We spoke with Tom Natale, district sales manager for Kinze Manufacturing, Inc., to answer a few questions about planter blade maintenance. We understand your time is valuable. It is important your planting equipment is prepared for the upcoming planting window before it arrives. When it comes to your planter’s blades, Tom provided some important information about what you should look out for. Tom mentioned that Kinze 15-inch blades should be replaced once they are worn to about 14.5 inches in diameter. This can be measured in a few ways. One, and probably the most obvious way, would be to use a tape measurer to measure from the center of the blade to the edge. Another way you could measure your blades is through the help of a tool Apple Farm Service has been supplied by one of our local customers. Available at any of our locations for just $15. This gauge allows you to easily and quickly measure your blades, with specific measurements for different brands. This tool completely takes the guesswork out of measuring your blades, not to mention it is much simpler to have on hand when you are out in the field.

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Not sure if your blades are too worn? Check out this awesome new tool to measure if you need new blades! Available for $15 each.

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You might be asking, why can’t I just wait until the blade is worn down past the beveled edge? When the blade is cutting through the ground, it makes a nice ‘V’ shape for the seed to drop into. When the blade is worn too far, that ‘V’ becomes more of a ‘W’, affecting the quality of your planting. Not only should you be concerned with the wear and tear on the blade itself, but it is important to keep an eye on the bearings as well. It is common to see bearing wear out before the blade does. The same is true for the opposite, you could find that your blade wears out far before the bearing.

Check out this video to hear Tom’s expert tips and tricks to ensure your planter blades are ready for planting: