Next year we plan to grow some decorative corn for a local business & need to leave the husks on. We can pick it by hand of course, but I wonder about picking corn with a picker and leaving the husks on.
I have a New Idea 324 picker...I've considered removing the drive chain for the husking rolls but leaving the drive for the finger wheels in place so they help move corn downhill toward the elevator hopper. Anybody tried that? Or would the ears likely bunch up and not flow downhill?
I wish I'd thought about trying that while I still had some corn left to pick in the field!
I remember looking through the parts book for a JD 227 picker, and they listed a pair of smooth sheet metal covers that laid on top of each set of husking rolls on each husking bed. I had no reason to see how they were held in place, but I imagine they were either kept in place by bolts, or metal screws.
I see no reason why your idea of using just the rubber fingers (and gravity) to move things along wouldn't work.
You will need a tin bottom to cover the rolls then it should work. Need smooth slick surface! Just cut a sheet of tin of your choice and clamp it in there on top of the rolls and go!
