Greenhorn in need of help

I have about 30 acres that have been in pasture for several years. This year I trialed 4 acres in corn mainly to give me and the family a nice place to dove hunt. I was going to sell the corn to deer hunters. Turns out I can not get anybody to shell my corn. So now I am considering investing in a small combine so I can plant more acreage next year. I would like to know where I can get information pertaining to combines and their operation. Any help is greatly appreciated.

The first thing that comes to mind is that I hope that you are at least somewhat mechanically inclined(changing bearings,belts,fuel filters,etc). If you are going to buy an older combine at least buy one that you can get parts for through a junkyard fairly easy because you arent going to want to have to go back to the dealer for non normal wear parts(sheetmetal,augers,final dtrives,etc).If possible get a diesel and you will have a lot less headache.I started my custom harvesting business with a gas 615 I.H. and it was a great little combine except for the gas motor.The motor itself was as good as they come but fiddling with points and carburetor seemed like a constant thing especially on damp mornings.The last advice I can give you is to get an operator manual for whatever you buy.The manual will head you in the right direction and the settings will be close enugh to get you started.Someone else PLEASE chime in.

Where are you located?

Are you thinking of staying at 5 acres or so, or going to a full 30 acres of corn?

Do you want ear corn - a picker - or do you want chelled corn - then you need to deal with how to dry it down to 14% moisture as shelled corn will mold if over that. (Ear corn is ok at 24% or so, dries naturally.)

Why wouldn't anyone come to get your 4 acres?

What row spacing is your planter - the corn head needs to match that.

Will you be getting into more crops, or just corn?

Just a few starter questions, so we can help you better. My advice would be very different depending on what you want to be doing with it all in 5 years... Anything from a picker, to a pull-type combine, to a small self-propelled.... Your climate makes a difference too.

Of course, it won't 'pay' ecconomically to maintain a self-propelled combine for such few acres; they require a lot of mechanical matienence & parts are $$$$$ - but making a ton of money is likely not the point here. The best option is to have it custom harvested, but you tried that already, so it is.

--->Paul

Combines, well that is a big topic. Where to look, this fourm is a great begginers guide, it has been my experience to ask and most times recieve good responses. So here is my 2 cents. So you have 30 acres you want to put in corn, ok well continuous corn is a big challange, disease, insect ect. So if you want to carry this out you will want a rotation, corn/beans works well. This means a combine with automatic header height that controls the height of a platform for close cutting of the beans. Most machines mid 70's and later will have this. Your planter also will dictate headers, you want to match planter spacing and row numbers with your head, it saves headaches. A good 4 row machine can be had inexpensively, and will handle 30 acres easily. This means a 4400-4420 JD, or 540/550 MF or similar in other colors. The important part in considering machines is parts, and dealer support. Can you find partsand how much are they? Is the dealer close and is the staff helpful....because they will be your saviors if you run an older machine. And as Haley said..you need to be an average mechanic...things will need attention but will not overwhelm you.

find a New Idea 324 or 325 for 30" rows with a sheller unit, or you can put the husking bed on for ear corn.

The mechanically inclined part I can handle. By trade I manage the maintenance and operation of a pretty large hardwood sawmill. I like to look before I leap into something. Combines is something I have never been around so I am very interested in learning all I can. I am located in the foothills of North Carolina. The only people around me harvest corn for silage. I was considering next year planting the entire 30 acres. I have three old chicken houses that still have the feed bins hooked up that I can store shelled corn in. Corn is the only crop I am interested in. With that said this year I harvested 34,000 lbs of cob corn on 4 acres. I don't know if that is good or bad, although opening day of dove season was worth every penny and second that was put into the crop. Thanks for all the post look forward to hearing back.

which ever brand you buy make sure it hasn't been stored outside in the weather,also check internal parts for wear,not just the outside cosmetics, i like the late model F2 or F3 hydro static drive gleaner because they are simplier to maintain i won't say there less expensive to maintain than any other, that depends on where you can buy parts, although i'm not against a gear drive,if you ever drive a hydro compared to a gear drive you see why i said a hydro, these little machines will out harvest any thing there size and some larger that i've run,i'm not running down the others as i have run M.F.,J.D.,N.H.from new to 30 years old if maintained well an set proper they all do well and have there little quearks, nature of the beast, i just prefer the gleaner