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Nebraska | What model of Orthman cultivator are you looking at using? Some of the cultivator models will be more apt to work in your situation, due to frame style, coulter front or tire front, etc.
I am assuming that you already own the Orthman cultivator as a complete machine, bar and all. If that is true then as Jim at Dawn said, you will run into problems with the spacing of the units and the hinges on the bar (if a folding bar). What size and spacing of rig are you looking at setting up and are you looking at setting up a coulter or shank style unit? If a coulter unit then the planter toolbar may suffice. If you are looking at a shank style machine, with a folding planter bar, you may want to try a non planter bar. The planter bar may not be able to handle the draft load induced by a large shank style unit. A 7" X 7" X 1/4 wall planter bar may work for a coulter unit like a Dawn setup, but not likely to hold up as well for a large shank unit.
As to the comment "Be aware of the risks of spring planting directly over a spring made shank-type strip with a real hot band of concentrated fertilizer right at the bottom of that often still open (below the surface) slot" I know many farmers that are placing fertilizer in the spring in wet, dry, and perfect planting conditions that have not had any problems with that "hot band" of fertilizer, because they understand how to set and operate their machines. All of them have been using shank style rigs (couple different brands), and love how they operate for them. I think with all of the strip till machines out there, proper knowledge and study of their operation is key to getting good results.
I saw some forums on here talking about the orthman shallow tillage tool, and I was surprised at first, but after seeing the response of other users it seems that it was wanted by some farmers out there. I am still a leaning towards a shank style strip till unit, especially when it comes to placement of the fertilizer. I am still trying to decide what machine to purchase and have been searching every forum and website with information on strip tillage.
I can tell that Jim at Dawn is very informed and knowledgeable when it comes to strip till, but you can almost feel the salesman undertone for his product in some of his posts. Especially when you catch things like the shot across the bow he took at Orthman in this thread.
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Building a strip till
