Monster Auger Moves 10000 Bu Per Hour

Monster auger moves 10000 bu per hour GRAIN HANDLING Augers (4) 12-1-29 As grain augers go, Feterl Manufacturing's new 120 ft. side load auger is a monster. "To our knowledge, it's the biggest of its type in the world," says Ron Feterl, vice president of the firm headquartered in Sa- . lem, S. Dak. The "monster's" statistics are impressive: Capacity is 10,000 bu./hr. for wheat, and 8,000 bu. for dry corn. The 12 in. dia. tube alone holds 86 bu. and it can empty a 550 bu. wagon or truck in 3.5 min. "About 85% of our sales have been to commercial grain elevators and 15% to farmers," says Feterl. The auger operates at 540 rpm pto speed and requires a tractor of about 120 hp. A hydraulically powered winch lifts the rig via a scissors and post undercarriage. "There's no need to leave your tractor to move and reposition the auger," says Feterl. "Swinging the 42 by 48 by 12 in. deep hopper into place is the only physical effort required." Robert Zylstra, who farms 2,000 acres near Sibley, Iowa, bought one of the monster augers a year ago. "It works great for piling corn, filling bins, bunkers and even silos, and for loading grain out of storage," says Zylstra. "On our farm it takes the place of a grain leg." He also uses the auger to load dry corn into his Harvestore silos. "It's unbelievable how high the auger can go. As you fold the transport section in at a steeper angle, the auger just keeps going up and up. We've set it top center over a 50 ft. Harvestore with no problem, and have used it to fill a 60 ft. Harvestore through a side hatch. We didn't try to top fill the 60 ft. silo with the auger but it probably would have worked. It eliminates the need for a blower and is three to four times faster than either a blower or a pneumatic grain mover." Feterl Mfg. rates the auger's maximum height at 58-112 ft. "Grain damage with the auger is generally very low," says Zylstra. "Its large diameter and capacity keep most of the grain in contact with other grain rather than with metal." Zylstra adds that moving the 120 ft. monster auger down the road is a bit of a challenge. "We had to get an oversize permit to take it on the road. There are a lot of intersections you can't even turn at." Transport width is 10.5 ft. and height is 14 ft. Feterl notes that "each state has different regulations for moving big equipment like this down the road. For example, Iowa issues a special license. In Minnesota, the auger has to be broken in half and hauled in two pieces on two trucks, then reassembled." A swivel spout (optional) allows the operator to direct the flow of grain from side to side. List price for the auger is $13,296. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followp, Feterl Mfg., Co., Salem, S. Dak. 57058 (ph 605 525-2206).

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