Project Xerion.

[Wim3065]

I don't know if the link will work, but saw this one on instagram:
http://instagr.am/p/B2dsRZOoNGx/

 

[tomlad]

Whats actually happening? Is the lime mixed with water, like a dribble bar ??
Or a curtain for the dust .

 

[Foxcover]

Be sure to give it a good work out every now and again Pete, hitch it up to a subsoiler for a day or so.
Had a 3800 go to 12k hours and would have gone more but bores were glazed from being sat on tickover pulling an umbilical hose all it’s life.

 

[Boohoo]

Whats actually happening? Is the lime mixed with water, like a dribble bar ??
Or a curtain for the dust .

The lime is spread with augers rather than discs. Is a bit like a dribble bar I suppose. The lime needs to be dry and clean for it to work.

 

[Chae1]

Is the driver of that xerion wearing anything on bottom half!?

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Be sure to give it a good work out every now and again Pete, hitch it up to a subsoiler for a day or so.
Had a 3800 go to 12k hours and would have gone more but bores were glazed from being sat on tickover pulling an umbilical hose all it’s life.

Ok, thank you.

She does get some hard work pulling up banks and roadwork pulling the Loadall each day so I do get her sweating mildly.

It’s no doubt she finds the work easy though.

 

[Chae1]

Early start today Pete!

 

[MOG]

We have Welsh Govt. bleating on about soil erosion and on the continent you have this sh!t going on.

Yeah, but when the land is below sea level, it isn't exactly going to get eroded very far

 

[Hilly]

They look a bit tippy ?

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Early start today Pete!

Just the usual for this time of year, up at 4am

Sometimes have to push it back to 3.30

 

[Mrs Brown]

Does the xerion have a bunk fitted?

 

[Chae1]

Just the usual for this time of year, up at 4am

Sometimes have to push it back to 3.30

What time do you finish?

How many tons are you putting through it in a good day?

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Home at 9 pm last night.

It’s not that long every day though, I suppose I’m gone 14 hrs most days. No heroics, plenty of folks do that all year round, my busy times are August to October and then a bit in spring.

Tonnage is difficult to say. A heap of 300 tonnes of lime in the middle of 150 acres would be a comfortable day but that is a rarity. My customers are often very spread out so I have to move most days, sometimes several times.

Many days, if I’ve done 200t on three farms I’m happy with that.

But some days it can be nonstop for 100t if there’s loads of faffing about to do.

 

[Henarar]

Do you do much at 1ton per acre Pete ?
I would have expected the amounts per day to be higher than that given the kit you have.
Do you find you have to travel a long way from heap to field ? I use to find that could make the job take twice as long also when it was tipped in stupid places

 

[Cab-over Pete]

That’s what I’m saying, it’s the faffing about that kills the output.

Take yesterday, two spreaders, over 15 hrs, only spread three loads of Fibrophos and 40 tonnes of lime all day. An hour travelling there and back again, fields spread over a total of maybe four miles end to end, four different tip sites so four moves in the day, some steep ground and the 40 tonnes of lime had to be carted 3/4 of a mile across a big field to be spread at the far end.

I wouldn’t mind a bet that the belt in the spreader body wasn’t turning more than about 5 hrs all day. Sometimes that’s just how it is.

 

[tomlad]

So the xerion is in full use in anger now pete ?
Every credit

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Thank you.

Yes, out every day. I’ve put nearly 600 hrs on her so far in 7 weeks. In that time I’ve lost 12 days to weather too.

Been well behaved too. Only had a niggling electrical plug problem. But I doubt that luck will last!!

 

[Henarar]

That’s what I’m saying, it’s the faffing about that kills the output.

Take yesterday, two spreaders, over 15 hrs, only spread three loads of Fibrophos and 40 tonnes of lime all day. An hour travelling there and back again, fields spread over a total of maybe four miles end to end, four different tip sites so four moves in the day, some steep ground and the 40 tonnes of lime had to be carted 3/4 of a mile across a big field to be spread at the far end.

I wouldn’t mind a bet that the belt in the spreader body wasn’t turning more than about 5 hrs all day. Sometimes that’s just how it is.

what do you think you could get per hour at 2 ton per acre tipped in the field to be spread on stubble, loading and spreading yourself ?

 

[Steevo]

That’s what I’m saying, it’s the faffing about that kills the output.

Take yesterday, two spreaders, over 15 hrs, only spread three loads of Fibrophos and 40 tonnes of lime all day. An hour travelling there and back again, fields spread over a total of maybe four miles end to end, four different tip sites so four moves in the day, some steep ground and the 40 tonnes of lime had to be carted 3/4 of a mile across a big field to be spread at the far end.

I wouldn’t mind a bet that the belt in the spreader body wasn’t turning more than about 5 hrs all day. Sometimes that’s just how it is.

Just imagine how that helicopter would change output!! No issues with tip sites, or moves.....no loading the gear up, strapping it on, hitching up, getting to the other end and undoing it again before loading up to set off again. Steep ground wouldn't slow things down either, nor narrow gateways or soft ground. You'd widen the spreading season too - why wait until the crop is off when you could apply happily any day of the year crop or no crop!

It's genius I tell you...!

 

[tomlad]

Hey @Steevo i thought it was my idea ?