15-Row Split-Row Soybean Planter Built From Two Used IH Models

15-Row Split-Row Soybean Planter Built From Two Used IH Models PLANTERS Planters 24-1-36 Ron Saltzman, Corning, Iowa, wanted to plant narrow-row soybeans but he didn't want to spend the money for a commercial narrow-row planter. He solved the problem by building his own 15-row, 15-in. split-row planter out of two old International 800 models. He bought the two mid 1980's planters from area dealers. One was an 8-row pull-type and the other a 12-row, semi-mounted, vertical fold model. He discarded the air module on the 8-row model and mounted the 12-row model's two air modules onto the 8-row planter frame. He mounted six of the 12-row model's row units on front of the toolbar to make "pusher units". He mounted a seventh row unit 20 in. back at the center of the toolbar. He also mounted the hydraulic pump and oil reservoir off the 12-row planter onto the 8-row model. " I spent a total of about $10,000 for the two planters and was able to sell some of the leftover row units from the 12-row planter. My Case-IH dealer had a new model 955 û a 6-row, 30-in. or 11-row, 15-in. planter. However, he wanted about $25,000 for it plus my 1985 IH 6-row, 30-in. planter as trade-in. "I still use my 6-row 30-in. planter to plant corn, which I harvest with my 6-row 30-in. corn head. "One big advantage is that my planter has positive tongue weight ûlifting the planter puts weight on the tongue which gives the tractor more traction in muddy ground. IH's new 955 split-row planter has the planter units on back of the toolbar and a coulter caddy and all lift assist wheels on front, which takes all the weight off the planter's tongue and tends to lift up the back of the tractor." Saltzman had a local machine shop make the pusher unit adapter for the row units. He mounted the air modules 9 in. higher than they were on the 12-row planter in order to have clearance for the pusher units. He used the monitor from the 12-row planter and had a new wiring harness made for it so that he can monitor all of the new planter's 15 rows. He also mounted a homemade catwalk across the back of the planter. "The catwalk allows me to fill all the seed boxes without ever having to move my auger wagon," notes Saltzman. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ron Saltzman, 2425 Quince Ave., Corning, Iowa 50841 (ph 515 322-3426; E-mail: rksaltzm@mddc.com).

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