Like all crops, cotton must be harvested before further steps can be taken to prepare it for sale to consumers—this includes cleaning and packaging. First things first, once the cotton crop has grown to maturity, the cotton will need to be separated from its stalks. While cotton crops of the past were picked by hand, today’s cotton farmers are taking advantage of cotton harvesting machines. A cotton harvester is a relatively simple and effective machine, but it’s important that you invest in the right type of harvester to ensure an excellent harvest and high quality cotton.
When researching cotton harvesters, you will notice that there are two good options on the market: cotton strippers and cotton picker spindles. Both are made to assist in the cotton harvesting process, although they each have their own methods of doing so.
So, if both cotton strippers and cotton picker spindles are used to harvest cotton, is there a difference between the two?
What Is a Cotton Picker Machine?
Just as the name suggests, a cotton picker basically picks the cotton. It picks the cotton from the bolls—which are the fluffy and round clumps of cotton you see growing on the plants—using revolving prongs or finger-like spindles. The burr and used parts of the boll are left behind. As harsh as the picker looks, it is able to pick cotton quickly and efficiently without causing damage to the plant parts or the unopened bolls.
Since mature cotton plants will continuously produce during the growing season, it’s typical to see a cotton picker running through the cotton fields more than once throughout the harvest months, but only if the bolls are ripe and ready to go.
What Are Cotton Stripper Spindles?
In contrast to cotton pickers, cotton strippers are harvest machines that are used once, and used in areas where certain weather conditions prevent repeat harvests. As you can imagine, this harvesting method is more invasive in comparison to picking cotton bolls only when they are ripe.
In the case of cotton strippers, these machines are designed to pull the entire boll, whether ripe or still growing, or the plant stalk is cut as close to the ground as possible. Yes, the entire stalk is taken along with the bolls. Then another machine works to remove the burr and any unwanted vegetation, which is everything but the cotton material. Though collected, the unripe green bolls are not kept. Instead, they are separated out of the harvest and sent to the underside of the harvester.
Modern cotton picking equipment makes harvest time a lot simpler. Ultimately, it’s up to you, the farmer, to choose a harvester that best suits your needs. Either type of cotton machine will need regular care and maintenance to ensure maximum picking efficiency every harvest season. And since they are hard-working, you’ll need to plan ahead for replacement parts.
Make sure your cotton harvest goes smoothly with the help of cotton strippers or cotton picker spindles, as well as a stellar harvesting team. Contact us at Certi-Pik, USA to learn more about your cotton harvester options, and the cotton picker parts we offer!
Your cotton picker is the central part of your harvest season—without it, you wouldn’t be able to collect every acre of your cotton crop, meaning you may lose a lot of money. You need your cotton picker to be in perfect condition, which means that each part on your picker should be in good shape, too. Failing parts typically means failing machinery and a failing farming business.
Routine inspection and maintenance on your cotton picker parts are crucial for the longevity of your machinery. You may be tempted to skip inspection as long as the picker seems to be functioning properly, but this is a big mistake. Failing to check your equipment regularly typically results in an unknown broken part that could cause major damage and safety hazards if left untreated.
The importance of inspecting your cotton picker parts
Cotton pickers are large pieces of machinery that come with a host of safety hazards for both the operator and your crops. Because of the sheer amount of use cotton pickers see in a given season, parts begin to break down and may need replacement sooner than expected. If you aren’t regularly checking your cotton picker parts, you may not know something is about to break. Checking your parts is part of preventative maintenance to catch problems before they happen. If you see that a belt or pivot is worn down, you can replace it before you incur costly downtime from a broken machine.
Leaving broken parts on a cotton picker can also cause further damage to your machine over time. Belts, pivots and other parts that aren’t functioning properly can rub, scrape or smash other parts of your machine. If you check your parts routinely and find something broken, you have the opportunity to get it replaced before more parts get broken or worn down.
What to check and when
There are certain aspects of your cotton picker that should be checked each morning and night, before and after use. The engine, in particular, should be routinely checked to ensure that all coolant, engine oil and transmission oil are full and ready for use that day. Similarly, the tires and tire pressure should be checked approximately every 12 hours to avoid a problem while in the field.
Most axles and pivots should be routinely checked and lubricated between every 50 and 100 hours to ensure that they will continue to run smoothly. The feed belt and wrap floor belt tensions should also be checked. Refer to the user’s manual for your specific cotton picker model to view the recommended cleaning and maintenance schedule for your cotton picker parts.
Rely on the best if your cotton picker parts fail
If you check your machine and find that you need replacement cotton picker parts, contact Certi-Pik, USA. We manufacture and supply quality parts to keep your cotton picker running smoothly. We offer parts for a wide range of models, including specialty items, at competitive prices. Contact us to see what we can do to help your business!
When it comes time to harvest your crop, you want to ensure that all of your hard work during the growing season will pay off with a high yield. Even if you grow a high volume of cotton, some of your crop can be lost due to various reasons. While you might lose portions of your crop after you harvest, it is also common that you will lose some during the harvesting process itself, or that your machine won’t harvest as much as it could.
Thankfully, these issues can be mitigated by ensuring that your machine is in proper working order and that you have effective cotton picker parts. In some cases, it can be well worth the investment to get new parts that will work better and reduce harvesting losses. You can increase your yield and maximize your efficiency during the harvest by following steps that will minimize harvest loss.
Keeping your machinery in good condition
One way that you can reduce harvest loss is by properly adjusting and calibrating each part of your cotton harvester. You should make sure that your harvester is adjusted so that it will fully harvest each row with the highest efficiency. Make sure that your spindle rows are even and level. Tilts in your rows can cause a whole host of problems, including uneven machine wear, machine break down and reduced harvest yields. You must also make sure that your machine is operating at the correct speed and rotation pace for the crop that you are harvesting. It is also important to check and make sure that your spindle and spindle bushings are kept sharp so that they can effectively pick the crop.
In some cases, you might notice that your spindle is wearing down, rusting or deteriorating in some way. When you observe these types of issues, you are best served by finding replacement cotton picker parts. Even if you maintain your machine well, over time you will notice that there are more non-rotating spindles and that your cotton picker isn’t as effective at harvesting your crop as it once was. New parts can make a huge difference in crop yield. While it might cost you some money up front, it can make you money in the long run by increasing the volume that you are able to harvest from your fields.
Minimizing harvest losses can make a big difference in your bottom line, and investing in new cotton picker parts can greatly reduce the amount of harvest that you would be losing or missing out on otherwise.
Replacement cotton picker parts
At Certi-Pik, USA, we understand how important it is for farmers to be able to minimize their harvest losses, which is why we are committed to manufacturing replacement parts for cotton harvesters that are high quality and dependable. We fabricate replacement parts for all sorts of machinery, and we can help create the parts that fit your equipment perfectly. Whether you just need a couple replacement parts or you are trying to rebuild your equipment altogether, we can help you. To get started with quality replacement cotton picker parts, contact us today!
You rely on your workers to use cotton pickers properly to drive your business and keep your employees safe. Due to the complexity of these machines, there are many potential hazards that might result in injury, or even death, for workers.
The hazards of cotton picking can be avoided with proper training and safety procedures. Here are the top 10 hazards involved with cotton picker parts and machinery—and how you can help prevent them:
Entanglement with moving parts: There are many moving cotton picker parts that can entangle a worker while they are doing maintenance on the picker. Shafts and rotating parts can easily catch clothing or hair. Ensure your cotton picker has effective guarding around its loose parts, and that workers wear clothing tucked in and have their hair pulled back.
Crush injuries: There are crush hazards for workers between moving cotton picker parts or underneath raised picker baskets. Make sure your workers take the time to check machines or parts that might cause crush injuries while they work on them.
Running over other workers: Other people in the field might be run over by cotton pickers if they are not completely visible to the driver. Operators should be attentive to their surroundings at all times and take breaks to prevent fatigue.
Tipping or rolling picker: Since cotton pickers are so large, they can tip or roll if not driven carefully. Operators should travel at an appropriate speed to maintain machine stability and avoid steep angles. Also make sure the basket is lowered before moving; raised baskets can affect stability.
Falls: Workers may fall from the top of the machine or basket while cleaning. To prevent this, use safety handrails when on top of the machine, or strap into a harness.
Electrocution: Operators can be electrocuted if they are operating a cotton picker under power lines. Raising baskets into power lines can cause a fatal electric shock. Operators should be aware of power lines in the area and be given a map of the farm indicating hazards.
Fire and burns: Cotton is highly flammable. Prohibit smoking around cotton and cotton pickers, and keep the machine clean of dust and grease. Cotton pickers should be equipped with a fire extinguisher.
Machinery collision: Machines may collide with one another or with buildings or power lines in the area. Ensure that cotton picker operators are trained at how to operate the machine safely and that they are fully aware of their surroundings.
UV or solar radiation: Sun exposure can be extremely damaging after long periods of time, causing sunburns, skin cancer and difficulty seeing. Workers should wear long pants, a hat and sunglasses, as well as sunscreen.
Exposure to loud noises: Cotton pickers make a lot of noise, and prolonged exposure to loud noises can be damaging to workers’ hearing. Reduce noise from faulty cotton picker parts by replacing them and ensure workers wear earmuffs or earplugs to protect their hearing.
To keep your cotton pickers operating safely, be sure to replace your cotton picker parts and maintain them as needed. Certi-Pik, USA is your one-stop shop for all your cotton picker part needs! For over 25 years, we’ve delivered quality cotton picker parts to customers. Call us today!
The proper functioning of your cotton picking machinery is essential to the yield of your crop and the efficiency of your harvesting process. A single part in disrepair can affect your machinery as a whole, and can completely halt your harvesting process until it can be repaired or replaced.
So why do cotton picker parts fail in the first place? There are several reasons why parts might fail, and it’s important that machine owners understand these factors and know what they can do to prevent part failure:
Improper use: When a cotton picker part is used in a capacity that is not recommended by the manufacturer, it can lead to a failure of the part. It is important that your machinery be equipped with parts that were designed for it and that you only use the parts for their intended purpose.
Lack of maintenance: As with any piece of equipment, cotton picker parts require proper maintenance to ensure that they remain in good condition. Any concerns about the functioning of a cotton picker part should be addressed immediately and any necessary repairs or replacements should be taken care of right away. You should always take care to ensure that your machinery is properly serviced to maintain the overall functioning of the cotton picker and to keep all parts working as they should.
Wrong dealer: Even with proper maintenance efforts, some parts just don’t last. One reason why parts fail is that they are purchased from the wrong source. A part dealer or manufacturer that is unreliable or doesn’t have a good reputation backing them is not a good choice when it comes to finding high quality parts. A dealer may recommend the wrong part and they may not be able to address the specific needs of your machine. Avoid these issues by choosing a manufacturer with a good reputation who is able to provide customized service.
Low-quality part: Sometimes, part failure is simply a result of a low-quality part. You should research any parts or manufacturers that you choose in order to be certain of getting quality that you expect. Investing in a high-quality part will save you resources in the future and can prevent part failure.
Failure to clean and lubricate parts: Cotton picker parts require routine cleaning and lubrication in order to ensure that they continue to run smoothly. It is imperative that you purchase the recommended grease, cleaning and lubricating agents for your parts to keep them working well.
Ensure the efficiency and operation of your cotton picking machinery for years to come by starting with the highest-quality cotton picker parts available. For quality parts and specialty fabrication for all of your needs, Certi-Pik, USA is here to assist you. We are a reputable manufacturer of parts for cotton harvesters and we are able to provide customized part production depending on your specific needs. Our fantastic service and great prices make us an excellent choice when you need replacement parts. Give us a call today for more information.
