall tires, one on the right side is just about underground! :eek:

Got the neighbor over to drive my 9390 Case IH with triples, pulled in 1st gear at an idle till a bolt snapped on the tow eyelet on the sprayer frame & quit!!! Atleast we got it turned 90 degrees so I can get my Chevy 4x4 & gooseneck with a water tank backed in to pump the load off the sprayer. When my hire hand comes to work 7am tomorrow, we'll try 'er again with Big Red.

Having some dinner now, take my camera with me & get some snaps this afternoon. :D Pictures @6! :D

Re: Something new to rc
 

We like pictures! Well it was a hard winter wasn't it? More snow than normal?
Cheers, Neil.

Re: Something new to rc
 

Not here Neil, winter wasn't too bad at all... go 100miles north & 200miles east of me & yes, they got blasted!!!! Those areas are probably another week yet before they can get into the field with a sprayer, much less do any seeding. Talking to a buddy who farms near Saskatoon, he hoping for mid May to get out to do some scouting on the land to see what fields will be dry 1st.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...psae93b482.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps183370e4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps3fc25954.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps7ec29a38.jpg

Big Red (retiring farmer I bought it from last summer was his pet name for it, rather fitting I'd say too :D) 500hp, about 28 tons. Hardly left a print where the sprayer is, pulled sprayer around 90* - 10', didn't slip a wheel at an idle in 1st gear.

I did however get Big Red stuck last Wed with the drill on behind, my smaller 1982 Steiger Panther pulled it all out as a whole (stop the tractor in plenty of time, didn't get it down more than 6inches).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps76587dd4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...psfb262f6e.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...pscf5d7135.jpg

I got the gooseneck this winter, the tank showed up last week, I get it on the trl this afternoon & looky there, I got no fitting or valves to connect tank to pump, pump to sprayer yadda yadda, trip to town in the morning. :rolleyes:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps7e83b0ec.jpg

Part of my seeding team here... drive to field that I am going to seed that day, off load the quad & go home to get my seeding tool, when it's time to reload seed/fertilizer, take trk home to get my single stack Mack you see in the distance. At the end of the work day, do the reverse - don't leave nothing in the field! Too many retards nowadays that like to f/k $hyt up for giggles, see if they make crime stoppers on the news. :rolleyes:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...psc7f1f96a.jpg

Re: Something new to rc
 

Joe:

At least ya realises ya dinna have the hose/fittings before ya dragged it all out to the field tomorrow, and then started cussin' up a storm.

And if that Steiger is ~small~, show us a pic of 'Big Red' eh?

And yea, you bogged that sprayer really well, dinna ya. Got a bit over-confident with the extra horses hm? The lord loves a smartass, doesn't he?

Remember I once hung my FWD Escort on a narrow causeway I wasn't supposed to be on. Thought I could 3-point (well, mebbe 5...) and dropped the fronts off the edge, then couldn't get 'em back up. Luckily, farmer came along and hauled my *** out, seems he did that about once a week. Was cheaper than a commercial tow too!

Hang in there, and take it easy,
WhiteWolf

Re: Something new to rc
 

Well that is Big Red in the pics above... do you not see 9390 Case IH on the side of the hood & that it's red in color? :confused: Panther Steiger is a light green color & is notibly smaller in stature, a 175hp less & only 18tons.

It's not about hp, but rather the predictment I got myself into... I was trying to make a U turn and sliding straight instead. It wasn't till I stopped & tried to back up that it then went down. If the trees weren't there & I could have gone straight through, I never would have gotten stuck... after two yrs of having an Apache sprayer, I just discovered today it's 1st limitation, it don't do nuttin but go straight in mud! :D

Re: Something new to rc
 

Ah...

Thought that was Red, but saw the Steiger badge on the nose, in spite of the Case IH on the side of the engine casing.

As for farming, heck, I know beef & milk comes from cow, eggs from chickens, and pork and bacon from pigs. Not that 'Milk from wax cartons' and 'eggs from styro containers' crap some city kids think. Grandpa had a few acres outside of Sydney NS: taters, beans, peas, carrots, a lovely patch of strawberries and some raspberry bushes... sadly its long gone. Even dad grew some veggies when I lived at home, even rhubarb & mint bushes!

Hope all goes well in the AM,
WhiteWolf

Re: Something new to rc
 

Case IH bought the Steiger tractor namesake in 1988.

Re: Something new to rc
 

Could have been worse!!


http://youtu.be/Vrp5ThGlbC4

Re: Something new to rc
 

Wow, what a soggy mess, Lol :lol::lol::lol:!
Cheers, Neil.