its been while since ive posted here but i try to figger out my problems but guess im loseing my mind but how do a person go about setting up a plow i do know that the right side or the left side wheel needs needs to be rasied up a few inches but how much its on a 601 work master

Earl, FYI & FWIW:
Plowing with a 2-bottom plow can be and is a fun experience. Learning and working a field makes you feel like an old time farmer again. That being said, know that plowing today is considered obsolete as the modern NO-TILL FARMING practice has been used for a few decades now. All the mega-farms use it as soil erosion was researched years ago it was found that when a field sat with soil fully exposed months, natural wind and weather erosion removed and destroyed a lot the topsoil.

You will rarely see a plowed field anymore but there are many still around. I see a few in my area now today. The old method was, after the crop harvest in the fall, the corn stubble and other dead vegetation would be plowed under and the field would sit like that til spring. In the spring the farmer would then begin to work the field in prep for planting a new crop. Usual procedure was to plow again, run the disc harrow, then plant/seed. Now some farmers planted winter wheat and rye with a grain drill and by spring the crop would be ready for harvest.

With NO-TILL Farming, the farmer would leave all the stubble and vegetation in the field all winter which prevented severe soil erosion. In the spring the farmer then needed to only run a disc harrow across the field to turn all the old vegetation under and then he could plant his new seed beds.

There are plenty of folks still plowing though. As stated before, NO-TILL FARMING is mainly done today on the bigger, commercial agricultural farms geared for high volume production. Many of us still love to plow with our little gardens and food plots. I used to work my garden and food plots as well as a few neighbors too. We’re talking ¼ to 1-3 acre plots. I’d plow in the spring. Then run the disc harrow real good. This prepared the soil for a good seed bed. For deer food plots, I’d plant seed with an old hand seeder, sprinkling rye or wheat in some fields and brassicas, clover, and turnips in others. Then I’d hitch up my disc and set it so only the front gangs were lightly engaged. This was very effective in getting the fallen seed buried but not to deep it wouldn’t grow. In a week to ten days you’d see little sprouts appearing.
The wheat and rye would stay all fall and winter and in the spring would shoot up. The deer ate this up like candy in the cold months. Around Memorial Day I’d then bush hog the wheat/rye down, plow to bury the trash, disc for a smooth seed bed, then prep for another planting season.

You can find plowing demonstrations at tractor shows all over in the spring, summer, and fall as members will bring their machines to actively show off their plowing techniques. You can learn a lot from these fellas and they’ll be glad to share their advice with you. What's your story? Enjoy.

1948 FORD 8N & DEARBORN 10-8 MOLDBOARD 12”, 2-BOTTOM PLOW – TIM DALEY, OWNER/OPERATOR:

Tim Daley (MI)

Here is the method that I used for years where you can dispense with the lifting one tire, running a string, etc.

If you have not opened the new area to plow, turn the leveling box crank clockwise 12-13 times. Jump on and open the first (outer) furrows. Come back and drop your right wheels in one of the new furrows, jump off and crank the leveling box counterclockwise the same number of times. Jump back on and plow the rest. I used this method for years with my Dearborn 2-14 Economy plow on my 8N, 3000 and even my modern Massey-Ferguson tractor.

Same method I grew up with and a 2-14 Economy plow except I adjusted from the seat. My visual was, when the plow is level side to side and front to rear. Soil type sometimes forced me to shorten top link slightly to get plow to pull into the ground. Many, many, many hours plowing 100 to 120 acres every year. I don't own one now but I had 5 for a while.

HiYa Earl-
Plowing is basically the same all around but it matters which plow make and model you have as each was setup slightly different. Plow design and parts are all the same. Plows were made as 10", 12", and 14" 2-Bottoms with a 16" single bottom option. It is the cross shafts that changed so settings also changed. Look in the MANUALS forum here to determine which make and model you have. The early 9N had the Ferguson-Sherman Plows the cross shaft was similar to an engine crank shaft being offset a tad. With the Dearborn Moldboard Plows, the cross shaft was changed to a solid straight bar and settings were now different. The later Dearborn and FORD ECONOMY PLOWS changed the cross shaft yet again to an "L" bar, thus different adjustments were required as well. The MANUALS forum has instruction books on early Ferguson-Sherman plows and the 8N Operator's Manuals have chapters on plowing. Here are some scans from those manuals. Just a helpful hint: You don't need coulters and jointers to plow with but you do need the Rolling Landside, or Furrow Wheel. This should get you started.

FERGUSON-SHERMAN & DEARBORN PLOWS:

Tim Daley (MI)