Wheat setup, need straw

1958 Views 7 Replies 6 Participants Last post by redhat, Aug 16, 2009

macfarm

Discussion Starter · Aug 10, 2009

We're having a hard time making good straw out of our 1666. We got it last year for beans and corn, so this is the first time we've used it in wheat. Currently in it are two small wire concaves (first two) and a large wire. Smooth/slotted grates are in the back. The header is a 17'6" 1020, and the wheat ranges from 100+bu/ac patches to killed out (wet year) with most average around 75bu/ac. The grain sample is okay but have issues getting the grain loss monitor to stay in the green. I had read on here about people taking out every other knife in the chopper, and was wondering if that would be of any benefit. So far this year the straw has been very tough, so I'm not sure it would help or not. We're in central Ontario. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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jalopy

· #2 · Aug 10, 2009

rocktrap on slow, chopper on slow, knife bar out, run rotor just a touch slower and concave looser than normal, but still with acceptable loss and threshing. That's all you can do, besides just harvesting in the morning or evening/night when its tough which isn't always practical.

Just my opinion but shut that loss monitor off, its stupid, get out and dig your windrow and look at your loss chart for your width of header. Just off the top of my head a bushel/acre loss with your head should be around 70 kernals in a sq/ft?? you'd have to look it up to be sure. I think with a 30 ft head in a windrow its like 120, we are always far far less than that.

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homefarmtobydog

· #3 · Aug 10, 2009

I find concave makes the bigest difference. We were combineing wheat over the weekend with concave between 3.5 and 4 and straw was hardly broken. Have bumped straw quality thread to top in case you missed it.

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scandinavian

· #4 · Aug 11, 2009

homefarm, just out of curiosity what rotor speed do you have, and how about loss? crisp or tough straw?

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homefarmtobydog

· #5 · Aug 12, 2009

Rotor 850, fan max 1170, would like a little more, straw needs a day to be dry enough to bale.
Grain was 15% moisture and quite loose in the ear. Most chaff was still on the straw but odd grain in tank was still in chaff. loss 5 grains/ sq ft under swath. Cut 75 acres in 11 hours in 4 fields aprox 300 tonnes in total. 30 tonnes /hour takes some storing 8inch auger into bin was just able to keep up but storeman never made it out of yard.

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scandinavian

· #6 · Aug 13, 2009

Sounds awesome, I have to fiddle a bit with my settings.

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hammer

· #7 · Aug 16, 2009

You mention that you have smooth grates? Are the "cleates" placed on the
bottom side of the concave? And if they aren't, it is best to install them across
the slotted opening to keep the straw in the rotor cage. I know that in my area
of Minnesota, USA that the small wire concaves help with producing longer straw
because the straw will not push thru the wires as much and cause more breakage.
Hope you can understand this!!! H.

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redhat

· #8 · Aug 16, 2009

If you have any straight separator bars on the rotor remove those and that will help you get longer straw. Install rasp bars in their place and I would find a third small wire concave.

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