Recommendations For A Rice Harvester

[Nickthegreek]

Hi,

I am looking for some sound advice on what manufacturer to consider,and is second hand worth talking about?

I have spent some time on the net and there are a number of Thai companies selling these machines,however they will never tell you the pitfalls,shame we dont have a Top Gear for Thai stuff..

I would be grateful for any guidance that anyone can give..

I will be looking to purchase a large machine,so I am interested in how reliable the engines are and ease of replacement spares,as well as fuel usage,many of the websites claim between 12/20 litres a hectare...

Thanks

[pnustedt]

I have a couple of Generli (sp) machines - manufactured at Bang Len, just north of Nakhon Pathom, in my opinion they are the best on the market in Thailand but also the most expensive at over Bt2mill each. However, they are built to last, made mainly of stainless steel and with commonly available main components. My main worry about them is the number of exposed moving parts - they can be dangerous.

I had a good look at the various machines made in Phitsanulok - they are not as well made, but they do have quite a range of sizes and models and are quite a bit cheaper. They are also more prone to getting stuck in wet paddies and do not like working in deepish water.

I had a Yanmar machine but sent it back - it had the finger-type pickup which was very inefficient. Kubota now make a traiditional pickup small machine in China which is very cheap. I understand that it works OK and certainly appears safer to operate but have not used one myself. I think that if it would have been on the market at the time I bought the Yanmar I would have gone for it. That said, I am glad I have the machines that I do as I am able to offer a more efficient service to my customers. I will probably buy more Generli's in due course.

You would be well advised to have two machines but one of them could be secondhand. Once the harvest is ready you cannot afford breakdowns. Unless you are situated with the rice all around you a low loader truck (10-20 tonne) is also necessary, but if you go for the Kubota I have a suitable trailer for sale.

[scotbeve]

Hi,

I am looking for some sound advice on what manufacturer to consider,and is second hand worth talking about?

I have spent some time on the net and there are a number of Thai companies selling these machines,however they will never tell you the pitfalls,shame we dont have a Top Gear for Thai stuff..

I would be grateful for any guidance that anyone can give..

I will be looking to purchase a large machine,so I am interested in how reliable the engines are and ease of replacement spares,as well as fuel usage,many of the websites claim between 12/20 litres a hectare...

Thanks

See my replies on the other 2nd hand Kubota harvesters. BTW - the large machines are falling out of favor to the more efficient smaller ones (re: rice loss / dropping to the ground)....

[IsaanAussie]

but if you go for the Kubota I have a suitable trailer for sale.

Have you set a price on the trailer yet? Perhaps you could send me some details (dimensions, weight etc..) Will be back in Sisaket next week and hope to catch up.

Isaanaussie

[scotbeve]

but if you go for the Kubota I have a suitable trailer for sale.

Have you set a price on the trailer yet? Perhaps you could send me some details (dimensions, weight etc..) Will be back in Sisaket next week and hope to catch up.

Isaanaussie

I paid 140K baht for mine with license, lights hook up connector, imported ball hitch, jack, and swivel. Built by a new(ish) company. The guy is out Isarn way as well.

[Mali1964]

Hi,

I am looking for some sound advice on what manufacturer to consider,and is second hand worth talking about?

I have spent some time on the net and there are a number of Thai companies selling these machines,however they will never tell you the pitfalls,shame we dont have a Top Gear for Thai stuff..

I would be grateful for any guidance that anyone can give..

I will be looking to purchase a large machine,so I am interested in how reliable the engines are and ease of replacement spares,as well as fuel usage,many of the websites claim between 12/20 litres a hectare...

Thanks

http://www.sakpattana.com/

Take a look at this site,i think the best builder i've seen here in Thailand, the safety issue is big, there's not 1 exposed moving part we have a KPI with Hino 145hp so she's only a baby but would not buy again unreliable.

Yes 3 litres per Rai is about right or around 100 baht per rai in gas at todays price, we have a driver who is excellent at both driving & repairs maintenance etc & he's happy at 30 baht a rai.

Last time out we was getting 500/550 a rai, but this harvest near Roi Et is around 700/800 baht rai, we have around 2000 rai to work so far, so yes 2 tractors is ideal but we made the mistake of buying a new Kubota M105S using up most our capital & it didn't earn a profit first harvert mainly due to inexperaince, but this time its different as the 2000 rai we have soon, they also want the Kubota to plough as they plant again here for a 2nd harvest around songran time.

Regarding the small Kubota's i can see them working good if you have 2/3 working together,but the problem is here farmer's don't want rice bagged no more they like 2 ton at a time pumped onto a 6 ton truck.

Also you need 2/3 men per tractor for Kubota's, the larger harvester that are not bagging the rice only need 1 man to operate.

Anyone wishing to share there experance's with harvester work, please do as this last year i've leaned a lot but would love to learn more.

Regards Shaun

[egg]

Hi,

I am looking for some sound advice on what manufacturer to consider,and is second hand worth talking about?

I have spent some time on the net and there are a number of Thai companies selling these machines,however they will never tell you the pitfalls,shame we dont have a Top Gear for Thai stuff..

I would be grateful for any guidance that anyone can give..

I will be looking to purchase a large machine,so I am interested in how reliable the engines are and ease of replacement spares,as well as fuel usage,many of the websites claim between 12/20 litres a hectare...

Thanks

See my replies on the other 2nd hand Kubota harvesters. BTW - the large machines are falling out of favor to the more efficient smaller ones (re: rice loss / dropping to the ground)....

G,day

we did a "test crop during the wet dry season earlier in the year ,,,, l was amazed how much rice was lost in cutting,drying, bagging ,, etc ,,,maybe 15% ,,, is that normal ?? and is a machine any better ???

cheers

egg

[slapout]

A good combine, set properly with some one running it who knows what is going on would never throw over or waste 15% of the grain. It only takes about 60 pounds of seed to sow an acre (2 1/2 rai) for small grain crops. You can check behind the machine for seed throw over on a combine. The check after the fact is to look at volenteer that sprouts after the stubble is turned and a good rain. I would think you would be trying for a loss less than 2 to 3% range.

[egg]

A good combine, set properly with some one running it who knows what is going on would never throw over or waste 15% of the grain. It only takes about 60 pounds of seed to sow an acre (2 1/2 rai) for small grain crops. You can check behind the machine for seed throw over on a combine. The check after the fact is to look at volenteer that sprouts after the stubble is turned and a good rain. I would think you would be trying for a loss less than 2 to 3% range.

thanks for that slapout ,,,,, come harvest time l think l will cruise around and check out everybody in the area who is using a harvester ,,, just to compare brands and efficiency ,

cheers

egg

[daver]

i bought 2 new kaset pattana last year they r 8 tons each so not to heavy and cut very well.1 is 210 hp an another was 195hp which is to under powered so i added a turbo cost me 30,000 baht increasing power to about 230hp i think 3 litres diesel per rai quoted here is to little depending on the soil an if your rice is heavy an tall like sticky rice etc id say more like 4.5 litres in surin an up to 6 litres a rai in korat etc. plus the job of running after harvesters is not easy as everyone is out to cheat including the nai na which at times can be a fool whos amount of rai cut does not add up to what u have in yer book plus some nai na ive heard about has actually run off with the money not to be seen again haha.lets not forget the driver of the harvester also who loves to suck out the gasoline an sell it to the car that takes the rice go to the mill or does a deal with the farmers or nai na maybe cuts a rai here an there moonlighting haha.plus last year 2 harvesters from differnt owners had a score to settle over jealousy and proceeded to smash the 2 harvesters together what a laugh that was .also jealousy from other harvesters can lead to everything from threats to sugar in the diesel tank to water in the hydraulic oil tank etc so u see your wife who will have to take care of this will have to be a good head with figures an keep records an good for keep control over the cheats etc. i forgot to mention the fact that hitting a stump doesnt do the front any good either in down time an costs. just remember its not easy an also theres a hel_l of alot of harvesters about already which like to cut the price on u.in korat i walked away with 15k baht for 5 weeks with 1 machine wow big money haha because all the farmers cut the tripe out of the price they would give wich went down to 500 baht a cartoon at present diesel prices. good luck anyway.

[daver]

sorry forgot to add i looked at sax pattana before but talked with someone who had one an they had sold out for 2 reasons the machine is about 10-11 tons which is to heavy an sinks into the mud getting stuck an u either having to pay another harvester to pull u out at anywhere from 3k to 4k each time or if its stuck real bad then u have to get a digger to come in an thats more expensive.plus because its so heavy then the drag through the mud causes it to eat to much fuel i forget the litres per rai i heard at the time but it was alot of fuel burn i remember.

[slapout]

daver; What size header do your machines run, how many rai per hour can you cut, are you running track or rice (bomber tires) what grain mositure are you cutting at? would like to look at one of these machines just out of curosity. Sounds like the locals try to get you every way they can. Good luck on harvest

[neo10]

This was intresting topic. Could anyone send some photos when rice harvesters are on field cutting the rice? Have anyone bought second hand harvester?

[pnustedt]

This was intresting topic. Could anyone send some photos when rice harvesters are on field cutting the rice? Have anyone bought second hand harvester?

Here's a couple

[Mali1964]

This was intresting topic. Could anyone send some photos when rice harvesters are on field cutting the rice? Have anyone bought second hand harvester?

I have some short video of our harvester working in November but the site will not allow upload.

If you go to u tube & search i found plenty of videos there, much better than photo's.

Also check this out Video Rice Harvesters

Regards 2nd hand, i'm not sure i'd go that route unless it had been recondistioned, if it was a simple part ex at a dealers then i'd stay well clear.

Don't forget the expence of a 6 wheeler.

Edited January 4, 2009 by Mali1964

[Mali1964]

OK I've managed to Upload a video to U tube for you guys that are interested to see them at work enjoy.

Note! copy message from other posts below

As we can't Post Videos here I thought I'd set up with this U Tube thingy.

Anyway as people tend to ask for photos etc. Thought I'd give a link to my Tractor working last Harvest, when I enter the video it shows me lots of others at work all over Thailand so take a look I hope this link works OK, have fun.

Cheers Shaun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzvfOpHU6gA

[Mali1964]

Some good video's I just uploaded to u tube much better than the previous ones.

Hope you enjoy anyone else got any to show?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5lhoLtVMqk...feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoedyHjBESA...feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR0jknvXWlw...feature=channel

From This

To Farming big change though but I'm getting there sure you will to.

Some good video's I just uploaded to u tube much better than the previous ones.

Hope you enjoy anyone else got any to show?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5lhoLtVMqk...feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoedyHjBESA...feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR0jknvXWlw...feature=channel

From This

To Farming big change though but i'm getting there sure you will to.

Edited February 11, 2009 by Mali1964

[scotbeve]

Thanks mail 1964