Contractor dumps 40ft header

[glasshouse]

A contractor in fg has gone back to two 25 foot combines rather than a 40.
Start of a trend?

 

[lazy farmer]

Ours has done similar. One 25 the other 30. The through put for what ever reason is higher in the 25 ft.

 

[TripleSix]

Try picking up very flat wheat with a 40ft.

Try watching all of it in tricky conditions...

 

[super4]

Try dealing with a wet swath of straw from a 40ft.

 

[Andrew]

So many benefits from 2 combines rather than 1. However the downside, and it is a big downside, is needing 2 drivers and potentially an extra trailer and driver as well.

Getting good skilled operators is the key.
However with telematics and GPS, auto setting combines, cruise etc I suppose you don’t need a skilled operator, just a good one.

 

[kiwi pom]

So many benefits from 2 combines rather than 1. However the downside, and it is a big downside, is needing 2 drivers and potentially an extra trailer and driver as well.

Getting good skilled operators is the key.
However with telematics and GPS, auto setting combines, cruise etc I suppose you don’t need a skilled operator, just a good one.

Do you even need a good one? How about someone that will listen and do what they're told, spend a day training them and let them have a go.
A bit of a risk I know but we always here how it is hard to find skilled staff, but nothing about training.
I've never driven a combine in my life, I'm fairly sure I'd be ok after a day on one though. Have a day or two in the yard being shown settings etc before harvest, jobs a good un.

 

[Andrew]

Do you even need a good one? How about someone that will listen and do what they're told, spend a day training them and let them have a go.
A bit of a risk I know but we always here how it is hard to find skilled staff, but nothing about training.
I've never driven a combine in my life, I'm fairly sure I'd be ok after a day on one though. Have a day or two in the yard being shown settings etc before harvest, jobs a good un.

I would class someone who listened and did what they were told was 'good'. It really is that bad.

We considered an apprentice this year, advertised for a 16-18yr old to put through college, but had no suitable applications.

 

[ajd132]

Generally I’ve noticed that people who don’t have 40ft combines love to tell people with 40ft combines how terrible they are and would be better off with two small ones!
I can’t think of anything worse than going to two combines. More men, more management, more trailers more to go wrong.

 

[glasshouse]

Generally I’ve noticed that people who don’t have 40ft combines love to tell people with 40ft combines how terrible they are and would be better off with two small ones!
I can’t think of anything worse than going to two combines. More men, more management, more trailers more to go wrong.

40ft is just stupid
Unless on prairie land.
The point is that the man has gone back to two less sphisticated 25ft machines to INCREASE his output and cut costs

 

[ajd132]

40ft is just stupid
Unless on prairie land.
The point is that the man has gone back to two less sphisticated 25ft machines to INCREASE his output and cut costs

Do you own a 40ft combine to know it’s stupid? No way will he be cutting costs.

 

[glasshouse]

Do you even need a good one? How about someone that will listen and do what they're told, spend a day training them and let them have a go.
A bit of a risk I know but we always here how it is hard to find skilled staff, but nothing about training.
I've never driven a combine in my life, I'm fairly sure I'd be ok after a day on one though. Have a day or two in the yard being shown settings etc before harvest, jobs a good un.

I am sure i could drive a a supertanker too.
Cant be that hard.

 

[glasshouse]

Do you own a 40ft combine to know it’s stupid? No way will he be cutting costs.

I watch them crawling forward at a snails pace

 

[Brisel]

Do you own a 40ft combine to know it’s stupid? No way will he be cutting costs.

He will be increasing his output and ability to cope with wet harvests/flat corn, even if it costs more. Big is bad for the OP

There was a long thread about combine capacity and a greater number of smaller machines vs one large one @glasshouse https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index...ear-do-you-chose-for-combine-capacity.298230/

 

[kiwi pom]

I am sure i could drive a a supertanker too.
Cant be that hard.

Nothings that hard if you're willing to learn and have a good teacher.
You just need the opportunity.

 

[glasshouse]

Nothings that hard if you're willing to learn and have a good teacher.
You just need the opportunity.

I find kiwis are generally quick learners on machinery,
I once put a lad on tw25 and 6 furr semi mounted plough which he handled ok.
Later he admitted he lied about having ploughed before

 

[kiwi pom]

I always find it interesting that those that buy combines often seem to buy the bare minimum when it comes to capacity. I think Claas advertise combines and the acres they 'should' be able to cope with?
On the other hand when it comes to foragers its the opposite, people buying or being advised to go way over the top with machine size, even if the rest of the chain cant cope.
Similarly priced machines but different thinking.

 

[ajd132]

He will be increasing his output and ability to cope with wet harvests/flat corn, even if it costs more. Big is bad for the OP

There was a long thread about combine capacity and a greater number of smaller machines vs one large one @glasshouse https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index...ear-do-you-chose-for-combine-capacity.298230/

I completely agree. It’s just glasshouse saying 40ft is stupid when he has no idea what he’s talking about that is ridiculous!

 

[betternextyear]

You are all equally crazy.
Buying a £200,000. combine that spends 300 days a year unused. All to harvest barley at £115 a tonne.
Round here wood chip is worth £120 / tonne and it grows on trees.......

 

[An Gof]

Do you own a 40ft combine to know it’s stupid? No way will he be cutting costs.

Do you know what conditions are like in other parts of the country? @glasshouse is from Scotland, there’s a world of difference between there and the easy farming ground in Suffolk Like many things it’s a question of location, location and location. 40’ combine would be a nightmare here, bad enough trying to dry and bale oat straw following a 25’ header.

 

[lloyd]

He will be increasing his output and ability to cope with wet harvests/flat corn, even if it costs more. Big is bad for the OP

There was a long thread about combine capacity and a greater number of smaller machines vs one large one @glasshouse https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index...ear-do-you-chose-for-combine-capacity.298230/

I think it all depends on the individuals situation.
Here where we choose to use contractors we can
have three 25ft rotary combines fetching crop off fast
In two seperate sites in different crops miles apart.
If however you've a large acreage in one block like
yourself one big 40-5 ft combine with reliable dealer backup
makes sense .
What I've noticed with the large neighbouring cereal
boys with the big headers is to get the acreage off
they are combining wet alot of the time,
so drying becomes part of the cost in most areas .