[homefarmtobydog]

Never tried taking off chopper blades. I think so long as running on slow speed very little would be gained. Best results I have had in improving straw quality is widest concave setting you can get away with even if that means increasing drum speed a little. Also the variety weather and length of time it has been ripe have a big effect on how much it breaks up in the rotor. For best quality straw we aim to cut as soon as possible and the longer we leave it the more broken an shattered it becomes.

Reports here last year said small tube rotor gave superior straw but again just more room between rotorand concaves.

 

[ayars660]

I have never taken all the blades off the chopper but I know someone who has and after repeated times of having it plug he quickly put them back in. Maybe everyother one removed might work.....

 

[combinekid]

Just wondering if anybody has ever tried to take all the blades off of the chopper for dropping straw and if it worked. I have tried taking every other one off and it seemed to help, but was hesitant to take them all off for fear of plugging the machine.

 

[hammer]

Have you heard of sloted grates? these are more smooth and will give you longer straw. H

 

[goalie]

We always run with every other blade removed in wheat. Never had a problem. Tried removing two out of every three one year but plugged up a couple times so we went back to every other one.

 

[homefarmtobydog]

We have a 2388 and bale behind it. We leave the spreaders on and have sheets which hang down to windrow it.
Leaves a row like a straw walker combine, which can be adjusted to match the pickup width of the baler. Our baler now works better behind the axial flow than a walker combine

I posted pictures in a post "saving straw with a 2388" a while back if you are interested, more info there also .

Not sure how 8010 straw is swathed but if it is driven into the stubble this works.

Are you harvesting in lithuania now?

 

[shaulinis]

any other suggestions about straw quality? We have trouble with bailing after AFX 8010 (2007). Bailer goes much slower compare to speed after straw walker machine (JD)

 

[combinekid]

I always felt that this was the biggest drawback to windrowing with an axial flow, the way that it drives the straw straight down into the ground. It makes it hard to pick the straw back up, even more so if it sits and gets rained on. I remember the pictures that homefarm posted a while back and I think that if I did a lot of work for people that saved straw I would probably try to make something. I like slotted grates for straw quality, but I don't run them unless I have to, because I don't think that they seperate as well as keystocks do. Taking every other chopper blade off definitely helps, never tried it on an 8010 but I would think that you could.

 

[okpanhandle]

My suggestion is to brew a big thermos of coffee and work at night. I should grab a couple of pictures of the difference cooler temperatures and humidity make in our conditions. But, I guess if you live in an area that's cool and humid all the time it might not make such a big difference. Also, if I was into baling straw I would spec a discharge beater in the combine instead of a chopper (I understand AFX series machines don't have that option).

Just curious, combinekid; what rotor does your machine have?

 

[homefarmtobydog]

combinekid very easy to rig something up. I just used some pipe, hose clips and two pieces of sheet. To change back to spreading undo two clamps at the bottom of sheets roll up and tie to top bar.

A light plyboard would also work and just hinge up for spreading

Far easier than taking spreaders on and off and finding somewhere to store them. Even if the straw was not easier to bale I would still use this set up as I hated taking the spreaders on and off.

I dont have any pictures of straw swaths but will take some and post them when we start in about 3weeks

I have managed to repost the picture which shows the sheets down for swathing

 

[shaulinis]

Thank you for all advices. The problem is what we have to chop or swat some times at same day so taking every second knife on 8010 is not an option. We have X-clusive rotor. Sloted concaves is interesting option (at least a last one). I guess I just have to learn to harvest with more concave clearance

 

[homefarmtobydog]

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/9942/combine1y.jpg


Couple of photos as promised .
As you see rows look more like conventional straw walker rows but can be varied in width to match baler pickup.

 

[jalopy]

I have seen several 8010s with just a beater, no chopper.

 

[homefarmtobydog]

Just thought I bring this back up for macfarm

 

[homefarmtobydog]

Bump

 

[8850jd]

We always ran skip wire concaves in the front and smooth blanks in the back. With the vanes adjusted to full out... concave really tight and rotor speed up.. drop the knife blades out and let the chopper fly.. if you need it better buy a new holland tr99 or john deere 9600.. sorry case makes good straw for bailing because its perfect when you cut the strings.. poof.. instint chop.

 

[marklanefarms]

Straw

We put a round bar concave in the front on a 2577 and on a demo 8230, straw quality was improved alowing us to save 20-30% more straw. The straw is similar to a sts John deere and a lexion 750. A friend demo all three combines with identical straw quality 8230 9670 and a lexion 750.
This also increase the capicity of the combine by 20-25% in wheat. Run the rotor in high speed 1000-1100. and run the concaves tight. Back off the rotor speed and open the concaves as the wheat straw matures.

 

[ihdriver7088]

i run my rotor 100 rpms less and my chopper on slow to keep some straw qaulity

 

[cwhowe3]

morning,

We have run a 7130 with all blades removed. It helps the straw but hurts functions of top sieves. I would run rotor slow as possible, open conclaves, large wire concave in the third position, and put rotor vanes in fast position. Most big balers can handle the windrows of combines. Also lower the counter knives.

 

[homefarmtobydog]

premierxpk, Just seen your message, I do not have pictures now but the one on post 10 still works for me. Leave spreader discs on with narrow bats and windrow with sheets which adjust to width required never blocked yet.