April 20, 2022
Types of Harvesters
There’s a lot of hard work and dedication that goes into farming the crops we all count on. Fortunately, agricultural equipment has advanced significantly over the last 150 years, making it easier and more efficient to farm. It’s not a stretch to say that one of the most important advances in modern farming is the harvester. The ability to streamline the gathering and processing of crops is truly revolutionary. Whether you have a smaller farm or a larger one, a harvester is a must.
While the most common form of harvester used today is the combine, there are other types of harvester, too. What are the different types of combines and harvesters available, what features do they provide, and how do you find great used harvesters or used combines for sale?
While the most common form of harvester used today is the combine, there are other types of harvester, too. What are the different types of combines and harvesters available, what features do they provide, and how do you find great used harvesters or used combines for sale?
What Is a Combine Harvester?
A combine harvester is a piece of farm equipment that is used to harvest large quantities of a variety of different crops. Crops that can be harvested via combine include barley, corn, flax, oats, rapeseed, rice, rye, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers, and wheat.
One of the primary reasons combines are so popular on modern farms is they perform a variety of functions associated with harvesting, which can streamline the process pretty significantly. Although there are various ways to categorize what a combine does, harvester uses and functions include:
One of the primary reasons combines are so popular on modern farms is they perform a variety of functions associated with harvesting, which can streamline the process pretty significantly. Although there are various ways to categorize what a combine does, harvester uses and functions include:
- Reaping: This is the cutting, gathering, and harvesting of crops.
- Threshing: This is the act of separating the grain from the rest of the crop.
- Winnowing: This is a cleaning process that uses blown air to separate the chaff.
What Are the Different Types of Combines?
In modern farming equipment, there are two primary types of combine harvester: control and self-propelled. The primary difference between the two is how the combine is powered. Let’s look at features of each type.
Control Combine Harvester
Control combine harvesters go by a few different names, including controlled combines, tractor combines, tractor-pull combines, or pull-type combine. Essentially, a control combine does have an engine to power its movement, and it relies on a tractor to provide the pulling force.
How does a control combine power the reaping, threshing, and winnowing? There are two different ways. The earliest control combines didn’t have a motor or engine. Instead, they received power from the power takeoff shaft of the tractor. Later iterations of control combines did include a mounted engine that helped power the harvesting functions.
Control combines have become less common, but they’re still used on some farms today.
Self-Propelled Combine Harvester
Self-propelled combines are the most common type of harvetester used today. These all-in-one machines come with an on-board engine that powers the driving and the harvesting-related functions. Within the self-propelled category, there are two basic subtypes, conventional combines and rotary combines.
Control Combine Harvester
Control combine harvesters go by a few different names, including controlled combines, tractor combines, tractor-pull combines, or pull-type combine. Essentially, a control combine does have an engine to power its movement, and it relies on a tractor to provide the pulling force.
How does a control combine power the reaping, threshing, and winnowing? There are two different ways. The earliest control combines didn’t have a motor or engine. Instead, they received power from the power takeoff shaft of the tractor. Later iterations of control combines did include a mounted engine that helped power the harvesting functions.
Control combines have become less common, but they’re still used on some farms today.
Self-Propelled Combine Harvester
Self-propelled combines are the most common type of harvetester used today. These all-in-one machines come with an on-board engine that powers the driving and the harvesting-related functions. Within the self-propelled category, there are two basic subtypes, conventional combines and rotary combines.
- Conventional combines have a rotating cylinder at the front which separates the seeds and grains. The rest of the combine is used to separate the chaff. Conventional combines also use straw walkers, which can help preserve the quality of the straw.
- Rotary combines use centrifugal force to assist in the grain separation process. Rotary combines often have larger threshing cylinders, which leads to faster grain harvesting. However, many rotary combines do not include straw walkers, and straw is often unusable as a result.
Both types of self-propelled combines have had their peaks and valleys of popularity, and both are used by farmers today.
What Are the Other Types of Harvesters?
Yes! Although combines are the most common type of harvester, there are other options available. Other common types of harvesters include:
- Forage Harvesters: Forage harvesters are a piece of equipment that are used to make silage. Silage refers to chopped up grass, corn, or hay that is fermented to create feed for livestock. Like combines, forage harvesters come in two basic types: pull-type and self-propelled.
- Corn Picker: A corn picker, or corn harvester, is a piece of farm equipment that is used to harvest corn. Corn harvesters work by stripping the stalks and feeding them through a header. The stalks move through the header to an intake conveyor belt where they are fed through a fan system to separate the stalks from the ears. Like other types of harvesters, corn pickers can be self-propelled or pull-type.
Which Type of Harvester Is Best?
It’s impossible to say which type of harvester is best because it all depends on the features you’re looking for! Most modern farmers do prefer self-propelled to control or pull-type harvesters, so that’s a great jumping off point. From there, you want to consider your needs. When shopping for a used harvester, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- What do you need it for? What types of crops will you be harvesting? Will those crops vary from year to year? Do you have a need for livestock feed?
- What is the condition? How many hours has it been used? What is the condition of the header, rear attachment, unloading auger, and engine? Harvesters with newer parts may cost you a little more money, while those with older parts that may need replaced might come a bit cheaper.
- What is the capacity? When determining which type of harvester is best, think through how large your farming operation is and what you truly need. The larger the farm, the more power and capacity you may need.
- How comfortable is it? If you’ve got a big farm, you’ll be spending a lot of time in your harvester. Take a look at the features and the condition the cab is in to ensure it’s the right fit for your needs.
Now how do you get started? On Machinery Pete, you can filter your combine search by type, make, model, year, price, number of hours, and more to find exactly what you’re looking for!
Machinery Pete: Your Source for Used Harvesters
Looking for the best used harvester for your farm? Look no further than Machinery Pete. Founded in 1989, Machinery Pete is the most trusted name in farm equipment. Our harvester listings from dealers, owners, and auctions run the gamut from high-capacity, feature-heavy harvesters for large farming operations down to pull-types that are a great fit for smaller farms that don’t need all the bells and whistles. Find the right used harvester for you with Machinery Pete!