# Properly using an offset disc harrow



## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I'm getting ready to work up some really rough ground with an offset disc harrow. I have used it in the past and it seems to be a pretty good tool for riding down the humps and high spots......while it works pretty good for rough leveling I also found out that you can really make a mess of a field with an offset disc and leave some big furrows. With the offset disc harrow I was taught to work the field round and round always going in a clockwise direction rather than going back and forth. Is this the best and proper way to use an offset disc? With other tillage tools like a chisel plow or regular tandem disc I make a few rounds around and then start going back and forth in the same direction that I will plant and harvest.

Hayden


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

When I break up sod with our Crustbuster offset, I know its going to take multiple passes so I usually cut one direction working my way across the field. Then on the second pass I cut it at an angle to my first pass. When I feel its only going to take one last pass to have it cut up as much as I like, I go round and round the field in a counterclockwise direction. Your disk might be different and clockwise might work with yours. I don't know if its the right way to do it but I prefer my last pass to be round and round otherwise I have ridges in the field. Our IH 620 drills have a rolin seeder weeder that does a fairly good job of leveling any ridges in front of the drills.

Its one of the reasons I'd like a Summers diamond disk as it seems heavy enough to break up sod or work corn stalks under but yet leaves a smooth ridge free finish. Even more so with rolling baskets on them.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Round and round just like if your plowing. I picked up some ground that the previous tenant used a offset back and forth, took us forever to get the worst of the ridges out but you could still tell as the ground looked like waves rolling in from the ocean still.


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## pede58 (Oct 27, 2015)

I got an old 10 footer, cable operated and made to bull behind a dozer, weights 2 tons and has 36in notched blades, we use it after clearing timber to cut roots. Yes, round and round but I can't remember which way to go, since I can't pick it up I turn so the blades walk up and around, the other way it digs in pretty bad, but I do remember if you go one direction it covers the furrow, the other way it does not.


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

Folks around here have a smaller disc on the rear outside row so it doesn't cut as deep....


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

mlappin said:


> Round and round just like if your plowing. I picked up some ground that the previous tenant used a offset back and forth, took us forever to get the worst of the ridges out but you could still tell as the ground looked like waves rolling in from the ocean still.


 Ok that kind of confirms what I thought. I tried going back and forth on a field a few years ago and since the disc seemed to throw more dirt to one side than the other it was leaving big ridges and furrows in the field......really made a mess of things.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

pede58 said:


> I got an old 10 footer, cable operated and made to bull behind a dozer, weights 2 tons and has 36in notched blades, we use it after clearing timber to cut roots. Yes, round and round but I can't remember which way to go, since I can't pick it up I turn so the blades walk up and around, the other way it digs in pretty bad, but I do remember if you go one direction it covers the furrow, the other way it does not.


 The one I have is a Taylor Way 9' with 26" notched blades. Going in a clockwise direction like I was instructed you can't turn with it in the ground.....it will either dig in and make a mess or the tractor will lose traction trying to turn with it in the ground.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

FarmerCline said:


> The one I have is a Taylor Way 9' with 26" notched blades. Going in a clockwise direction like I was instructed you can't turn with it in the ground.....it will either dig in and make a mess or the tractor will lose traction trying to turn with it in the ground.


Either lift it out of the ground just enough for it to not gouge or lift it the whole way and do your headlands last.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

8350HiTech said:


> Either lift it out of the ground just enough for it to not gouge or lift it the whole way and do your headlands last.


 What I have been doing is just lifting it all the way up and turning a loop to get going back straight again. Working round and round I wouldn't have any headlands I thought? Or are you saying not to go round and round?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

FarmerCline said:


> What I have been doing is just lifting it all the way up and turning a loop to get going back straight again. Working round and round I wouldn't have any headlands I thought? Or are you saying not to go round and round?


You can still go round and round but have headlands. If you're having to make sharp turns on the ends, pick it up but go round and round. Come back and finish the headlands after you've worked your way to the middle.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

8350HiTech said:


> You can still go round and round but have headlands. If you're having to make sharp turns on the ends, pick it up but go round and round. Come back and finish the headlands after you've worked your way to the middle.


 I'm not sure I completely follow you. Are you saying when I come to a corner just pick it up to turn then when I'm back straight let it down rather than turning a loop after picking it up to work out the corner? I guess then the headlands would be an X shape through the field?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

FarmerCline said:


> I'm not sure I completely follow you. Are you saying when I come to a corner just pick it up to turn then when I'm back straight let it down rather than turning a loop after picking it up to work out the corner? I guess then the headlands would be an X shape through the field?


Yes and no. Yes pick it up on a sharp turn. No, don't put it back down right away. Leave a headland, not an x. To get an x you'd be working in a square field. I doubt you have square fields.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Pick it up when you cross the green areas to avoid having to turn sharp. Come back and do them last. They'll be your headland.


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## Jay in WA (Mar 21, 2015)

My only disk is a Wishek offset. It's my primary tillage tool that does most of my tillage. I always run back in forth in lands finishing with the left side. Run properly it won't ridge


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## Jay in WA (Mar 21, 2015)

2nd pass this fall in 260 bu corn stalks cut with a chopping head


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

FarmerCline said:


> What I have been doing is just lifting it all the way up and turning a loop to get going back straight again. Working round and round I wouldn't have any headlands I thought? Or are you saying not to go round and round?


I go round and round, no headlands, but I do go back and work my corners lightly.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

SCtrailrider said:


> Folks around here have a smaller disc on the rear outside row so it doesn't cut as deep....


That's how the disks are on our back gang. The last three disks are each smaller than the next. It helps but still ridges, especially if you cut it deep.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Jay in WA said:


> 2nd pass this fall in 260 bu corn stalks cut with a chopping head


How many feet wide is that one? How much HP to pull it? I've always heard Wishek disks are the cats meow. Built heavy, cut good, just pull hard.


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## Jay in WA (Mar 21, 2015)

16 ft. 8430T plays with it. Was a good match for a 8400


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

8350HiTech said:


> Yes and no. Yes pick it up on a sharp turn. No, don't put it back down right away. Leave a headland, not an x. To get an x you'd be working in a square field. I doubt you have square fields.





8350HiTech said:


> Pick it up when you cross the green areas to avoid having to turn sharp. Come back and do them last. They'll be your headland.


 Ok, I see what you are saying now. For that to work though wouldn't I have to work the field in sections to keep from having a lot of wasted time driving from one side of the field to the other on the headlands? I do have a couple pretty square fields but most are irregular shaped......pretty much all of them have multiple 90 degree corners though.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

IHCman said:


> That's how the disks are on our back gang. The last three disks are each smaller than the next. It helps but still ridges, especially if you cut it deep.


 That's how mine is as well with three smaller discs on the back gang and each one progressively smaller. I actually thought that maybe that is why it doesn't leave an even cut since all the blades don't cut the same depth......but from what your saying it doesn't sound like that is the case.


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## Northeast PA hay and beef (Jan 29, 2017)

Some wasted time at the ends would be worth it for a nice smooth field. We would do the same with our 12 ft miller. It worked well for annual crop fields. But always would ridge some. We would also on the last pass attach a 15 ft piece of railroad track to back of the disc. It worked to get out the worst ridges. But to reseed sod we had to change to a kverneland qaulidisc. It has a plate on each side of the disc that stops it from ridging. Really levels the field nicely.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

FarmerCline said:


> That's how mine is as well with three smaller discs on the back gang and each one progressively smaller. I actually thought that maybe that is why it doesn't leave an even cut since all the blades don't cut the same depth......but from what your saying it doesn't sound like that is the case.
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That's what I was always told as to why they are like that. If you watch I bet its your front gang that actually makes the ridge, its that part of the back gang that hits the ridge and levels it somewhat.

Our disk is set that the front gang cuts a little deeper than the back gang. That's the way it was when Dad bought it and we've never tried to adjust it. I've wondered if setting it more level would help the back gang knock that ridge down a little more.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Northeast PA hay and beef said:


> Some wasted time at the ends would be worth it for a nice smooth field. We would do the same with our 12 ft miller. It worked well for annual crop fields. But always would ridge some. We would also on the last pass attach a 15 ft piece of railroad track to back of the disc. It worked to get out the worst ridges. But to reseed sod we had to change to a kverneland qaulidisc. It has a plate on each side of the disc that stops it from ridging. Really levels the field nicely.


My thoughts exactly. It's not a waste of time if it allows you to get a good job done the first time. Easier than going back and fixing something


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## Hay diddle diddle (Nov 17, 2017)

If your tandems gangs are closer on the right hand side (sitting in tractor looking forward) , then you work anti clockwise and turn right doing a 270 degree turn on corners. that's how i was taught. No

lifting and never turning against the disc's. The gangs should be set so they are closer on the right as this means as you are working the correct way your working looking out the same side as the tractors controls (more natural working position).


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

Might drag a heavy log behind it also to help smooth the dirt some....


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