Combines/Harvesters

Wannafish · May 5, 2004

Thanks Robert! Great link. I am always looking for more information, as I am pretty much learning on my own...and boy am I learning!

timb · May 5, 2004

Richard - I'll definitely have to look into the more 'normal' self-propelled equipment when I'm ready. My budget for this type of exercise is necessarily limited until the concept could prove itself. Also I figured that while a pull-behind combine is complicated a self-propelled unit would be complicated squared. In just casually perusing the usual on-line sites it looked like a combine from the 70's that isn't a complete rust-bucket disaster is typically closer to $10K-$15K without a head around here. I was assuming that the reality would be that a running combine (either up front cost or after repairs for a 'low cost' purchase) with head would be more in the $20K-$25K area. The small tractor-powered harvesters appeared to be hovering about 10% of those numbers, hence the initial interest.

Are there harvesting machines built new for small farm operations overseas imported here anywhere?

Tim

cowboydoc · May 5, 2004

Tim,

I can't believe older combines are that much there. You can regularly get a nice older 80's unit for the $2000 range. I was just at a sale last week that a nice older JD combine only brought $2800 with both heads for it. I don't know of anyone that sells the pull behind harvesters new but I haven't looked for one either.

timb · May 5, 2004

Hmm. Let's see, Iowa is 12 hours by car... What's the fastest road gear on a JD Combine? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

cowboydoc · May 5, 2004

For the difference in prices I bet you could have it trucked there and still come out way ahead!!!

Egon · May 5, 2004

There were some pull type combines with their own motor. For your anticipated operation one like this does not require a large tractor. Finding one that will run properly is the problem.

Combines are quite road worthy. Few years ago a protesting farmer drove one from Alberta to Ontario.

Egon

js5020 · May 9, 2004

Just my 2 cents, but as a former custom operator I have had many sizes and brands, I would not even consider the pull types they just don't do the job the newer 60's and later machines can do. You would be surprised just how efficent a machine from the late 60's can be and even a small self propelled machine can do that acreage in a day with acceptable loss rates ie. less than 1 bu/ac. As I said earlier I have had machines that had 10 foot heads all the way up to being able to handle 30' the big ones are cool, I always liked doing 6 mph shelling corn, but that machine also used 7 gal of fuel per hour, heck it had 100 gal tank on the tail. My favorites are the 2 row machines, small easy to get around with pretty simple to set up and fix, if you can find one in decent shape they will do the job and usually pretty cheap to purchase as everyone usually wants a machine they can hang a 4 row head on,look for one from a private individual last one I picked up was on the same farm from new and was only used to cut small grain, put a tune up in it and replaced all the thresher seals, and cut beans with it all season alongside the big one. just my 2 cents

rambler · May 11, 2004

The pull-type combine you want is the Case 66 or 72. It is the best supported these days. Some of the old JD units (models 30 - 40?) are too, but the Case allowed a corn head - at least some.

Problems:

Finding one. In good shape.

Maintaining one. You will be doing your own work, and a combine is _the_ biggest thing to maintain - by far.

Keeping it covered. They need to be in a shed, or they rust through in a year or 2.

A tractor to pull it. They are very big & very heavy & like to sink into the ground very much and they pull to one side. You need a good 30 or so hp _utility_ tractor to manage it. A CUT is too light, you will bog down & have the tail wagging the dog.

For small grains, you probably need to swath it. Weeds are the problem, an old combine can't handle green stuff, so you need to cut it, wait 3-5 days, then combine it.

For corn, _storage_ will be the issue. You need the corn under 15% moisture to store as kernals, under 30% (under 24% is recommended) to store it on the ear in a crib. It is _real_ uncommon to get corn under 20% in the field. And old combines have a hard time handling corn anyhow.

You are in an area where this small equipment brings premium prices. Here in MN that stuff sells for scrap iron. $50 will get you a parts machine, $100 will get you a working one - if you can get there before the iron man...

A Gleaner K combine (or newer K2) is a great self-propelled machine - 2 row corn, 10-13' bean header, can still get parts from Agco. They sell for $500 or less with at least 1 head, if not both heads 'here'. Again, you are in an area of demand, whole different thing. An equivelent JD is the 45, but JD doesn't support them as well any more.

--->Paul

yellowsocks93 · May 29, 2004

Here in MN we have older JD combines from the 70s and 80s on our lot. I have driven both styles and like the hydros from the 80's. They are nice. We have a 1980s 6620 Side Hill that we will probably sell for around 13,000. They go up to about 20,000 grand for the nice ones. About 2,000 hours. We have a 6600 I think it is with a new diesel motor from JD for 5,000. And last summer I almost bought a 1972 JD 4400 with gas motor for 1,000 but I never did. I should have it was a gear drive which was kind of a bear to drive but it was in good shape for the year. I have yet to see one in that shape again. I like to drive the ones from the 80s and they are fun to wash up real nice. The only thing I would worry about when buying an older combine is the condition of the belts and other large mechanical parts since the repairs would nip you in the butt if you needed to do all the belts on the thing.

How are your combine prices so low for hydro combines from the 1980's?

nomad · May 30, 2004

A friend of mine just bought this new harvester in attachment which harvests grain, etc as well as it converts the stalk to hay at the same time. It is pulled by the tractor, but it is very slow (comparing with standart harvesters.) It harvests about only 3-5 acres a day.

Egon · May 30, 2004

Several years ago I also bought a self propelled combine Nomad. It also does about 3 to 5 acres a day depending on fuel supply. Heinekens has been determined as the best fuel at this point in time.

Picture attached.

Egon

D7E · Dec 9, 2006

Up here Old small combines are cheap especially gas ones,
Local auctions this summer
JD 7700 diesel =$900 cad
Gleaner n6 =$ 1200 cad
NH TR 70 =$ 1500 cad This was like new
IH 915? =$ 400 cad
These were all different auctions.
I sold a good MF 750 ( if such a thing exists ) for $900 cad
The only small combine that makes money here is IH 1460 or Gleaner L2.
Older Small equipment ( 10 - 20 feet) is usually for scrap price or at most a couple of hundred bucks unless it's 3 point then it sells. Nobody over 1000 acres uses this stuff any more , and because no'ones using them the wreckers dont even want them so theres nothing keeping the price up.

Farmwithjunk · Dec 9, 2006

Older pull-type combines have reached that stage where they're popular as collectors items. They're a LITTLE bit easier to move than a full-sized self propelled combine. A GOOD AC Allcrop or any of the better choices in pull types will sell at or near the same money as some self propelled models with plenty of life left in them.

One thing to be aware of if you're shopping for a self propelled combine. Corn heads or grain heads can be priced HIGHER than the combine you plan on using it with. (Especially true with Deere headers)

I spent 15 years with an old Massey Ferguson 300 combine. The last 7 years I had a corn crop, I used a Deere 4400. The Deere 4400 and 6600 sell relatively cheap. They're "good" combines for their era. I routinely see them sell (without headers) for UNDER $2000 in good working condition.

All things being equal, unless you're just looking for an "educational experience", I'd go with hiring a custom cutter to do your work.

rback33 · Dec 13, 2006

I don't subscribe to reopening 2+ y/o threads, but you CAN get the JD pull type. They make special ones for the Amish in Montana. I have seen second hand pics of them.

R W · Feb 14, 2007

I would agree with rback33 and Farmwithjunk, go for a tractor drawn all crop,
one with only a 6 or 8 foot cut won't take much more than an easy day or two,too harvest 16 acres. If bags are still available and you find a machine with a bagging attachment, although a lot more work bags may be the way to go, also the grain could be easier to sell in bags if you are in an area where there are a lot of small holdings.
A lot of replies advise the use of a contractor, (they are possibly correct) but don't be put off , what you really wanted to know was, what would be a suitable machine and where to obtain one.

Wannafish · Feb 16, 2007

Well TIMB - what did you end up with...or are you still looking?

rvaitor · Mar 3, 2007

R W said:
I would agree with rback33 and Farmwithjunk, go for a tractor drawn all crop,
one with only a 6 or 8 foot cut won't take much more than an easy day or two,too harvest 16 acres. If bags are still available and you find a machine with a bagging attachment, although a lot more work bags may be the way to go, also the grain could be easier to sell in bags if you are in an area where there are a lot of small holdings.
A lot of replies advise the use of a contractor, (they are possibly correct) but don't be put off , what you really wanted to know was, what would be a suitable machine and where to obtain one.

I think I've got an AC AllCrop in the shed also some other stuff. I am thinking it is a 60 in. because of some sickle blades I see laying around. I found some other parts as well, one attachment still(ScourKleen - not sure what this does) in the crate.

Fredex · Mar 3, 2007

rvaitor said:
I found some other parts as well, one attachment still(ScourKleen - not sure what this does) in the crate.

ScourKleen is a grain cleaning attachment which is mounted just above the grain tank. Grain goes through it on the way to the tank/bin/hopper. They were most often used when harvesting grain destined for seed use.

Fred

rvaitor · Mar 4, 2007

Fredex said:
ScourKleen is a grain cleaning attachment which is mounted just above the grain tank. Grain goes through it on the way to the tank/bin/hopper. They were most often used when harvesting grain destined for seed use.

Fred

Thanks there were several pieces of eqmt related to seed or grain production. I also had a large seed cleaner(55 or 51 vintage) so much of this eqmt was purchased in the sixties. He died in 1980 and most of it has been in the shed since. I advertised the seed cleaner back in Nov and the phone rang off the wall so there apparently is a lot of interest in some of this older eqmt. For me it is very unlikely I will ever use it so I may put it on the market as well and make room for something else. The eqmt is interesting and I'd love to see it work. I did run across a video on the All-Crop in action so I have a feel for that - just don't see that I would get into this type of farming.