McCormick MFF Grain Doll

[Farmall 656]

For the first time I used my new-to-me MFF grain drill to sew some grass seed into a couple worked-up pasture lots. I followed the manual and set the drill and off and running. I put the grass seed in the grass seed boxes. Things seemed to work well, however what I began to notice was the grass seed was occasionally was coming out of the top of the seed cup. I started with 20 cups of grass seed and I cleaned out 9 cups. I had the grass seed box set for 15-16 cups. For those of you who have used this drill, what am I missing? Should I have used the oat bins instead? Was my multiple grass seed too big for the cups and tubes? Is it time to replace the old metal seed tubes with something different? Any experience and advice greatly appreciated!!

 

[jwal10]

Sounds, looks like some of the tubes were plugging up. We just left the tubes loose on the bottom so they flopped around and kept themselves cleaned out. We never run the small seed tubes to the furrows, just dropped seed on the ground and pulled harrow behind. My guess the seed was big and light and didn't feed right. Never had a drill that fed exactly what the chart said especially when mixing seeds. I had better luck mixing grass seed in the big seed box with oats or barley. Used the small seed box for clover, alfalfa, turnip and lotus seeds. Brome was a hard seed to sow....James

 

[Leroy]

For the first time I used my new-to-me MFF grain drill to sew some grass seed into a couple worked-up pasture lots. I followed the manual and set the drill and off and running. I put the grass seed in the grass seed boxes. Things seemed to work well, however what I began to notice was the grass seed was occasionally was coming out of the top of the seed cup. I started with 20 cups of grass seed and I cleaned out 9 cups. I had the grass seed box set for 15-16 cups. For those of you who have used this drill, what am I missing? Should I have used the oat bins instead? Was my multiple grass seed too big for the cups and tubes? Is it time to replace the old metal seed tubes with something different? Any experience and advice greatly appreciated!!

First off there is no such thing as a NFF drill drop the second F and you will have the model. Think I still have 2 different versionsdof the owners manuall have had 2 of them. The non fertilizer version was the M and the F was just for fertilizer..

 

[ET]

Spider cobwebs will plug the grass seed drop tubes. Clean the tubes with compressed air and a blow gun.

 

[Timmycornpicker]

First off there is no such thing as a NFF drill drop the second F and you will have the model. Think I still have 2 different versionsdof the owners manuall have had 2 of them. The non fertilizer version was the M and the F was just for fertilizer..

There was indeed an MFF Leroy. Instead of the double run feed of the regular M, it had fluted feed similar to what the Van Brunt drills used.

 

[Timmycornpicker]

Sounds, looks like some of the tubes were plugging up. We just left the tubes loose on the bottom so they flopped around and kept themselves cleaned out. We never run the small seed tubes to the furrows, just dropped seed on the ground and pulled harrow behind. My guess the seed was big and light and didn't feed right. Never had a drill that fed exactly what the chart said especially when mixing seeds. I had better luck mixing grass seed in the big seed box with oats or barley. Used the small seed box for clover, alfalfa, turnip and lotus seeds. Brome was a hard seed to sow....James

Yeah, the small seed boxes on those drills don't like light, fluffy seeds. Small round seed like timothy, clover, alfalfa, etc. goes fine. I have planted brome by mixing it in with oats in the big box and planting shallow.