Old IH Plate plate planter and Green Beans.

a.w.gonya

New User
Picked up this Plate planter to plant Sweet Corn this year. Amazingly not much information out there on Plate planters made before the #56. This has
fiberglass fert cans so I think it might be a #449 rather than a #44.

Has anyone ever used one of these to plant a Green Bean patch? I'm putting in a big garden this year and I have the space. I'm working on sourcing
some used Lustran plates before planting time. Need a general guideline for what might work with Green Beans.

I'm not going to work it behind the Cub Cadet, we have a Farmall H and a Super C.

Thanks in advance.
a153981.jpg
 
It could be a 449, 449A or 450 built about 57 to mid 60's. if I would look up my operators and parts books I could tell exactly years made. I do not know what plate the grean beans would take. Easiest way that I know of to figure out a plate would be to look up plates in the John Deere plate book and find the measurements they give and then compair the sizes for plates on the Lincoln Ag site. I cannot see in the picture if it is clutch lift or hydrolic cylinder lift. I also cannot see what openers it has and looks like the marker openers are missing. That planter ready for field if the clutch lift model is a thousand dollar planter depending on openers and hard to find but very desireable. The 449A has a partial bolted together frame where the 449 is all welded, They could be a check wire planter, the 450 is just a drill planter.
 
No Hydro on it, all manual. It has shoe openers, I have all the marker parts, we just pulled them off to bring it home. Frame is bolted together.
 

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A.W.,
Lustran plates are sold by Lincoln Ag; 402-464-6367. Good people to work with. They can give you the info you need for those beans and for your seed corn.

I suggest you not try "used" plates, considering how little new plates cost and the aggravation you can get with used plates that often are over-used, is not worth it. Plus the floor parts of the seed cans on that planter are most likely worn pretty much, so used plates just add to your misery.

I wrote a long article called "Plate-type planters and plates to match your seed size" several years ago. Type that title into search and it should come up. I was in the seed corn business for over 40years, starting with plate type planters.

Let me know how you make out. Or have any seed corn sizing questions.
LA in WI
 
LA in WI,

I have read your article several times already, thanks for that, excellent information!

I understand what you are saying, and you are 100% right, but right now I can afford four decent looking used plates for $20, but I can't spend $100
a set. Once I catch up to the learning curve I'll replace them with new plates from Lincoln Ag.

A.W.
 
(quoted from post at 17:47:54 03/12/17) ...This has
fiberglass fert cans so I think it might be a #449 rather than a #44...
a153981.jpg

It's not a 449/450 (-A) if there's no speed-change gearbox on the front. I think it's one of the model 40-something planters. 44's were the most common, but there were a couple of others that were similar, but were equipped a bit differently which were meant to plant other crops.

AG
 
(quoted from post at 14:33:09 03/12/17)
(quoted from post at 17:47:54 03/12/17) ...This has
fiberglass fert cans so I think it might be a #449 rather than a #44...
a153981.jpg

It's not a 449/450 (-A) if there's no speed-change gearbox on the front. I think it's one of the model 40-something planters. 44's were the most common, but there were a couple of others that were similar, but were equipped a bit differently which were meant to plant other crops.

AG

Good to know, bought an owners manual this afternoon, but knowing how IH did things having a 449 book instead of a 42/44 book should not hurt me that badly.
 
(quoted from post at 20:01:28 03/12/17) LA in WI,

I have read your article several times already, thanks for that, excellent information!

I understand what you are saying, and you are 100% right, but right now I can afford four decent looking used plates for $20, but I can't spend $100
a set. Once I catch up to the learning curve I'll replace them with new plates from Lincoln Ag.

A.W.
===============================
A.W. For seed corn, your seed dealer might have some plates if he has been in business for a long time. The size/shape of the seed kernels will dictate which plates you need (plates needed should be on the back of the seed bag). Don't know where you live, but in the Midwest there are a lot of old barns and sheds with planter plates hanging on a nail so if you know any of the local farmers you might find what you need....for a bargain price! I see planter plates at auctions often sell for 50 cents each, or less!
LA in WI
 
LA, I'm in Northwestern Ohio, should be no shortage of plates around here given time.

Here are some more pictures, hope you guys can help me solve the 42/44 vs 449 mystery.
 
LA, I'm in Northwestern Ohio, should be no shortage of plates around here given time.

Here are some more pictures, hope you guys can help me solve the 42/44 vs 449 mystery.
46573.jpg
 
Most of the old IH planter manuals have a list of plates that were available and what type of grain they were used with. Seems like the IH planter plates for that era planter should be all the same regardless of the planter? I know my Farmall Cub Blackland planter manual has a list plates that were available. I see planter plates on Ebay.
 
I modified some used Lustran (I think nylon) corn plates with a Dremel tool to fit green beans and it worked great. This was Lustran AC or JD plates. Actually , as I think back it , was a 1/4 straight bit in router table but I am sure dremel would work.
 
(quoted from post at 01:57:31 03/13/17)

Here are some more pictures, hope you guys can help me solve the 42/44 vs 449 mystery.
46573.jpg

NOT a 449. Framework, seed box bases, row units, sprocket/chain combos, are all different. 449 doesn't have, or need those holes in the frame to move the seed box bases around. The seed box mounts directly to the row unit, and seed tubes are not needed. Also, again,there is no speed change gearbox with the little lever on the main driveshaft, which the 449 would have.


(quoted from post at 23:10:52 03/12/17)

Good to know, bought an owners manual this afternoon, but knowing how IH did things having a 449 book instead of a 42/44 book should not hurt me that badly.

Other than the seed plate listing being good information, the 449 manual will do little good for you as far as setting and using this planter.

AG
 
Go to Lincoln Ag and download their info packet. Vegetable growers are beginning to use old plate planters and some plates are suggested for various seeds. The info packet provides cell size information and explains about matching seed to plate.

Here are a few of the JD plates I have used. You can use the cell size to crossreference to IH plates--

Green Beans Wyatt B-7, Top Crop B-5, Jade B-13
Peas B-3 or B-30
Sweet Corn Bodacious B-2 or B-25, Incredible B-19 or B-6, Serendipity B-19 or B-6

https://lincolnagproducts.com/support/
Lincoln Ag
 
Topic Preview: Plate-type planters and plates to match your seed size.
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Name: LA in WI (Reserved Name)

E-Mail: [email protected]

Subject: Plate-type planters and plates to match your seed size.

Body of Message:

This time of year there are often questions about plate-type planters, plates, sprocket settings, etc. from "new" owners of old plate-type planters. Hopefully, the following info will help:

1. Do you have an owner's manual for your planter? If not, please get one. Without it you will have continued problems. Trust me on this...get a manual. Binder Books is one source; 503-684-2024, 10am-5pm, Pacific time. No, I don't work for them.

2. Is your planter set for 16 cell or 24 cell plates? If you don't know, look at the plates that came with the planter. Count the "cells" or openings on the outer edge of the plates. If you don't have any plates for that plate-type planter, see #1.

The planter sprocket settings are crucial to accurately planting corn. If the sprockets are set for 16 cell plates and you use 24 cell, you will seriously overplant. If set for 24 and you use 16 you will seriously underplant.

#3. Look at the seed bag. It should have the kernel size stamped on it for the seed that is in that bag.

Kernel sizes: If the bag does not state that info, ask the seed dealer. If the dealer does not know, go to a smarter dealer...if he is over 60 yrs old he will know this. I'm 72 and can still tell the plate size just by the color of the plastic plate (yes, plastic plates are color coded as well).

Kernel sizes usually go by the following initials (I hope the columns match up the way I typed them):

SF = small flat

SMR = small medium flat

MF = medium flat

MLF = med. large flat

LF = large flat

SR = small round

SMR = small med. round

MR = med. round

MLR = med. large round

LR = large round

4. Following is a list of plastic plates you can use or buy to plant these seed sizes (Lincoln Ag data, no, I don't work for them either). 402-464-6367.

John Deere uses "B" plates, IH uses "C" plates.

SF = B9 , C9

SMF = B6, C697

MF = B7, C7

MLF = B11, C11

LF = B5, C8

SR - B25, C25

SMR = B150, C2X

MR = B1, C1X

MLR = B0, C13

LR = B28, C0X

Note: If not planting accurately, try the next larger or smaller plate as some seeds might not fall into these categories.

(Warning - With JD 24 cell planting MF, use a plate numbered "B7-24X", do NOT use a "B7-24". It has to have the "X" on it. A B7-24 is to be tossed, it should never have been made. Both are the same light green color so look closely. This info refers ONLY to this plate.)

Plates have a code stamped on them, such as B6-16 (16 cell) or B6-24 (24 cell). The "B6" refers to the cell size, the 16 or 24 refers to the number of cells that plate has.

JD plates can often be used in 1968 & later models of White, MM, Oliver, Cockshutt and Dempster planters. Also 1976 & later models of Ford 352. For Allis Chalmers and Cole an adapter is needed and Lincoln Ag has this.

IH plates can be used in 1968 & later models of Case planters.

Planting "plateless" sized seed can be done with a plate planter...sort of, but prayer would be of help with this.

Plastic plates work as well, or better, than an old rusty metal plate. You will have to plant a lot of corn to wear out a new plastic plate. The "newer" plastic plates have a little hole (1/8"?) drilled about 1/2 way thru the plate along the outer edge and is a "wear gauge"; if you can see thru that hole then toss the plate as it is worn out.

With most old planters the floor plate is often well worn. If it has deep grooves in it you can try one size smaller plate but that is chancy at best. If floor plate is not worm much, you are lucky. Some John Deere planters you can flip the floor plate over and try that, but usually that is for very large seed.

#5. Always, always, start with #1.

There are also a myriad of parts that need to be checked on an old planter, but this info should help you get started.

Remember this: The sins of planting will haunt you all season.
 

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