Heil Harvesting, Ulysses KS/Limon CO | I am certainly not an expert at haying so bear that in mind. I do have a very good understanding of cutter bars and drapers.
I can say with some certainty that that is indeed a MacDon design. I can get a confirmation on that if it would be helpful. Either way any Case dealer should be able to get parts for it.
If, in fact, it is a MacDon, there are a few really good things about that. First, they are good at stocking parts in Kansas City and anything you couldn't source from a bearing house/parts house could probably be at your front door in one to two days. Most bearings, sections, guards etc. are common and could be sourced elsewhere. MacDon generally uses quality parts and again are very reasonable. To my notion the MacDon is the draper to have, they have been building drapers for as long as anyone and have made a very significant portion of their business that way. We have four, ranging from 91, one of the very first to be put on a combine, to an 07. The improvements are nice but they all just run. That 963 is an 06 probably has 70000 acres on it, other than sickle, guards, hoses, we have done one wobble box, 1000 acres ago, bearings in the rollers, one left and two right canvases, a couple center canvases and nothing else to speak of. Bats are even original and strait.
That head appears to use an eccentric instead of a wobble box for the sickle drive. I would prefer a box but green corn and milo cuts surprisingly easy unlike dry corn stalks, grasses, etc. so I would think you would be fine. From what I have seen your ground speed would be slower than with a combine or self propelled, but you would take 12 rows.
My only concern with running that unit for what you want to do would be keeping it from dog tracking (keeping it square to the rows) going through the field. While it cuts easy, in corn you push/knockdown/bulldoze with the reel. It is loud at the reel, very noticeable from the cab of a combine both in sound and consistency in reel speed. I notice that is a belt drive reel, I wouldn't think you would have trouble slipping the belt but wouldn't be terribly surprised if you would have to rig up a better tensioner some how. The resistance at the reel may, however, cause it to dog track where you pull on 30 feet from one end. That is a big lever.
As far as price, I don't know. I do know that recently MacDon 25' have been selling for $4-7000 at auction. This one is a 30' which for millet and small grains would be more desirable than 25'. It appears to be newer judging by the decal design which would generally be a value up scenario. Also, millet acres are way up due to low production numbers and increased demand. Cash millet bids are up to about $24/bushel pushing revenues up to $600-1000/acre in 30 bushel wheat country, so there may be more demand. Any price between $3000 and $10000 wouldn't surprise me.
I hope this helps, my email is in my profile if I can help you out with your draper quest. I believe you are on the right track, I am uncertain that that is your answer. If you do buy it or something similar I am vey curious to know how it works out.
Will there be significant acres swathed? When do you think it will start?
EDIT: draft may be a better term than dog track.
Also, MacDon support is unparalleled, they get answers to you. If the person you get can't answer your question they will track down the designing engineer and have them call you, often within ten minutes.
Edited by beh 5/16/2013 00:52
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SW OK wheat harvest (pic)
