USED MACHINERY: Although they first appeared back in 1991, the Väderstad Rapid drill range can trace its ancestry back even further; the Rapid disc and coulter mechanism shares the same basic design as used on Väderstad’s first ever drill, the DS direct drills of 1985. When it comes to selecting a used example, care needs to be taken not so much mechanically but more in getting the correct specification. James de Havilland reports
Steady change has seen the Väderstad Rapid drill evolve to the point where the current models can be specified to offer direct, minimum
till and traditional drilling capability from the same basic unit. But this versatility is not on offer from all models.
To put it simply, drills equipped with tines at the front are capable of shallow direct drilling and coping with limited incorporated trash. It is only the Rapid models, introduced at the back end of 1997, which can have the ‘System Disc’ tool units installed ahead of the Crossboard levelling tines. With these discs, the drill can be used both for direct drilling or work in heavy trash.
