The Plotmaster 400™
Users Manual
Safety Instructions &
Planting Tips
Plotmaster Systems, Llc.
478-864-9108 or 1-888-629-4263
www.theplotmaster.com
We would like to thank you for
your purchase of the
Plotmaster 400™ !
The information in this booklet is designed to
Provide you with a better understanding of
Your Plotmaster 400™, as well as to provide
You with safety instructions and tips for
planting your food plots.
If at anytime you have questions about your unit,
Please call us at 478-864-9108
We’ll be glad to answer any questions that may arise!
Plotmaster 400™ Electric Unit
READ FIRST!!!
READ OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
BEFORE USE!!
Safety and Operating Instructions:
DO NOT operate the PLOTMASTER 400™ over 10 MPH.
DO NOT sit or stand on the PLOTMASTER 600™
while in use.
DO NOT ride on the PLOTMASTER 400™ at anytime.
Keep your feet and hands clear of the PLOTMASTER
400™ when raising or lowering the unit.
DO NOT put hands in Seeder attachment while in use
or while seeder motor is on.
Keep your Hands and Fingers clear when raising or
lowering the drag and/or cultipacker to avoid pinching.
Recommended for use with ATV’s, 300 cc or larger.
NOT recommended for 40 HP or larger tractors.
Recommended for 18 Hp or larger lawn mowers.
DO NOT put lime or fertilizer in seeder attachment.
Maximum capacity of seeder is 50 lbs.
Plotmaster 400™ is designed for off-road use only. DO
NOT tow on public roadways
DO NOT Operate on Inclines Greater than 10°
Electric Models are Provided with a 30 AMP slow blow
fuse
Make sure you attach the electrical clips of the control box
to the correct terminals on your battery to avoid damage
to the electrical system. (Red Clip to positive terminal,
Black Clip to the negative terminal )
Diagram of the Plotmaster 400™
A- Main Frame
B- 1 Point Hitch
C- 3 Point Hitch
D- Adjustable Disc
E- Tool or Carrying Rack
F- Jack (May be Electric or Manual)
G- Plow Attachments
H- Electric Seeder
I- Seed Flow Control
J- Drag
K- Cultipacker
L- Set Bolt
M-Wheel Assembly
N- Metal Grating
C
M
E A
D
L
I H
F
J K G
Details About Your Plotmaster 400™...
A. The PLOTMASTER 400™ consists of a sturdy MAIN
FRAME with various components and attachments
that may be added or removed.
Each PLOTMASTER 400™ comes with a 1-point and
3- point hitch. The 1-point hitch has a 2” coupler which
is designed to fit any 2” ball hitch. The 2” coupler can be
adjusted from 1 7/8’ to 2” by loosening or tightening the
nut on the bottom of the coupler
B. The 1-POINT HITCH is designed to hook up with many
types of pulling machines and vehicles. Examples are ATV’s,
Utility Vehicles, small tractors, large lawn-mowers, trucks,
jeeps and 6x6 vehicles. Notice that the 1-point hitch has four
holes for different tongue heights. You can adjust the height
of the 1-point hitch by raising or lowering the 1-point hitch
inside the 2 1/2” square upright receiver. Adjustment of the
1-point hitch allows the unit to be tilted forward for more
pressure on the harrow disc or angled back for more pressure
on the plow tips. There may be times when you may want to
have more pressure on the disc or more on the plows. Using
the bottom hole will apply more pressure to the disc whereas
the upper holes will supply more pressure to the plow
attachment.
(HINT: We have found that in hard soil keeping the
unit level as possible works best for most application.)
If you plan to use your PLOTMASTER™ with a truck or
cargo ATV, you may need to purchase and electrical
extension cord. This extra extension will allow you to run
your control box to the cab of your truck or cargo ATV.
Your may also choose to have an extension for your battery
hookups. We carry extra long extension cords for the
batteries as well.
If you would like to add either of the extension cords to your
unit, please call our office at 1-478-864-9108.
There is a set bolt on the upright receiver which can be used
to tighten the 1-point hitch inside the receiver. We have
found that the unit works best if the set bolt is tightened
after each adjustment of the 1-point hitch. This helps to
keep the unit from wobbling side-to-side or “fish tailing”
during use.
(See “L” on diagram
Please Note: If your unit wobbles from side to side or
Begins fish-tailing during use, there are several things you can do
to eliminate the problem.
Slow down and reduce pulling speed (<4mph)
Add weight to seeder.
Tighten set bolt on 1-point hitch.
Tighten coupler to 2” ball using set-bolt underneath
coupler
Reduce the cutting angle of disc to light mode.
Level the unit as much as possible using the upper holes on the
1-point hitch
Lower the drag and/or cultipacker behind seeder.
C. Each unit also comes with a 3-Point Hitch which is
located on the main frame. By removing the 1-point
hitch completely, the PLOMASTER™ is ready for 3point hook-up on the lift pins provided
D. You will notice a pin for adjusting the angle of cut of the
ADJUSTABLE DISC. There are three (3) different settings,
Light Disc Mode, Medium Disc Mode and Heavy Disc
Mode.
D. The first hole from the front of the unit is for light
discing (Light Disc Mode) such as re-seeding or aerating.
The middle hole, which is the optimal angle of cut for
discing (Medium Disc Mode), is used for most applications
with and ATV.
The third hole, which is the Heavy Disc Mode, is used for
heavy, deep discing on rough ground or where the ground
needs to be thoroughly broken up using the 3-point hitch on
tractor.
E. The TOOL OR CARRYING RACK has multiple uses.
It can carry extra bags of seed, tools, coolers and the tank
for the spray attachment. You will also notice how easy it...
is to attach these items using bungee cords with the
expanded metal. It can also be used to attach extra plow
points for you plow attachment. We have found that it may
be necessary to add extra weight to the unit under certain
situations, especially when discing hard or extremely rough
soils. This will improve the discing and plowing of the unit.
F. An ELECTRIC OR MANUAL JACK is attached to the
wheel assembly. The jack has a 14” vertical travel that gives
plenty of ground clearance. The jack allows you to adjust
how deep you wish to cut by using the wheels as a depth
gauge. For example, if you wish to cut 4” deep, simply raise
the jack or wheel assembly 4’ off the ground. Loading or
pressure can be taken off the discs or plows simply by
lowering the wheels. This will allow you to adjust the
loading for different pulling machines.
To operate the electric jack manually, use a 3/16” allen
wrench to remove the plug in the top of the motor and a
1/4” allen wrench to turn the motor shaft located inside.
WARNINGS!!!
DO NOT pull this unit on a public road or highway! The
wheels on this machine are not intended for road or
highway use.
When coupling the PLOTMASTER™ to the ATV, make
certain the 6 wire cable has enough slack to allow for
turns but not enough to be caught in the harrow discs.
Too much slack will allow the cable to be cut by the discs.
G. The PLOW ATTACHMENT attaches to the
PLOTMASTER™ behind the jack using two hitch pins
located on the side of the main frame. The plow
attachments has four holes for depth adjustments. The two
middle adjustments work best for most applications.
The PLOTMASTER™ is delivered with three (3) plows
attached to the plow attachment and two (2) extra that can
be added to the plow attachment as needed.
Each plow attachment comes with three (3) different types
of plow points.
1. Five (5) narrow, reversible CHISEL POINTS for hard, rough
soils.
2. Five (5) medium-sized CULTIVATOR POINTS for cultivating
prepared soils.
3. Five (5) 9” SWEEP PLOW POINTS for plowing cultivated soils
with little or no vegetation
(Hint: If plow points load up with vegetation, discing and
plowing are reduced. The points can be cleaned simply by raising
the unit slightly with the jack, backing up and the vegetation will
catch beneath the tires, pulling it away from the plows.)
(Hint: The smaller chisel points work much better than the
larger sweep plows for plowing if vegetation exists. If you are
using five (5) plow points, removing two (2) will allow vegetation
to flow through without clogging up. You can also remove the
entire plow attachment if plow points continue to load up or
collect too much vegetation.)
The plow attachment can be replaced with many different
attachments. Some of the attachments are listed as “Other
Attachment” on the following pages. To replace the plow
attachment with another attachment, simply remove the hitch
pins and raise your PLOTMASTER™ to drop the plow
attachment out. Slide new attachment in place, lower the
PLOTMASTER™ so attachment arms slide in same receivers
on the outside of the main frame. Adjust to desired holes and
then replace hitch pins.
H. Each of the units comes with an ELECTRIC SEEDER to
distribute and plant seed. The seed flow control is attached
directly to the seed gate. There are 12 detents (notches) that
determine the amount of opening of the seed drop holes in the
bottom of the seeder. Adjust the seed flow control for the size
seed being dispensed. See notes.
I. The SEED FLOW CONTROL (pictured below) is used to open
the seed gate for dispensing seed. There are twelve (12) detents
or settings on the seed flow control that allows for distributing
different size seeds. Adjust the seed flow control to the desired
size and amount of seed you want to dispense.
In the “0” position the seed gate should be fully closed. The
seed gate can be adjusted by loosening the bolt that holds the
lever to the seed gate. Use a 9/16” wrench for this task.
Smaller seeds will be dispensed at positions “1” through “3”
and larger seeds at higher number detents.
(see helpful hints)
IMPORTANT NOTES:
DO NOT put more than 50 lbs. of seed in the seeder at one time.
The seeder is designed to hold a maximum of 50 pounds of seed.
DO NOT put lime or fertilizer in the electric seeder. The electric
seeder was not designed to distribute lime or fertilizer. It will rust
the seeder components and/or cause the seeder to work
improperly.
You can adjust the seed gate to open wider for larger seeds or close
it for smaller seeds by loosening the bolt that attaches the seed
flow control handle to the seed gate. Make certain the seed gate is
fully closed with the seed flow control in the “0” position and
retighten the set bolt.
HELPFUL HINT: When planting, open seed flow control one detent
at a time until first seed falls out. This is your indication that this is
smallest opening for that size seed. The bigger the seed, the bigger the
opening.
J. The DRAG is used to level soil and to cover larger seeds such
as wheat, rye, beans, peas, Lab Lab and oats. When you get
ready to plant your larger seeds, simply swing the drag over
behind the unit and attach the chain/springs on the bottom of
the wheel assembly to the J-hooks on the drag. In this position,
the drag is used to level the soil and to cover the larger seed
with 1-2 inches of soil. Additional downward pressure and
coverage can be obtained by connecting the hooks on the drag
to the chain links closer to the wheel assembly
Each Complete Unit comes with a DRAG with METAL
GRATING and a CULTIPACKER. Both the drag and the
cultipacker are interchangeable. Each Basic Unit comes with a
Drag only.
K. The CULTIPACKER in its forward position over the disc is
used for added weight for improved discing and plowing. For
optimal use, you should fill the cultipacker with sand. The
cultipacker has a bung cap located on the end of the
cultipacker which can be opened to add sand. The cultipacker
should be removed from the unit and stood on end with bung
hole on top. Fill cultipacker with maximum volume and
When you get ready to plant your small seeds, simply
Swing the cultipacker over behind the unit and attach the
chain/springs on the bottom of the wheel assembly to the hooks
on the cultipacker provided. In this position, the cultipacker is
used to compress soil and to roll over smaller seeds to ensure a
firm seed bed. This also ensures the seeds are not buried too
deep.
Additional downward pressure and compaction can be
obtained by connecting the hooks on the cultipacker to the
chain links that are nearer to the wheel assembly. Pressure can
be adjusted by hooking different chain links to the J-hooks.
IMPORTANT: KEEP YOUR HANDS AND FINGERS CLEAR
WHEN RAISING AND LOWERING THE DRAG AND/OR
CULTIPACKER TO AVOID PINCHING!!!
L. SET BOLT : See diagram or description in section “B”.
M. The Plotmaster™ is shipped with the wheels strapped to the
pallet. To attach the wheels to the WHEEL ASSEMBLY,
insert the square tubing of each wheel into the tubing of the
wheel assembly and secure with the 2-3/8” x 3-1/2” bolts
shipped in the plastic bag located in the seed box. Tighten the
nylock nuts securely.
N. METAL GRATING. See diagram or description in section “J”
OTHER ATTACHMENTS:
COMPACTOR: This attachment is used to compact soils and
prepare a smooth seed bed prior to planting small seeds such as
clover or grass seed. This is an important step to ensure that
these small seeds are not planted too deep. Small seed such as
chicory and clover should never be planted more than 1/4”
deep.
SCRAPE BLADE: This attachment is used to level the soil,
scrape driveways and has been used to remove manure from
goat pens and chicken houses. The uses are endless.
RAKE: This attachment rakes and removes unwanted
vegetation and debris before plowing. It can also be used to rake
leaves, remove pine straw, groom driveways, and to dethatch
lawns to stimulate growth of grass. It works great for making
trails to and from your deer stands for less noise walking in and
out of the woods to your stand.
MOULDBOARD PLOW: This 10” plow is used for turning
under new ground and for establishing fire breaks in wooded
areas.
IMPORTANT NOTE: When using this plow, make sure the landslide
(bottom part of plow) is level or parallel with the ground. This will
ensure that the plow is cutting at the optimal angle of cut. You can
adjust this angle by raising or lowering the height of the 1-point hitch.
GRAIN DRILL: This grain drill attaches to the angle iron on
the bottom of the electric seeder using two bolts and wing nuts.
The grain drill five (5) flexible hoses that funnel seed down
directly behind each of the plow tips. The grain drill allows
you to plant seeds in distinct rows. Row width can be adjusted
by moving the s-tines on the plow attachment to the desired
row width This attachment is great for planting large seeds
in rows such as corn, soybeans, Lab Lab or chufa.
The ROLLING BASKET can be used for leveling clumpy soils
and for covering seeds such as wheat, oats, rye and peas.
By attaching the chain springs on the bottom of the wheel
assembly to the hooks on the rolling basket, you can adjust how
much pressure is applied. This downward pressure will directly
influence how deep seeds will be covered. It will also influence
how well the basket will break-up dirt clods or clumpy soil. The
Rolling Basket can also be used to manicure the soil.
By manicuring the soil, you leave a level, soft seed bed for
planting small seeds such as grasses. After dropping your seed,
the cultipacker should be used to ensure a level, firm seed bed.
IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE: Grease the cultipacker bearings
Every four (4) hours of operation. Service the wheels bearings by
cleaning and repacking the bearings once each year. All nut and bolts
checked for tightness prior to each use. To improve the pulling
capability of your ATV, you can add extra weight to the front/back
carrying racks, use more aggressive tire treads and/or remove small
amount of air from the tires.
More Helpful Hints ...
Soil Preparation
Once the location of your foodplot is determined, you are ready
to begin preparing the soil for planting. You should always
mow, spray with herbicide, or use other techniques to remove
unwanted grasses and vegetation prior to discing or plowing
the soil. This step will eliminate competition between wanted
and unwanted plants. Reduction of vegetation will also improve
discing and plowing, taking less time and doing a better job.
Having some soil moisture will also increase discing and
plowing capabilities.
Aggressiveness of cut will vary depending on soil type. There
are also four depth adjustments on the plow attachment. For
normal cut, we use the second hole from the bottom. If soil is
hard, you may want to put more pressure on the plow tips.
More pressure can be added by dropping the plows and using
the third or fourth adjustment holes. If you have really hard
soils, we suggest putting the disc in the third position and using
the chisel plow points on the plow attachment. The chisel plow
points will dig down easier to break-up hard soils. If vegetation
is clogging up the plow attachments you may want to use the
chisel points, since they are narrow they will let more debris
pass through. In grown up areas where mowing is not possible,
the second and fourth plow tines can be removed and build-up
should not occur. The plow attachment may also be completely
removed when only discing is required.
While preparing the soils for planting, the cultipacker should
be in the raised position. When plowing hard soils, the
cultipacker, filled with sand, will add extra weight directly over
the disc, further helping the PLOTMASTER™ cut those hard
soils.
PLANTING
Once the ground has been prepared for planting, the
PLOTMASTER™ unit is designed to make planting a “one-
pass” operation. The unit should be level. This will make all
parts work together and plant properly. The disc should be in
the “Light” or “Medium” Disc Mode.
The seeder can be adjusted to plant seeds ranging from clover
size to bean size seed. The seed gate is adjusted using a
detended seed flow control lever. There are 12 detents that lock
the seed gate into place, making seed rates consistent. The
smaller settings are ideal for planting small seeds such as
clover, chicory or alfalfa. The larger settings are great for
planting larger seeds such as wheat, oats, rye grain sorghum,
corn, peas and Lab Lab. Seeding application rates will vary
depending on how fast you pull the PLOTMASTER™. Normal
planting speed is
5-8 mph.
Planting previously planted areas is a “one-pass” operation
if vegetation is not a problem. The disc should be in the Light
or Medium Disc Mode and the plow attachment in the second
or third position. Set desired planting depth using the draft on
the 3-pt. hitch. Adjust the seed flow control lever to the proper
setting and turn on seeder motor. You are now ready to begin
planting!
Congratulations and have fun!
PLOTMASTER™ inventor, Blaine Burley,
with HUGE 14-point buck harvested in small plot.
Let Us Hear From You!!!
The PLOTMASTER™ makes planting food plots and
gardens easy and fun. The PLOTMASTER™ allows you to
plant areas you could never plant before. Planting food plots
close to established bedding areas, where large bucks spend
most of their time, will increase your chances of taking a
buck-of-a-lifetime.
The PLOTMASTER™ is truly the most versatile
planting machine on the market. SAFETY and PRPOER USE
of the PLOTMASTER™ should ensure many years of quality
service.
We know that the PLOTMASTER™ will be used in a
variety of ways. We would like to hear your innovative ideas
and how well it has performed for you.
Drop us a line at:
We again thank you for your purchase and hope that you
enjoy your PLOTMASTER™ for many years to come.
Wishing You The Very Best,
~Everyone at Plotmaster Systems, Llc.
Plotmaster Systems, Llc.
P O Box 111
Wrightsville, Ga. 31096
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Orders may be placed by calling
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Plotmaster Systems, Llc.
P O Box 111
Wrightsville, Ga. 31096
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