Combines Standard Rotor in Tough ConditionsIJ

A set of Cut-Out bars from Estes cost $400 exchange (20 bars). These have every-other tooth removed. A set from St. John's Welding cost $481 (28 bars),and they have only a portion of every other tooth removed. Both are hardfaced and should last 3000+ hours. Adding the sickle sections is nearly free, you just have to cut, weld and drill. Another way to go is with the Estes Disruptors which cost $380 for a set of nine. As for the Rochelle Rotor, it simply has extra straight separator bars placed farther forward on the rotor. When the Specialty Rotor was introduced in 1985, they had no straight bars. Since 1992, Sz 80 grain machines have had 4 straight bars at the rear of the rotor over the grates. In a Rochelle Rotor, I think they put straight bars the full length of the rotor, but I'm not sure how many total. As many as 12 will fit on a size 80.

Can you supply some more info on adding sickle sections to the grate. Are they a home made subsitute for DistruptersIJ What do they doIJ Would they help chew up wheat strawIJ How and where are they mounted on the gratesIJ

Yes, the same concept as the disrupter, but with a smaller cross section to use less HP. They are supposed to help chew up wheat straw, which the disrupters do a nice job of. If you have the slotted grates, you can pretty easily make a bracket to hold the sections in the slot. For the keystock grates you need to cut a portion of one of the bars out so that the section can fit through, then weld a piece in to hold the section. You'll want to enlarge the bolt holes in the section, and if you make the bracket slotted you can adjust the amount the section sticks out. Terry at St. John Welding has done this for many years, and he could give you more info on it.

Run slotted grates in beans, not key stock, all facoty bars on the rotor.