I need to automate my bale handling, too

[AKfish]

I have become interested in trying to make more consistent bales with the JD328 to make the loads better. I added BaleSkis and they helped alot. Besides making denser bales with less pressure the baler also misses tying less often. It never missed much, but now it is rare. I am thinking about adding the AirBaler because we have som areas with light, fine hay that it may help with.
We couldn't be happier.
Greg

Very interesting that you mention the BaleSkis. I really considered the BaleSkis when I was gonna buy a 24T. The 336 baler I have now, has been super! So, I've backed away from getting it.

But, if I understand the BaleSkis installation correctly; it may add life to the baler's bale chamber and hold off on the day when welding might be required to keep the 'ol baler going! Is that correct?

Your production numbers are quite a bit higher than ours. My wife and I bale around 750 bales for our use (although I normally sell some hay in the Spring after I know we'll have enough until the new hay is ready).

Last season, we baled another 2,500 for the neighbors. Used his accumulator and grabber. He's got a Hoelscher 10-bale system. It works very well... but, it's only 3-4 year's old. The accumulator is kinda complicated... be interested to see how it holds up over the long haul.

Thanks.

AKfish

[gf5205]

Very interesting that you mention the BaleSkis. I really considered the BaleSkis when I was gonna buy a 24T. The 336 baler I have now, has been super! So, I've backed away from getting it.

But, if I understand the BaleSkis installation correctly; it may add life to the baler's bale chamber and hold off on the day when welding might be required to keep the 'ol baler going! Is that correct?

AKfish

I'm not really sure how much of the baler is considered the bale chamber, but the BaleSkis install behind where the bale is formed and before the chute. They wouldn't help where the bale is when it gets tied.
Greg

[Robert_in_NY]

I'm not really sure how much of the baler is considered the bale chamber, but the BaleSkis install behind where the bale is formed and before the chute. They wouldn't help where the bale is when it gets tied.
Greg

Have you seen the bale ski website? It will explain how they work a lot better then I can.

[ljkuhns]

Hello Greg,
I am one of Kenny's sons that brought your accumulator up there. It was the first and only time that I've been to Maine. I thought it was very beautiful. I remember your place. The cookies you sent back with us were really good. So your system is working good still?
Lucas

[gf5205]

Hello Greg,
I am one of Kenny's sons that brought your accumulator up there. It was the first and only time that I've been to Maine. I thought it was very beautiful. I remember your place. The cookies you sent back with us were really good. So your system is working good still?
Lucas

Hi Lucas,
Donna says come back and she'll have more cookies for you.
The accumulator and grabber are working great. We now put up our hay with no help needed. Donna really appreciates not having to put a hay crew together. Thanks for the great system.
Greg

[slowzuki]

Someone else I know has had a little bit of trouble with a Kuhn's going down steep hills, I know his property is steeper than mine. Have you had any trouble that way? I recently borrowed a hay basket and was able to bale 400+ bales using it. Other than it roughing up quite a few bales from our rough field I had good luck with it so I know I can handle the wider turns with a Kuhns or basket.

[gf5205]

I don't have any steep hills, just some slopes that are steep enough that I have to downshift while mowing. I don't have any problems on those slopes.

[slowzuki]

An update:
I have had the chance to use a bale basket for 600 bales this summer. It works ok, in my rough fields the connection to the baler moving around roughs up the bales on slippery hay, only jammed while baling cross wises through ditch in the field, the offset between the baler and chute was too much. The turning really wasn't an issue like I thought although I purposely didn't rake any tight corners. You can turn quite tight as long as no hay is pushing at the time.

My hay crew didn't like that unloading a full basket strings bales out over a long distance. Talking to other people this isn't a problem if you put 60 bales in vs 100 bales.

I had sort of given up on the basket and went back to the crew or me riding the racks but I'm not keen sitting behind the dusty baler like that. Met a guy who uses a basket and a grapple to load his racks. The guy baling swings by the wagons and dumps his load all strung out, the 2nd man has a longish hay hook and drags the bales into packs and loads the racks with a grab. He had 3 wagons that held 320 ish bale each and he'd just leave them all hitched together. It took slightly less time to arrange and load each dump of bales than it did to bale them. Using a JD348 baler he said it usually took just over 3.5 hours to bale and load the 3 wagons including tying them down (he had ropes and ties all set up the right length). He said unloading into barns took about the same time due to the travelling and stacking in the barn being finicky working around posts etc.