New Rice Plot Combine 83

New Rice Plot Combine 83
	The Rice Research Board authorized the construction of a new rice plot combine to replace two old Massey-Ferguson 39 combines purchased about 15 years ago. The foreign-made Massey-Ferguson combines were no longer being manufactured and supply parts had been discontinued. The requirement was for a transportable, adjustable, and quickly self-cleaning combine. The new combine, Sweco 324, is a scaled down version of the commercial Sweco 681 rice combine. It weighs 15,300 pounds and is powered by an 80 horsepower John Deere diesel engine. All parts such as elevators, belts, screens and hydraulics are readily available. The combine was used throughout the 1983 harvest season with minimal, problems, all of which are being corrected by the builder. Plot weights and rice moisture contents are obtained directly from the cab. The old combines required at least one and often two persons in addition to the operator to take weights and samples from which moisture determinations were made later. The combine has performed very well. The capacity for adjustment of cylinder and fan speeds and screens will make quality evaluations possible in future experiments. The new Sweco 324 has greatly improved facilities for varietal evaluation, and all other types of field trials.

The Rice Research Board authorized the construction of a new rice plot combine to replace two old Massey-Ferguson 39 combines purchased about 15 years ago. The foreign-made Massey-Ferguson combines were no longer being manufactured and supply parts had been discontinued. The requirement was for a transportable, adjustable, and quickly self-cleaning combine.

The new combine, Sweco 324, is a scaled down version of the commercial Sweco 681 rice combine. It weighs 15,300 pounds and is powered by an 80 horsepower John Deere diesel engine. All parts such as elevators, belts, screens and hydraulics are readily available. The combine was used throughout the 1983 harvest season with minimal, problems, all of which are being corrected by the builder. Plot weights and rice moisture contents are obtained directly from the cab. The old combines required at least one and often two persons in addition to the operator to take weights and samples from which moisture determinations were made later.

The combine has performed very well. The capacity for adjustment of cylinder and fan speeds and screens will make quality evaluations possible in future experiments. The new Sweco 324 has greatly improved facilities for varietal evaluation, and all other types of field trials.