Keeton Seed Firmer Installation

Keeton manufactures seed firmers, among other agricultural support products, designed to make planting and growing a more-efficient enterprise. The Keeton seed firmers are lightweight plastic with an elongated wing shape and affixed to planting machinery. The purpose of seed firmers is to position the seeds in the perfect location at the bottom of the planting furrow so they make good soil contact and are evenly placed in the soil, remaining precisely where you want them to be. Seed firmers are designed to be easily mounted onto a variety of planting machinery, behind the seed dropper, and can be attached or removed as necessary.

3 Keeton zip tie fasteners (provided with Firmer)
1 stainless steel clamp (provided w/ Firmer)
Small, adjustable wrench
Scissors and/or tin snips

Instructions

- 1
  Park your planting machine on stable and level ground and lift the seed drill mechanism to the raised position.
- 2
  Wrap one zip tie around the seed tube and thread it through the hole at the bottom end of the Keeton seed firmer unit. Thread the end of the tie through the eye and pull to make the connection just snug so as not to crush or impede the free flow of seeds through the seed tube.
- 3
  Loop the provided steel clamp around the seed tube and Keeton firmer roughly halfway down the length of the firmer unit. Position the clamp-tightening head on the underside of the Keeton firmer so it will not catch on anything. Tighten the clamp with your fingers or a small wrench to just secure, but not over-tight to the point of tension on the seed tube. Snip off the excess clamp belt with tin snips or scissors.
- 4
  Wrap the two remaining tie straps around the outside of the seed tube, metal seed tube protector and the firmer, near the top end of the firmer, above the stainless steel clamp you just installed. Position the top ties 1/2-inch apart near the top of the firmer with the tie eye and knot laying snug against the metal seed tube protector not on the bare plastic seed tube itself.
- 5
  Tighten the firmer tension screw so that there is 1/2-inch of thread visible. Lower the seed drill or planter mechanism to the ground at the controls. Check the tension by lifting the end of the firmer off the ground by 1-inch and releasing it. If the firmer does not slap the ground, tighten the firmer tension screw more, until the firmer gives that slap that ensures good firm contact with the seeds and soil.
- 6
  Repeat this same process for each seed tube your planting machinery has.

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