Mini-harvesters are reliable helpers for grain harvesting

Features of operation of mini-harvesters

One of the features of the operation of such agricultural machines is their minimal damage to the fertile soil layer. Due to its low weight, the mini-harvester does not harm the soil structure.

The excellent maneuverability of mini-harvesters allows them to be used in the most ambiguous, varied and difficult conditions. In particular, if the surface of the fields is located at an angle, or its relief has some complex geometry, then in these cases the use of compact equipment allows you to harvest the crop with minimal losses. Mini-harvesters are easier to control and can be easily deployed in small areas.

Also a characteristic feature of mini-harvesters is the exceptional accessibility of all the main components and mechanisms of the machine data. This facilitates the process of maintenance and repair.

Japanese Yanmar mini-harvester

A conventional “full-format” combine harvester is, in any case, a large grain harvesting equipment designed for large sown areas. But if the landowner plans to sow a small area with grain crops, then full-size equipment becomes inconvenient for him, or prohibitively expensive. A cheap “toy copy” of a combine harvester will be enough for him.

A mini grain harvester performs the same functions as similar large equipment: it cuts the ears, threshes them, knocking out the grain, and then cleans the grains with an air stream, winnowing them from debris and dust. Then the mini-harvester removes the straw and pours the grain into a hopper compartment or into bags.

There is another area of ​​application for mini-harvesters - scientific and breeding work. “Baby” is needed to work at experimental and breeding stations. As a rule, their fields are small. One field is divided into several sections, and some kind of experiment is carried out on each of them.

Therefore, it is important that the crops be harvested with a compact and maneuverable combine that will not accidentally mow down plants from neighboring areas. A “full-size” combine will be too bulky and clumsy for such purposes due to its size. It will definitely touch neighboring areas. But mixing different varieties with such responsible work is absolutely impossible. And there is no point in keeping an ordinary expensive combine harvester at the experimental selection station, which will harvest everything in one go and then sit idle. Choosing a “baby” during breeding work turns out to be a more justified decision.

Areas of use

Diagram of the Zarya mini-harvester

Where there is no point in using large grain harvesting machines - when the volume of grain grown is small or access to the field is difficult - mini-harvesters become a convenient replacement. They are often used as auxiliary ones.

If the farmer’s main specialization is livestock farming, for which he wants to grow feed himself, and he allocates a small plot of land for fodder grain crops. Another example: a large agricultural complex has land with complex terrain, divided into several small fields. Access and operation are difficult for large equipment.

Small grain harvesters cope with obstacles by maneuvering freely in confined spaces.

Design of mini-harvesters and their types

For conventional mini grain harvesters, the working width of the header does not exceed three meters (and for “full-size” ones it starts from five meters). In most cases, this indicator is in the range from one to two meters.

The overall overall dimensions of the “babies” are also much, much more modest. A mini-harvester may lack a cabin or even not have a driver’s seat at all.

The following classification of this compact equipment can be distinguished:

• Small mini-harvesters . These are small units similar to walk-behind tractors, controlled by a person walking behind the working combine. The harvesting width of the header in such devices is at the level of one meter or a little more.
• Medium mini-harvesters . The working width of the header exceeds one meter, and the unit itself has a seat for the operator.
• Large mini-harvesters . In appearance, they are the same as “full-size” combines - with a full-fledged cabin and approximately the same arrangement of all main components and assemblies. They look like toys, like scaled-down copies of their “full-sized” counterparts, reduced several times.

First, let's look at the most popular mini-harvesters - made in China.

Design and principle of operation

The design of a mini grain harvester includes:

• cutting apparatus;
• reel;
• screw;
• feeder;
• threshing and separating unit;
• receiving beater;
• shaking board;
• straw walker;
• chopper

The reel, rotating, tilts the dead grain, which is picked up by the cutting blades and mowed. The stem structure sequentially enters the auger mechanism and the inclined chamber. The receiving beater moves the cut mass into the crushing drum with installed whips, which hit the ears. As a result of the impacts, the grain is separated and comes out through the deck cells. The whips have the correct design, so the seeds are not deformed and are threshed up to 80%.

The remainder of the unprocessed mass goes to the keys of the straw walker, where it is shaken, enters the stacker, chopper and turns into chaff or is poured through a shaking board and again fed for threshing.

Mini-harvester Zarya MZK-800

In vain many people believe that this model is a product of a domestic manufacturer. The equipment of this model is produced in the People's Republic of China. Its name has been “Russified” by sellers who sell such mini-harvesters in Russia and Ukraine. They receive kits of spare parts for assembly from China, assemble them here, and this activity can also be partly called “manufacturing”.

At the front there are units for cutting and harvesting the stalk and grain mass - the reaper. In the central part there is a thresher and a block for cleaning grains. In the rear part of the body there is a place for the operator, with a small stool-type seat. On the side there is a device for removing cleaned grain.

The engine of the Zarya MZK-800 mini-harvester is a single-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine labeled R180. It is one of the smallest and most affordable liquid-cooled Chinese diesel engines, which was designed for heavy walk-behind tractors. This is a tried and true compact diesel engine.

The pre-chamber injection system makes the piston system more durable, and the engine itself is unpretentious to the quality of diesel fuel. The R180 engine does not have an oil pan, and the serviceable oil filter is located on the side cover.

The piston with a diameter of 80 mm does not create significant vibrations, which eliminates the need for a balancing shaft and significantly simplifies the design. In addition, the small cylinder volume allows the engine to be started using a “crooked starter”, if necessary. The piston stroke is the same as the cylinder diameter - 80 mm.

The cylinder displacement of the R180 engine is 402 cm3. Engine power is 8 hp. at 2300 rpm. The direction of shaft rotation is counterclockwise. The fuel tank capacity of the Zarya MZK-800 mini-harvester is 6.5 liters. The volume of engine oil in the crankcase is 1.6 liters.

The transmission of the Zarya MZK-800 mini-harvester provides the use of three forward gears and one reverse gear. The speed of the unit in different gears is: 1 – 1.9: 2 – 2.78; 3 – 10.95 km/h; in reverse gear – 2.58 km/h.

The machine works not only with grain headers, but also with specialized ones - designed for harvesting sunflowers, corn, rice, and soybeans.

• Overall dimensions (length x width x height): 3400 x 1400 x 1300 mm.
• Header working width: 1100 mm.
• Harvester productivity: 600 m2/h.
• Diesel fuel consumption: 0.4-0.8 liters per hour.
• Drum diameter – 50 cm.
• Adjustable knife height – from 5 cm to 80 cm.
• Rubber wheel size: 210 mm.
• Combine weight: 500 kg.

The grain is unloaded into a bag.

Popular manufacturers

Domestic and foreign manufacturers produce various cleaning equipment. When choosing a small-sized agricultural machine, special attention is paid to its technical characteristics, the ability to aggregate attachments and the popularity of the brand.

Mini-harvesters for grain harvesting Zarya MZK-800 from a Russian manufacturer are considered the best for areas of 5-6 hectares. They do not sag on the field and do not form ruts in loose and wet soil.

Low fuel consumption, design features of the location of working units, excellent maneuverability are the main advantages of the model. The ability to attach any adapter allows you to turn the grain combine into a forage harvester or into a machine for harvesting barley, corn, and sunflower.

The self-propelled tractor is equipped with a 4-cylinder diesel engine with an output of 85 hp. pp., which ensures low resource consumption - 400 ml per 1 hour of operation. Its working volume is 3.8 liters.

The difference between the MZK-800 and other models is the absence of a cabin. Structurally, an awning was developed for the mechanism, attached above the driver’s workplace using special racks.

Technical parameters of MZK-800:

• travel speed - 20 km/h;
• threshing size - 500 mm;
• mowing height - 50-800 mm;
• processing width - 2350 mm;
• fuel consumption - 0.4 l/h;
• productivity - 600 m²/h;
• dimensions - 8500x2900x3300 mm.

John Deere

A representative of mini-agricultural equipment is the JohnDeere-942 miniature grain harvester, which appeared on the market back in 1979. Since 1983, car production has been suspended.

The mechanisms are adapted to Russian operating conditions and are capable of working on uneven areas with a slope of up to 22°. The combine operator's workplace is well organized and comfortable. The combine is equipped with a 75-horsepower 4-cylinder diesel engine and a 3-speed transmission.

• operating speed - 10 km/h;
• width of the threshing device - 300 mm;
• power unit volume - 0.39 m³;
• working width - 3000 mm.

Mini-harvester Dongfeng-1548

The “purely Chinese” mini-harvester Dongfeng-1548 is equipped with a much more powerful diesel engine with an output of 39.5 kW / 53 hp. Accordingly, its performance capabilities are much more serious. There is also a more or less normal operator's workplace, protected by a cabin.

• Overall dimensions (length x width x height): 5100 x 1900 x 2400 mm.
• Reaper working width: 2 meters.
• Productivity: 2600 m2 per hour.
• Combine weight: 2.175 tons.
• Fuel tank capacity – 80 liters.
• The capacity of the bunker is 0.8 cubic meters.
• The weight of the mini-harvester is 2,175 kg.

Grain is unloaded into a bunker tank with a capacity of 0.8 cubic meters. Form of unloading of grain mass: into the back of a car, into a tractor trailer, or simply into bags.

How to make a mini grain harvester with your own hands - assembling a homemade device

In principle, a homemade mini grain harvester can be made on the basis of any tractor, for example, the T-40. U

These units have all the necessary components that are necessary for the full operation of the combine, i.e. sufficiently powerful engine, wheelbase, driver's seat, etc.

Due to the fact that grain harvesting is carried out in the summer, the tractor cabin can be removed for greater driver comfort.

The main essence of the modification is to add a header to the tractor structure. You can take KPKU-75, whose working width is approximately three meters, or use another one. The Internet is full of advertisements for the sale of such components, so there should be no problems finding them.

For better balancing, you need to provide some kind of counterweight (water tank or gas cylinders) behind the tractor. As a tractor, you can easily use the Terrion, Challenger, New Holland or MTZ 80 model. We wrote about the latter in detail in this article.

Mini-harvester Foton Gushen D180

• Overall dimensions (length x width x height): 4850 x 2100 x 2600 mm.
• Header working width: 1800 mm.
• Engine: diesel, Anhui Quanchai QC495L, power 40 kW (55 hp) at 2600 rpm.
• Throughput – 1.5 kg per second.
• Operating weight of the combine: 2.38 tons.

Overall dimensions: length – 4850 mm; width – 2100 mm; height – 2600 mm.

The features of the Foton Gushen D 180 mini-harvester include: a specially designed machine shape and a tilting cabin; high ground clearance, guaranteed high level of cross-country ability; tracks made of dense rubber, 400 mm wide. The steering control mechanism is mechanical. Two fans and a cylindrical separator allow for high quality cleaning.

Mini-harvester Farmer K01

In Ukraine, at one time they produced self-propelled mini-harvesters under the name Farmer K01, at the Avtoshtamp agricultural machinery plant in the city of Alexandria, Kirovograd region. This plant has long since died. However, mini-harvesters of this model still continue to plow the expanses of gold fields in some regions.

This is a single-drum combine harvester suitable for harvesting nine types of grains and grasses. Throughput capacity is up to three tons of wheat per hour. During daylight hours, production is about 12-16 hectares. The capacity of the Fermer K01 combine harvester is 2.6 m³. The cutting height of crops is set in the range from 50 to 800 mm.

The engine on the Fermer K01 mini-harvester is D 243-91, diesel from the Minsk Motor Plant. The power of this engine is 85 horsepower.

The multifunctional control lever greatly simplifies the work process.

• Bevel width – 2.35 m.
• The width/diameter of the threshing drum is 0.86/0.5 m.
• Deck area – 0.42 m².
• The area of ​​the straw walker is 3.2 m².
• Fuel tank capacity is 180 liters.
• Operating speed is up to 10 km/h, road speed is up to 20 km/h.
• The total weight of the mini-harvester is 4600 kg.

The overall dimensions of the Farmer K01 mini-harvester are as follows: length – 8500 mm, width – 2900 mm, height – 3300 mm.

Reviews and how much the equipment costs

In Russia, the price of a mini-grain combine depends on the configuration and location of the dealership center. There are models that do not even have a driver’s seat as standard, so their cost is limited to 200-300 thousand rubles. Original foreign (Japanese, German, American) cars with a full-fledged cabin and higher power are expensive. Many models are exact copies of world brands, their prices are cheaper.

Farmers and private owners cultivating fields of 5-10 hectares can afford to rent mini-equipment. Rental price: 100 rubles per 1 sq.m. processed.

Stepan, 50 years old, Krasnodar region

I bought 2 mini-harvesters: the first was a Japanese Yanmar for rice, the second was a domestic Zarya for wheat and corn. There is no difference in the work: both have high productivity, comfort and convenience during the cleaning process at any time of the day. The advantage of a domestic machine is the availability of parts on the market and low cost. It is difficult to find spare parts for the Japanese. I order online.

Vadim, 38 years old, Vologda

I rent a small John Deere combine harvester from a city auto company. I pay about 200 rubles per hundred square meters for hiring a driver and a car. The guys on the unit work quickly and productively, completing the job in one shift. I tried it myself. Nice tractor. The view is wide from all sides. The seat is soft with control levers. Large grain tank. Threshes almost everything without loss. The disadvantage is the high price.

Mini-harvester Terrion SR2010

Terrion is a brand of Agrotechmash. The SR2010 mini-harvester model used the developments of the Finnish combine harvester manufacturer Sampo-Rosenlew. Products under the Terrion brand are produced by a branch of Agrotechmash in the city of Tambov. This combine provides exceptionally thorough grain cleaning. For this purpose, its design implemented a technology with the overseas name CHAC (Constant High Volume Air Stream Cleaning) - cleaning with a continuous flow of air. What does this cleaning and airflow have to do with it right in the header.

Headers are available in a choice of widths of 1.5, 2.0 or 2.3 meters. The Terrion SR2010 mini-harvester is equipped with three straw walkers and one sieve, which can be double at the customer’s request. All components are adjusted and configured from the operator’s cab using electric and hydraulic servo drives. The Terrion SR2010 combine is equipped with a Coleman weighing system. The four-cylinder Detroit Diesel engine produces 82 hp. power. The transmission is hydrostatic; at the request of the customer, all-wheel drive can be made. The maximum speed of the mini-harvester is 20 km/h.

The capacity of the bunker is 1.7 thousand liters. At the same time, the machine operator has a choice whether to direct the grain into this bunker, to a weighing device, or into bags (but the dosage device into bags is an additional paid option).

Overall dimensions of the Terrion SR2010 mini-harvester: length – 6400 mm, width – 2500 mm (excluding header), height – 3300 mm.

Well, now let’s turn, so to speak, to the primary sources.

Venerable manufacturers of agricultural machinery have long been producing units of this “frivolous” class. Yes, only in our fields you can still find ugly-looking, but quite capable European mini-harvesters of thirty or more years of age. One cannot help but remember these mechanical workers.

Mini-harvester Class Consul

The compact Klaas Consul combine harvester is equipped with a 106 cm threshing unit. Given the relatively small power potential of the diesel engine, such mini-harvesters were equipped with a fairly large threshing unit. The Class Consul mini-harvesters used exclusively reliable diesel power units from the Perkins and (but much less common) Mercedes-Benz brands.

All Klaas Consul combines were distinguished by the presence of a simple, efficient and reliable hydrostatic drive and a grain tank of significant capacity. If necessary, the height of the unloading auger can be adjusted, which allows you to unload the harvested crop into pre-prepared bags.

Main engine model: Perkins 4.236. Four-cylinder, displacement 3.8 liters. The power of this engine is 68 hp.

Working width: from 2600 mm to 3010 mm (depending on the type of header). The operating speed of the Klaas Consul mini-harvester is from 1.6 to 20.4 km/h.

Equipment from China

Chinese-made grain harvesting equipment was originally created for the domestic market. Local peasants cultivate everything, including the tiniest patches of land available on their plots. There may be no need to purchase large expensive equipment, but its smaller version sometimes becomes a real salvation.

As a result, Chinese mini grain harvesters combine simplicity, reliability, compact size and an attractive price. This makes them strong rivals to their more well-known counterparts from other countries.

Mini-harvester Volvo VM 800

Surprisingly, in some farms these veterans cope with their immediate responsibilities quite cheerfully. The quality of work, according to the owners, is at a very decent level. Diesel “native”, Volvo. Small as in a car. All drives are on belts. There is not a single cardan. One chain feeder drive.

All main spare parts and consumables are suitable from our domestic equipment (conveyors, belts, etc.). The mini-harvester is extremely simple, “like five kopecks.” There is nothing superfluous or complicated. The work is easy for a machine operator of any level of training.

The Volvo VM 800 mini-harvester produces grain as clean as after ZAV. If you set it up for seed grain, it separates fine grain no worse than OVSki.

• Header grip – 2.2 meters.
• Diesel fuel consumption is 7-9 liters per hectare.
• Productivity – up to 6 hectares per day.
• The grain tank capacity is 1 ton.
• Transport speed – up to 25-30 km/h.

Transmission type – mechanical. There are 3 forward gears and 1 reverse gear.

Choosing the right combine

The technical characteristics of mini-harvesters can vary markedly, so before purchasing you need to clearly determine the operating conditions and the set of necessary functions of the harvesting equipment.

Base. Most compact combines are mounted on a wheelbase, but they are also found on tracks.

Performance. It is necessary to take into account the width of the header, engine power, and speed of operations. It is advisable to find out how many unharvested ears remain, how many of them spill past the receiver, and how well the grain is threshed and cleaned. It is advisable to immediately calculate the area of ​​land that will need to be cultivated and estimate the time required for work.

Technical characteristics of mini-harvesters

Model and manufacturer. It is up to the buyer to decide whether to opt for an advertised brand of mini grain harvesters or to choose a new player in the agricultural machinery market. But reviews from those who have already assessed the capabilities of the unit they like can provide a lot of useful information.

Availability of additional options. Some models are suitable for planting work, others are also designed for harvesting rapeseed or forage crops.

Method of storing grain. Choosing a model with a compartment-hopper or a bagging function depends on whether the grain will be poured into storage or immediately sent for processing in small batches.

Engine power and diesel fuel consumption. All “kids” have low-power diesel engines. There are both very economical and extremely expensive models to operate.

Mini-harvester Deutz-Fahr M660

The Deutz mini-harvester has a three-cylinder diesel engine with a cooling capacity of 65 horsepower. This is an air-cooled, not liquid-cooled diesel engine. The tank-hopper holds 1300 kg of grain. The header is 2.5 meters wide. The fuel tank holds 85 liters of diesel fuel - this supply is really enough for two days of work. Fuel consumption is about 6-8 liters per hectare of area.

Manufacturers and prices of agricultural machinery for grain harvesting

Currently, many Russian farmers use the KZS 812 Polesie mini-harvester to perform agricultural work. In many technical parameters, this unit is capable of competing with the Akros 530 or 580 model from Rostselmash. In many respects, these two models are very similar. The engine power of these models is 330 hp. However, the Belarusian Polesie unit weighs a little more. This is explained by the fact that it has high fuel consumption. For the Russian Akros 530, the consumption is 5 liters, and for the Polesie combine - 6 liters.

Mini-harvester Sampo 500

The good old Finnish mini-harvester Sampo 500 has a diesel engine with a working volume of 3.5 liters and an operating power of 82 hp; header grip – 2 meters; straw walker – 2.91 m2.

The diameter of the threshing drum is 0.5 meters; drum speed – from 600 to 1320 rpm. The grain tank capacity is 2100 liters. Sieve area – 1.64 m2; unloading height – up to 2.7 meters. The operating weight of the Sampo 500 mini-harvester is 4 tons.

In addition, the great masters of compact special equipment are, of course, the Japanese. The grain and rice harvesters of the Japanese companies Kubota or Yanmar (and vegetable harvesters too) enjoy well-deserved authority. They are found very rarely on our farms, for an obvious reason: they cost serious money, even those that are several decades old. The equipment is certainly of high quality, but does not fall into the “tiny” price category.

However, new mini-harvesters are a piece product, and their cost is comparable to their “full-size” counterparts. The fact is that mini-harvesters are made not only for farmers, but also for scientific breeding farms. This will be discussed more later. But used ones, taken “on occasion” and “cheaply”, but in good condition, have every chance of paying for themselves in a short time.

Video

This video will tell you about the best models of mini grain harvesters.

A mini grain harvester is a necessary piece of equipment in agriculture. This unit, like a rotary mower for MTZ, can be used not only in large enterprises, but also in households. When choosing a combine harvester, you should pay attention to factors such as engine power, productivity and fuel consumption. Find out how to properly use a gasoline backpack sprayer by following the link provided.