End of season combine blow down time?

[Qman]

I blow mine down straight after I finish, if I leave it I can always find an excuse not to do it.

 

[Norfolk Olly]

A farm such as where @slim shiny works is pretty full on year round though, unlike a specialist combinable crop farm- with a diverse array of root vegetables and combinable crops, if he doesn't crack on and put his combine away properly at the end of harvest he won't get a chance, he doesn't appear to ever have a slack time as rain doesn't stop play there.

I've still got the soya to cut so it might be blown down in-between Xmas and new year

 

[Suffolk Serf]

I've still got the soya to cut so it might be blown down in-between Xmas and new year [emoji23][emoji85][emoji85]

It will turn wet when the soya is ready.

 

[Norfolk Olly]

It will turn wet when the soya is ready.

That's ok it's under a fat hen umbrella

 

[Suffolk Serf]

That's ok it's under a fat hen umbrella

No, no, no. You should pretend that it was intercropped with Quinoa.

 

[tullah]

I'm about to purchase a leaf blower for the job. What make and model should I go for to do a good job. I donot want to get one thats hardly powerful enough nor go over the top price wise.

 

[Adeptandy]

Or you could do what the co owner with me did. i repair all harvest they are supposed to clean it.

So, there version is, leave it outside all winter, 1/2 a tank of OSR in there and pressure wash it in the Spring just before I want it to start maintenance, then burn out several belts trying to get the OSR out of the tank and augers and leave me with the aftermath of belts & bearings to replace, oh and quite a collection of rat deposits in certain area's.

 

[Sebastian77]

I'm about to purchase a leaf blower for the job. What make and model should I go for to do a good job. I donot want to get one thats hardly powerful enough nor go over the top price wise.

We bought the titan blower/vac from Screwfix, for blowing out balers etc. Have to say it's been great for what it cost.

 

[Norfolk Olly]

I'm about to purchase a leaf blower for the job. What make and model should I go for to do a good job. I donot want to get one thats hardly powerful enough nor go over the top price wise.

Personally I'd hire a road compressor for the job, they are only £60 a week and will shift far more from a distance than any leaf blower

 

[Steevo]

Or you could do what the co owner with me did. i repair all harvest they are supposed to clean it.

So, there version is, leave it outside all winter, 1/2 a tank of OSR in there and pressure wash it in the Spring just before I want it to start maintenance, then burn out several belts trying to get the OSR out of the tank and augers and leave me with the aftermath of belts & bearings to replace, oh and quite a collection of rat deposits in certain area's.

Might be worth suggesting you swap round for a year

 

[Steevo]

When we were looking at changing combines in 2015 one rep took us to a couple of farms to look at different models of one or 2 years old combines. The state 2 of them were in after no time at all was incredible. One in particular had been washed off at the end of the season so looked ok from the outside, but there was 3 inches of wet black rotting grain and chaff on the preparation pan gumming it up solid. I'm glad I wasn't doing the pre season checks on that one.

You'd be amazed at how many just park them up. I went to view a 2 season old 600tt a few years ago, it had been finished with and just parked up over winter in an outlying shed. The rats had been using the sample hatch to get in and out of the tank so frequently it had worn the paint off the fire extinguisher they were climbing over. If it's left in a state it's probably not given much tlc the rest of the season either

It amazes me the speed at at which some farms can take a £200k+ machine and ruin it through lack of care. It just seems utter madness.

 

[Steevo]

I'm about to purchase a leaf blower for the job. What make and model should I go for to do a good job. I donot want to get one thats hardly powerful enough nor go over the top price wise.

I've just got a standard Stihl BG86 like this.

Stihl BG 86 Handheld Petrol Leaf Blower - Lawnmowers Direct

Buy Stihl BG 86 handheld petrol leaf blower at the lowest price online from an authorised Stihl dealer | FREE UK mainland delivery.

www.lawnmowersdirect.co.uk

The Titan mentioned by @Sebastian77 looks a good deal.

Error 410 | Screwfix

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I think if I was buying again I'd try and go electric cordless as way easier then messing about with 2 stroke petrol. Makita seem to do quite a range: https://www.makitauk.com/products/cordless-blowers

 

[Sebastian77]

I have the Makita 18v vacuum for cleaning cabs etc, if I'm being honest it's totally crap. Don't know if it's similar motor to what's in the blowers though. Hopefully not!

Rest of the Makita stuff I have is great.. nearly bought the 2x18v chainsaw other day, but they have a new 48v range coming very soon

 

[Steevo]

I have the Makita 18v vacuum for cleaning cabs etc, if I'm being honest it's totally crap. Don't know if it's similar motor to what's in the blowers though. Hopefully not!

Rest of the Makita stuff I have is great.. nearly bought the 2x18v chainsaw other day, but they have a new 48v range coming very soon

I agree on the vacuum - it's not particularly strong at all.

The blowers will be a whole different animal.

Makita have just launched their 40v range which may be what you are thinking. Only downside is it takes different (larger) batteries. IMPRESSIVE tools though!

 

[principal skinner]

Blew mine down the day I finished. That evening a neighbour rang and asked if I could help them the next day, I did and haven’t had a chance to clean it again, yet, might try a do it tomorrow if I’ve time

 

[principal skinner]

takes a week to clean and put away properly

doesn't get done until we are driled up or we get a wet week however, a farm with time ti do this in a dry august / september is overstaffed !

What on earth are you and the staff doing if you are all DD?? I’m actually looking for jobs to stop me drilling for a week or ten days. Glad I don’t work for you if no slack time after harvest, been there, done that, it’s sh!t

 

[Sebastian77]

I agree on the vacuum - it's not particularly strong at all.

The blowers will be a whole different animal.

Makita have just launched their 40v range which may be what you are thinking. Only downside is it takes different (larger) batteries. IMPRESSIVE tools though!

Sorry yes 40v, it's Friday been a busy week haha. I work as a sparky in the wet and cold months so have about a dozen of the 18v range, so yeah bit of a bummer having to upgrade everything plus all the batteries... But built this kit up over 10 years, just 1 bare body at a time..

 

[Chae1]

takes a week to clean and put away properly

doesn't get done until we are driled up or we get a wet week however, a farm with time ti do this in a dry august / september is overstaffed !

Don't have cows calving at the moment then?

 

[Clive]

What on earth are you and the staff doing if you are all DD?? I’m actually looking for jobs to stop me drilling for a week or ten days. Glad I don’t work for you if no slack time after harvest, been there, done that, it’s sh!t

we are still harvesting - 350-400 drum hours a year go on our machine, will finish tomorrow (linseed) on Monday we will start drilling and not stop until finished ..................... then the combine will get cleaned, serviced, and put away as will drills and tractors

If all goes to plan everything is done by end of October and then I quite frankly don't care if I don't see any farm staff until March, they can do as much as little as they like

We rarely ever work Sundays and only ever work weekends when harvesting and drilling

 

[bobk]

we are still harvesting - 350-400 drum hours a year go on our machine, will finish tomorrow (linseed) on Monday we will start drilling and not stop until finished ..................... then the combine will get cleaned, serviced, and put away

If all goes to plan everything is done by end of October and then I quite frankly don't care if I don't see any farm staff until March, they can do as much as as little as they like

We rarely work Sundays and only ever work weekends when harvesting and drilling

At 10 acres an hour that;s quite a lot , what have been waiting for