New Weigh Scale For Deere 750 Grain Drills

New Weigh Scale For Deere 750 Grain Drills DRILLS Drills (42C) 21-1-2 In our last issue we told you about a "weigh scale" for grain drills developed by Ken Von Muenster, Anamosa, Iowa, for planting beans and small grain (Vol. 20, No. 6). Since then we've learned that David Wilson of Greensburg, Ind., came up with his own version of the idea at about the same time. Wilson mounted four electronic weigh scales on his Deere 750 drill, putting one weigh unit under each corner of the hopper. He made brackets to bolt four 1 1/2-in. dia. load cells onto the drill frame. He had to raise the tank about 1 in. to put the weight on the load cells. Electric wiring runs from the cells to a digital readout. The weight of Wilson's tank rests on a 1/4-in. thick steel bar. The load cells on either end of the drill mount out of sight be-low the hopper. A length of 1-in. dia. pipe runs between each pair of cells to provide support. A pair of bronze bushings pressed into a 3/4-in. thick steel bar transfer weight from the bracket under the hopper to a steel "T-bar" that mounts on each cell. The 3/4-in. thick bar is bolted to the drill frame in order to keep the hopper from moving for-ward or backward or from side to side. The digital readout can be mounted on front of the drill for easy reading from the tractor seat, or in the tractor cab. "It's completely protected from the weather and from tree limbs, etc., and there's nothing to snag when you're on the cat-walk," says Wilson. "It lets me know at a glance how much seed is left in the grain tank at all times and is highly accurate in setting seeds per acre. I know that I'm not over or under planting. I think it'll pay for itself in seed savings in only one year. I used Weightronix 615 load cells which are the same type used on commercial feed grinders, livestock scales, and grain carts. "The drill originally had four bolts on each end to hold the hopper down. I used the same bolt holes to mount the weigh scales. However, I drilled them out wider so that the bushings can ride up or down without rubbing against the drill frame. "The Deere 750 hopper is bolted to the frame which makes it easy to mount the weigh scale. However, it's possible that the same system could be adapted to other drill brands. It takes about a day to install my weigh scale but only about 15 to 20 minutes to remove. No welding is required." Sells for $1,800. Wilson says he's willing to do installation. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, David Wilson, 4847 Co. Rd. 350 W., Greensburg, Ind. 47240 (ph 812 663-8756).

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