Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Attention Forum Users: On the 28th of December 2023 at 9:00am Central Time, we will be taking the forums down for maintenance while we prepare the new forums for your use. Please click here for more information.

Implement Alley Discussion Forum

Best small, older combine for Popcorn

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Tom Brown

11-27-2004 13:39:38




Report to Moderator

I know that this is 'off the wall' for many of you, but I was wondering if anyone has used a smaller Gleaner or a JD 4400 combines for harvesting popcorn. We have been harvesting over 3 A.by hand and want to mechanize it by next year. The key thing with popcorn is to handle it gently. Thanks for any info you can share. I've been amazed at the wide range of knowledge on this board.




[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
Heat Houser

11-30-2004 21:27:40




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to Tom Brown, 11-27-2004 13:39:38  
Any combine will work and the 4400 Deere will do fine. The thing you have to control is damage to the seed coat. If it is cut, the kernel will not pop. Your augers in the combine cannot be worn sharp and your tailings and clean grain elevator chains need to be in adjustment. Both of these items will scuff the seed coat. Cylinder speed and concave adjustments are also critical. Do not let the grain tank get full to the point where the loading auger is buried in corn and grinding it up, forcing more in. Dump into the wagon before this happens.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Leroy

11-30-2004 17:34:28




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to Tom Brown, 11-27-2004 13:39:38  
Tom , hunt me up, your neighbor Lester, Still wanting to see that pixall



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Tom Brown

11-29-2004 16:57:39




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to Tom Brown, 11-27-2004 13:39:38  
Thanks for your comments, guys. The reason I was thinking small gleaner or JD was because there are a ready supply of parts and most of these combines sell really low at auctions. By "grain farming standards" they seem too big, yet they could be the most economical to purchase and upkeep for this special use. Back in the 80's when I grain farmed I had a 4400 JD, but I had no knowledge of it with popcorn. Have a good day. Tom

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Tim(nj)

11-29-2004 17:24:51




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to Tom Brown, 11-29-2004 16:57:39  
According to my manual, the Gleaner E had an option of rubber-covered cylinder bars and concave channels. This option was offered because the E was intended to replace not only the All-Crop 100 SP, but the pull-types as well, but didn"t quite do it, as the All-Crop 72 was produced until 1969 and the E had evolved into the EIII and then the K by then. These bars may have also been an option on the K. There are no mention of them in my K2 books. I doubt they are still available from AGCO. However, there"s a company that recoats rubber conditioner rolls for hay machinery, maybe they could coat a set of bars for a combine? I don"t remember the name of the company, somebody else will have to provide that info.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
J. Schwiebert

11-28-2004 16:44:36




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to Tom Brown, 11-27-2004 13:39:38  
Popcorn is a big thing around here now. The guys down the road have about 1000 Acres now. They have a Massy-White-Cockshutt rotary and love it. When his dad started he had a New Idea Picker with special popcorn rolls and shelled it later.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Indydirtfarmer

11-28-2004 13:20:36




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to Tom Brown, 11-27-2004 13:39:38  
Southern Indiana has been the center of the popcorn universe for a looooo oooong time. Ramsey/Paoli/Bradfrod Indiana was home to Orville Reddenbacher, Ken Kerchevelle's (sp) Perdu-pop, and several others. Most of the "old-timers" are out of the business now, letting contract growers do the hard part nowdays.

Nearly all of them picked their corn as ear-corn, then shelled it in the "factories".

Don Gettlefinger Farms, the grower for Perdu-Pop, used John Deere 3300's untill recent years.

Most now use a sweetcorn picker, and shell later. John

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
JMS/MN

11-28-2004 12:35:37




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to Tom Brown, 11-27-2004 13:39:38  
The AC 60, 66, 72, etc. machines were known for being gentle on the crop because of the rubber-on-rubber shelling. Cylinder bars and rasp bars were rubber covered- little damage if set right.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
RobN

11-27-2004 17:31:50




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to Tom Brown, 11-27-2004 13:39:38  
A JD 4400 is not a large combine by today's standards but I think it might be a little larger than you need. All convention combines work more or less on the same principle and there's not much difference in the internal design. Something like a JD 45, a small Gleaner (I don't know the Model types), a small Case, AC or like 2 - 3 row machine would likely do the job. HTH.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Stan - Florida

11-27-2004 15:51:34




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to Tom Brown, 11-27-2004 13:39:38  
Can't relate to those new-fangled combines, but we used an Allis-Chalmers All-Crop '60' (5'cut) to harvest about three acres of popcorn some 50 years ago. We opened up the cylinder as far as it would go and it worked fine. We weren't trying to make any money from the crop except that it was an FFA project, but I don't think it cracked too many of the kernels.

Now all you have to do is find an operational 50-year-old Allis Chalmers combine, eh? LOL

Stan Huff
Melbourne, FL

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
RickL

11-28-2004 06:44:28




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to Stan - Florida, 11-27-2004 15:51:34  
I have a very nic AC 66 machine if that would help Its one owner,always shedded,books etc. have pics go to www.ricksales.com look under antique catergory you will find picture. All prices are dealable



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Leroy

12-01-2004 04:22:38




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to RickL, 11-28-2004 06:44:28  
Rick L., Tom is several states away from you, would have a very hard time transporting that far



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
ROGER D

11-28-2004 15:36:42




Report to Moderator
 Re: Best small, older combine for Popcorn in reply to RickL, 11-28-2004 06:44:28  
I had about 1.5 acres of popcorn and used a4400 John Deere. I set cylinder a littel more close and slowed the speed down. I let mine dry in the field to 13.5. It did fine but still had too fan it to get it real clean.I had around 80 bu.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
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. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy