Gravity Fed Direct Drill - EasyDrill

Introduction

Introduction

The Sky EasyDrill is the product of 39 years worth of product development which started after a chance meeting between two agricultural machinery manufacturers. Sulky and Moore worked together for many years to evolve the UniDrill which has since become the EasyDrill. At first Sulky provided the seed metering part of the drill and Moore the coulters but gradually an integrated design evolved to provide a drill which would work in arable conditions as well as grassland. At the start of 2013 Sky Agriculture was born as a specialist company to sell, support and develop trailed drills manufactured by Sulky including the EasyDrill.

The EasyDrill is one of very few direct drills that can truly be advocated as a direct, a mintill, a grassland and a cover crop drill. Furthermore on well consolidated ploughing it can also be used in conventional systems. It's low disturbance disc coulter and press wheel not only ensure minimal weed seed germination, they also keep hp requirement to a minimum. Available in working widths from 3 -8m, a 3m EasyDrill typically takes 90hp to pull which reduces fuel consumption, tractor weight and therefore damage to the soil structure when drilling in damp conditions.

FETF 2024 - grant eligible

Gravity Fed Sky Agriculture EasyDrill

Eligible item: Sky Agriculture EasyDrill 3m-4m

(FETF206 - Direct drill with fertiliser placement)

Item must:

  • be a direct drill with fertiliser placement
  • use either tines or discs to produce the seeding slot
  • have a 2.9m minimum drilling width
  • have no cultivation or seed bed preparation equipment in front of the seeding slot mechanism except where part of the fertiliser placement.
  • place the seed in the seeding slot
  • place the fertiliser below or to the side of the seed in the seeding slot
  • drill through an established growing cover crop of at least 15cm
  • have separate seed and fertiliser hoppers
  • have precision metering
  • drill the full range of arable and cover crops including cereals

The following are not eligible: drills with cultivation or seed bed preparation equipment in front of the seeding slot, unless this is part of the fertiliser placement equipment, drills that broadcast fertiliser on the surface rather than place the fertiliser in the soil below or to the side of the seed, cultivators with over-seeders, cultivators with broadcasters, minimum till drills, strip till drills, grassland over-seeders, grassland broadcasters.

Percentage paid towards item: 60%

Percentage based on RPA expected average cost of item

Full details.

The FETF application window is open!

If you're interested in this machine, the first step is to apply for the eligible machine before the 17th April. Secondly, once you have your application approved, and you’ve accepted your offer, the next step is to purchase the item/machine.

If your application for the above machine is successful, then speak to your local Sky Agriculture dealer in good time, to ensure timely delivery before the end of the claim window. Find your local Sky Agriculture dealer here.

EasyDrill Features

Seed hopper

The EasyDrill 3m and 4m box drill versions have a seed capacity of 1350L and 1850L respectively and can be fitted with additional extensions of 550L and 800L. Fertiliser hopper capacity is 900L and 1250L which can be split using a variable partition. This allows high capacity seed only drilling and grain and fertiliser drilling as required.

Metering mechanism

The Gravity fed version uses a simple double peg-wheel system with small seeds being metered by a thin peg-wheel and larger ones using both two peg-wheels.

Individual row shut off is easily achieved through simply closing the guillotine feeding each coulter. A variator gearbox drives the metering shafts and is simply adjusted by means of a sliding lever and calibration disc.

On the twin hopper Fertiliser version the metering is doubled up, one gearbox and metering shaft is accessed from the front and the other from the back of the drill.

Putting the seed in the ground

EasyDrill Series 10

Whilst the "Seeding Line" looks very simple years worth of development have refined and honed every detail and this is what makes it one of the versatile drills on the market.

The EasyDrill "Tandem" holds the key to accurate seed depth control and allows consistent drilling in all conditions.

Tandem unit

It consists of a rubber front depth wheel which is connected to two rear metal press wheels which pivot like a bogie. The seeding disc is mounted between the front and rear wheels so that its depth is controlled by the wheels.

Seed Depth

When an obstacle, clod or stone is encountered the Tandem ensures that the seed depth is hardly affected giving the EasyDrill similar depth control to that of a precision drill.

When working into mintill or conventionally prepared seedbeds the front roller presses the soil and firms it up in front of the disc coulter which prevents the disc sledging in loose soils.

Seeding on Ploughed Soil

This also reduces the HP requirement of the drill in loose soil conditions.

When drilling into cover crops the front press wheel again performs a key role as it rolls down the cover crop allowing the disc coulter to cut through it and place the seed with ease.

Seeding in cover crop

Disc Opener and Skim Coulter work together to place the seed with maximum efficiency.

The hardened disc which opens the soil runs at just 3.5 degrees of angle to the direction of travel which means less soil disturbance, less power requirement and less weed and volunteer emergence. Running alongside the disc and keeping it clean is the Carbide Tipped Monobloc Skim Coulter.

The Tungsten Carbide face on the Skim coulter ensures minimal wear whilst it cleans the disc and cleans out the seed slot in front of the seed tube. The height of the skim coulter in relation to the disc can be altered as the disc wears.

Behind each disc coulter is an angled metal press wheel which itself works in tandem with the one next-door. These press the soil sideways and downwards closing the seed slot and covering the seed.

Bogie Cast Iron Wheels

The remarkable floating press wheel scrapers have been years in evolution, they faultlessly clean the perfectly flat surface of the press wheels to ensure the drill keeps running.

Importantly the distribution of the weight of the drill between the rear press wheels and front press roller can be altered, this allows maximum pressure on the rear in dry conditions to consolidate the seedbed and ensure soil to seed contact. Similarly in wetter conditions weight can be transferred to the front to keep the drilling running clean.

Fertiliser placement

This is where Sky drills benefit from their manufacturing partnership with Sulky, experts in fertiliser metering and application. All EasyDrills come as standard with grain and fertiliser hoppers. This consists of dual metering systems feeding two separate delivery tubes which allows the fertiliser to be applied separately to the seed but in the same pass. The seed rate can be varied by the operator on the move from the Ultron MS controller. As an option on the 3m machines, an addition Pro Hopper can be specified meaning 3 products can be individually metered and applied at 2 different depths. The primary seed is drilled using the disc coulter and the secondary product is applied by dedicated placement tube in front of the press wheels.

Separated depth management

Depth positions

Easy to hitch, the CAT II Crossbar allows tight turns in transport and in the field.

 CAT II Crossbar

Transport wheels

Large low pressure press wheels are fitted to all EasyDrills to ensure minimum damage in the field and fast stable road transport.

Painting process

All Sky drills undergo a fertiliser proof painting process to ensure their longevity no matter whether they are used for fertiliser or not.

EasyDrill Paint ProcessEasyDrill Paint Process

Models

EasyDrill Fertisem Range

EasyDrill Range

Technical Specification

Technical specification

Options and Accessories

Options and accessories

EasyDrill Options and Accessories

Customer Testimonials

Customer testimonials

Brochures

View and download the brochure

Gallery

Would you like some more information?