Grain dryers

[Adeptandy]

Really could do with one, but undecided on what to go for.
Have sheds, but no drying facilities, but have got a dresser to patch in.
As easy to use as possible as I'm on my own.

Crops, Wheat, Barley, Beans, OSR ( ) Linseed, may head towards a few more niche crops once set up.

Budget isn't great, but being in the dry East it wont get much work.

 

[chaffcutter]

Mobiles are the cheapest, easy to use but need attention all the time to fill and empty unless you go for the more expensive ones that can be automated.

How about one of @grainboy ones he seems to be dismantling half of the sheds and dryers in the eastern counties! a reasonable size continuous flow could be set up to auto working for not too much money if you could source the bits s/h and incorporate your dresser, ideally before the dryer.

 

[rollestonpark]

Drying floor not an option?
We have a continuous flow dryer, that father installed in the 80s, which to be fair is pretty good. But I wish he'd done the drying floor thing. I could then use the biomass boilers to dry my corn.

But can't because he went the dryer route...
Also with a floor, you can dump it all in there, then worry about drying it later and concentrate on the harvest.

 

[Gormers]

How much per m/sq is a drying floor?
Rough price please anyone thanks
I’m in the same boat as you @Adeptandy wondering what’s best on a budget

 

[Warp Land Farmer]

If your a tenant then investing in quite fixed installations such as a on floor system or continuous flow is hard to justify in my opinion. With a mobile type dryer it can always be moved / sold on. @JCfarmer has a nice looking Master 12 tonne for sale in classifieds that will do every thing you wish to dry in your list. I would of had a go at it if one had not turned up closer to me.

 

[JCfarmer]

Sold it over 2 weeks ago to a chap not far from Middlesborough through Masters website.
He didn't come to look at it either but was happy with it, both happy and I sorted the transport.
A mobile drier will dry, clean, increase bushel weights infact transform grain in wet harvest, shine it up and take any chits off if needed etc.
Depreciation a lot lower than other drying systems.

 

[Bill dog]

My old masters dryer died 2 yrs ago, and replaced with a 12 ton pto driven Mecmar. It’s straight forward to use, solidly built, and all grease points etc are easy to get at!

 

[Steevo]

Dare I mention a combine being the best drying system available...? (except in a very wet year or when growing premium crops)

We were fortunate to just dry 3 trailer loads this harvest. It’s always a job I hate.

If I was in my own it would either be a drying floor or an electric automated mobile dryer. Neither is cheap though!

 

[Clive]

convenient as drying floors are they limit storage depth so not only is the floor expensive but you also need many bigger sheds?

Hard to beat an Opico type mobile dryer up to the scale where workload just becomes too much for them

 

[FG.]

Dare I mention a combine being the best drying system available...? (except in a very wet year or when growing premium crops)

I decided 17 yrs ago that the combine was my best drying option.
So replaced for a bigger combine.
2 yrs ago I upgraded again.

 

[Jackall]

Has anybody had a comparable quote for a continuous drier against a portable batch. Looking for 20 ton output at 5% per hour. Not to include elevaters etc. Just the complete drying unit in at the top wet. Out at the bottom / unloaded dry.

 

[JCfarmer]

I decided 17 yrs ago that the combine was my best drying option.
So replaced for a bigger combine.
2 yrs ago I upgraded again.

Couldn't agree more, I also have a high capacity combine.

 

[Adeptandy]

I take it if continuous flow there needs to be some way of cooling it once out of the dryer ?

 

[grainboy]

This ones for sale, 20 ton hr

 

[rob h]

I take it if continuous flow there needs to be some way of cooling it once out of the dryer ?

if set propperley it won't be too worm coming out. About the same as combining on a hot day.we use pedestals to cool it

 

[Adeptandy]

This ones for sale, 20 ton hr

I'm still waiting for a price on it

 

[Power Harrow Pilot]

Am I right thinking that a mobile dryer will take roughly 3 hrs per load, therefore a 12 ton batch dryer roughly does 4 ton per hour??

 

[fieldfarmer]

Am I right thinking that a mobile dryer will take roughly 3 hrs per load, therefore a 12 ton batch dryer roughly does 4 ton per hour??

Mine depends on the in going moisture but would hope nearer 2hrs a batch for a couple of% up to 5 or 6 hrs for 23 - 25 %, Masters drier.

 

[Chae1]

Am I right thinking that a mobile dryer will take roughly 3 hrs per load, therefore a 12 ton batch dryer roughly does 4 ton per hour??

Isn't as simple as that.

Will depend on many factors.

 

[M-J-G]

15t Mecmar here, can be set up for automatic fill from 15t hopper that's filled with the bucket.
Auto discharges into shed, so it drys 30t without needing attention.