what do these implements actually do? (pictures)

[callum12 256]

Hi all,
picked up these implements for my Colwood mono tractor (pedestrian operated) they where really cheap so why not!  
i have now made an adapter that allows them to be fitted to my WH, the only problem is that i don't know what the do, could anyone explain to me what they do and how they are used please?
some pictures:




thanks for looking,
Callum

[Racinbob 10,276]

Neat stuff Callum. I believe the first one is to plow furrows for planting taters and the like. The second one sorta looks like something to clip off weeds. But I'm really just guessing

[WNYPCRepair 1,875]

second might be some type of hoe. that what the times look like anyway

[Rob R 951]

Correct on the first the second is a row cultivator attachment made to cultivate and de-weed a row of plants which pass between the open slot while the opposing knives slide just under the soil and cultivate and shear the weed roots off.

[callum12 256]

Thanks everyone,
the seller did suggest that it might be a weeding device, just his guess though.
so the row cultivator is to be used in tilled ground or can you use it on unbroken ground?
I forgot to post a picture of another implement, i put that up later.
thanks again,
Callum

[Rob R 951]

This is used after ground is plowed, prepped  and planted and whatever is planted is up around an inch and the ground is not too wet. When I was on the farm this was my chief job, it takes skill  and knowing what distance to set the knives to get the maximum cultivation with minimum damage to the plant(s).

[pfrederi 17,147]

Prior to the wide spread use of chemical weed control cultivating was a big part of farming.  Tractors were specially designed with high clearance to avoid damaging the crops while getting rid of weeds.  Cultivating is actually making a comeback amongst the organic grower crowds and some of the 50-60 year old tractors and their cultivators are getting back into use.

[Rob R 951]

Prefredi is right on. We still have at least 3 old Internationals and a diesel Ford which are dedicated to cultivation this along with 2 three point hitch (Knife) cultivators on which a person sits and controls the left and right movement of the two row cultivators as the tractor pulls it along the row. With this device you can do the neatest and cleanest job.

[callum12 256]

thank you for all the information, its nice all these old tractors can be given a job again. 

here is the other implement i'm unsure about, there are three of these clamped around a rectangle flat bar frame, the clamps allow them to go in any position:


thanks again
callum

Edited June 17, 2015 by callum12
missing detail

[WNYPCRepair 1,875]

harrow, maybe?
 

[callum12 256]

that would be my guess,  do you reckon an implement like this would be suitable for bustin' through unbroken ground? I'm looking for an implement that can do that but i don't want to spend £200 on a plough to find out my tractor isn't heavy enough (no weights, no loaded tyres). still wouldn't say no to a plough though  . the area to be ploughed hasn't been worked since, well, ever as far as I'm aware! its got that really thick grass ( couch grass??), the type that stop a push mower dead! 

thanks,
Callum

[Rob R 951]

That shoe you show was normally on a back bar of the tractor,  which did the furrow just behind the wheels of the tractor and there were three (3) one on each side just behind the wheels as mentioned earlier and one to do the middle furrow as you cultivated two rows at a time. Again these were for tilled and rowed ground I guess you could use them to break hard untouched ground but this was not the intended purpose a plow or disc is the correct tool for this.

[WNYPCRepair 1,875]

Well, when I was a kid, we used a plow to turn the ground over, a disc to cut the hunks of dirt from the plow up into smaller chunks, then a harrow to break the clods even further.

[Rob R 951]

Exactly correct although some farms do not plow everything and use just the disc and broad seed or use a seed drill.  Normally we plow the entire farm in the spring (after spreading manure) then disc the ground to smooth  the soil then plant, then cultivate sometimes with the second crop we just disc and then replant or broad seed (as with turnips etc).

[WNYPCRepair 1,875]

Yes, plowing has become a thing of the past, and from what I have read, rightly so.

[callum12 256]

At my mums allotment which I am helping with, she is doing a method called permaculture, basically organic, and very little disturbing of the ground. So no ploughing. I also heard that deep ploughing damages fungal connections in the ground that has adverse effects on the crop which might also be a reason for less ploughing now? 

Plouging my my patch would be horrendous, lovely rich fertile soil just rocks the size of half a brick, that thick grass with massive root systems and very hard packed. I think I would need to use something to break it up before I do anything other than stuff a few fruit bushes in! 
So you reckon I could use those tines to break it up? Is there anything that would be more effective? Something I could make, or would those tines, a plough or discs be the my best bet?


thanks for your help and discusion, it's really intersting,

callum 

[Rob R 951]

If your not going to turn-over the ground rather deeply like in plowing then I would go with a disc as the next best in my book.

[WNYPCRepair 1,875]

Agreed. Maybe the disc will chop up those grass roots

[Rob R 951]

Yup! the nice thing about a disc is that you can regulate the cut by adjusting the inward slant of the disc rows the more you slant then inward the more they cut.... also by saving nice heavy flat rocks that you can pile on top to increase the downward weight..... and don't forget to grease the zerk fittings after each use!

[callum12 256]

i'll look into some discs,  wheel horse did discs didn't they? i think i remember reading they are really rare and everyones dream implement? 

callum

[Racinbob 10,276]

Yes, There were Wheel Horse discs. I'll bet some pictures will show up pretty quick or look in the implement pictures. I had Brinley plows, discs, etc. but they may have made them for Wheel Horse. Not sure.

Edited June 18, 2015 by Racinbob