Corn Head "Smiles" At Dips In Field

Corn Head Smiles At Dips In Field COMBINES Accessories Kevin Markt can make your 12-row corn head frown as it goes over ridges and smile in the dips His Split-Flex modified corn head will make you smile either way That’s especially true if you’ve been stuck with an 8-row head on a 12-row capacity combine because of uneven fields Markt made his first Split-Flex out of necessity Now he makes them to sell “In 2008 my neighbor asked me to combine his corn planted with a 12-row planter ” recalls Markt “I bought a used head for my combine and discovered I had to do a lot of partial runs to harvest his terraces picking up 8 rows here and four there with the rigid head ” After harvest Markt took his corn head to the shop He cut it in two and anchored the two sides to a center pivot point This allowed them to flex 18 in up and 15 in down from level The challenge was to fabricate a mount that kept row spacing at 30 in regardless of the amount of flex With the addition of a control panel and ground sensors from Headsight Inc Markt was ready for the field in 2009 The ground sensors adjusted each wing of the header as needed whether in a dip or straddling a ridge “My neighbors sat back and watched as I built it telling me it wouldn’t work ” he said “After they rode along in the combine they wanted me to build one for them I built 10 of them over that next winter ” Markt quickly sold the first unit and made changes in the next round that let him gain even more flexibility This time he modified a new 12-row 30-in header In its current version the Split-Flex modified header ends can flex up or down 23 1/4 in from level for a total of 32 degrees movement “It takes a lot of cutting welding and fitting pieces together but I and a helper can modify a corn head in about a week ” says Markt “When we are done it’s ready to go to the field ” Most of Markt’s customers are in his general area as they either need to bring their corn head for him to work on or order one from the local Deere dealer So far he has only worked on Deere 612C or 1293 12-row/30-in heads The completed unit includes five auto-height sensors an InSight header control box and the Split-Flex kit The kit includes hydraulic cylinders mounts wear plate pivot pin telescoping drive shafts and heavy-duty U-joints Markt asks for 20 percent down when starting a job with the rest due at pick up Currently a modification runs $22 500 Markt has no plans at this time to sell stand-alone kits or manuals for DIY installation “Guys have asked but we aren’t there yet ” he says “You have to know exactly where to cut If you don’t it can be an expensive mistake ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Innovative Ag Technologies 29938 Raintree Dr Oregon Mo 64473 ph 816 390-7840; toll free 888 816-8138; www split-flex com

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