Combines Flax wrapping

We just finished combining flax last week and right away we had trouble with it wrapping on our 2188 with a rock trap. I went to the local dealer and they gave me a smaller sproket to put on the beater shaft. I also found that if you have the searated beater bars that it also works to take those off and it seemed to help a little bit. Our biggest problem was the straw was a little green and we just waited a couple more days and it worked much better. But with the season comming to a end hopefully that will help a little bit.

I have combined flax straight with a 2166 and rock trap. Had trouble the first year with straw wrapping on the stone beater. There is a spot between the beater bar and the side of the beater where straw can get caught and start wrapping. I filled this area in with epoxy, didn't wrap anymore there. I also built a finger bar to help carry the straw over the stone trap hole without it starting to bunch up. Did not notice till I was done that straw was winding on the top feeder drive shaft. Don't know when it started but its something I'll have to watch next year and hopefully find a cure for.

Seems like some years flax will wrap no matter what you do. Had it like that in 2000. My 1660 has the rock trap. I installed the finger grate with no improvement. Slower speed sprocket had no effect either. It just took time. Eventually, by the end of October those swaths went through just fine. Before that I had no end of trouble with poor feeding, wrapping on the left end of beater shaft and severe stress on the concave and rotor. Actually broke a concave hanger. Next year was fine. This year my frozen crop is till standing out there in the snow so don't know if I'll get a chance to try straight cutting it or not.

Time is one thing we don't have a lot of this year. My flax is standing in the snow as well. I agree that a rock trap would most likely be of no advantage. Suppose to be sunny next week, so there is still a chance.