3 point hitch spreader

[depasseg]

Hi Nick-
I'm following up on our e-mail thread here in the forums so it might benefit someone in the future.

Recap: I'm looking for a broadcast spreader for my Simplicity Legacy XL. I plan to spread lime and milorganite, both of which require a lot of material to be spread. I have 45,000sf of grass.
I saw the one that JDFANATIC has (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/grf58/3PTSpreaderFull_0004.jpg), and I was wondering the specs on it (empty weight, volume/capacity/size). It looks like the Cosmo http://catalog.mtrade.com/cgi-win/Catalog.exe?Browse;Catalog=cosmo;Query=P;Lang=eng

What size would be appropriate for my tractor? I've attached the 3 point hitch weight limit details. If there isn't much weight difference between the empty units, and the price difference is minor, is there any drawback to gettting a larger unit (the picture on the Cosmo web site make the spreader look huge).

Also, I was looking for opinions on getting a poly spreader instead of the metal bin. I figured it would weight less than the metal and be easier to maintain. Any thoughts?

Nick, in your e-mail you mentioned shipping to my local terminal. What terminal is that? Can you provide the package dimensions (will it fit in an SUV, or will I need a pick-up truck)?

Thanks,
Greg

[thesmartfarmer]

Looks like the terminal will be
Manchester New Hampshire (CCX)
56 Pine Street
Manchester, NH 03103 US

and these are Cosmo spreaders but I do not believe they show all of their products on their site. If I am not mistake they only show the 300lbs. spreader. But after looking at your PDF file you should only go with the 300lbs. because if you try to put any weight in the 750 spreader it will be way to much on it. The 300lbs spreader could probably fit in the back of a big SUV but I would rather haul it in a truck. Also if you want to go with the poly spreader I can get you one of those also but I do not recommend them. You will be satisfied more with the metal (if you just clean it after each use of fertilize or salt).

[depasseg]

I think you are right about their website, I can't find anything about the 750. I'm probably going to go with the 300, but I curious why you don't recommend a poly spreader. Does anyone here have a poly one?

Thanks,
Greg

[thesmartfarmer]

Poly spreaders are much more expensive and they will not last as long as a metal hopper. The metal hoppers are painted with anti-rust paint and coated with anti-corrosive paint which gives them a very high retardant against rust. If you put a little diesel around the hopper and gearbox after you use fertilize or salt it will outlast a poly hopper 5x's

[bontai Joe]

The poly hoppers if allowed to sit outside get degraded by the UV rays in sunlight until they become very brittle. Some also get brittle and crack if very cold, like when you are spreading salt at -20 degrees. For a light duty one you are gonna push, I'd go poly for the weight reduction, for most anything mounted on any machine, I'd go metal. Another plus with metal is that should it rust sometime down the road, a patch can be welded on it. Plastic is tough to weld :banghead3

[thesmartfarmer]

That is a good explanation Thanks.

[depasseg]

Thanks for all the help. I'm going with the 350lb spreader. I just placed my order on the website.

Thanks!
Greg

[thesmartfarmer]

Have you received your spreader yet? it should be at the terminal?

[depasseg]

The freight company called yesterday to arrange delivery. It should be here this afternoon between 3-5. I checked the tracking website and I see that it arrived at the local terminal in Manchester. Looks like things are all set. Thanks so much for the great service (and especially getting the box scraper added at the last minute). :)


Greg

[thesmartfarmer]

Well I hope it arrives and if you have any questions feel free to let me know.

[thesmartfarmer]

How is the spreader coming along? Have you thrown any salt yet?

[depasseg]

Hi Nick-

No need for salt yet...knock on wood.

I did dump 1000 lbs of lime though. It was a breeze. Man does that thing have a wide spread. I had to drop the rpms to keep the width managable. :)

Greg

[JDFANATIC]

Greg,

I'm late picking up this post, but am glad you went with Nick's unit. I'm very pleased with it, and, in fact, can't wait to put down the next application of weed-n-feed.

Cheers

JDFANATIC
JD2210

[depasseg]

Given the width of the spread and the irregularity of my yard, I'm nervous to try the weed 'n feed in it. Luckilly, that stuff spreads easily in my Lesco spreader (same as JDFANATIC's, but it was bought before I knew that he had it - I don't to be too much of a copy cat). I'm really looking forward to spreding Milorganite next spring. That stuff is the best fertilizer around, but the application rate is rediculously high (I think it's close to the rate for lime).

PS - JDF, did you ever find what settings you use for spreading? For 1000 lbs/acre, I used #4 and fully overlapped. That seemed to work well.

[thesmartfarmer]

I had to run my tractor pretty slow to get the grass to spread like I wanted but with the fertilzer I could adjust the setting to however fast I wanted to go. Have you try to change the settings a little?

[thesmartfarmer]

I am glad to hear that you are still liking yours JD!! Have you been keeping it clean after use? If so that thing should last a lifetime.

[depasseg]

I had to run my tractor pretty slow to get the grass to spread like I wanted but with the fertilzer I could adjust the setting to however fast I wanted to go. Have you try to change the settings a little?
Do you mean the setting on the spreader? I used 4 (I figured the middle was safe). I didn't think that affected the spread width. I thought that was affected only by varying the PTO rpm (which I did, and it worked well).

[thesmartfarmer]

It does not effect the spread width but it does effect how much comes out so if you set it to pour at 100% capacity then you can go faster or if you set it the ports to about 25% open then you will have to go slower to allow you to be able to get the amount of seed on the lawn. Does this make sense?

[depasseg]

It does not effect the spread width but it does effect how much comes out so if you set it to pour at 100% capacity then you can go faster or if you set it the ports to about 25% open then you will have to go slower to allow you to be able to get the amount of seed on the lawn. Does this make sense?
Yes it does. I like to use a slower rate and then overlap my first pass. Usually this gets me even coverage.

[thesmartfarmer]

I always like to spread more than needed versus not enough!!!

[bontai Joe]

My technique on lawns is to spread at HALF the recommended rate, and go over an area twice at right angles between the first pass and the second. My experience is this minimizes the chances of dropping too much fertilizer or weedkiller resulting in stripes from over lapping full strength passes accidently.

[depasseg]

Exactly! That's what I do too.