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I've tossed seed out with a Cyclo 400 6 row narrow for several years. But no more. It is HANDY to load just one tank. And very UNhandy to find it not feeding the drum because the tank seams leak too much. It was precise about the total seed count to the farm once I put in a new brush to cut down on the doubles with small flat seed corn. It counts better with round seed, but there's only a dozen round seed per ear so finding round seed can be impossible in some varieties, and more costly in others. Its very UNhandy to find that there's the same amount of seed in the tank at the end of the field that was there at the beginning because the fan belt was slipping and the pressure low, or the air flow backwards up the tank to drum tube kept seed from feeding the drum (no monitor). Its UNhandy to have to supply PTO power whether for the belt drive or a hydraulic pump just to run the fan. That means you have little choice in tractor engine speed, and so only as many ground speed choices as you have gears though some will always be way too fast. Its UNhandy to have to swab out the pipes where critters love to build cocoons. And that includes the air vent pipe between drum and seed tank with a right angle fitting on the tank end to make it hard to complete the swab. Its UNproductive to find the seed was counted precisely, but planted in bunches with gaps wide enough to walk between the plants without turning sideways or bending any stalks. That cuts production significantly. So unless you are independently wealthy and farming for a fun of it, not for profit, the old Cyclo is a bad investment. I found a good use for my parts Cyclo. 4 row wide, the outer rows fit down the middle between narrow rows, I moved one row unit to the middle, and made it into a liquid N side dresser using a JD squeeze pump. I stole a few parts from the 6 row narrow and I'd not classify it as a PLANTER, so I probably won't try to sell it except as scrap iron once I get tired of taking parts off for other projects. The White 5100 has a pretty good reputation but uses air. The JD 7000 has a well deserved fine reputation, and works better with Kinze bean units for beans. The finger units work fine for corn, they do need repairs and calibration. Spacing is almost as good as the latest of planters and the cost is significantly less than a new White or JD planter or even a modern Cyclo that has solved many but not all of the faults of the original Cyclo (varying friction out the long pipes). A 6 row 7000 will probably cost upwards of $3000 if not worn out (saw one at a farm auction in Greene County Iowa last week go for $3200) while when you find a Cyclo 400 or 500 it will go for its value as scrap iron, probably $100 or $200. Spend the money for the 7000, it will pay it back in increased crop production. Gerald J.
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