2 days till we start bagging...

That 986 probably only saw 15-20 hours since the last time we rented it 2 years ago, so we kinda do them a favor by running the snot out of it for a couple days. They're alwasy cheaper than the local dealer as well, even if it's only by $2/hr.

Still gotta see if we can get atleast 1 more wagon (so we have 3 to use), as chopping up the road will leave me sitting while waiting for the next empty, where as having 1 more will allow me to keep going, atleast for a little while till I get caught up. Dad could keep up pretty good with the bagger last time though, so it may not be a problem. We ussually borrow the neighbor's 2 wagons, but we just don't like kissing their arse just to use some worn out equipment that we ussually have to fix a couple small things before we can use them. I don't mind if it's once in a while, but this is almost every time we use them....

With any luck, we'll be done with the bagger by Friday, otherwise Saturday.

My brother is coming home from Madison on Sat. and he's running the local marathon on Sunday, which he's ran the last 2 years and did very well, and qualified for the Boston both times. He actually ran the Boston this last spring and I forget exactly how he did but I think he was in the top 700- not bad considering just how many runners there are in that one.

We'll be having a big carb supper on Saturday, and just to make it fun we'll celebrate Talk Like A Pirate Day which is on the 19th.

Now to make it through 2 days of work till I get to do what I want to be doing...

Donovan from Wisconsin

• talk like a pirate if ye dare

2 years ago when we rented the bagger, the blower band let go on our Fox. Luckily it's the same band as the older Fox's used, and we had a new one on our other fox about 5 years before we quit using it so we had it on hand. That repair was only about an hour, beleive it or not!

In that same field and I think the same day, the clutch just up and went on the 1855 pulling the chopper. It wouldn't disengage at all, so no stopping unless you shut it down. The next day after we switched the 986 and the 1855 (pushed & pulled it into position) I ran for a while until the next field where I lost a gathering chain. Again we stole a different style chain off the old 1 row head from our other Fox after trying to get a really bad & rusty one off a head on the dealer's lot. Wasn't purty, but we got it to work.

We've also been having troubles with the springs staying on the infeed rollers, but I fixed that this year by replacing the missing rubber stops under the front one with some peices of ArctiCat Green nylon I cut down on the table saw. My brother just threw it in the trash the day before.

Last year we replaced the gathering chains and the shear bar, as well as putting the best of the knives we had in and then sharpened them all as much as I could within reason.

This year I lined the spout with some 1/8" thick poly and so far it works great, although i did have to redo it because the corn was originally getting under the poly. I cut off the original wear plate just below the hole that got worn in it, and then overlapped that over the poly after cutting the poly back about 8-10" and bolted it back together. Dad and I replaced the bottom board (and the rubber belting) on the back of our old Meyers wagon today, gonna tighten up the cross-conveyor tomorrow and pull it out to the field.

Been doing as much maintnance as I can the last couple years, and so far it seems to be paying off. Seems to go a little smoother every year. This year we're allowing hopefully enough time for breakdowns, because you always have to expect them.

Too bad we don't have 2 more wagons and 1 more driver. With the 1600 not having to run the blower, it'd be free for another driver. Doubt I could fill the wagons quite that fast though...

Our line up is:
Oliver 1855 running a Fox 3000 chopper, with a 2 row wide head and 32" rows in the ground (works good though)

Massey 285 carting our Gehl 970 (18 ft.) and old Meyer's (16 ft.) wagons.

Rented IH 986 running either a 8-9-or 10' bagger. Depends on which he has available.

We still might try to get another wagon, but not too many neihgbors are around anymore that fill silos. Most have bunkers.

Donovan from Wisconsin

The 706 Uni just up and quit running while on the 4th round and wouldn"t start up for about an hour. We also lost oil pressure just before it shut down. This is after we spent all week transplanting this motor in from another unit cause of a cracked block.

Sorry took the camera along but no time to stop and take a picture.

Brad (not quite a farmer but trying)

I would let you borrow some of my wagons, we are done for the year and only had one breakdown with the wagons and a few flat tires as always.

I always enjoy chopping, at least when everything runs.

Good luck getting finished up with the corn.

My neighbors use to borrow stuff and I would have to go retrieve it when I wanted to use it.

And when I would get there something was always broke that I had to fix.

The only good that came out of it is, I never complained much about it and now they rented me there farm after they retired.

Gary

Walt