New steel tracked combine

Guess that's just a windrower.

He has the reel cranked right up

That ain't no HARDY Harvester! Seldom see anyone in N. California windrow their grain to be dried for threshing. Maybe one time in my life here. I wonder how much dry material will get wadded up in the undercarriage of that swather and start a fire, or cause the rubber tracks to de-rail? What if they got into some heavy cutting? As Neil pointed out, reel speed wide open, If I was to do that, I would be in the unemployment line, as you are beating the stalks/heads and shatter would reduce yields. Of course, it is supposed to be "wet" so maybe not an issue? Matching ground speed to reel speed to gently pull the crop into the header is what I was taught. Interesting video to say the least. Thanks for the share. JM

Here's the combine [caddiddlehopper] machine.
https://youtu.be/lYud5Db44ZM

That ain't no HARDY Harvester! Seldom see anyone in N. California windrow their grain to be dried for threshing. Maybe one time in my life here. I wonder how much dry material will get wadded up in the undercarriage of that swather and start a fire, or cause the rubber tracks to de-rail? What if they got into some heavy cutting? As Neil pointed out, reel speed wide open, If I was to do that, I would be in the unemployment line, as you are beating the stalks/heads and shatter would reduce yields. Of course, it is supposed to be "wet" so maybe not an issue? Matching ground speed to reel speed to gently pull the crop into the header is what I was taught. Interesting video to say the least. Thanks for the share. JM

[quote="juiceman post=239373 userid=2307"]That ain't no HARDY Harvester! Seldom see anyone in N. California windrow their grain to be dried for threshing. Maybe one time in my life here. I wonder how much dry material will get wadded up in the undercarriage of that swather and start a fire, or cause the rubber tracks to de-rail? What if they got into some heavy cutting? As Neil pointed out, reel speed wide open, If I was to do that, I would be in the unemployment line, as you are beating the stalks/heads and shatter would reduce yields. Of course, it is supposed to be "wet" so maybe not an issue? Matching ground speed to reel speed to gently pull the crop into the header is what I was taught. Interesting video to say the least. Thanks for the share. JM

I was taught that reel speed should be 1.25 x ground speed. Gentle enough to push grain in but not hard enough to have shatter loss.
 [/quote]

Nearly all the reel type headers in my area have been replaced by the Shelbourne header.  Can cut much faster than the conventional reel type as the combine does not have to digest so much straw.  Shelbourne header will set you back $60K and up but well worth it. Mostly wheat in this area. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJfUG_uZvS0