Paxton DT7 plough bred tough for deep ripping

The grain growing country around Mingenew (WA) is prone to hardpans, especially compacted yellow sandplain-over-clay (at about 200mm) which effects root development, moisture uptake and ultimately yields. Deep ripping has become the norm, and now an even heavier implement has appeared in the district to combat the problem.

One of the latest Paxton Plow Co's DT7 Series chisel ploughs has broken ground for the first time in WA on a typical yellow sand-over-clay farm at Mingenew.

The new series' main frame is constructed of 200 x 200 x 12.5mm RHS and rides on dual wheels, not singles. Capable of working as deep as 750mm, the Paxton DT7 will really get to work next autumn, preparing ground for the 4000ha farm's 2018 crop of lupins, wheat and canola.

The farm's usual program is based on deep ripping and some spade cultivation down to about 350mm, followed by direct drilling.

However, as the farm's owner points out, deep ripping isn't without its issues.

Tough work
"We've been deep ripping for 30 years and we've always had issues with other machines, mainly blockage problems because the tines were too short and the frame clearance was inadequate," he said.

"While some people say after you've ripped two or three times the going gets easier, that isn't our experience here. Sometimes it's easy and other years it's like pulling the ripper through concrete. So you don't know what it will be like and you need a pretty robust machine for the hard years.

"We have some parts of the farm on headlands and where it has been heavily trafficked where we have to go down 600 or even 700mm.

"So we obviously wanted a machine that would do that, and normally we'd be using a 4.0 or 5.0m machine working to maybe 350mm. With the new machine we've gone out to 40ft, but with a similar number of tines (25), although the tines are much longer."

The new Paxton has actually solved two problems, he said.

"We’ve got fewer blockages because of the better underframe clearance and, dropping the two wings off, we have a 6.0m machine capable of going down as far as 700mm."

The deep ripping also helps the farm's generous applications of lime better penetrate the soil profile better.

Bred for local conditions
Paxton Plow Co's Wade Smith said the Mingenew experience with the DT7 Series showed how the Australian company was successfully locally engineering and building machines for local Australian conditions.

"The plough's weight and strength are built into the frame and the dual wheels have been specified to carry that weight easily," he said.

"The tines, while based on the principles used in the SR Series plow tines, have a modified trip-head design and more material in the top half of the shank. This is where their strength to handle depths up to 750mm comes from – 250mm more than the 500mm the well-respected SR Series is designed for.

"Our machines are asked to do some heavy work but, like our customers, they simply get on with it with a minimum of fuss."

The Paxton Plow Co's implements are scheduled for appearances at upcoming major field days.

For more information contact Wade Smith at Paxton Plow on 0429 866 640.