Remlinger Strip Builder

Another manufacturer of reduced tillage equipment is Remlinger, also located in Kalida, Ohio (the same city as Unverferth). The configuration of Remlinger and Unverferth tillage implements looks sort of similar at first glance. Both implements usually have a cutting coulter preceding the shank followed by paired coulters and rolling baskets.

There are several differences in the Remlinger machines though. The implements I’ve seen have a pair of row cleaners in front of the cutting coulter. The shanks on the Remlingers tend to be shorter, hence the name “Precision Strip Till row unit (PST)” or “Strip Builder” assigned by Remlinger. The pictures below are of a Remlinger implements; see Monday’s post for an example of an Unverferth.

It’s a little easier to see what the rolling baskets look like in the bottom picture. Different types of rolling baskets are available depending on the application and manufacturer of the equipment.

How do the two units compare? I’ve only had experience operating an Unverferth zone builder, so I’m not sure how they match up from an operational standpoint. From what I’ve heard the Unverferth zone builders tend hold up better in rocky soil. While visiting a couple farms this summer the Remlinger name came up in conversation and someone mentioned that Remlingers typically don’t hold up well when compared to an Unverferth.

A bit later we stopped at another farm where they used a Remlinger for strip tillage. In this case the grower said the Remlinger held up fine and he was happy with its performance. So what’s the deal here? Is it just a matter of opinion? Well possibly, but I left out a major detail, the soil difference between the two farms. At the first farm the soil was fairly rocky in comparison to the sandier soils I saw at the second farm. So perceptions of how a piece of tillage equipment holds up might be influenced by the soil type. This would explain why I’ve seen more zone builders in use on the rocky soils found throughout New York State.