Re-Built Mini Combine Harvests Heritage Grains
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After four years of hand harvesting small plots of ancient grains with a hedge trimmer, Rick Schroeder and Danny Dusek finally located a small specialty combine with the help of Frank Ferris at www.ferrisfarm.net. Schroeder says they couldn’t find a machine built in the U.S. so they ended up buying one built by Shandong Kinglonger Industrial Co. in China. Their machine is a 4LZ-1.0A self-propelled unit that rides on rubber tracks and steers with two levers, like a dozer. It cost $6,180 plus shipping and tariffs for a total of around $7,500.
Schroeder says that because of EPA restrictions on Chinese diesel engines, they weren’t able to import the 20 hp. engine made for the combine. They solved that problem by acquiring a U.S.-made Kohler horizontal air-cooled 35-hp. gasoline engine for $2,615 plus $500 shipping. A few modifications and a special plate were needed to mount the engine on the machine.
Their mini-combine direct cuts wheat stalks, then moves them through a drum and across a concave plate, which is a fixed grid screen that will handle crops such as wheat, rice, soybeans and milo. The chaff and seed is pulled up to a vibrator screen where the chaff is blown off and the seed falls down a small chute into bags. Running the machine is a two-person operation because one drives and the other one changes out the seed bags as they fill.
Schroeder says when they first used the machine it was obvious that the workmanship was poor. Nuts weren’t tightened properly, and even after re-tightening they came loose and bolts fell out. Bearings had to be re-oiled frequently. There was also a design flaw on the blower and screen that the manufacturer has since changed.
At one point during harvest, the pivot mount on the header broke, causing the header to fall sideways. “Danny had to weld extra steel on each side to secure it properly,” Schroeder says. Another time the vibrating seed cleaner broke apart and they had a sheet metal fabrication shop make one out of heavier gauge steel. Schroeder says this still needs some work as too much seed is going out with the chaff.
Schroeder and Dusek produce five varieties of ancient wheat so it’s critical for them to thoroughly clean the combine between harvesting each variety. “Cleanout requires removing the top half of the threshing drum, which took a long time, so Danny made a clean out door to blow out the bottom of the drum,” Schroeder says. “That works well, and now he’s considering welding hinges on the drum instead of having to unbolt it each time.”
After all of these modifications, Schroeder and Dusek agree that the combine performs adequately. “We can harvest about an acre an hour, which is certainly better than the two weeks it would take us to harvest the same amount by hand,” Dusek says.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Rick Schroeder, Ancient Whole Grain, 6081 Cliff Lane, Temple, Texas 76502 (www.ancientwholegrain.com).
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Re-Built Mini Combine Harvests Heritage Grains COMBINES Miscellaneous After four years of hand harvesting small plots of ancient grains with a hedge trimmer Rick Schroeder and Danny Dusek finally located a small specialty combine with the help of Frank Ferris at www ferrisfarm net Schroeder says they couldn’t find a machine built in the U S so they ended up buying one built by Shandong Kinglonger Industrial Co in China Their machine is a 4LZ-1 0A self-propelled unit that rides on rubber tracks and steers with two levers like a dozer It cost $6 180 plus shipping and tariffs for a total of around $7 500 Schroeder says that because of EPA restrictions on Chinese diesel engines they weren’t able to import the 20 hp engine made for the combine They solved that problem by acquiring a U S -made Kohler horizontal air-cooled 35-hp gasoline engine for $2 615 plus $500 shipping A few modifications and a special plate were needed to mount the engine on the machine Their mini-combine direct cuts wheat stalks then moves them through a drum and across a concave plate which is a fixed grid screen that will handle crops such as wheat rice soybeans and milo The chaff and seed is pulled up to a vibrator screen where the chaff is blown off and the seed falls down a small chute into bags Running the machine is a two-person operation because one drives and the other one changes out the seed bags as they fill Schroeder says when they first used the machine it was obvious that the workmanship was poor Nuts weren’t tightened properly and even after re-tightening they came loose and bolts fell out Bearings had to be re-oiled frequently There was also a design flaw on the blower and screen that the manufacturer has since changed At one point during harvest the pivot mount on the header broke causing the header to fall sideways “Danny had to weld extra steel on each side to secure it properly ” Schroeder says Another time the vibrating seed cleaner broke apart and they had a sheet metal fabrication shop make one out of heavier gauge steel Schroeder says this still needs some work as too much seed is going out with the chaff Schroeder and Dusek produce five varieties of ancient wheat so it’s critical for them to thoroughly clean the combine between harvesting each variety “Cleanout requires removing the top half of the threshing drum which took a long time so Danny made a clean out door to blow out the bottom of the drum ” Schroeder says “That works well and now he’s considering welding hinges on the drum instead of having to unbolt it each time ” After all of these modifications Schroeder and Dusek agree that the combine performs adequately “We can harvest about an acre an hour which is certainly better than the two weeks it would take us to harvest the same amount by hand ” Dusek says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Rick Schroeder Ancient Whole Grain 6081 Cliff Lane Temple Texas 76502 www ancientwholegrain com
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