Combine barley separation TX34

Jsmith2211

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Somerset
Hello all

We just had a go at the barley today with our new to us TX34. She handled a crop of weedy beans last year but thats all we've run through her. did a small bit and stopped as most of the barley stayed on the ear, and what went in the tank still had a lot of the beards in with it. Drum speed was 1000, fan at 680, slowest gear slowest speed possible and concave setting 1. Any ideas from anybody as to what we could be doing wrong with this combine? there were also a few unthreshed ears in the tank. The straw was slightly damp but the barley tested at 18.2% with the meter, so that should be dry enough?
 

Zippy768

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Dorset/Wilts
Hello all

We just had a go at the barley today with our new to us TX34. She handled a crop of weedy beans last year but thats all we've run through her. did a small bit and stopped as most of the barley stayed on the ear, and what went in the tank still had a lot of the beards in with it. Drum speed was 1000, fan at 680, slowest gear slowest speed possible and concave setting 1. Any ideas from anybody as to what we could be doing wrong with this combine? there were also a few unthreshed ears in the tank. The straw was slightly damp but the barley tested at 18.2% with the meter, so that should be dry enough?
Was it really dry enough? I cant be a million miles away and it was not a combining type of day today
 

tr250

Member
Location
Northants
It’s probably not fit. Never driven a tx34 but I usually start with drum flat without de awners in and drive to a sensible speed 3-4kph then adjust concave till you get required result. That’s only my method probably not correct it I don’t like de awners as they basically cut down concave area. Going too slow can be counter productive as there won’t be enough material going through to thrash crop on crop rubbing is most efficient
 

Jsmith2211

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Somerset
Was it really dry enough? I cant be a million miles away and it was not a combining type of day today
was overcast and the straw was damp, but the grain measured at 18.2%. We've had contractors in to do all our combining for several years and its been a while since we owned our own combine, and when we did i was too young to know anything about using it! My understanding is that as long as the grain is around 18% or under then it should be dry enough to combine? I know wet straw will slow it down so i thought just go slower?
Did you put de-awning plates in.
dont think she is fitted with deawning plates, dont think we have any either.
It’s probably not fit. Never driven a tx34 but I usually start with drum flat without de awners in and drive to a sensible speed 3-4kph then adjust concave till you get required result. That’s only my method probably not correct it I don’t like de awners as they basically cut down concave area. Going too slow can be counter productive as there won’t be enough material going through to thrash crop on crop rubbing is most efficient
well they say wait 2 weeks after it looks fit, and it looked fit about 2 weeks ago... im sure its something we've not done right, such as weather or settings, rather than a fault with the combine - but she is old and new to us so its a possability. Would it have deawning plates somewhere stashed away on the combine, like how the lifters are on the handrail? and how would i access the concave to fit them if i do find them?
 

will_mck

Member
I've a tx 32, could be several things. Firstly is it ripe? You'll never thresh unripe barley cleanly off the head, if it's winter barley that's harder than spring barley to thresh. I'd keep the drum speed flat out, mine went up to about 1060 but it should really go higher. Its the concave and drum that's gonna strip the grain of the head. I'd keep the concave in the 1st position too. A new concave will have bars 10mm deep, wonder is there much wear on your concave? The other two drums don't do a whole lot in my opinion but you could replace the 5 or 6 beater bars on the second drum if you think they're worn but it'll be the concave I'd check first, also you can put up one or two of the de-awning plates on the concave. This increases the rubbing action but also reduces the threshing area of your concave which is the down side, I try to avoid using the de-awning plates where possible. The fan was usually set around 800 but that won't affect how it's threshed just how clean you sample is. Also you should be able to cut in 2nd gear, I hardly use first. If you've a hand book for her you'll see alot of details about this in there. If not it's worth ordering one
 
Last edited:

Jsmith2211

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Somerset
I've a tx 32, could be several things. Firstly is it ripe? You'll never thresh unripe barley cleanly off the head, if it's winter barley that's harder than spring barley to thresh. I'd keep the drum speed flat out, mine went up to about 1060 but it should really go higher. Its the concave and drum that's gonna strip the grain of the head. I'd keep the concave in the 1st position too. A new concave will have bars 10mm deep, wonder is there much wear on your concave? The other two drums don't do a whole lot in my opinion but you could replace the 5 or 6 beater bars on the second drum if you think they're worn but it'll be the concave I'd check first, also you can put up one or two of the de-awning plates on the concave. This increases the rubbing action but also reduces the threshing area of your concave which is the down side, I try to avoid using the de-awning plates where possible
how do you engage the deawning plates? they stay within the drum and you just pull them up into use? i think the drum speed was at 1020 on ours, but both fan and drum speed seem to change speed quite slowly. How do you get to the concave to check wear?
 

Phil P

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
North West
What @tr250 and @will_mck say, I’m also not familiar with the Newholland machine’s but I’ve cut plenty of acres.
Not enough material going through will result in poor threshing and winter barley can be a pig to thresh if it’s not ripe or fit.
If it’s a new to you machine I’d start by check the concave is actually adjusted correctly then go from there. A fully closed concave should be able to crack grains!
 

tr250

Member
Location
Northants
how do you engage the deawning plates? they stay within the drum and you just pull them up into use? i think the drum speed was at 1020 on ours, but both fan and drum speed seem to change speed quite slowly. How do you get to the concave to check wear?
I drive a claas but guess it’s similar and has a handle on the side somewhere.
 

Jsmith2211

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Somerset
What @tr250 and @will_mck say, I’m also not familiar with the Newholland machine’s but I’ve cut plenty of acres.
Not enough material going through will result in poor threshing and winter barley can be a pig to thresh if it’s not ripe or fit.
If it’s a new to you machine I’d start by check the concave is actually adjusted correctly then go from there. A fully closed concave should be able to crack grains!
well it was fully closed i think, so should that be adjusted? dealer is coming out some point to regas the AC, worth getting him to take a look and check adjustment on the concave?
 

Jsmith2211

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Somerset
Would it being damp also result in lots of the beardy bits still staying on the barley? or is that to do with a setting? It could just be that it was too damp of a day, the grass was still damp, but I just thought as the grain was dry enough it would be OK to get combining... maybe thats not true with barley but is with something like oats? The grain didnt want to leave the tank, all clinging together.
 

tr250

Member
Location
Northants
Maybe just running to slow a travelling speed. Our old dom likes to keep its drum full, which is a shame as I drive v steady.
Maybe just too damp. Barley loves the sun shining to thrash well
Yes I think @Jsmith2211 might be being a little cautious with speed being new to the machine, obviously don’t go that fast it will bung but you need to keep it full and even feed
 

Zippy768

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Dorset/Wilts
Would it being damp also result in lots of the beardy bits still staying on the barley? or is that to do with a setting? It could just be that it was too damp of a day, the grass was still damp, but I just thought as the grain was dry enough it would be OK to get combining... maybe thats not true with barley but is with something like oats? The grain didnt want to leave the tank, all clinging together.
As I said earlier, it wasn't a combining day here.
Unfit is unfit tbh. Wait for the sun and have another go
 

tr250

Member
Location
Northants
Would it being damp also result in lots of the beardy bits still staying on the barley? or is that to do with a setting? It could just be that it was too damp of a day, the grass was still damp, but I just thought as the grain was dry enough it would be OK to get combining... maybe thats not true with barley but is with something like oats? The grain didnt want to leave the tank, all clinging together.
Was it coming over the top of the auger in the header? That’s generally when you know it’s time to go home
 

Jsmith2211

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Somerset
Yes I think @Jsmith2211 might be being a little cautious with speed being new to the machine, obviously don’t go that fast it will bung but you need to keep it full and even feed
As I said earlier, it wasn't a combining day here.
Unfit is unfit tbh. Wait for the sun and have another go
Alright. So must the straw be dry? or is it just a case of needing a bit of sun on it to get it to thrash properly? It was overcast to start the day, but then towards the evening it dried up and the sun came out.
Was it coming over the top of the auger in the header? That’s generally when you know it’s time to go home
it was wrapping around a little bit yes, so i assume that it was just too damp. Is that because of straw being damp? Please just treat me like an idiot on this because i know very little about the intricacies of combining.
 

will_mck

Member
On the left hand side of the combine behind the front wheel there are two levers, if I remember correctly you pull one or both up depending on need. This lifts a flap up the first two sections of the concave increasing the rubbing action. Winter barley is hard to thresh compared to spring barley I find. Get your hands on the operators manual, it's all in there and very well explained. should combine no bother at 18%, it sounds like crop may not be 100% ready
 

Jsmith2211

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Somerset
On the left hand side of the combine behind the front wheel there are two levers, if I remember correctly you pull one or both up depending on need. This lifts a flap up the first two sections of the concave increasing the rubbing action. Winter barley is hard to thresh compared to spring barley I find. Get your hands on the operators manual, it's all in there and very well explained. should combine no bother at 18%, it sounds like crop may not be 100% ready
what would be the best way to determine if it is completely ready or not? the ears are turned downwards and the grain seems to me to rub out relatively easily, although it does require a bit of rubbing to get it out. As i said, im going off of the old saying of when it looks ready leave it two weeks. perhaps it needs more than two weeks.
 

Zippy768

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Dorset/Wilts
Alright. So must the straw be dry? or is it just a case of needing a bit of sun on it to get it to thrash properly? It was overcast to start the day, but then towards the evening it dried up and the sun came out.
it was wrapping around a little bit yes, so i assume that it was just too damp. Is that because of straw being damp? Please just treat me like an idiot on this because i know very little about the intricacies of combining.
Barley isnt like wheat. When the sun goes down or disappears its tougher to cut. On our claas one would get fed up of trying to get it in the header before any real problems would be noticed in the tank.
I'm not saying that u might not have an adjustment issue with your TX, just that u ought to give it a go in some good sun before worrying. Tomorrow looks a decent day here, so maybe give it another go tomorrow afternoon.
You cant beat sun when cutting barley imo.

How were u planning on storing the grain? 18%+ would need some drying, or treatment
 

Jsmith2211

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Somerset
Barley isnt like wheat. When the sun goes down or disappears its tougher to cut. On our claas one would get fed up of trying to get it in the header before any real problems would be noticed in the tank.
I'm not saying that u might not have an adjustment issue with your TX, just that u ought to give it a go in some good sun before worrying. Tomorrow looks a decent day here, so maybe give it another go tomorrow afternoon.
You cant beat sun when cutting barley imo.

How were u planning on storing the grain? 18%+ would need some drying, or treatment
we have a drying floor and a large fan to dry it with. forcast looks changable all week and the week after, i just dont want to get stuck with a combine in the shed and an empty grain shed....tomorrow it depends on the app... some say its fine all day, some say thunderstorms at 1. depends who you believe.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.9%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.2%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.3%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 6 3.3%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,287
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top