If you use an older model cotton baler, consider adding CTX extended doors the next time you need to replace them. These are among your options for cotton picker parts that bring older equipment into the modern age without your having to make an expensive capital investment in a new picker. Here are six benefits to purchasing CTX extended doors for your harvester:
Easy upgrade: Current picker doors offer better pressure against the plants, which increases your yields. This is the natural evolution of technology, and the cotton production was never immune to these developments. These make cotton harvesting easier and more efficient. You do not have to buy a new cotton picker to enjoy this benefit—you can simply upgrade parts. Doors are a good start to this effort.
Covers more area: With extended doors, you can harvest wider rows and pick more cotton. This will change your routine, but also keep you in the field for a shorter time. That can be an advantage if you anticipate the weather changing suddenly or have a market deadline for your crop.
Better movement: Doors become stiff over time. This is due to the wear in the hinges, and once this starts, you will miss plants and reduce your harvest. The new CTX extended doors operate more smoothly for easier movement. You can also adjust the tension to the conditions so your harvester puts just the right amount of pressure on your plants without compromising them. When you install new doors, that replaces tension springs, scrapping inserts, hinge pins and mounting holes. All of this prevents doors from dragging and ruining your rows.
Preserve spindles: One common danger to spindles is the doors losing pressure and grinding against the tips. You will not only experience failing doors in this scenario, but also find you need to replace spindles. While many customers are accustomed to rebuilding and repairing their harvesters as needed, you likely want to keep these efforts from becoming too expensive through unnecessary damage. Replace your doors and preserve spindles through better clearance.
Reduce scrapes: When doors get scraped or dented, that leaves them vulnerable to corrosion. That is never a good development for equipment that works primarily outside, and since cotton produces dust and filaments, that only increases the stress. With the latest in doors, including the extended ones, you are less likely to experience body damage with your harvester, which helps it last longer.
More options: Upgrading to extender doors removes the one-size-fits-all approach to cotton harvesting. It is easier to adjust tension to the conditions or take steps to maintain your rows. Your equipment can adapt to the circumstances rather than employing near-heroic measures to make everything work despite adversity. When you upgrade to extended doors, there are few conditions that make cotton harvesting impossible.
To find the most comprehensive inventory of cotton picker parts in the U.S. and internationally, contact Certi-Pik, USA today. Our catalog is available online and we are available to answer your questions.
Spring has been in full swing for a few weeks now, and making sure you take the right steps from the time you begin preparing to put your cotton seed in the ground until the time it is harvested will be important. Here are some key factors that, along with some help from reliable cotton picker parts, can help you yield successful results this season.
Timing is everything
Cotton crops will need at least 120 to 180 frost-free days to grow effectively, so planters will have to make sure that all frost hazards in a particular climate area have passed before planting seeds. Some farmers work with warmer temperatures year-round, and are able to begin planting as early as mid-March when spring officially begins. Other areas of the country, particularly in the Midwest, typically have to wait until the end of March or the beginning of April to begin planting to ensure that the soil temperatures have warmed to at least 65 degrees.
Preparing the soil for success
Since cotton originates in tropical climates and can only thrive in warm conditions, farmers must make sure that their crops have plenty of access to sunshine and sufficient moisture. Like all plants, cotton requires healthy, rich soil that has been nurtured with organic compounds and has been well drained to prevent oversaturation to allow for proper growth. Soil that is prone to oversaturation could potentially restrict the flow of much-needed oxygen to the cotton plant and stunt the growth process, so making sure to avoid this pitfall through planning and preparation is vital.
Oversaturation could also lead to soil crusting—the forming of a hard layer on the surface as wet soil begins to dry. This hardened layer could lead to breakage and other problems for the crops as they try to break through the surface. Because of this, the optimal depth for seed planting is relatively shallow, between 0.5 and 1.5 inches at the most, shortening the distance the plant has to travel to begin emergence. If you do notice this soil crusting, be sure to break up the crust right away to assist in the plant’s growth.
The cotton growing season is long but rewarding, and when it is time to begin harvesting your crops, you will need to make sure that all of your machines are ready to get the job done. If you are preparing your equipment for the season and find that you need cotton picker parts, make sure you seek out the best quality to ensure that your harvester will be working as efficiently as possible.
For the best in fabricated and manufacturer parts, make sure to contact Certi-Pik, USA. Working with both American and international customers for nearly 30 years, you can trust that we have the skills and equipment necessary to provide you with the parts you need to successfully reap your cotton harvest this upcoming season. Get in touch with us today to place an order or learn more about what we can offer you.
In the cotton industry, knowing that your equipment will work as it should is essential to success. And the machines you rely on should be relying only on tested and trusted parts. It isn’t rocket science. If your cotton picking machine has bottom-shelf, bargain-bin parts, it may run, but it may not run well or for very long. Does this describe your parts? Read on! You’ll find there are several reasons to get essential harvester parts from a reputable source; first and foremost, it’s important for keeping your machines functioning their best.
Without further ado, here’s why you should purchase your cotton harvester and quality-made fabricated replacement cotton picker parts from a Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited manufacturer:
Access to assistance: There are a lot of places you could go to get cotton harvester parts, but unfortunately, the quality of those parts isn’t always guaranteed. When something breaks long before it should, wouldn’t you like to know that you have a reputable source from whom to seek a refund or a new component? We certainly think that beats hunting down a number online, filing a complaint with a call center and waiting weeks for a resolution. Your business and crops are too important to risk on junk parts from potentially disreputable sources.
Quality assurance: One of the main reasons to go with a BBB certified manufacturer is that you know the products you are buying are of good quality. When the BBB rates a business, they take into account all the unsatisfied customers and issues that manufacturer has had. If they are reputable, a good rating means you can expect that same level of quality with the products and services you are seeking. Too often people overlook the BBB rating and go with less reputable ratings—like online comments, which are not carefully scrutinized by anyone. Be sure to do you homework before jumping ahead with a big purchase.
Price accuracy: The urge to buy an off-brand part can be pretty tempting—especially when there is a price difference involved. But remember that cheap does not mean it’s just as good. Well-manufactured parts will be more expensive. This is a result of the time, labor and skill it takes to make them. The inverse could be said about cheap parts, as they are cheap because corners are cut and the skill levels of workers are not as high. Don’t throw just any old parts into your cotton harvesting machine based on a low price tag!
Right parts for the job: Too often, off-brand parts end up either not fitting or not functioning correctly. Be sure to buy the brands that match your equipment or a mechanic-recommended third-party part. Anything less could lead to other problems with your machine down the road.
If you are in the market for new or replacement cotton picker parts, look no further than the excellent selection from Certi-Pik, USA. We know this industry well and are ready to help you find the parts and equipment you need to succeed in the cotton business. Contact us today!
Few things are more detrimental to your cotton harvest than a fire. It can destroy crops and equipment alike. Cotton picking is vulnerable to fire because the amount of dry material and friction creates a natural environment for it—unless you take precautions. Here are six good practices to help maintain cotton picker parts so they do not produce conditions for a fire:
Clean parts thoroughly: Many fires result from debris building up on spindles. Lint, seed and oil from cotton makes for ready fuel as the engine warms up and friction looks to start a spark. Keeping parts clean removes this buildup so the fire hazard decreases. Good cleaning routines eliminates the most common causes of cotton fires. Set a routine and stick to it so your harvest completes successfully.
Keep baskets clear: This is often a reluctant practice because clearing baskets results in crop loss. Allowing them to continue building up, though, also provides ready fuel for fires, not unlike seeds, lint and oil on spindles. In fact, when you fail to clear baskets, any fire that starts will be difficult to contain because the flames will move to them next. Also, full baskets block the view to the hydraulic hoses and fuel lines, which will make it difficult to neutralize a fire before it starts. Understand that the loss of some of the harvest is preferable to losing all of it in a fire. Keep them clear as insurance against worse losses.
Stop immediately if you smell burning: A fortunate element in cotton fires is the distinct smell they emit when burning. This allows you to detect fires early. If you have a new worker operating your harvester, burn a small amount of cotton in a controlled setting so they can recognize the odor. That way, if they detect it on the job, they know to stop the harvester immediately and start fire suppression methods.
Communicate: There should be a way to call for help in case a fire gets out of control. Equip harvesters with cell phones and radios to reduce delays when help is required.
Never harvest without a fire extinguisher: In addition to communication devices, equip harvesters with fire extinguishers. Keep two types: a water-based one for lint and seed-based fires in the spindles, and a Type ABC for anything else. The best way to use an extinguisher is to point it toward the base of the flames and make short bursts. Do not spray long blasts; that will push the fire into the field. If used, replace the fire extinguisher. These are one-use items.
Stop when necessary: If you see or smell all the signs of a fire, but cannot find the source, stop the harvest for the day. It could be a mechanical deficiency (which is also dangerous), or the fire hazard is somewhere that is not immediately accessible. It is better to delay a harvest slightly than lose it all in a fire.
Certi-Pik, USA offers a complete catalog of cotton picker parts to repair your equipment and get ready for the next cotton picking season. Contact us today if you are ready to place an order.
The cotton picker is several thousand pounds of complex, rotating machinery cutting its way through acres of cotton fields. If this doesn’t sound intimidating to you, operating a cotton picker is probably just another day on the job for you. However, just another day on the job can quickly become your last day on the job if you aren’t careful.
There are several hundred farming-related deaths per year in the U.S., plus thousands of injuries, and the majority of these unfortunate events are related to accidents involving farming equipment. It’s best to practice safety first and protect yourself and others from the possibility of injury when on the job, so here are a few essential safety guidelines to keep in mind when operating a cotton picker:
Keep your picker in proper repair: Even a small issue can become a major hazard when operating machinery this large. Be sure to do regular maintenance checks and keep your cotton picker in good repair. For any replacement cotton picker parts you may need, Certi-Pik, USA can help.
Keep windows and mirrors clean: Cotton pickers are large and complex machines, which create blind spots for the operator. To increase visibility, it’s important to make sure that all windows and mirrors are clean.
Keep all lighting and alarms in proper working order: Warning lights and alarms are there to let others in the area know of the cotton picker’s direction, as well as to alert the driver of obstacles. Be sure that these are always in working order by checking them frequently.
Get help backing the picker: When backing your picker, be sure that the surrounding area is clear by shouting “clear” or some other agreed-upon warning signal. Best practice is to have a spotter who can help make sure that no unexpected obstacles get in the way.
Be careful on public roads: If you need to take your cotton picker onto a public road, be sure to travel at safe speeds. Use an escort and turn on all your flashing lights as well. Since it’s hard for you to see smaller vehicles on the road, best practice is to make certain that they see you and are aware of your movements.
Train and retrain: Establish procedures for operating your cotton picker, and then thoroughly train all personnel. Specific points to consider when training are how systems should be locked for service, steps for operating baskets, positioning of brakes and communication between personnel.
Practice precaution when ascending and descending: When getting into and out of your cotton picker, be sure to first scrape any mud from your shoes. Then face the ladder and be sure to keep both hands on the handrails at all times.
To ensure your safety and avoid the risk of injuring others, use best practices for cotton picker operation and make sure that your picker is always in good repair. For help with replacement cotton picker parts, please get in touch with the team at Certi-Pik, USA today.