Gleaner EIII cutting popcorn.....

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
..my EIII is in running condition and I was thinking about planting some popcorn next year. Can an EIII be set to harvest popcorn? I seem to remember my dad trying to cut a small patch of popcorn with his Gleaner E, and he couldn't get it set right. Thoughts anyone?

-Clarence in SC...
 
I'm sure the gleaner gurus will chime in and give you a better answer than I can but, I will get the ball rolling. I have a K which is almost identical to E3 and have ran rye, oats, wheat, soybeans, and corn through it since I have had it with very good results. A book with the settings is a must but, it does not tell the whole story. Different varieties, moisture contents, and grain weights can cause you to have yor final settings completely different than where you started. Make sure you have the sprockets or pulleys to get cylinder speed down especially if the corn is dry. Cylinder speed to fast can crack corn and also sending to much back through return can show cracking. Don't forget about moving concave bars in and out as needed. I would say that your combine should be able to shell popcorn and get a good sample. You would probably have to move the snapping roll deck plates in fairly close to keep the small ears from being shelled at the head. Have you run this combine in corn before? If you have this will help you in getting it set. If you have never used one before, read your manual and study the functions of machine and this will help in your effort to set. If you have any questions later, post back and we will try to answer it for you. Lot of good fellows and minds on here with a wealth of knowledge that have helped me before.
 
If you are wanting to do popcorn get an eared picker with the stripper plates in the head. then find a Moline or John Deere cage sheller. A cylinder combine scratches the hull on the kernal which causes very poor pop quality.
 
Popcorn around here has been done with cylinder machines for years. Have to know how to set it!
 
The gleaner will probably do it but around here(NE IN, NW OH) if you grow popcorn it is shelled with a rotary combine. Local guy that buys a lot of popcorn specifies that all the corn he contracts is shelled using a rotary.
 
I would pick it with a picker when it is a little too wet, dry it in a crib and shell it with a corn sheller.
Or use a uni corn sheller attachment. I concur that a cylinder machine will make the popcorn grade lower.
 
Talked to a guy that raised popcorn. He said the biggest thing on the combine is to NOT have razor sharp augers. He said he would grind the edges square to get a bit more life out of them. I think 13 percent moisture and undamaged seed coats to get it to pop.

You can always buy a bag or two and have the moisture tested at the local elevator to confirm the 13%.
 
You asked the right man.. In 1968 Just married and broke I managed to get a loan and but a new gleaner e III, Only had about 200 acres of crop and finished quick. This elderly man drives up and says do you want to do some custom work. Long story short he was one of the largest popcorn growers in the us. I shelled out enough popcorn that fall working for him to finish paying for my combing. Long time ago but I believe he was paying me 10 cents a bushel. Things have really changed since then, but yes a e II will get popcorn just fine. They (his company) was running some big masseys like 410s I think and my corn was always cleaner.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top