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Knife Sections for Macdon Flexdraper

20K views 43 replies 23 participants last post by  Haystack 
#1 ·
We run a pair of flexdrapers and use them for approx 4000ac/yr while cutting peas/lentils on the ground. Over the past few years we've become pretty disappointed with the Macdon knife sections. They seem to break way to easy and we kill a pile of valuable time having to change them in field. Has anybody found any other sections that they like for these heads? I looked into Scumaker sections but have to change all guards and little black poly skids under each section if I go that route and the heads may get traded for 18 if I like the changes on new units so basically hoping I can just find some more robust sections for this season.
 
#2 ·
I have about 3 pails of sickles and guards in the scrap heap from running a Macdon swather two years ago, everything I tried was total crap! That included factory stuff and Westward stuff, maybe some other cheapo stuff at the local place here too.

What I have heard of is guys putting a Crary knife on their MacDon and being happy with it. Not sure how it compares to the cost of a Schumacher setup but you may be able to just run the sickles: Crary - Cutting Systems - Gold'N Cut - KingKut Sections
 
#3 ·
We've never had significant problems with the Macdon stock knife style. We buy the chrome-plated coarse sections because my dad always felt they lasted longer, but they turned out to be cheaper than the stock macdon black ones last I bought them. The only issues we have with the knife this last year were that we kept shearing off the little bolts, but we don't typically break the teeth themselves, despite being on the ground. Figured we just had a batch of soft bolts.
 
#6 · (Edited)
#9 ·
Change a lot of Macdon sections as well. However, I would never swap it for a SCH knife. The Macdon cuts way cleaner without the use of an air reel. We generally look over knife in the morning and change sections with an air wrench and a screwdriver to move knife back and forward. If there is a noticeable bad cut during the day will change. Use to think that a SCH was an easier system to change sections on. Always going to the end and turning knife. A guy is always learning - I now maneuver the knife at the broken section with a large screwdriver or pinch bar - picked that tip up from someone else on the combine forum! No need to remove side shields and turn knife!

We also break a lot of guards. With an SCH knife we had hardly ever had section or guard problems but it never ever cut as clean. A Macdon system almost cuts lentils without the use of a reel (almost!). An SCH relies very much on something to drive the crop over the knife - ie. an air reel or a bat in order to cut clean.

I have found the biggest thing for lentils has been to roll them after seeding to push all the rocks out of the way as best you can. - makes a huge difference. I assume you are doing that too!
 
#10 ·
between a swather and 2 fd 70's we usually break less then 5 sections each per year here. I think I did 3 on my fd this year. Are there rocks or other things that need to be dealt with in the field? maybe the knife breaking is the symptom and not the real issue..?
 
#12 ·
Are there rocks or other things that need to be dealt with in the field? maybe the knife breaking is the symptom and not the real issue..?
Are rock pickers, human or mechanical, going to pick the small rocks that still break sections though?
They get the drum, auger finger and feeder chain slat benders, not so much the small rocks that can still break sections.

Based on your location my guess is you don't have rocks at all compared to other areas.
Field results vary of course.
 
#13 ·
We roll every pulse acre and some of our durum, often with significant overlap with 45ft Degleman. We would like to go to wider roller but stay short so we can see rocks better and use tractor with FEL to manually pick and pile likely 20-40 big buckets of stones. We also stake any deadheads and come back after and dig them out with backhoe. We put a side by side out on the fields every year and hand pick hundreds of buckets of rocks. Nobody else goes to this extent in my area. We have rocks but we're not farming gravel pits. . We spend more than enough time dealing with them. Rocks are the cause of the breakage and the breakage is a symptom. I feel there's not much else we can do about them besides get tougher guards/sections.

We've grown pulses on this land for 25 years. The land hasn't changed. We've used Macdon flexdrapers for the last 9 of those years (honeybee before that). Down pressure runs around 1.5-2 on indicator and knife tilt around B. The breakage has a gotten a lot worse since the beginning of our Macdon days. This ultimately leads me to conclude that the quality of their parts has diminished, likely in a cost savings effort. Guys like SWMan sound like they have the same trouble and I highly doubt he doesn't have things set properly.

Based on what I'm reading there are pretty mixed reviews for the Schumacher so maybe the Crary wins out here. Anybody try any of the Herschel offerings? https://www.herschelparts.com/aspx/prodListing.aspx?catid=2266
 
#14 ·
We roll every pulse acre and some of our durum, often with significant overlap with 45ft Degleman. We would like to go to wider roller but stay short so we can see rocks better and use tractor with FEL to manually pick and pile likely 20-40 big buckets of stones. We also stake any deadheads and come back after and dig them out with backhoe. We put a side by side out on the fields every year and hand pick hundreds of buckets of rocks. Nobody else goes to this extent in my area. We have rocks but we're not farming gravel pits. . We spend more than enough time dealing with them. Rocks are the cause of the breakage and the breakage is a symptom. I feel there's not much else we can do about them besides get tougher guards/sections.

We've grown pulses on this land for 25 years. The land hasn't changed. We've used Macdon flexdrapers for the last 9 of those years (honeybee before that). Down pressure runs around 1.5-2 on indicator and knife tilt around B. The breakage has a gotten a lot worse since the beginning of our Macdon days. This ultimately leads me to conclude that the quality of their parts has diminished
Hmm, guess I'll have to stop *****ing about my rock (stones) situation here.:eek:

Not going to try and defend parts quality, I simply don't know.

However, how often do you hear
"Wow, can that MacDon cut low!
Perhaps about the same amount as
"Those MacDon sections and guards are crap!"
Coincidence?
You be the judge.
 
#18 ·
Our heads are set light when we're on the ground. Light enough that they are easily lifted from either end with one hand, or about a 1-1.5 on that little torque wrench that comes with the head. We have to tighten springs back up when switching back to cereals.

Ordered a full Crary golden cut knife system today. About $4500 CAD. I like the little stub point on bottom that lays between the 2 longer guard points. Think it'll stop the small stones from breaking sections by preventing them from being able to be pressed up when a rock comes in contact with guard. I'm going to to put this on one head. On the other I'm going to try a combo of Crary and 2 different kinds of Herschel sections all with Macdon guards. I'll report back in about 6 weeks when we've cut some lentils, that is unless password fiasco 2.0 kicks me off this site for good.
 
#19 ·
I like Crary a lot, the guards are a huge improvement, and so are the hold downs. The golden cut sections are pretty good, better then any Herschel as far as I'm concerned. If you are trying any king cutter sections they do an excellent job in short crop, definitely very good for that but the longevity sucks and they are very week.

The best sections money can buy IMO are the hardened black Case IH ones, spendy for sure but longevity wise are unbeaten. Now Case IH guards are the most flimsy thing ever, even worse then the POS MacDon sections
 
#20 ·
I think the real issue with the macdon headers is that they are so heavy on the ground and are not true "flex" headers they just bend at three points so you can run the reel closer to the knife . They have a pretty good suspension system but it is still not the same as a real flex header so when a stone shows up the whole section of that header has to lift up to go over it even with the lift springs there is quite a bit of mass to move . I know that when it is wet you can't move with a macdon as it wants to push mud and a 1020 will be going no problem .
 
#24 ·
A lot of guys around here including myself are swapping the coarse MacDon section for these Herschel Tiger Shark knife sections. One person has combined already with them on and is very impressed so far. I can see a big advantage with them in flax and other tough cutting crops.
 
#25 ·
Cut 400 ac of really short lentils with my two flexdrapers before our first rain finally arrived for the year. One has a brand new full Crary cutting system consisting of knife, guards, sections and hold downs. The other has well worn Macdon guards and all new Hershel Tigershark sections. Both cut about the same thus far. Leaving a bit behind but can't go any lower. Dad hit a big rock with the tigershark head and it bent a couple guards and broke a section bolt but the sections were fine. Haven't broke any on either head so far. I'm keeping a tally of breakage but first impressions are that both units have a similar cut and the Tigersharks are strong. Will report more after the crops in the bin.
 
#26 ·
Do the Tigershark sections come with better quality bolts? Glad to hear it is going well so far and thanks for the update.
 
#31 ·
My local Bumper to Bumper store has them. "Herschel" I believe is the brand.
Patrick the macdon rep for our area was out here the other day and I commented about these sections, and he mentioned they now make theirs differently and should be stronger, and I understood they will also have this tigershark design soon.

We just cut almost 1000 ac per head of lentils at 4-5 mph and didn't break more than a couple sections, these were the factory ones.
 
#32 · (Edited)
SW Man; you can buy Herchel nuts bolts for the sections. I was running short on time so just put the Tigersharks on my old knife that was replaced with the Crary to use as a spare. When I pulled knife on other head I was planning on doing Sharks and all nuts/bolts, but found the knife had wore thin in a few spots so scrapped it and ended up putting the Sharks spare on it. I know the bolts will be the weak link on it so will replace with Herschel when we get time.

Snipe, I got Tigersharks out of Nodge in Swift Current. I did a little trial in my vice with a sledge and each kind of section including Crary, Macdon, Case, Non Tigershark Herchel's, and Tigersharks. All but the tigershark developed cracks in the serrations. The Sharks bent but didn't crack even after pounding them both ways many times. That sold me. I did buy a box of the new Macdon sections, but they never made the competition as they were too late to qualify.
 
#33 ·
I did a little trial in my vice with a sledge and each kind of section including Crary, Macdon, Case, Non Tigershark Herchel's, and Tigersharks. All but the tigershark developed cracks in the serrations. The Sharks bent but didn't crack even after pounding them both ways many times. That sold me. I did buy a box of the new Macdon sections, but they never made the competition as they were too late to qualify.
Sounds like a rigorous competition!

If the Tigershark sections didn't crack are they softer and perhaps wouldn't wear as well?
Are they more likely to shear mount bolts on rocks?
The prospect of less breaking likely out weighs other problems.
 
#34 ·
Any updates here? I’m stilling running Macdon sections, just about done lentils, only 450ac per head and sections are quit rough allready. Fighting with mud and rocks, but surprised how much wear they show. Will probably change them while waiting on other crops.
 
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