New Reel Changes How Crops Feed Into Combine

New Reel Changes How Crops Feed Into Combine COMBINES Accessories 27-2-19 If you've ever plugged up a combine trying to harvest down, short or damp crops, Wayne Guyer, Wabash, Indiana, has an idea that might interest you. His new Phoenix Reel features a new type of drive system that completely changes the way a grain head feeds crops into the combine. "It turns a common tine reel into what we call a conveyor reel," Guyer says. The movement of the reel acts as a cradle to lift short or lodged crops across the cutter bar, pushing all of the crop material into the auger. This prevents wads from building up behind the cutter bar and then feeding into the machine as a slug. Thanks to Guyer's new drive system, the reel fingers follow the contour of the auger to ensure that all of the crop is fed in and the reel is free from stems and any material that might wrap around it. This reduces cutter bar losses and enables headers to top wheat and save short or downed crops. Guyer says producers who have tried prototype Phoenix Reels report longer operating hours with less operator fatigue. "You can start harvest earlier in the morning and continue later into the evening," he says. Another advantage of smoother feeding is smooth machine operation. Guyer says his customers say their combines run more smoothly with engines at a constant speed once the Phoenix Reel has been installed. And since there are fewer wads and slugs to deal with, the combine does a better job of separating grain, resulting in cleaner grain in the tank. The only way to get a Phoenix Reel is to take your platform header to Guyer's shop in Indiana. "There are two requirements for installing it," he says. First, the reel must have a pipe-style bat. Secondly, your reel must have "Gentle Fingers" installed with welded brackets. The only modification necessary if you have both of these is the addition of Guyer's Phoenix drive unit and the relocation of the crop dividers due to the lower running clearances of the reel. "If your grain head does not have a pipe style bat, we can add it for an additional charge," he says. Current prices for the conversion to a Phoenix Reel are $7,200 for a 20-ft. reel, $7,500 for a 25-ft. reel and $8,000 for a 30-ft. reel. Addition of a pipe bat reel ranges from $1,340 to $1,840. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Wayne Guyer, Till-Harvest Unlimited, 3295 W. State Rd 124, Wabash, Ind. 46992 (ph 260 563-5052; fax 260 563-3070; E-mail: info@till-harvest.com; Website: www.till-harvest.com).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.