Elden Denning
02-21-2001 10:39:23
|
Re: #24 Picker or Snapper? in reply to Poor Farm Jim, 02-20-2001 18:45:06
|
|
The #24 IH mounted corn picker was not a picker for any day, any conditions picking. The early versions were really poorly designed and would "open up" if crowded hard or a rock or frozen dirt got run through it. Yes, the husking rolls were merely the upper part of the snapping rolls and didn't remove all the husks, and if the corn got really dry, you might see a few kernels on the ground, maybe a few "nubbin" ears even. But, to be fair, the later versions were much improved and experienced operators with good picking situations could do an acceptable job. Mounted on an H, a 24 made a decent outfit for the average size farmer, and not having to "open-up" the field was a big plus. In fact, when conditions were good, 24's did the job. When we got a SMTA we got a 2ME picker and yes, it did a helluvva lot better job, but the tractor and picker represented 3-4 times the cost of the H-24 outfit. And when you got that rig stuck, you had a serious problem. If you tried unplugging it with it running, it could get you too. I always shut them off and cut the cornstalks out with my jack-knife, it was a tough s-o-b sometimes, but I escaped with all my standard issue equipment. When I was helping my friend finishing his shelling last week I remembered those days in the late 40's and early 50's when we would flip coins to see who got to shovel the corn and who rode the picker/tractor--the winner usually shoveled.
|
|
|