The process of harvesting and processing cotton is a heavily automated procedure that requires a substantial amount of technical expertise and specialized equipment. Any cotton farmer knows the importance of keeping their gear up to date and in good repair. While many aspects of your cotton processing gear are maintained on an annual basis, cotton picker spindles are typically only serviced and replaced when needed. Knowing when to replace your cotton picker spindles and handling their replacement in a timely and efficient manner is an essential part of keeping your production and quality levels at a high standard.
You may be wondering, however, how you can tell when the spindles on your cotton picker should be replaced. Because they are not pieces of equipment in need of regular maintenance or annual replacement, you will have to rely on your own observations to determine when to replace your cotton picker spindles.
Here are just a few ways that you can identify cotton picker spindles that are in need of replacement:
Rusted spindles: Because cotton picker spindles are often exposed to the elements for long periods of time, they are susceptible to rust and other types of elemental damage. If your cotton picker spindles are beginning to rust, they should be replaced immediately so as to avoid affecting the quality of your produced cotton.
Snapped spindles: Because of the extensive amounts of work that cotton pickers perform, spindles are liable to snap off at any point, leaving just a shard of metal where the barb should be. If your spindles have snapped off at any place, you should begin replacing them sooner rather than later so as to avoid damaging your crop further.
Missing spindles: Some spindles may simply fall off or snap off at their base, meaning that there is a vacancy where your cotton picker spindles should be! If this is the case on your machinery, you should start the process of looking for replacement spindles as soon as possible. You should inspect your machine before replacing any missing spindles.
Dull spindles: If a cotton picker spindle has managed to stay intact throughout years of heavy usage, chances are, it’s become exceedingly dull. This can be a difficult problem to diagnose, but can ultimately be identified with a close visual inspection. Dull spindles can tear the cotton and reduce your operation’s overall productivity.
Since 1988, Certi-Pik, USA has been providing cotton farmers and manufacturers with the tools they need to provide their customers with high-quality cotton and cotton products. We are a locally owned and operated fabricator of cotton picker spindles and other machine components. You can count on us to deliver high-quality, dependable products that can assist you with your cotton harvesting and processing.
We are proud to serve America’s Heartland with dependable agricultural supplies that are recognized for their quality and reliability. If you believe that your cotton picker spindles may be in need of replacement, contact one of our friendly associates today to learn more about our extensive product offerings.
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!
You rely on your cotton harvester to bring you the greatest yield possible at the end of the season. The amount of cotton that you are able to pick from your field will determine how much product you will have to sell and can impact whether you will have the ability to invest in a bigger crop next season.
So much is dependent on the proper functioning and the efficiency of your cotton picker, which is why everything you do to care for and maintain your machine is critical. Even during the months when you aren’t using your cotton picker, it is imperative that you take time to properly maintain your cotton picker spindle so that it is in good shape the next time you need it. By following a few simple maintenance tips during and after the harvest season, you can keep your machine operating properly to maximize your yield and your harvester’s efficiency.
Maintaining your cotton picker parts
One important aspect of cotton picker maintenance is setting the height and tilt of your row units. You should set your row height and tilt precisely to ensure that it is not uneven or unbalanced. This will help facilitate maximum efficiency during picking operation. Improper tilting or rows that are off balance can create complications and compromise your machine’s yield.
It is important to keep up on maintenance of the spindles and spindle bushings of your machine so that they are ready for harvest. Keep your spindle and spindle bushings sharp so that they are as effective as possible. Through heavy use and normal wear and tear, your spindle can become dull. In general, the bottom half of the spindle wears down more rapidly than the top half, but you should inspect the entire spindle regularly to check on how it is wearing and whether it is sharp enough. In some cases, rust can accumulate on your spindle, so that should also be checked for. During your inspection, remove and replace spindles that are dead or aren’t rotating, as these can slow your entire system down.
The offseason is the best time to take care of any repairs and replacements of your system; you don’t want to wait until you need your harvester to have it fixed. If you notice any parts that are broken, deteriorating or need replacement for any reason, you should get them replaced right away. Find replacement parts that are of high quality from a manufacturer with a reputation for making reliable parts. This will help ensure that your picker remains in good shape for years to come.
Keep your cotton picker parts up to date
If you are looking for high-quality replacement parts for your cotton harvester, contact Certi-Pik, USA. We are a trusted manufacturer of superior parts for cotton pickers and harvesters. We can fabricate parts specifically designed for your piece of equipment, including specialty and custom items. Contact us today and learn more about the services that we offer and how we can help you maximize the efficiency of your cotton picker.
Just like any other large piece of machinery, your cotton picker spindle needs a little bit of love every now and then to keep functioning properly. Regular maintenance can help the equipment last long into the future, allowing it to continue handling even large capacity loads. For some cotton farmers who have scores of acres of cotton to harvest during their peak seasons, the importance of this long-lasting reliability cannot be understated.
For this reason, when you’re not in the peak growing season, you must make sure you are keeping up with your cotton picker spindle maintenance so that you are able to preserve the functionality and integrity of the part long into the future, and so that it’s in tip-top working shape before you put it back to use during the season. Here are a few important tips to keep in mind as you move into the offseason and start thinking about making any necessary repairs:
Keep the row balanced: Carefully analyze the cotton picker spindle and make sure that the height and tilt of all row units is precise. It should not look uneven or out of balance. By keeping the row uniform, you can help to encourage maximum efficiency during cotton picking and lessen the potential for complications to arise from tilted or crooked row units. This also helps to create a faster cleaning of debris that would otherwise wear down the system and the cabinets.
Keep your spindle and bushings sharp: If needed, sharpen the spindle and its bushings. Over time, these parts can dull out, which makes the entire unit less efficient. Take your time making these inspections. It’s typically the bottom half of the spindle that begins to wear down first. Also, keep an eye out for any rusting that has occurred since you last put the picker into use. Remove any spindles that simply do not work or rotate, as they could bog down the entire system. You might need to disassemble the bar before you are able to complete this task.
Clean off residue: Residue tends to build up over time on the spindle moistening system. If this is the case with your cotton picker spindle, make sure to clean it off. This helps the moistening system operate more efficiently without diluting the system.
Replace any parts that have worn down: Replacing parts as they wear out is an absolute must while you’re in the offseason. Perform a full, thorough inspection of the machine and keep an eye out for any damage that may have been done to any part of the system. Usually you are able to get about 600 hours of use out of your cotton picker spindle and bushings before you need to replace parts, so that can factor into your decision as to whether you need replacements or not.
These are just a few tips to help you keep your cotton picker spindle in great shape. For more information, contact us at Certi-Pik, USA.
Every season, your cotton picker machines work hard to serve a purpose out in the fields. Without these machines, cotton farmers would still be picking cotton by hand and lugging the crop back to the barn in large containers. So it makes sense that you’d want to practice regular maintenance on equipment before and after each harvest to ensure proper function—this includes cleaning, making repairs, checking moving parts and replacing parts when they no longer work as they should.
Rows of cotton picker spindles make up one such component of a harvester—and an important part at that. These spindles must be in very good shape, especially since they’re the tools used to separate the seed cotton from the cotton plant. This is all the more reason to keep an eye open for the following signs that it’s time to replace your cotton picker spindles.
Broken or damaged spindles
Although spindles are made heavy-duty, it’s pretty common for picker spindles to sustain damage and wear and tear after years of use in the fields, even with regular maintenance. And since the spindles are rotating around constantly, it may or may not be obvious to see that a few grouped spindles are no longer whole—that is, until you notice sections of cotton plants still standing after the machine has done a pass. Check your machine for broken spindles at the start and the end of each harvest season.
Loose or missing spindles
There are damaged spindles… and then there are missing spindles. If an entire spindle is missing, that means it either got torn completely off the harvester or it came loose and fell off somewhere in the cotton field. From time to time, it’s a good idea to get a professional inspection of spindles and threading, but you can also check spindles yourself to avoid a serious malfunction while in use. Make sure new ones are attached securely, to the threading, not at all loose.
Dull spindles
Cotton spindles are made to last a long time. However, they can dull to the point of uselessness. Like teeth for a field crop harvester, cotton picker spindles can begin to wear down over time, and sometimes need to be replaced with new ones. To know which ones have ceased to be functional, compare the rows of spindles to each other, looking for individual pieces that feel smooth when you touch them with your bare hands.
Rusted spindles
Rust does not favor any particular piece of equipment. If it’s metal and left out in a damp environment, there’s a likely chance that rust will form—and spindles are made of metal. As rust slowly starts to corrode metal surfaces, you will notice a reddish-brown color coupled with flakes of metal peeling off—and if you don’t remove it, it will spread. To reduce the chances of rust taking over your cotton picker spindles, make sure to store equipment properly in an enclosed building, protected from all types of moisture.
If you notice any of the above signs, you may consider replacing problem cotton picker spindles with premium products from Certi-Pik, USA. Contact us today to learn more or check our stock!
