Combine reel tine alternatives??

[Power Harrow Pilot]

It looks like I am going to have slot of poor spring crops to harvest this year. I have a NH vario header and struggle to get thin crops to feed into the machine and the header losses are substantial. What are the alternatives to the normal time?? I once saw an oz combine with a blower to blow the ears off the knife into the header!!

 

[Barleymow]

Saw air headers in Aus blow the crop into the combine

 

[Spencer]

Air reels... various types available in Oz and America. We used them in Oz in various low yielding crops, work really well. Don’t think they’re available in Yorkshire unfortunately...

 

[homefarm]

When we had NH vario, we used it in float mode.
Had to alter the angle on the feeder house to get it to work spot on, but it would then skim along the ground so able to go faster which helped it feed better and less heads on the floor in barley. Reel over knife not too fast.
The angle is critical I think we did it with a piece of 2x3 under the finger bolts on concrete.

 

[Shutesy]

Air reel would do the job but would be a fair bit of work to install, probably need importing from the US or Aus and the cost would probably be a bit prohibitive for the odd year its required in this country. They can also obstruct the view of the header when taking it on and off dependant on the make from what I've seen.

 

[Spencer]

Seen attachments that fix onto pick up tines to create “mini bats”. Basically duct tape between the tines leaving 1/2” of time tip exposed. This helps throw in barley heads that would otherwise slip between the tines and drop onto floor..

 

[Bumble Bee]

It looks like I am going to have slot of poor spring crops to harvest this year. I have a NH vario header and struggle to get thin crops to feed into the machine and the header losses are substantial. What are the alternatives to the normal time?? I once saw an oz combine with a blower to blow the ears off the knife into the header!!

One thing to check on the NH vario header is that there is not packed soil behind the knife under the header that is stopping the vario retracting fully. Even an inch or two can make a big difference to how the header feeds with thin crops.

 

[Bumble Bee]

It looks like I am going to have slot of poor spring crops to harvest this year. I have a NH vario header and struggle to get thin crops to feed into the machine and the header losses are substantial. What are the alternatives to the normal time?? I once saw an oz combine with a blower to blow the ears off the knife into the header!!

One thing to check on the NH vario header is that there is not packed soil behind the knife under the header that is stopping the vario retracting fully. Even an inch or two can make a big difference to how the header feeds with thin crops.

 

[Power Harrow Pilot]

Paddle Tines | HCC Inc.

Found these, any thoughts???

 

[Power Harrow Pilot]

One thing to check on the NH vario header is that there is not packed soil behind the knife under the header that is stopping the vario retracting fully. Even an inch or two can make a big difference to how the header feeds with thin crops.

All got cleaned out last year, we had to blead all header hyd after fitting new pipes.