Combo Chopper Spreads Straw & Chaff COMBINES Accessories 16-4-15 "We built it in response to farmers who told us they wanted a chopper that would spread both straw and chaff out over as wide an area as it came from," says Ron Lepp of Redekop Industries about the company's first-of-its-kind combo chopper that takes in both straw and chaff with no need for a separate chaff spreader. Redekop Industries is known to FARM SHOW readers as the manufacturer of chaff collection systems for collecting chaff at the back of a combine by a tag-along cart, automatically dumping piles on the ground when it fills up. They have another machine that then augers the chaff up off the ground to haul back to the farm for feed. To make their new straw and chaff spreader work, Lepp says the company had to come up with a new-style hammer. "The problem with most chaff spreaders is that they try to throw the chaff with brute force. But you can't throw it out very far because it's so light. Our new hammers create a tremendous air flow (8,000 cfm) that blows both chaff and straw out over an area of up to 50 ft. Or, you have the option of detaching the spreading unit and installing a delivery spout that lets you blow chopped straw and chaff into a trailing wagon." Lepp says the new chopper is also the only one on the market that's hinged to swing away from the back of the combine for easy access to make combine adjustments. All weight is supported by brackets that attach solidly to the combine frame rather than the body of the combine. Key to success of the chopper is the hammer and knife design. Hammers swing through closely spaced stationary knife blades (ordinary sickle sections) which can be easily raised or lowered to adjust length of straw chop (varies from 1 to 2 in.). Hammers are fitted with dished hard-surfaced fms that pull straw and chaff through the knives, at the same time creating the air flow needed to blow residue out the back at a speed of over 90 mph. - "Chaff is pulled into the unit by the vacuum created and blown out the back over a 25, 30 or 50-ft. area, depending on how you set the spreader fins. We feel that this chopper is a necessity for anyone getting into reduced or zero tillage because of the uniform spread. Leaves no buildup of residue anywhere in the field," says Lepp. Available in 40, 50 and 60-in. widths, the chopper is designed to fit most models of Deere, Massey, New Holland and Case-IH combines from the last 10 to 15 years. Price ranges from $4,200 to $6,000 (Canadian) depending on width. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Redekop Industries, Highway 16 West, Box 178A, RR 4, Saskatoon, Sask. S7K 3J7 Canada (ph 306 931-6664).

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