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He Converts Cutterheads On Older Forage Harvesters To Multi-Knife System
"The biggest difference between some older self-propelled forage harvesters and new ones are the multi-knife cutterheads, which do a much better job at less horsepower," says Joe Eder, North Collins, N.Y., who decided to modify the cutterhead on his older model Fox Super-D forage harvester rather than spend the money on a new machine.
  The conversion worked so well, Eder started converting cutterheads for other farmers. He changes a 6 or 9-knife cutterhead to the 27-knife system found on new Deere machines. He uses the existing cutterhead and shaft, cutting off the old knives and installing Deere parts.
  "The conversion boosts capacity 25 to 30 percent and reduces horsepower consumption. Last fall I was able to increase travel speed from 3.2 mph to 5.5 mph, but that will vary with conditions. My Fox self-propelled forage harvester was a great machine except for the cutterhead. Now it runs like new," says Eder, who is a three-time national tractor puller so he's used to modifying equipment.
  Eder converts Hesston, Field Queen, and New Holland machines. Basically, any harvester that does not have a multi-knife system. You simply ship him your older cutterhead, he makes the conversion, balances it, and ships it back.
  Eder also installs a kernel cracker plate that cracks 85 to 90 percent of the kernels using virtually no additional horsepower. Crop material passes through the plate's stand-up knives on its way to the blower.
  "It's another way to modernize an older machine without spending a fortune on new equipment," he notes.
  The cutterhead modification costs $3,150. Eder guarantees a 15-day turn-around.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Joe Eder, 4281 Shirley Rd., North Collins, N.Y. 14111 (ph 716 337-2694).


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2000 - Volume #24, Issue #1