These factors include the following:

•    The size of tank that you will buy depends on the total acreage that you’ll be spraying.
•    You should also consider the type of material that makes up your tank.
•    Moreover, you have to determine if the sprayer is mounted on a utility vehicle, truck-mounted, or tractor-drawn.
•    In addition, choose also the nozzles for the sprayer.
•    And finally, evaluate the accessories that you need to add in order to achieve a more efficient spraying job.

Tanks and Pumps

Turfgrass sprayers usually range from 100-300 gallons.  And it’s usually made from 2 types of material – polyethylene and fiberglass.

Polyethylene tanks are impact resistant, lightweight, and offer UV inhibitors which protect the poly from cracking or drying out.  On the other hand, fiberglass tanks are durable – these are normally used when your standard procedure includes mechanical agitation.

But one of the most important factors to consider when buying agricultural spray equipment is the pump because it is the heart of the sprayer.  There are 2 types of pumps called centrifugal and diaphragm pumps.

Diaphragm pumps (positive displacement) are high-pressure, low-volume, self-priming, and compact units.  The design will keep spray material from corroding or contacting the internal pump components.

Alternatively, centrifugal pumps (non-positive displacement) require no special relief valves because they have a rotating impeller which will feed the liquid (instead of capturing and then discharging fixed volume material like the diaphragm does).  So even if you close the outlet, the impeller will simply rotate harmlessly.

Spray Nozzles

For agricultural spray equipment, there are different nozzle types available which could provide different patterns, droplet sizes, spray angles, and flow rates.  In turfgrass, you could choose from full-cone, hollow-cone, raindrop, flood, and flat fan.

Majority of these nozzles can produce either coarse, medium, or fine droplets.  Often, you need to base your selection on the droplet size.  This is very important because the efficacy of your chemicals will be dependent on the coverage of your spray.

Accessories

So once you have chosen your agricultural spray equipment, you should also consider the extra accessories that will help you enhance the productivity of your sprayer.  Available accessories include kits for controlling drift, electric boom lifts, outer-wheel kits, hose reels, foam marker system, rinse tank, personal wash tank, and electric controllers.

The company produces fine combine harvesters.  Not only that, it also creates top-notch rakes, mowers, balers, and other harvesting machines.

History of the Company

The illustrious CLAAS empire began in 1913 when the company was developed by August Claas in Clarholz, Germany.  Then in 1919, they transferred their business to Hareswinkel, Gemany.  By that time, the company focused their efforts in producing reapers.

After 2 years, the company has captured their first patent – a knotter that will efficiently bind straw.  Then in 1934, the first Harvester called Pick-up Baler was developed, keeping in mind the European market.

Additional milestones for CLAAS agricultural equipment company include the following:

•    1946 – Construction of their first self-propelled Harvester
•    1962 – Opening of their first factory in France
•    1971 – Development of Pick-up Sugar Cane Harvester
•    1976 – Introduction of first Round Baler
•    1995 – Revealing of LEXION, which is the most powerful combine worldwide

Getting to know CLAAS Combine Harvester

Harvesters are specialized machines that blend various common crop tasks.  They’re responsible for harvesting and threshing, as well as cleaning plants that will produce grains.

In the end, the farmers will extract the grain or seed of the plant by separating the husk parts and loose straw.  Although there are different harvesters in the market, the CLAAS Combine Harvester will efficiently handle the harvesting of common seed as well as other grain plants like oats, flax, soybeans, rye, wheat, and corn.

Early versions of this machine were bulky, moving along with mules and horses.  The first combines even have a bull wheel to provide power.  But by 1902, combines were already able to harvest grains that could generate around 10 bread loaves within an hour.

The more advanced CLAAS agricultural equipment of today has a diesel engine and is self-propelled.  Grains and straws are separated with a durable fan – this is the current design highlight which is an essential advancement in the combine technology.

Rotary Harvester Selections

The LEXION line is the popular brand name that is associated with CLAAS Combine Harvester – it is often affiliated with Caterpillar product dealers.  This brand is considered as the most dependable and largest of all combines around the world.

Today, you may choose between Lexion 560R, 580/585R, and the 590R/595R.  Overall, CLAAS agricultural equipment offer innovation and high quality, as well as superior craftsmanship.

For use on- or off-road, this company presents rubber-tired excavators and attachments.  One of their models – the 1085D Cruz-Air – has grade ability and highest travel speed of any wheeled excavator.  Their latest machine – 1085R – is built for rail use with various options for magnets, grapples, rail threading, and craning.

Moreover, their veteran machines introduced in 1954 – 460 and 670 Hydro-Scopics – feature the latest hydraulic and engine technologies to perform even in the toughest daily conditions.

About Badger

The makers of Badger agricultural equipment has a mission to create and manufacture their products for a global market that’s ever changing.  They will listen to their customer’s needs as well as try to exceed expectations.  They will welcome and embrace change, or even a challenge.  As they succeed to accomplish their goal, they believe that profit and success will follow.

This company is based in Winona, Minnesota.  They specialize in material handling equipment, railroad, and specialized earthmoving.  You may find out that their hydraulic excavators offer sealed all-gear drives, diesel engines, and power demand hydraulics.

History

In the 1950’s, their first knuckle boom backhoes and first telescopic boom excavators have been designed and manufactured.  While in the 1960’s, the complete family of hydraulic knuckle boom excavators (crawler-mounted) were produced.  Then in the 1970s, there were more excavators (new generation) that followed.

Because of the company’s acquisition of Sargent in Fort Dodge, Iowa, hydraulic cranes were already introduced into their production line.  Both rough terrain and truck-mounted cranes were manufactured in 15-45 tons capacities.  Then in the 1970s, a new group of 35-50 ton capacity of Badger agricultural equipment were already designed and manufactured.

In the same decade, they manufactured a family of customized fire truck chassis.  Also, Badger started to create Hydro-Scopic product lines.  After that, the first model of hydraulic (high-pressure) telescopic excavators was introduced in 1995.

Special Products Division

The company has a Special Products Division which offers various services to their customers.  This includes long-term manufacturing contracts with other heavy equipment companies and prototype weldment’s custom fabrication.

Furthermore, Badger Equipment Company has 60,000 sq. ft. modern facility offering all areas of contract manufacturing, starting from sheet/plate burning until final assembly and inspection.  With over 50+ years of experience in manufacturing excavators, cranes, and other Badger agricultural equipment, the company has a lot of products and services to offer.

These vintage tractors can still be used to do farm work, and they are simple to understand especially when they come with antique agricultural equipment manuals.  Also, you can restore it as your major source of enjoyment and pride.

You’ll need different machines depending on your intention.  You must decide whether you want it to work on your land or you just want to restore it for your pleasure (because some vintage tractors don’t make good work tractors).

Research is Important

No matter what tractor you’re looking for, you should always start with a detailed research.  There are numerous books available to provide a vast array of information (from maintenance costs to prices).

The main points to consider are hitch system, engine size, collectability, etc.  But some people already have a particular model, manufacturer, type, or size of tractor that they want.  In addition, make sure that before buying this antique agricultural equipment, manuals should be included in the purchase.

Day to Day Work

You can use your tractor in daily farm work.  However, you have to buy the right one for your needs.  And the machinery you must use depends on the layout of your fields.

For example if you plan to use it for tillage (like corn or barley), then consider a Nuffield 460.  If you buy a Massey Furguson T20, it may cause damage to your farm because it’s too low.  On the other hand, a Landini R4000 or a Massey-Harris Pony is more suitable if you have a mountainous land.

Actually, you should really focus your attention on the mechanics of the tractor, and not on how it looks.  This is why antique agricultural equipment manuals are very important.

Basic Functions and Operations

After selecting the tractor that you want to buy, you must test all its basic functions – hydraulics, indicators, lights, lift, gears, and steering.  Your checklist should include the following:

•    Does it easily start even when cold?
•    Does it run well when already hot?
•    Do all electrical components work well?
•    Does it have a good traction?

Truly, you should inspect the basic functions and operations of the tractor before you plan to buy.  Therefore, you should read different kinds of antique agricultural equipment manuals to be familiar with the things that you have to look out for.

Recycling wastewater can truly have environmental and economic benefits for communities because fresh water is a precious commodity.  This type of irrigation can also be a practical way for communities to dispose of their treated effluent from individual home systems and wastewater treatment plants.

Important Site Conditions

However, not all sites will be appropriate for wastewater application.  The communities who wish to use irrigation in order to dispose wastewater from treatment plants must go into cooperative agreements with landowners or famers.  They may also lease or purchase suitable land for disposal.

The sites near high groundwater or surface water are often restricted, especially when they’re used as sources of drinking water.  Other important criteria for site selection include the type of drainage patterns, slope, soil wetness, and soil.  This also includes evaporation rates and amounts of rainfall.

In areas that have wet or cold weather, wastewater must be stored in holding tanks or lagoons until the irrigation is already needed.  Also, some agricultural reel irrigation equipment can freeze when the weather is very cold.

Spray Irrigation

An efficient way to apply reclaimed wastewater and nourish plants is to use spray irrigation.  Some of these spray systems are similar to potable-water sprinkler systems, while others are specifically designed exclusively for agricultural applications.

Because spray systems apply the effluent above-ground, it should be highly treated to reduce odor and protect public health.  Generally, regulations require that it should be disinfected.

There are many possible designs of spray systems but all of them work by distributing the treated effluent on the entire soil surface.  These systems must be designed by professionals who are qualified and experienced to work with agricultural reel irrigation equipment.

Spray Equipment

Several impressive high-tech spray equipments are available to irrigate crops.  Some may consist of sprinkler heads in a series mounted to distribution pipes.  These heads are moving across the fields either in a circular or lateral motion.

Some systems can be operated remotely while some can be programmed to shut off automatically when there are high winds and rain.  The programming can also include adjustments for application to different parts of the field.

Another design is called agricultural reel irrigation equipment.  It consists of hard plastic hose that is wound around a drum reel.  A turbine or motor rewinds the reel to irrigate the crops.

Owners say that the reasons why they are in the business of farm equipment salvage is because it pays the bills and they get a kick out of it.  They’re not in a “junkyard” business in a sense (despite the assorted salvage machines that they have), but they are actually supplying used parts for tractors and farm equipment.

Sources of Farm Equipment

This business provides service for the demand of farm equipment owners.  In a way, it helps solve a problem and be mutually beneficial.

You can gather your inventory through the following means:

•    By attending auctions that are held by the other farm equipment dealers – sometimes, these dealers want to dispose some agricultural equipment (wrecked or salvage) that they don’t want on their lots.
•    Also, you can buy from farmers with machines that they want to sell.
•    In addition, insurance firms may have a few burned or wrecked machines because they have just settled a claim.

Competition

Competition can be tough when you want to obtain good, salvageable machines.  Some bidding will become highly spirited when there are several yard operators that are vying for the equipments with parts that have high profitable demand.

From experience, you can immediately determine the value of the units that you want to buy.  Purchase only those agricultural equipment (wrecked or salvage) that have salvageable parts for you to sell.

Breakdown of Parts

If you can specialize in 10-25 year old machines, you will be offering an inventory to dealers and farmers that they seem to need most.  This is because an older unit is hardly worth repairing, while newer units still have adequate parts available.

So for example, you buy a tractor.  You can pass it to your crew (may be composed of only 3 people) who will systematically take it apart while cleaning and inspecting salvage parts.  Sometimes, good engines are sold as one unit while at other times they are stripped for future sale.  Final drives and transmissions are usually disassembled.

Then, agricultural equipment (wrecked or salvage) parts are usually stored on orderly racks and protected from corrosion.  Heavy castings and wheels (or those parts that are normally unaffected by weather) are stored outside.

Finally, unsalable parts have to go into a pile that will be picked up by the scrap metal dealers.  These kinds of dealers usually make periodic visits to farm equipment salvage yards.

World events affect all prices, including junk.  This is about the avocado green refrigerator in your garage that has stopped working 10 years ago, or the old hay rake that your grandfather hauled out to your backyard.  All these stuff is now worth a small fortune.

The same thing can happen to agricultural equipment.  Salvage yard metal can be worth so much more today because of the changes in world economy.

Rising Price of Metal

The increase in the prices of scrap metal may be due to the weak dollar, plus the fact that China has been growing at a rate of 12-14% per year.  So today, it was reported that farmers are already cleaning their junk piles (and looking for old farm machinery) in order to convert them into hard, cold cash.

Unfortunately, there is a dark side to putting up an agricultural equipment salvage yard business.  Thieves can start to sneak into your yard at night and steal from you.  In fact, they might even sell the same steel scrap to you the following day!

Farm Machinery Cycle

It is said that the life cycle of farm machinery is only about 40 years.  When it ages a little bit, it is usually sold to a producer or handed down to a family member.

And then, it will eventually wind up in a junk pile or fencerow.  For example, most scrap metals that you will purchase at the agricultural equipment salvage yard in Southern Illinois winds up at a Southern Missouri foundry or at a processor in Granite City Illinois or Tell City Indiana.

Evolving Market

The scrap metal market has been evolving every month.  There are months when buyers want more farm machinery, oilfield junk, or heavy iron.  While on other months, they might be more inclined to purchase appliances and automobiles.

The only market that is always hot turns out to be aluminum junk.  Normal price of soda and beer cans are about 65 cents for every pound.  And while there are many scrap metals being shipped overseas, majority of recycled metals in the Midwest are still staying in the United States.

Agricultural equipment salvage yard owners believe that the next frontier in the junk market will be plastic bottles.  When you visit landfills, you will notice that plastic bottles are already being deposited in large numbers, especially in Maine and Michigan.

There will come a point when the value of plastic bottles will go up, especially if other industries will be involved (most especially the government).

So these days, a second hand plant is almost as popular as a new one, and the refurbishment or sale of used equipment is a huge business.  Definitely, the largest benefit that you can get out of buying second hand farming equipment is a lot of cost savings.

Offline or online, there are only 2 ways for you to purchase and save from used farm equipment – through auctions or through agricultural equipment dealers.

Buying through Auctions

You can buy bargains at your local farm auctions or through internet sites.  However, bear in mind that the nature of these auctions are usually “Caveat emptor” (buyer beware) cases.

Remember that when buying through auctions, “all that glitters are not necessarily gold.”  As a buyer, you should do your homework and know what you’re dealing with.  If in doubt, it’s better to seek assistance and advice from a third party.

Also bear in mind that 2nd hand farm machinery should be sold with an instruction book (that you can understand) and a certificate of safety as well.  So if you want to minimize risks, just buy from agricultural equipment dealers instead.

Advantages of Dealers

There are plenty of dealers selling used machinery worldwide.  If you are lucky and you took some time to research properly, then you might pick up some great deals.  You can find equipment that are reconditioned to high standards or even sold as nearly new.

Although some say that going through this distribution channel is a bit expensive, you can still get guarantees, discounts, and financing when you buy from agricultural equipment dealers.  In addition, there are other cash flow or tax considerations that you may want to factor into the financing equation of your purchase.

Buy Used Farming Equipment

It is wise to consider the model, age, and brand when you’re thinking of buying used farm equipment.  Price parts (or downtime cost if the parts are not yet available) can be prohibitive.  And in some cases, it can make your investment ineffective.

Nevertheless, don’t be afraid to purchase older equipment.  In doing this, you won’t probably find some of the “frills” on newer equipment, but you may have better value and more commonly available spare parts.

Truly, buying from agricultural equipment dealers means that the money you save can be used to buy a larger fleet.  At any rate, the excess money can still be used for other productive purposes.

Strong men may cut trees quickly but lifting or transporting the trees over long roads should be left to trucks and cranes.  Also, hectares of wheat cannot be harvested in a short time if there are no proper machineries used such as reapers or tractors.

Forestry Financing

However, these improvements don’t come cheap.  And the best way to afford this agricultural equipment, business expert say, is to find good financing.

Remember that you cannot adopt a single approach to all farm equipments.  The machinery requirement depends on:

•    the capacity of your individual enterprise
•    the scale of operations
•    the function it serves
•    the type of industry

Getting the Best Deal

When you are seeking financing for forestry and agricultural equipment, business expert suggests keeping in mind these points:

•    No one will ever lend you money unless they are assured that you have the capacity to repay the loan.  Therefore, be prepared to complete the formalities, fill out a lot of forms, and submit multiple documents.
•    Don’t expect your huge loans to be approved overnight.  These transactions do take time.  Nevertheless, be prepared to deal with related contingencies.
•    Before you apply for a loan, make sure that you meet the minimum qualifications to have better chances of approval.
•    Search for the best deal.  If you get a loan with the lowest interest rate, it would help you to save money in the long-term.
•    However, be careful not to end up with fraudulent companies.  Make sure that you deal with genuine financing companies only.

Modern Practices

Equipment use will contribute so much to your efficiency.  And unless there are genuine sources of agricultural and forestry equipment financing, you will never experience high productivity.

For modern agricultural equipment, business expert recommends the following:

•    Power tillers
•    Tractors
•    Hay Bailers
•    Cleaners
•    Grain Threshers
•    Grain Harvesters
•    Planting equipment
•    Ploughing equipment

Alternatively, there are landscape companies that require different equipments.  These are:

•    Mulching equipment
•    Edging equipment
•    Large mowing equipment
•    Drip system, sprinkler or other irrigation system, and turf maintenance equipment.

Forestry and agricultural enterprises also need to invest in other specialized equipments such as automated milking machines, food processing equipment, etc.  Utilizing these things will surely develop new ways of boosting productivity.

Lemon agricultural equipment laws specifically exist for this purpose.  They provide the legal protection for all vehicles under warranty.

There are also lemon laws for automobiles.  Both laws provide penalties and create obligations for defective vehicles.  However, even if tractors are expected to have many more defects than automobiles, the tractor lemon laws have fewer manufacturer obligations than automobile laws.  These inconsistencies suggest that tractor laws might be inefficient.

History

Lemon laws originated from Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (a 1975 federal law).  This legislation will attempt to insure that the consumers are knowledgeable about the nature of a warranty.  It is also advisable that you compare warranties before making a purchase.

The lemon agricultural equipment applies to those written contractual warranties that are optionally offered by manufacturers.  However, each state has slightly different versions of these lemon laws.

Features

There is definitely a timeline associated with these lemon laws.  Again, every state will differ in its implementation.  For example, validity can be 18,000 miles or 18 months from purchase date.

Filing claims can be subject to limitations too.  Typically to be eligible, you need to file your claim within 2 years after your purchase.  Negotiations and repairs may take a little longer.

Lemon agricultural equipment laws cover the people who reside or purchase in that state.  They are intended only for those individuals who will buy the tractor for personal use (not for resale).

This law usually covers defects that can significantly decrease the vehicle’s value, impairs its use, or renders it unsafe.  However, it does not cover those that are mistreated, neglected, or subjected under unqualified repairs.

Function

Virginia, Minnesota, Illinois, and Georgia have enacted the legislation for the agricultural equipment that is modeled after automobile lemon laws.  This law spells out the duty of dealers and manufacturers to repair defective equipment, provide a replacement, or even refund the purchase price.

The warranty may give some steps in resolving such claims.  However, if both parties have tried to fix the problem to no avail, the lemon agricultural equipment laws may step in.

Then if legal action is still desired, you can contact Better Business Bureau (BBB) or your local clerk’s office on where you can file your claim.  If it’s necessary, BBB may also assist you in legal arbitration.