Why use a speed tiller?
Nov 13, 2023 Posted by Stewart Knight
Speed tillers have exploded in popularity in recent years due to their versatility and the speed they can cover the ground. They have a variety of different uses and purposes; however, they are not the total answer to everything. To explain in more detail, we need to look at how they work, as the name suggests they are designed to be used at speed, this is due to the aggressive angle (greater than 10 Dgs) of the disc plates they require speed to keep enough dirt flowing through them to archive a fine finish. Simply put they only operate in the top 50-75 mm of soil and are designed to chop and incorporate trash or stubble. Where an offset disc will dig deep into the soil and turn up the roots a speed disc is only designed to work on the surface.
The benefits of a speed tiller?
The great benefit of a speed tiller is it can achieve a similar result to a powered implement like a power harrow or rotary hoe they have fewer moving parts and are lower maintenance. They a perfect for incorporating stubble and other trash leaving a fine seed bed in just one pass added to this due to the nature of the speed in which you can travel a large area can be covered in a small amount of time with a relatively narrow machine.
However, like a rotary hoe due to the angle at which the disc approaches the soil, they have been known to exaggerate compaction issues due to the non-operational side of the disc pressing into the soil.
What are they best suited to?
Speed tillers a best suited to anyone that requires a machine to fine the surface down to create a seed bed in a short amount of time. Or simply needs to incorporate trash or stubble or knock-down ploughing. If you need light cultivation done fast a speed tiller is the implement for you. However, if you need to go into harder soil or want a full complete weed kill then will need to look at something like an offset disc or tandem.
The main thing to keep in mind is that they are designed and best suited to shallow cultivation. Ideal for secondary cultivation after an offset or chopping trash pre-ripping (subsoiler) or in a minimum till operation before a direct drill.
Another factor to consider is these machines operate best at 12 –15 km/h so one pass is not always achievable on a rough paddock without really good tractor suspension.
Options?
There are many options when it comes to speed tillers depending on application. A smaller disc will give you a greater disc tip speed thus throwing soil further and harder into the rear gang leaving a finer finish. However, this also reduces the ability to penetrate the soil as they will tend to chock and skid or bulldoze on stones.
Larger disc plates will solve the problem of penetration however they also add more weight to the machine thus requiring more hp to pull.
Other options include spring mounted discs to give a stump jump feature for areas with lots of rocks. However, the flip side to this is they will tend to ride out of hard soil where a beam style machine with rubber bush mounted discs is forced to stay more in formation and use the weight of the machine to penetrate.
Other options include rollers which once again depends on the finish desired. Read more about that in the learning centre 👉 Which Roller should I get on my Speed Tiller?
Unsure if a Speed Tiller is the machine for you reach out to the Delmade team we are very happy to answer questions you may have. Phone 1800 335 623.
