Combines Info for Jake SE IA about beanhead auger

It sounds as if you are doing the same thing-----in principle--------as hardfacing the leading edge of the auger. In effect, you are increasing the thickness of the leading edge. Sounds like you're making the leading edge 1_8" thicker, for 1" down the auger. I would bet that, say, one-foot lengths of that flat metal would accomplish the same result.....and I wouldn't think that the stress of not putting them exactly next to each other would have an effect on the auger. Am I on targetIJ

Jake,I am laying the flat strip so that it sticks out from the edge of the flighting like an l.I had looked into cupped flighting which leans in about 1" on an auger that size,but the cost was prohibitive,so I experimented with key-stock around the edge ,and then tried this ,because the key-stock wasn't agressive enough.I think it does a better job of snagging the beans after they come off the sickle.Sorry that I didn't get your name quite right.

Apparently that 1 inch lip does not grab and hold the beans on the backside, ie does not hold the beans enough to cause wrapping on the auger.....IJ We run a tremendous amount of trash, so the wrapping would be a big concern for us. Thanks.

No Jake,the edge of the strip is so smooth it can't catch and wrap.I tried it on one side last year,thought it helped,definitely didn't hurt,so I did it to the other side this year.As I said,I started at the outside and worked in with one 10' length as far as it would go.My goal was to help feeding at the ends where there isn't enough volume yet to keep things moving.It hasn't hurt a thing so my next step is to put the edge all the way to the middle.If I were starting from scratch,I would start at the middle ;work my way out.Should be easier to install that way,and of course,taper back the first 2" at the very outside.I haven't seen a full-fingered auger work,but I like to think of this as a cheap alternative.

Thanks, Swede. I like the idea of the additional help at the ends. We run a lot of weeds (organic),and therefore need to be able to keep things moving.