Grain Drill or Seeder?

We bale mixed grass hay - Timothy, clover, trefoil, brome grass, some alfalfa-
We usually seed 10-15 acres a year for our rotation - replant every 8-10years or so.
For the last 20 years, our neighbor has taken care of seeding for us...uses an IH 510, with oats as a cover crop.
His grain drill has been getting worn, missing spots, etc..., plus he is cutting back on any custom work...

So we are in the market to purchase something to seed with, last time we had a grain drill here it was a JD/Van Brunt....

Auction is coming up this weekend, has 2 IH 510's, look nice, a 5100, looks real sharp and a Brillion 8' seeder (how it is listed) - based on pics ,
I think it is an SS-8 model...it has what looks like a dual cultipacker with a double seed box on top...it has transport wheels...

Here is the thing...we have been struggling in spring to get fields prepped...between work and weather, never seem to be ready to go to plant at
the right time to get a good planting early...heavy clay combined with late winters and wet springs - can't get on the field to plow and disc, pick
rock with enough time to plant.
So we have opted to seed in the fall...which has produced nicely.
So with that...have not been doing oats as a cover crop.

Looking at the auction - should we be in the market for a grain drill - to give us versatility, or are we better off looking harder at the Brillion
seeder?

If we go with the Brillion seeder - suggestions for planting?

Thanks in advance...

I have an IH 5100, great drill. Has a grass seed box on the back, but it isn't used. I pull a Brillion SS12 behind it. The Brillion will give a better stand, from less seed, than any drill I've seen. The drill WILL give you more versatility, and it's wider, but if it were me, I'd be looking hard at the Brillion.

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

Any limitations with the brilliance as far as seed type and size that can go through?

The one I have now has a single box - small seed only. The ones with double boxes can take larger seed in the front box. The one I used to have had the double boxes. I only used it twice in the 20+ years we had it - once for a light cover crop of oats on a summer seeding, once when I was hired to reseed the h.s. football field. Don't remember what kind of seed that was, but it was bulky.

After reading your initial post again, I see brome is in your mix. That would require the double boxes... some people even call the bigger/front box a "brome box".

I seed hayland down with a 510.

Brillion would be my pick....roller packers rule.

Stupid question- could we spread the Brome with a spinner type of spreader?

Here is a pic of the boxes on the Brillion

Sure. And then the Brillion will still press it in. But the coverage won't be as even. But if the Brillion you're looking at has the double boxes, just put the brome in the front one.

Yep - front is the "brome box", rear is for alfalfa, clover, etc.- small seeds. Should be a chart on the underside of the lid with seeding rates

Awesome.

Hopefully no one else wants it lol.

It's out of season now... should help. Here's my setup. Typically cover 70-80 acres a year, and also fight wet springs on heavy ground.

Nice rig.
Gonna have to bid smart...
Might grab one of the 510?s if they go stupid cheap...plus to hedge my bets against a high priced Brillion

Never had any luck going cheap on a planter. Spend a few bucks and buy the Brillion.

I recommend the Brillion as well. Its what everyone here in NH seems to use for grass and Alfalfa. I have always seeded in the fall when possible. More moisture and far less competition from weeds. One time when I had to seed in the spring I put oats on over with a spin spreader. It worked out very well for me because it rained right after I seeded, then not agin for over three weeks. The oats came up and the Alfalfa got a very good start under the oats.

You can plant brome with a drill but mixing cracked corn with the seed works really well but if your mostly doing grass and no small grain I?d look real hard at the brillion but don?t rule out the grain drill as long as it has an alfalfa seeder on it for your clover seed

I have had/used a 10 foot Brillion for seedings for many years. I have never been happy with rate accuracy with the front box- even one side vs the other side same settings- different feed rates. altho- it sounds like most all your money seeds will go through the small seed box.
also, if you are going over a lot of rocks, keep the seed boxes tight, because they will waller out the holes if they get loose.
maybe a grain drill and a regular cultipacker would serve you just as well. those Brillions tend to sell high.

Does you county ASCS office have a drill you can rent? Around here most have a drill with small grain attachment. I plant my hay with a 750 Deere drill with the small grain attachment, put grass in regular seed box, for alfalfa a I roll the field and then spread the seed with a seeder on my 4 wheeler and roll it in.

(quoted from post at 02:54:32 06/29/18) Does you county ASCS office have a drill you can rent? Around here most have a drill with small grain attachment. I plant my hay with a 750 Deere drill with the small grain attachment, put grass in regular seed box, for alfalfa a I roll the field and then spread the seed with a seeder on my 4 wheeler and roll it in.

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I used to borrow the county's Brillion. The last time when I called about bringing it back their loader tractor was broke down so they told me to hold off, so I put it in my shop because it is a tool that you want under cover. Then it was winter coming on and they still couldn't take it so I got it out of the way against the back wall. Next spring I called and they told me to wait because the farmer was out sick. Then it was something else, and something else. I had it taking up space in my shop for two years.

You know what the 510 is like from him using it and quality of job so if you need any help he should be able to help you get started. So if the job has been satifactory over the years that is the way to go.