Just about done with the corn this year. I have a new idea 302 one row, just to slow, looking for a uni system to snap corn with. But i dont know which units give me ear corn or shelled. Thanks for any advise.
Picker man, I know of a "late model" uni in west central IL that might be for sale. It is a picker unit, not sure on the head size. These guys gave up ear corn a couple years ago. The unit just sits in a shed. The easiest way to contact me is oleblu80@hotmail.com
I think the small frame husker was the 737, fits on the various small-frame power units (aka mules) from 702 on up. Not sure if some different parts were involved for newer power units vs. older units, though. Large-frame husker (for 800 series power units) I think was the 838. There were so many combinations of numbers between power units, huskers, feeder houses and snapper heads that it gets confusing.
A couple of years back, someone posted an excellent list on this forum of all the attachments for the Uni System. If you can find it, that list might answer your questions. Another solution might be the two-row pull-type pickers. If prices and availability aren't too bad for your area (Alabama?), they can handle pretty high yielding corn. One advantage is that they don't have their own motor, which means one less motor to keep tuned up. The pull-types don't require as high a shed for storage, either. They are easy to maintain and repair. There are fewer attachments, but most come ready for ear corn. (I don't know all the attachments, but I think you can also get sheller and grinder attachments.) Probably the biggest disadvantage is that you will have a hard time opening your own field. You can overcome this issue by planting hay strips through your field between the corn patches. There are other solutions to that problem, as well, which involve additional equipment, or hiring a neighbor with the right equipment. I imagine that everyone on this forum has different pluses and minuses for this, but the pull-types have been just what we needed for our 40-odd cow-calf operation. We feed the home grown calves out to fat and sell direct to some consumers and market the rest conventionally. We hired a neighbor's Uni for a couple of years, but it was close to worn out. They are harder to find in our neck of the woods, and a good one with the right head costs several times what a working pull-behind costs. I am sure other folks have different ideas about all of this, but the pull-types get our ear corn out of the field quickly and cleanly so we can get on with the rest of our harvest.
That was me who posted that list. I went back thru the archives and I'll repost it here:
In their heyday, you could get these attachments for a 700 Series Uni:
Tool Carrier (for mounting your choice of planter units on)
Snowblower
710 Combine (a 2-3 row machine) and headers
717 Combine (a 4-row machine) and headers
729A Sheller
727 & 737 Husking Beds
767 Superchopper and headers
There were usually 2-4 different sizes of power units available at any given time throughout the lifespan of the Uni-System line. Obviously it was recommended that you have one of the larger power units if you intended to have the forage harvester in your line of Uni attachments.
I have a file folder full of Uni brochures in my literature collection from the mid 1960's up to the last ones New Idea sold in the 1990's. It's not for sale but I'd sure be happy to share info or scan pictures for those of you needing it so feel free to contact me .