2n plowing for the first time

Glenn D

Member
Well probably not the first time for the tractor but it is for me. I have a ferguson 2 bottom (and a 3 bottom thats missing a share) I had to de trash a field and the ground was thawed enough so I used a cultivator to scrape off the bits of wood and some old tarp and things that were stuck in the ground at this spot and the ground is soft enough everywhere now that I can plow it for gardens. The 2 bottom plow seems to suck into the ground properly and the 2n seems to balance it right as it's slicing through but the opened furrow is just dropping closed again after I go through. Is this because I'm going too slow? or is there another setting, It seems like it's working smoothly except for the slice falling back down. maybe it should be angled more? This was on my first and only pass. I thought I'd only have tome to scrape off the junk but got to play with this as well.

One other, silly question. Should I start from the middle of the field and sot of make parallel passes from the middle out until I get to the outsides? seems like a lot of dead heading doing it anyy other way
 
The plow should always be level, front to back with the top link (unless having trouble biting into ground, then shorten top link a little bit), and side to side using the right side adjusting crank. You may be plowing too deep or have sod that does tend to roll back. Any pictures?
 

Well heres a picture. Not very interesting i'm afraid. it looks mostly like the flap of dirt is acting like a ribbon and adheres together. in places it rips and it lays over the way think it should. but mostly it plops back over the slit.



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More than likely an adjustment to the tractor, could be speed too. You'll likely get more detailed advice on the center of draft, alignment/wheel spacing, if its not set the way it should, I've never had to much trouble with that particular part of this, but the plow does need to be adjusted correctly to work best. Level as stated, as well as the shares being decent. I used a ferguson 2 bottom for several years before I got my ford single and 2 bottom plows. I have experienced the same thing and under poor conditions, meaning the level box on the tractor was seized, plow shares worn etc. I kept fooling with what I could, adjusted speed by trying different gears, and it did pay off, I got a decent job done with it in both previously tilled soil, as well as sod, and even breaking new ground. Mind you it was not perfect, if I favored the slope, it worked better, overall, when I went over it with the disc, most of the sod was turned under and it was not too bad for a seed bed. In this 11 year old photo, I was putting an old garden back to grass, ironically, I've gotten permission to use this patch again, nice soil at least. This plow was missing one coulter as well, but it had moldboard extensions which I think were a benefit, sometimes it worked really well.

Note: whats in the photo is in no way ideal, level box seized, plow not adjusted correctly, the one coulter a bit too deep, but like a farmer under a deadline, I needed to get that grass seed down and rye straw mulch over it, so I did the best I could. It was plowed and dis harrowed prior to, but there was too much sod showing, next round took care of that. Just lawn anyways so compaction was no issue, cover crop of rye came up and the grass came in thick.

I've used my single bottom and not made a dead furrow in the middle, takes more time, but no dead furrow. Smaller areas, larger I would leave a dead furrow, by plowing each way until I got the middle, then do the headlands last if necessary, gardens and food plots is all I do with these anyway.
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Looks like the first furrow, once you get the one side, "off land" and the plow level, in the 2nd pass, it should do a better job, I'd keep trying and see what others comment about, you'll get it eventually. I started the same way with the one above, not the best scenario by any means, yours is likely in better condition and complete, the one I used the tail wheel was also broke off.
 
No need to dead head back run the field both ways. Moldboard extension like Billy has on his moldboard might help
roll it over. Are you using coulters? Moldboard scoured? We were having the same problem at the deer camp. The
field hadn't been plowed in 30+ years, strong root system. We disc the field a couple times than plowed it.

Kirk
photo%204L_zpslmhcetdt.jpg
 
haven't ever plowed - just rototilled; your comment about the ground being thawed enough got my attention though. woder how wet is the ground you'r trying to plow? i've been told dig out a spade full of dirt. drop it on the ground. if it crumbles / breaks apart easily its ok to work it. if it stick togeter its too wet.

maybe this will help maybe not.
 
normally, I start the first pass in the center of the field with the plows flat or level, front to back and side to side, this to open up the center row.

then after the first round, you drop your tires off into the furrow (6 to 8" deep) then you reset the plows back to level, side to side. this action allows your plows to run level side to side and front to back, while the right side tires are in the furrow.

the pictures shows an old disc plow working, but the plow adjustment is the same, note the position of the plow and the position of the tractor in the furrow.

hope this helps some, but no amount of adjustment will compensate for a sprung plow or dull points,

an old disc you can drag around and do half way work with, but two pieces of equipment must be in good shape to work right.
an old plow and an old sickle mower, must be Sharpe and properly adjusted.
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I'm in the same situation as you. Yesterday was my first time plowing and was having issues with the tractor turning right with a single bottom. I did a search and found this. Read zanes post, it helped me a lot.

http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=nboard&th=328492
 
Dam right! Limed, plowed, disc 2 days ago then yesterday ran the spike tooth harrow over to smooth things out. Raining out now so I'll cut my taters and after a couple of days to skim over I might have them in the ground by the end of the week. Hard to believe that 14 days ago I was still plowing snow.

Kirk
 
Ground wasn't too wet, it did rain yesterday though and will wait another day or 2 before I go back out. I think most of the trouble was speed. but I'll use the time in between to make sure the plows adjusted per zanes thread. It has to go straight because theres no brakes on the 2n to steer with. I have to do the brakes on the 2n and 9n soon just wanted to take advantage of the nice weather before it starts getting really wet.

Billy your pow in that picture is going deeper in than mine. I think, I'll have a peek later and see how deep i'm getting. I see you are starting from the outsides and work your way to the middle. I'm guessing the area I'm doing now is about the same size.

I also have to learn to cut drainage but I think I'll use the B275 for that.
 
Yes, maybe too deep, well close, but that plow was missing one coulter, tail wheel and my level box was still seized at that point. I think I've read Zanes instructions before, that ought to help you immensely, check to see what speed does too. I realize that plows are designed for certain depths by virtue of size of the plow bottom components, maybe you are not deep enough to get it to roll, or if too deep it will stand on end as I have experienced. Also good to know the top soil depth so you get into undesirable soil. As I understand it, plows were to match by size, the ideal depth to plow. Lot more to it than I realized years ago, but its a fun to learn and once you get it dialed in, you'll enjoy it more !
 
(quoted from post at 06:35:57 04/13/15) It seems like it's working smoothly except for the slice falling back down. maybe it should be angled more? This was on my first and only pass. I thought I'd only have tome to scrape off the junk but got to play with this as well.

In addition to the advice given by others I can tell you that if the ground hasn't been plowed in years you'll have a tougher time at first. It's taken me a full month of work to get my 1 acre into shape. The first thing I did was disc the plot both length and width wise, let it sit 3 days and then plow it up. Waited a week and then disced it again the same way but had to go over it diagonal to the length as well to break up the clods. Repeated that same process every 5-7 days and as of this coming Thursday I'll make my final pass of the disc. Pretty sure I'll have good dirt finally. It's killing off those grass and weed roots that helps. They'll hold the top 4-8" together real good and if your plow isn't adjusted proper you'll watch your furrow just fall back into itself.
 
(quoted from post at 11:54:04 04/14/15)
(quoted from post at 06:35:57 04/13/15) It seems like it's working smoothly except for the slice falling back down. maybe it should be angled more? This was on my first and only pass. I thought I'd only have tome to scrape off the junk but got to play with this as well.

In addition to the advice given by others I can tell you that if the ground hasn't been plowed in years you'll have a tougher time at first. It's taken me a full month of work to get my 1 acre into shape. The first thing I did was disc the plot both length and width wise, let it sit 3 days and then plow it up. Waited a week and then disced it again the same way but had to go over it diagonal to the length as well to break up the clods. Repeated that same process every 5-7 days and as of this coming Thursday I'll make my final pass of the disc. Pretty sure I'll have good dirt finally. It's killing off those grass and weed roots that helps. They'll hold the top 4-8" together real good and if your plow isn't adjusted proper you'll watch your furrow just fall back into itself.

Well Discing is what I will have to learn next after the clumps are dried a bit. I tried to put the disc though once but theres so much thatched grass on top that it just won't cut.
 
Well Yesterday I tried the disk on it. This disk has 2 rows and 20 cutters. I can adjust the front a rear cutter angles independently. I tried to get it to cut with the disks straight on but I'm wondering if I should have angled them instead.

2N needs a new tube for a front tire and I don't have any in stock so it'll have to sit for a couple of days and is why I got to try the disk.

the disk only cut where it was really soft not really able to penetrate the grass so I tried a couple of weights on it and only got lines where you could tell where it had been but really cutting into the ground

My second attempt with the plow didn't far much better I don't really have a flat place to set it up per the instructions and I think it still needs to be dialed in. Also I understand that because this ground hasn't been worked for a while that the thatch is a problem. there was a lot of buildup on the plow and not much turning going on.

I have a rigid shank cultivator that I'm going to try next. I know that will dig in and I can take tines off it if I still have trouble. I don't think the hydraulics on the B275 will lift it to balance the pull vs traction like it does on the 2N but it should pull it really well.



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Well got to go again today. had to replace a tire tube this morning. I think I got better results but still not consistent. The toplink and quadrant settings are what i'm adjusting. here is a short video that shows the results i'm getting. sorry it so short. apparently the cell phone makes the tractor loose traction....

https://youtu.be/F2fXmc-qB7Q

Anyhow I'm hoping for opinions on how to improve this.

I also found this book that mentions a few things, one of them being a width of cut adjustment I hadn't seen before.

http://www.wfmfiles.com/download/Ford_Plow_Book.pdf
 
Wellmax. The disk plow you show in your picture. Do you think that kind might be better for breaking through new ground with. That has a lot of trash on it?
 

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