Convert Your Harvestore To A Top Unloader Silo

Convert Your Harvestore To A Top Unloader Silo CROP STORAGE Silos 50 J&J Silo Company in Pennsylvania converts bottom-unloading Harvestores into top unloaders saving farmers money and resources instead of tearing down and building new John Fisher of J&J says “There are many areas of the country where service for a bottom unloader isn’t available so having the top unloader really makes sense The farmer has full use of his silo and can usually do any maintenance needed on a top unloader ” J&J likes to start its conversions with an empty silo with the bottom unloading unit already removed Fisher says having the silo empty makes the conversion process go faster and their 3 or 4-man crew can typically get the job done in one day “We start from the bottom by marking and cutting holes for the doors then adding the door frames and doors as we go up The doors are 24 in wide by 28 in tall slightly smaller than the 30-in wide by 30-in deep chute One door is added for every 5-ft ring of sheet metal on the silo When we get to the top we install the suspension unit for the unloader then install the chute on the way back down ” The unloader is assembled on the floor inside the silo ” J&J installs Valmetal unloaders which use a stainless steel cable to raise and lower the unit from a winch with a 50:1 gear ratio The unloader has a 10-in auger with 1/4-in flighting welded to a 4-in tube It’s powered by a 10 hp electric motor Fisher says installing an unloader in a Harvestore is similar to a stave silo installation with some adjustments for the pressure wheel and chipper wheels because Harvestore walls are smoother than concrete With today’s technology they can even automate the unloader tying its operation into a feeding system master panel J&J Silo Company has specialized in livestock feed handling and manure management systems since 1994 and started converting silos in 2001 A typical conversion costs about $12 000 for a 20-ft by 80-ft silo Installing a Valmetal Nordic 215 model unloader adds $12 000 to $13 000 J&J is one of the largest-volume Valmetal dealers in the country They’ve worked on silos from Vermont to South Carolina and as far west as Wisconsin and Michigan Contact: FARM SHOW Followup J&J Silo Company 3220 E Gordon Road Gordonville Penn 17529 ph 717 768-7456

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