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TILL-FIX - Crop Lifter
When farming without herbicides it is of paramount importance to have a clean seedbed to sow in to. For effective weed control the cultured plants must always be larger than the weeds. This is why it is extremely important to germinate the weeds and kill the weeds before sowing or even transplanting. It is also very important to understand the growing habits of all the weeds present, their germination times etc. The next thing to understand is the growing speed and characteristics of your cultivars. Put the two together and it will become clear how important it is to have effective -pre-sowing weed management. If you sow in to weed infested soil you may struggle to manage the weeds right through the life of the crop. Do not let seasonal or weather pressures influence you in to premature sowing. Many crops have been overtaken by weeds, with poor harvests or total loss the result.
Pre-sowing weed management with the TILL-FIX
The TILL-FIX is designed to kill emerged weeds and sprouted weeds seeds prior to sowing or transplanting. Many implements can accomplish this task. However these implements usually transport soil from lower regents to the surface with more weed seeds at germination depth. When employing a flame or thermal weeder, more time is required to grow the weeds to a larger size for a adequate kill. Also flame weeders can actually trigger premature weed strikes resulting in more weeds germinating earlier. Sometimes this early trigering can be turned in to advantage by flaming over the soil straight after ground preparation triggering two flushes at the same time. If the soil has in adequate moisture, irrigation may be required to germinate the weeds.
The Till-Fix Method
Beds or ground should be prepared as for normal sowing well ahead of requirement. (TILL-FIX can be used to form beds from worked soil.) Fertilizers and manures worked in as for normal sowing or transplanting. Before sowing the weeds must be allowed and encouraged to emerge. In some cases this may mean irrigation and or flaming. When the weeds have germinated and emerged the TILL-FIX is employed. TILL-FIX cultivation is fast with speeds of up to 10 kmh. If the weather conditions are dry, one pass is usually sufficient. Under damp conditions follow up operations may be necessary. Don`t get anxious to sow, make sure the weeds are dead first. Then sow as soon as possible. Your crop should now be growing ahead of the weeds. By the next flush of weeds the cultivars should be large enough to employ the WEED-FIX.
These Instructions must be read prior to employing the implement!
Thank you for purchasing The Fix Crop-Lifter. This machine is of sturdy construction and if employed properly a long service life can be expected.
As with any tractor-mounted equipment, attention to safe transport and operating is of the utmost importance. Safety instructions must be adhered to at all times. It is the operators responsibility to ensure that
The implement is properly and securely attached to the tractor with all lynch pins in place.
The P.T.O. drive shaft is properly attached to the tractor with the safety guard in place and operating correctly.
All bolts are tight
There are no persons in the immediate operating area.
No person is riding on the machine.
When making adjustments. The P.T.O. and tractor is switched off.
Be on the look out for hazards and take the necessary actions.
Make sure all grease point including PTO shaft universals are in tact and have sufficient grease to enable normal operation.
Operating TheTill-Fix:
Till-Fix is designed to eliminate the first flush of weeds after preparation of the soil for sowing or planting. No weeds should be present after the main cultivation. When the new flush of weeds are visible it’s time to use the Till-Fix. Till fix produces maximum dislodging of the weeds and minimum disturbance of the soil. Therefore leaving most un-germinated weed seeds below germination depth.
Putting the Till-Fix to work is a relatively easy task. The machine consists of a main carry frame, a reciprocating blade, P.T.O. drive, a trailing rolling cultivator and furrowers or sweeps.
An optional extra is a hydraulic top link.
After attaching the Till-Fix securely and level to the tractor three-point linkage, the machine is ready for work.
Because of the varying depths of wheel tracks and other field conditions eg. Soil density etc. the depth and angle adjustments are best made in the field.
Depth of the blade is adjusted via the 3-point linkage control and should be at least 100mm deep. The furrowers must be set below the blade.
Angle of the blade can be altered by lengthening or shortening the top link.
Angle of the furrowers can be adjusted at the furrower shoe trip bracket.
Movement of the blade is varied by the engine revolutions of the tractor maximum 400 rpm.
Forward speed depends on a number of factors such as terrain, soil, crop and the kind of result desired. Five to eight km/hr usually produces a good result. The blade lifts the soil in a kind of wave. This wave should be settled ahead of the rolling cultivator. No two farms are the same; therefore some experimenting to get the desired result is advisable.