2016 - Volume #BFS, Issue #16, Page #94
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Baler Belt Repair Tools
“Anyone who’s ever owned a large round baler knows they’re going to break a belt sometime, and there’s never a good time or place for that happening,” says Mark Burrell. “Fortunately, there’s a tool available that makes in-field repair fairly easy.” Burrell Implement Company sells the Flexco Alligator® Rivet Tool, a device that fixes a belt in just minutes without the need for a vice or tool bench.
“I sell hundreds of these every year to people all over the country,” says Burrell, who’s the fourth generation family member to operate the half-century old business that bears his name. “People want this tool because they can fix a belt while it’s on the baler, on the ground, or on a pickup endgate. All they need is this tool, the rivets, the Alligator rivet lace, and a 1-lb. hammer.”
Burrell says the rivet tool is available in a 7-in. version for belts up to 7 in. wide and a 14-in. tool, which does belts from 4 in. to 14 in. He sells the more popular 7-in. rivet tool bar for $160. The tool uses self-setting rivets that fit belts from 1/8 to 7/32 in. thick. The connecting pin is a .140 in. dia. hardened spring made of stainless steel to resist corrosion and withstand heavy use.
“We call the rivet lace a heavy plate fastener because it will last 10 to 20 times longer than the old clipper wire lace,” says Burrell. “It’s more resistant to lace pull-out because the metal is clamped to the rubber belt with big rivets.”
Most baler manufacturers now use the rivet lace type fastener on their belts, except Deere, which uses the mato lace. The Deere Mato lace repair tool costs $1,000, but the Flexco Alligator tool also works on Deere belts.
“My customers can get the 7-in. tool, the lace and rivets to repair two belt ends for just a little over $200,” Burrell says. He also sells a number of older style clipper tools and wire lace for older balers. His largest seller by far is the Alligator, which works on Deere belts and all others in the marketplace except older model Vermeers with 3-in. rollers. Burrell says with a laugh, “I have a Mato lace tool in the back room, but it’s covered with an inch of dust because people don’t want to spend that kind of money to repair belts.”
Burrell Implement is also known for its large supply of repair parts for vintage grain drills, a business his father started in the 1960’s. “We’ve got parts for many of the old time machines either in the yard or in the warehouse,” says Mark. “I’m trying to phase out of that business, but people around the country keep calling and I just keep answering the phone. People who restore or still use those old machines are on a mission to find parts and often we’re the last ditch desperation call,” Mark says.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Burrell Implement Co., 24120 Hwy. 60, Fairview, Okla. 73737 (ph 580 227-4494; bsmburrell@gmail.com; www.burrells.net).
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