I just purchased a New Idea Picker Super-Sheller and have run a few bushels through it and have noticed that there seem to be a lot of broken kernels. I am planning to sell to the local grainery and would like to avoid any discounts if possible. Are there any adjustments to limit this? I also noticed that the round cage, where grain is removed from the cob, is slightly damaged as if something had become lodged inside at one time. As this is my first time harvesting corn I do not have experience to make a good judgement if this is an issue. One other thing that I noticed is the screen below the discharge auger must be rusted through as it is covered up with some tin. If this were in original condition would this remove some of the fine material or broken pieces? If anyone could provide some guidance I would be appreciative. Thanks!
-- Edited by CJAMS Farm on Sunday 7th of October 2012 02:38:56 PM
This morning I removed the screen from below the auger. Looks like it will need replacing if I can find one. I hope these are available or I 'll have to make something. Has anyone ever replaced this before?
I replaced a similar auger bottom on my NI mounted sheller a few years ago. Mine was not perforated so I was able to have the local machine shop use the old one as a pattern and bend me a new one.
Addressing your cracked kernels problem - yes, the perforated auger bottom will eliminate some the "fines" (by dumping them on the ground) but that doesn't solve the original problem. A New Idea cage sheller like you have should NOT be making a lot of fines in the first place - they were known back in the day as a very clean-shelling mechanism, no matter if the corn was wet or dry. The sales literature even stated that their shellers were "seed-corn gentle". I think the first place you should investigate is the damage you said was done to the cage itself - I think this is the cause of your broken kernels. A cage sheller shells by rubbing the ears against other ears with little metal-to-corn contact, but if there is damage to the cage this could result in more metal-to-corn contact than normal, causing more broken kernels. Also, there is an adjustment crank that moves a gate on one end of the cage, regulating how long the cobs are kept in the cage. If the corn is dry (under 17-18%) this gate should be wide open. More than likely the screw the crank turns to make this adjustment is rusted tight and will have to be taken apart and lubricated to get it functional again. If you find cobs on the ground with some kernels still attached, then close the gate a bit at a time until there are very few kernels left on the cobs (there will still be a few small kernels left on the tips of a few cobs; don't worry about those).
