grain butler

[eagleye]

need a grain butler is anybody has one for sale

 

[snarling bee]

I wouldn't waste you money.

 

[Badshot]

I wouldn't waste you money.

Why?

 

[ImLost]

Is anyone else picturing a guy in coat-tails and Bow tie handing round glasses of wheat??

 

[snarling bee]

Why?

When we had one it created a crust of grain a foot thick near the top of the heap which had slots in it where the auger had passed through. I think the downward pressure of the plate is too concentrated on the top of the grain.
Proper grain stirrers create so much downforce that you need a reinforced building to take the strain. The top of the grain butler needs to be much bigger to spread the load better IMO. It may do the job in the odd hotspot, but otherwise it is one of those things that sounds like a great idea, but doesn't really work.

 

[Badshot]

When we had one it created a crust of grain a foot thick near the top of the heap which had slots in it where the auger had passed through. I think the downward pressure of the plate is too concentrated on the top of the grain.
Proper grain stirrers create so much downforce that you need a reinforced building to take the strain. The top of the grain butler needs to be much bigger to spread the load better IMO. It may do the job in the odd hotspot, but otherwise it is one of those things that sounds like a great idea, but doesn't really work.

Hmmm.
I think you must have had a mega issue.
I've had one for about 8 years now.
Got 3 different augers depending on depth.
I've never, ever had that issue, in fact the exact opposite.

This last winter was very difficult for cooling grain.
Lack of cool, dry air combined with a thermostat not working properly resulted in quite a crust forming in one of my sheds.
I could pretty much walk over it without sinking.
I got the butler in there, stirred it in both directions as going round the pedestals was a pain.
After that it was back to normal, hard work walking as you sink in. It did sit stationary in places whilst churning it over though, I left it to move at its own pace.


I've always been amazed that if you stand at the side of the butler as it passed you feel yourself sinking in, so my experience is the exact opposite of yours.

Which 'butler' did you have?
There's a few different ones.

 

[snarling bee]

We had no issue at all, just thought having bought it we would use it. We never combine above 18%mc anyway.
Ours was an early one so they may have changed.
Sold it long ago and never had a problem since, so money better off in the bank.
We have no problem cooling as we use drying fans, and most on wooden floors.

 

[eagleye]

we have a drying floor with waste heat (from a generator) warming the drying air and want to stir the grain to stop it crusting or to improve airflow for the odd wet load. Not a large amount of heat, about 5 degrees.
Enquired about a stirrer and was told a "butler" was more cost effective or better value for money.
Have another store being built which we could use it on as well and a third ventilated bay for about 150 tonnes where it might help. dont intend a new one just lokking for 2nd hand.
Main store is winter barley usually 16 to 19% but odd load at 20%

 

[snarling bee]

Don't let me stop you buying one, I'm just giving my experience. You don't see many advertised so perhaps they are worthwhile.

 

[grainboy]

Have a Stirrer available. Covers 10 ft working width, could be adapted to run in multiples of 10 ft sections.

 

[R J C]

How much you asking for the stirrer?

 

[grainboy]

Looking for £1000 plus vat
All working

 

[grainboy]

Now sold
Thanks RJC