He "Shrink Wrapped" His Combine And Left It Outside

He "Shrink Wrapped" His Combine And Left It Outside COMBINES Accessories 23-2-44 When storage space got tight and he had trouble finding a spot for his New Holland combine, Bill Knoff, Nashotah, Wis., decided to "shrink wrap" it in plastic and leave it outside. "The plastic is easier to put on than canvas and it costs less. The same idea could be used on tractors and other equipment. It would even work on bale stacks," says Knoff. Knoff bought the heavy duty shrink-wrap plastic from a boat dealer in Milwaukee who uses it to protect boats in storage. It cost $150 for enough plastic to cover the combine. He first unbolted the muffler and laid it on top of the engine compartment, then put some plastic over the mirrors and other sharp edges. Then he ran an adhesive-coated nylon rope around the bottom of the combine, about 3 ft. off the ground. When he put the plastic over the combine he tucked the bottom part under the rope. Knoff and the boat dealer then used a propane torch - mounted on a long wand - to shrink the plastic. They started at the bottom and worked their way up. "When we get ready to use the combine again, we'll just cut off the plastic and throw it away," says Knoff. "I considered using tarps to cover the combine but they're expensive, and if they tear in the wind you've got a problem. The only way the shrink wrap will tear is if a tree falls on it. The plastic gets so tight that it's almost like a trampoline over the grain tank. It has held up under 80 mph winds and 30 inches of snow with no problems. The sun's heat does come through the plastic so I left a window open on the cab to keep it from getting too hot." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Knoff, 6345 Nashotah Rd., Nashotah, Wis. 53058 (ph 414 646-8186).

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