[jbweston]

So contemplating our combining situation. We typically cut around 2000 acres of soybeans each year. Right now our harvesting approach is very inefficient. 2 combines. No grain cart nearly all of the time. Hire some cut as well.

That being said, trying to figure out if we could realistically cut 2000 acres of soy in 15-20 cutting days with one 9600 that is in very good shape and paid for?

If so, how? Any personal experience? What is your setup, head, mods and all? How many acres can you cut in a day?

Think it might take an engine chip, 35 ft head, phoenix reel, feeder house countour adapter, auger extension, and some cylinder mods. And of course a grain cart to keep it moving.

Is it worth it? Thoughts would be helpful!

 

[305picker]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

JBW,

Do you have a spike tooth or a rasp cylinder? There's a few things I've done to a rasp bar cylinder to get that kind of capacity.

picker

 

[scandinavian]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

If you keep the machine on the go all the time, you would make nealy as much as 2 that have to go and find a truck in the corner.

 

[jbweston]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

Thanks for the thoughts. Rasp bar cylinder. What mods did you do?

 

[305picker]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

JBW,

First thing is take out the filler plates-if you haven't already. Next take out the cell grate (beater grate) and install a finger grate from a spike tooth cylinder. You can order it through your JD dealer, or get one off a salvage rice machine. It will bolt right on the back of your concave with no modification. That whump you hear going through tough beans is backfeeding caused by material not able to get through the cell grate. Your combine might have the curtain installed on the rear of the cell grate now, which means it's in the upper posistion causing even more constipation in that area.
Your cylinder bars will have to be in good shape.
You will need a 30' head with a full finger auger or a draper head.
You need a cart and an operator-the latter harder to find.
Averaging 100 acres a day is doable.

picker

 

[ahead]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

30ft header and make sure the combine is always moving and u should be fine. If you have 20 cutting days that means you'd have to average 100 acres a day.

 

[jbweston]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

That sounds pretty good. How does it do in corn?

 

[305picker]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

It does real well in corn. There's one step I left out though. You have to adjust the concave so it's slightly tighter in the rear than the front. Because as the crop moves through the cylinder/concave it gets smaller on acount of some of it falls through the concave, so if it's tighter in the back those few escapees get threshed.
Filler plates are only needed in wet corn, and I've had good results in the low 20's without the plates, as long as the concave is proportioned.

picker

 

[mthsd]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

get a 600 series head, just do it. forget the contour - it's nice but not required. I ran a 635 on a level land last year, works fine. Chip it. Doesn't separate any more, but it helps keep the cyl and fan speeds more constant. You can do 2000 by yourself.

 

[bent]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

What sort of bean yields are you going to harvest? What are your field conditions - flat, terraces, triangular fields? What are the chances of field losses due to weather if the crop is not harvested in a timely fashion? What about the hauling situation? Do you have to drive 15 miles only to wait in line at the elevator that is always closed on Sunday, or is it just a short drive to your own bin and a 16" auger?

I have regularly harvested 120 acres/day with a 9600 and 20' flex, but that was 15-25bpa beans. If it doesn't rain soon, this fall will be the same way.

As far as the combine, speed up the beater. See elsewhere on this forum for more details.

 

[omi]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

i would think about a cart first, that would be like adding 1/2 a combine.

 

[bent]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

True with 200 bu corn, but a cart doesn't help 20 bu beans much at all.

 

[jbweston]

Re: How to maximize 1 9600 in 2000 ac. of soybeans

We usually harvest 40-50 bu. beans. I think a cart would still help in that situation.