Your input

May 1, 2003 12:00 PM

Finger meter updates

In “Accuracy upgrade” on page 55 of your March 2003 FIN, Gregg Sauder [of Precision Planting Company] makes it sound as though planter manufacturers never have updated their finger meter parts and/or improved them.

As a recently retired planter engineer, I can assure you and your readers that the company I worked for constantly checked the performance of their meter parts as well as complete finger meters to ensure that they performed with maximum efficiency with all types of seed corn. Small changes, such as the ones required to accommodate the Maxim coated seed introduced a few years ago, are an example of the ongoing improvements that are being made.
Harry Deckler
via e-mail

Cordless impact wrench

In your March article about our Milwaukee cordless impact wrench [page 16], you mentioned the flat head détente issue. Here is a new development from our product manager:

“We have started including a round end détente pin as an alternative socket retainer in all new 9079-22 impact wrench shipments, in addition to the standard equipment retainer (flat end style). If a customer wants one, we will send it at no charge. Please keep in mind that the flat end détente pin is more secure.”
Richard S. Peterson
Brand media manager
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp.
Brookfield, WI

Birds of a feather

This is in response to George Gengenbach's search for a pelican mouth bolt cutter. When I saw the picture of it in your magazine, I knew that I had one similar to it. In fact, it's close enough to it to be a clone. The writing on it says“Hand Klip; H.K. Porter, Inc., Boston, MA.” Also imprinted on it is “No. 6 Wire Cut.” Hope this helps.
K.D. Morrow
via e-mail

Cooper Tools now manufactures the H.K. Porter products and in particular the Handklip Cutter. You can view the cutter on the Cooper Tools Web site (www.cooperhandtools.com) within the catalog link for hand tools (catalog number 0690C, page 292).

The catalog describes the Handklip Cutter as having a “parrot-beak jaw,” not a pelican mouth. Apparently during the cloning process the “beak” was shortened.

You may order or buy the cutter from a local distributor. Contact Cooper Tools customer service (919/362-7542) for the name of a distributor near you. We called the service number and were given the names of several hardware stores, including Menard's and Home Depot.

We visited Menard's and found that the Handklip was not in stock. However, a helpful salesman informed us that Menard's could order the tool and it would ship in two to three days. The suggested retail price of the cutter is $112, but the price may vary by location.

The Handklip Cutter is a 9-in., 13 oz., pocket-sized tool for clipping wire, chain and cable. This parrot-beaked cutter and its pelican-mouth ancestor have taken us on an eight-month quest. And we will end it here.

Correction

The story about the TracPacker in our April issue (Machinery department, page 24) gave an incorrect phone number for the machine's maker. Dan Gillespie's correct phone number is 402/634-2484.

How to reach us

Write to us at fin@primediabusiness.com; Farm Industry News, 7900 International Dr., Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55425; or www.farmindustrynews.com (click on e-mail). We assume all letters to be for publication. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.