VACUUM PLANTERS. We design and assemble planters to your specifications. Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice

Transcription

1 VACUUM PLANTERS AFFORDABLE QUALITY THE PRECISION VEGETABLE SEEDER FOR THE PRECISE, UNIFORM, SINGULATION OF RAW OR COATED VEGETABLE SEEDS The Gearmore Precision Vacuum Planters are designed for extremely accurate vegetable seed placement. The P.T.O. driven turbine fan or optional hydraulic drive creates a vacuum that draws seeds against the seed plates. Inner and outer singulators remove doubles to insure that individual seeds are secured to the vacuum hole. At the seed release point, vacuum is cut off and the seed is deposited in the furrow. The air compressor then injects a short blast of air to insure the hole is clean for the next seed. Easy to operate and maintain, this durable precision planter efficiently handles the smallest of seeds either raw or coated. We design and assemble planters to your specifications Benson Ave. - Chino, CA Ph: 909/ Fax: 909/

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. Seeder & Chassis Features Metering System & Seeder Configuration Metering Unit Main Components & Modular Assy Planting Systems Key Components - Single Line Planter Planter Configurations & Seed Line Spacings Planter Configuration - Sled Mounted Planter Specifications Chassis Specifications Questions & Answers Testimonials Vacuum Planter Cost Savings Information on Pricing a Planter Notes Benson Ave. - Chino, CA Ph: 909/ Fax: 909/

3 VACUUM PLANTERS Adjustable spring loaded parallelogram linkage for applying up or down pressure on the shoe opener SEEDER FEATURES Simple, fast, screw type depth adjustment Clamp for H toolbar mounting Quick disconnect on each planter drive for when no seeding is desired Lock-out bar to hold planter up for transport Stainless steel front wheel to smooth surface Thin line shoe opener Large monitoring window to visibly check seed pick-up Rear wheel, stainless steel or rubber Floating soil covering bars CHASSIS FEATURES Easy to change seed spacing with shiftable 10 speed transmission Separate air compressor system cleans out each seed hole after seed is deposited Exclusive H toolbar allows for easy mounting and spacing planters Handy seed saver to vacuum out seeder units and save unused seed Special air cooling fan removes moisture from the seeding system Air pistol for cleaning metering units when changing seed plates Page 1

4 VACUUM PLANTERS HOW THE METERING SYSTEM OPERATES Primary singulators remove doubles Vacuum inlet Secondary singulators remove doubles Seed plate turns opposite to forward travel 20 Ga. thick by 8-7/8" dia. stainless steel seed plates Seed is picked up in this area Inside the seeding unit, the disc turns in the opposite direction of travel. This direction of rotation minimizes "bounce" of the seeds leading to much more accurate placement. Vacuum cut-off Seed drop lowest in the industry Air pressure cleans hole in seed plate SEEDER CONFIGURATION SINGLE LINE PLANTER SINGLE LINE PLANTER WITH DISC OPENER 3 LINE PLANTER REMOVE 1 BOLT FOR 2 LINE 6 LINE PLANTER Page 2

5 VACUUM PLANTERS METERING UNIT MAIN COMPONENTS Seed viewing area Wind guard clod deflector Steel gear final drive Primary and secondary singulator dials FRONT COVER - OUTSIDE Vacuum hose fitting Aluminum body Air hose fitting MAIN BODY - OUTSIDE Primary singulator bar Seed level plate FRONT COVER - INSIDE Replaceable seal ring Alignment pins (2) Seed vacuum cut-off nozzle MAIN BODY - INSIDE Secondary singulator pin Vacuum intake Hex seed plate drive Air cleanout nozzle MODULAR ASSEMBLY Standard module is 25" wide, with 6 planters and maximum spread width of 22" for high density line spacing of raw vegetable seed. 2 rows of planters that can be adjusted for seed line spacings as close as ½" apart. Solid frame that clamps on two toolbars for added strength. Handy crank system for fine depth adjustment of all planters at the same time. Planters easily slide on modular crossmember for spacing adjustment. Final planter drive system is through gears built into the planter body. Large diameter wire roller for covering the seeds. Each planter is protected by a moisture and dust filter. Large monitoring window in seeder to visibly check seed pickup. Modules are available in different widths with the maximum - 21 planters in a 66" wide modular. The 2 seed spacing transmissions are shiftable to 10 different settings. Vacuum fan assembly with adjustable settings. Air compressor system cleans each seed hole after seed is deposited. Handy "Seed Saver" vacuum clean-out system to remove and save unused seeds. Page 3

6 OUR PLANTING SYSTEMS We custom build planters to your specifications. On request, we will completely assemble planters ready for the field. Single Planters w/stainless Steel Roller Model # AI-640 Single Rank Single Planters w/hopper Extensions Model # SN Double Planters 3-Row Unit Model # SNT Double Planters w/stainless Steel Roller Model # AI-640-SNT-2 Double Rank Page 4

7 OUR PLANTING SYSTEMS Twin Planters w/rubber Wheels Model # SND Triple Planters 12 Lines w/rubber Wheels Model # SNT Modular Planter 3 Bed - 24 Planters Model # AI-640-SNT Double Rank Sled Mounted Modular Planter 24 Lines, Mesh Rollers Model # AM Triple Rank Page 5

8 OUR PLANTING SYSTEMS Folding Planter 3 Bed Model # SNT Model # SNT In Folded Position Page 6

9 KEY COMPONENTS SINGLE LINE PLANTER Simple, fast, screw type depth adjustment Adjustable spring loaded parallelogram linkage for applying up or down pressure on the shoe opener. 3. Quick attach clamp for H toolbar. 4. Quick disconnect on each planter drive for when no seeding is desired. 5. Lock-out bar to hold planter up for transport. 6. Stainless steel front wheel to smooth surface. 7. Thin line chromium alloy shoe opener. 8. Floating soil covering bars. 9. Rear wheel, stainless steel or rubber. 10. Large monitoring window to visibly check seed pick-up Page 7

10 PLANTER CONFIGURATIONS & SEED LINE SPACINGS SINGLE LINE DOUBLE LINE TWO LINE Adjustable 1 / 2 " to 3 1 / 2 " apart THREE LINE Adjustable 1 / 2 " to 3 1 / 2 " apart Spacing between planter units are the minimum, maximum spacings are unlimited. Page 8

11 PLANTER CONFIGURATION SLED MOUNTED SINGLE RANK MODULE TRIPLE RANK MODULE Spacing between planters are the minimum. Modules shown are the standard width, wider units available on request. Page 9

12 PLANTER SPECIFICATIONS METERING UNIT: SEED PLATE: PARALLELOGRAM LINKAGE: DRIVE SYSTEM: DEPTH ADJUSTMENT: OPENER: LEVELING WHEELS: SEED COVERERS: SEED VIEWING: Aluminum two piece casting with replaceable nylon sealing ring. Primary and secondary singulators with built in gauges. Adjustable seed level plate. Operates opposite of forward travel, so seed drops more accurately in furrow. 20 Gauge thick by 8 ⅞" diameter stainless steel seed disc. Available with brass agitator pins when required. Hexagon hole in center of disc for easy installation. Adjustable spring loaded for applying up or down pressure on the shoe opener. Built-in lock-out clamp bars hold up planters in non-operating position. Chain drive to metering units, gear final drive to seed plate. Screw type with fine adjustment. Thin line chromium alloy steel casting coulter with riveted stainless steel plate sides. Floating front and rear stainless steel wheel allows planters to follow the contour of the ground. Front wheel levels soil for opener and rear wheel lightly compacts seed line. Wheels have adjustable mud scrapers. Adjustable spring loaded covering bars lightly drags just the correct amount of soil over the seed. Large monitoring window with removable clear plastic cover allows visible checking of seed pick-up. Page 10

13 CHASSIS SPECIFICATIONS FRAME: 3-POINT HITCH: VACUUM FAN: AIR COMPRESSOR: Single H beam toolbar or 3-2 ¼" x 2 ¼" Toolbars held in place with tri-bar spacers and two parking stands. Heavy yoke tubing hitch with 4 clamps connected to toolbars, Cat. I & II. All steel impeller and housing, 540 RPM, P.T.O. or hydraulic driven. 11 CFM with built-in pressure relief, dry filter pre-cleaner, moisture filters, pressure gauge, and electric cooling fan. DRIVE SYSTEM: Ground driven wheels with rubber 6:00 x 16 tires, built-in shiftable 10 speed gear transmission with easily exchanged roller chain sprockets to multiply transmission seed spacing options and hex-shaft for planter drive with closer gear ratios. VACUUM MANIFOLD: AIR MANIFOLD: SEED SAVER: Aluminum manifold with vacuum outlets to each planter. Modular units have additional manifolds at planters. Steel tubing with moisture/dust filter, drain valve and outlet for air gun. Large clear plastic removable seed bowl, vacuum valve and tubing with nozzle for vacuuming out unused seed from planters. Page 11

14 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ON VACUUM VEGETABLE SEED PLANTERS Why are vacuum planters getting so popular? Basically there are three reasons for the strong interest: 1. Vacuum planters will allow the use of raw seeds, which greatly reduces seed costs. 2. Vacuum planters are currently the best way to achieve accurate placement of seeds with a minimum of skips and doubles. 3. Unlike other types of planters, vacuum planters do not need to have uniform seed size to provide singulation and accurate spacing. This avoids the extra cost of purchasing sized seeds. What accuracy can I expect with a vacuum planter? A quality vacuum planter will obtain 90% singulation with extremely odd shaped seed and up to 100% singulation with round seeds. What savings can I expect by using raw versus coated seed? Savings per acre will vary because of the type of seed and the quantity per acre. Thus, seed savings can range from $30 to $300 per acre. Are there any other advantages I can expect from a vacuum planter? Yes, by spacing the seeds more accurately, you will obtain a larger, more uniform crop, which means many more dollars per acre. I hear that vacuum planters are more difficult to operate? It may take a little more time to set a vacuum planter, however, once set, they are extremely easy to operate. What is involved in setting a vacuum planter? Settings vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but in the case of our planters, you would do the following: Page 12

15 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ON VACUUM VEGETABLE SEED PLANTERS 1. Choose the correct seed plate for the vegetable you are planting. 2. Set the vacuum level. 3. Adjust the primary and secondary seed singulators. Once you have set one planter, all the rest can be set to the same setting. 4. Referring to the chart on the transmission, shift to the correct gear to obtain the desired spacing between seeds. 5. Set the planter depth and you are ready to plant. How do I know what seed plate to use? By placing a seed on a seed plate, you can quickly see if it is a good match. Seed must be large enough to not fall through the hole, but the hole must be large enough to allow a fairly strong vacuum. Is there an easier way to make sure I have the correct seed plate? If time permits, send your seed to us. We will test your seed and advise you the correct seed plate and singulation settings. Why do you have to have singulators on vacuum planters? If your seeds are round, you do not have to adjust the singulators. However, if your seeds are odd shaped, the vacuum can hold more than one seed against each hole. Thus, it is necessary to "knock off" those extra seeds with the primary and secondary singulators. I plant a lot of different sized seeds, do I have to purchase a lot of different seed plates? Usually not, as in many cases by just adjusting the vacuum you can operate with the same seed plate. Needless to say, if you want to plant carrots and watermelon, you would need two sets of seed plates. Why do you need air pressure as well as vacuum? Not all seed is perfectly clean, thus small bits of trash can be left in the hole after the seed is dropped. It is critical to clean out the hole for the next seed pick-up. Page 13

16 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ON VACUUM VEGETABLE SEED PLANTERS Why do you have an air compressor when the exhaust from the vacuum fan would give you air pressure? Because trash can get jammed in the small seed plate holes, the vacuum fan exhaust can not always blow it out. We found that a separate air compressor insures that the seed plate holes are always cleaned out. Since vacuum planters are more expensive than gravity and belt planters, when can I expect to get my return on investment? The "pay out" varies on the type of vegetable and the acres planted. However, the return on investment will most likely occur from one to two years. What is expected to wear out on a vacuum planter and is the maintenance cost high? We can only speak from experience with our planters. We have a special nylon wear/sealing ring in our planter, which serves two functions: It keeps a good vacuum seal in the planter and the seed plate turns against it to prevent wear on the seed plate and the aluminum housing. These rings will need replacing approximately every 1000 acres. Also, the shoe opener will wear out like on any planter. Generally, with good care and maintenance, your vacuum planter will not be costly to maintain. Will my seed plates wear out? Again, we can only report on our seed plates, which are 20 gauge heavy duty stainless steel. You can expect many years of use before you wear out our seed plates. Some manufacturers recommend cleaning the seed metering units as high as twice a day to insure accuracy, why is that necessary? Some other makes of planters may require constant cleaning. We recommend cleaning the seeder interior usually only once a week, or 70 to 100 acres. However, if you have the seed housing open to change seed plates, you would want to blow out any left over seed and dust. Standard equipment with our planter is an air gun that works off the air compressor. Are there any advantages of multi line seed plate planters over single line planters? Page 14

17 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ON VACUUM VEGETABLE SEED PLANTERS Only cost, but the disadvantages are many: 1. It is much harder to singulate when you have 2 or 3 rings of holes in a single seed plate. 2. The seed has to be routed down different chutes in the openers. The seeds tend to scatter, which makes it impossible to get accurate seed spacing. 3. Multi line seed plates only have one singulator per ring of holes, thus doubles can be removed from only one side in lieu of both sides. 4. On the competitors multi line planters, they require a very wide opener with small seed furrows, which do not operate well in cloddy or trashy soils. The openers tend to float above ground and plant very shallow 5. In an effort to get close seed line spacing, some manufacturers have been forced to position the planters two or more feet above the bed and drop the seed down a tube. This defeats the advantages of vacuum singulation and accurate seed placement. 6. We do offer a double line version that can plant at 2" or 2 ¾" seed line spacing. We only recommend this design if the crop is above ground, such as leafy type vegetables. The opener for our unit is not a flat bottom style and can plant up to 1" deep with no problems. The planter can be changed back to single line by changing the seed plate and opener. Why is it necessary to offer so many variations of vegetable vacuum planters? In our case, we felt it necessary to offer a number of different styles of planters to meet the many individual grower requests. First, two basic types of planters are required, "stand alone" and "bed shaper mounted" planters. Then due to grower requirements of seed line spacing of 1" to 10", different planter frame designs are necessary to meet these goals. Can I plant coated seed with a vacuum planter? Yes, the use of coated seed for head lettuce is the industry standard. Page 15

18 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ON VACUUM VEGETABLE SEED PLANTERS Is there any coated seed you would recommend planting with a vacuum planter? Yes, mini coated lettuce seed is usually recommended with vacuum planters. Since lettuce seed is extremely light with each seed having a different "floating weight", it is difficult to get equal spacing with uncoated seed. However, high density planting, such as baby green salad mixes are very successful with raw seed. Does raw seed have to be sized? The vacuum seed disc picks up the seed and carries it around to the drop point. The seed does not go through the plate. Therefore, the seed does not have to be uniform in size for accurate singulation. Are there any reasons why I should not purchase a small vegetable vacuum planter? We can think of no reasons to not purchase a vacuum planter. Make sure to do your "homework" investigating the planters available in the market, and choose the correct planter to fit your requirements. Page 16

19 TESTIMONIALS "I purchased a 6 row Gearmore Vacuum Planter to plant tomatoes. I have planted 1500 acres to date. Gearmore developed a special seed plate so we were able to "clump plant" three seeds at a time. We saved 40% on our seed costs by using raw seed with the Gearmore unit. The features we like best on the planter are the seed singulation and the depth control." Dixon, CA "We purchased a special Gearmore Planter to plant baby vegetables. The planter was a 3 rank modular unit with 21 separate planters, 3 inch spacing on a 66 inch bed top. So far we have used 22 different seed varieties and have planted as high as 5 million seeds per acre with complete control over seed placement and population. We have planted 5,000 acres to date with great success. By using the Gearmore Planter, we estimate our savings is approximately $200 per acre. Since we change seeds often, the feature we like best on the planter is the special vacuum seed saver." Growers name and location withheld at his request "I bought my first Gearmore Planter three years ago to plant Raddichio lettuce, because another grower told me he had great success planting Raddichio with the Gearmore Planter. The planter was a 4 bed, 8 row single line unit. He was right, I got excellent singulation, a great stand and saved a lot of money on seed. Also I decided for the first time to plant raw lettuce seed on 200 acres and harvested 250 more crates per acre than I ever got off that land that time of the year with a coated seed belt planter. I caught the market right and made $10 a crate. Later we bought a Gearmore 4 bed, 24 line, 3 rank modular planter. I got excellent singulation and seed spacing across all 24 planters for my carrots and onions. I was especially happy with the clean seed furrows, even in loose, sandy soils." Growers name and location withheld at his request "I sold a number of Gearmore Planters while working for an implement dealer. All the growers were extremely pleased with the accuracy of the planter, ease of adjusting seed spacing and the ability of planting a wide variety of seeds with the same seed plate. I decided to farm full time myself, so needless to say, my first major purchase was a Gearmore Vacuum Planter." Pauma Valley, CA "We purchased a Gearmore 12 planter unit over a year ago. The planter is mainly used to plant increases (bulb increases) of plant lines within our breeding program. We had used a belt planter and Planet Jr. in the past. However, we needed an accurate planter to save our very valuable breeder seed and stock seed that is often one of a kind and is available in very limited quantity. The features we like best; the fast, accurate calibration for excellent singulation, easy to change and regulate the planting depth as well as change from one seed lot to another. The gear transmission makes it very easy to change seed spacing. The Gearmore Planter is sturdy and very well built, so we can operate in less than ideal conditions." Hanford, CA Page 17

20 VACUUM PLANTERS COST SAVINGS Vacuum planters achieve cost advantages over other planters in a number of ways: SEED COST SAVINGS: If you are currently using a belt planter, the savings will be achieved in the price difference between coated and raw seed. If you are using gravity planters with raw seed, you can expect to reduce your seed usage by approximately 10 to 20%. HIGHER YIELDS: By placing single seeds at equal spacing, you achieve more uniform plant germination and growth. Thus, each plant receives equal amounts of nutrient. This makes for larger more uniform crops. Your yields with a Vacuum Planter can be 5 to 20% higher depending on the crop. ACCURATE SEED PLACEMENT: A Gearmore Precision Vacuum Planter with reverse rotation seed plate, short distance seed drop from the seed disc to the soil and no scattering of the seed to achieve close multiple lines, not only will plant growth be more uniform, but thinning costs will be greatly reduced. Thinning costs vary greatly, so no dollar amount was used in this study. Example of seed cost savings and higher yields: (Based on 100 acres) PLACE YOUR CALCULATIONS HERE Vegetables Planted: Carrots Onions Acres Planted: Coated Seed Cost Per Acre: $275 $206 Raw Seed Cost Per Acre: $166 $170 Seed Cost Savings/Acre: $109 $36 Saving For 100 Acres: $10,900 $3,600 Average Value Per Acre : $6,120 $5,640 Times 100 Acres: $612,000 $564,000 Added Value Based On 10%* Higher Yield: $61,200 $56,400 Total Seed Saving: $10,900 $3,600 Total Extra Yield Value 10%*: $61,200 $56,400 GRAND TOTAL OF POTENTIAL SAVINGS: $82,100 $60,000 * These percentages are variables Fresh market Developed by UC Extension in Imperial Valley, CA Page 18

21 INFORMATION NEEDED TO PRICE A PLANTER Now that you have studied the information in this booklet, perhaps you have convinced yourself that it is time to get a vacuum planter. Before your local dealer can provide you with a quote, a few questions must be answered regarding your planter needs. 1. Planters are to be sled mounted: Yes No 2. Number of beds to plant: 3. Number of planters (seed lines) per bed: 4. Fill in bed dimensions and the exact spacing between seed lines: Note: If you are planting on fl at ground, no raised beds, also give dimension E. A. B. C. C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 D. E. Page 19

22 NOTES NOTES: Page 20

23 NOTES NOTES: Page 21

24 We hope this booklet gave you a better understanding of small vegetable seed vacuum planters For more details and a demonstration on our planters, please contact the dealer listed below Benson Ave. - Chino, CA Ph: 909/ Fax: 909/