Precision Meters Verses Kinze Meters

[davidm479]

runnerup its just a policy here amongus we treat this as a discussion board not a sales board thats what we use PMs for ps just baught a combine wednesday---------------------dave

[runnerup]

Thanks david, I hang around a couple of non farm boards and things are for sale. I'll respect.

As for my record keeping, I save all the empty beer boxes in each fields file. Funny how the 1976 file has Top Hat and the 2012 file has Miller Lite which I'm told is half water. Must be that corn is north of 2.50.

[davidm479]

no big deal runnerup we just use the back door and keep it privet no need to let everbody know your business-------------------------dave

[SteigerGreen]

I see I'm a little late as you have already decided to order the Precisions but I think you made a good choice. I can't speak on the kinze's all JD here, but they are basically the same thing. We love the Precisions, the adjustable brush works great, a little bit of a pain changing it if you have several seed sizes but it is worth the time it takes. We have had great luck planting all seed sizes from very small to very large. We prefer big rounds, the bigger the better, but as I said they work well with any seed size. I also agree with what others have said, the longevity/durability of these meters is far better than the oem units. I think you will be happy with your choice but there is really only one way to be sure.....Steiger

[glowplug]

Question Steiger, why do you prefer large rounds?

My preference is medium flats. Reasons:

----A flat of the same weight as a round will emerge faster than the round.
--- It takes 30% of a seed's weight in moisture to germinate a seed so smaller seed emerges faster (aiming for more uniform emergence).
---the tip and butt ends of the ear (rounds) are exposed to more potential stress cracking in harvesting than the flats in the ear's middle.

Your thoughts on large rounds?

[Ghost Ryder]

Differant parts of the ear make differant shaped kernals. Not everyone can have the same seed size unless we discard half the ear upon seed harvest. Hence a person is often left with the choice between seed size and hybrid selection. Fact of life. Some farmers want to "try" 12 bags of some new hybrid. They often can only get it in small rounds etc. Some folks want to do a test plot and plot seed isn't always the same size. Precision plates just make sense.

[glowplug]

Not to pick a fight Ghost, but you're being Captain Obvious.

The deal is that customers have seed size preferences, often tied to which sizes their planter meters out the most accurately.

Customers who order early get priority on getting what they ordered and in the seed size they ordered it in. I posted what I believe the advantages of planting medium flats to be.

Just wondering why Steiger likes large rounds. There's no wrong or right in a farmer's seed size preferences. Just wondering?

[SteigerGreen]

Question Steiger, why do you prefer large rounds?

My preference is medium flats. Reasons:

----A flat of the same weight as a round will emerge faster than the round.
--- It takes 30% of a seed's weight in moisture to germinate a seed so smaller seed emerges faster (aiming for more uniform emergence).
---the tip and butt ends of the ear (rounds) are exposed to more potential stress cracking in harvesting than the flats in the ear's middle.

Your thoughts on large rounds?

Sry for the delayed response GP. I haven't been checking in lately. I too have heard the same info that you posted about the flats and rounds, but personally I have noticed very little difference in emergence. Being no-til I'm not really worried about having enough soil moisture, never been a problem and the big rounds emerge just fine. Ghost makes a good point about seed availability and that makes it easier for us to get the hybrids we want, but we always order early so that is not the main reason. The biggest reason we run large rounds is they plant more uniformly over a range of speeds. Even with the precision meters we have found that smaller seed, esp flats will vary and seed spacing will suffer if speeds are pushed a little. With large or even extra large rounds, (40+ lb 1/2 units), it will plant within 300 plants per acre and the spacing is almost perfect whether you are running 4 mph or 6 mph. The flats will plant okay too if you get out and piss with the adj. brush but with the big rounds we put the brush in the largest seed position and don't worry about it. We always plant a test plot and the seed sizes are all over the place from popcorn size to the size of your pinky. After doing stand counts and looking at seed spacing the big rounds are always very close in pop. and always better spacing with virtually no doubles or skips. I know a lot of guys that swear by the medium flats and will plant nothing but that, but we love the big rounds. To each his own I guess........Steiger

[glowplug]

Thanks for the reply. I always learn something when others make reasoned points backing up their preferences.

I've run finger pickups at that 4 to 4 1/2 mph for a long time. This is my 2nd finger pu planter but the 1st time I've had Precisions. Never been tempted to run faster. Appreciate you sharing your experiences.