Looking at a small Haybine

[L355SS]

I have a 460 Haybine with the wobblebox and rubber conditioner rollers. It works very well for dry grass while the wet grass and occasional mole/gopher mound will plug the cutter and cause the following grass to lay down (instead of cutting). You only need to backup (in most cases) to clear the clog. When I got this machine the disk mowers were just coming to the market so no used ones were available. I try to mow early in the season so the growth is sparce (I don't need a lot of hay anymore) and will take less time to dry. I then roll two windrows together then bale it up with my vintage JD T10 baler.
Dennis

 

[aczlan]

We have a Ford 501 sickle bar mower and a NH479 Mower Conditioner. The NH will occasionally get a little plug (clump of hay gets over one of the teeth) but that's mainly when I am trying to cut that last 1/4 pass.
The Ford will plug up fairly frequently and if the grass isn't just right, it will collect on the top of the bar where it blocks the next batch of grass.

Aaron Z

 

[Tx Jim]

I then roll two windrows together then bale it up with my vintage JD T10 baler.
Dennis

OK I'll bite what's a JD T10 baler??? I've never seen or heard of a T10

 

[AKfish]

Although I'm not a big fan of JD Mo-Co's the 1209-1219 were some of JD's better efforts to build a hay cutter. Yes if the wobblebox bracket shows any evidence of repair "run don't walk" away. Just for the record the conditioner rolls on the above mentioned models were adjustable for both pressure and spacing.

I didn't phrase my comments the best way... that's routine for me! They're all adjustable. But, when those rubber conditioner rollers are old, worn and generally buggered up... they don't adjust for sour, owl ****!

The steel rollers are less of a problem - that's all.

AKfish

 

[D7E]

We use a pair of 12ft NH 495 's and often use a 16ft kuhn alterna disc mower alongside them and as for the job they do and performance there is very little difference . We grow mainly alfalfa so i prefer the haybines to the disc . I wiil vouch for the wobble boxes on the NH ..complete unit is over $2700 which is roughly the value of the haybines

 

[L355SS]

Thank you for your interest! Seems I am wrong again, it is a T14!!
Dennis

OK I'll bite what's a JD T10 baler??? I've never seen or heard of a T10

 

[rankrank1]

rankrank1, you must be mowing in 4th gear? I currently mow in 2nd gear with the 7 footer, thats where it seams to cut best. I would be real happy with 2 or 3 acres per hour. I like my NH/International dealer real well so those brands most interest me, although we have a good JD dealership as well. I believe the Hesston falls under the Massey and that dealer is less attractive to me, but not out. I am real happy with my current sickle, however the Farmall is a gas hog and in need of rear tires. I need to put $800 in rear tires or could sell the H for $1000, so I figure I could spend $2000 and not really be out too much. I need to spend some money and thought an upgrade is in order.

I mow in 4th gear on the JD A (4.5 mph) or 3rd gear on the Farmall H (4.3 mph). The practical limit of any sickle cutter is about 6.o to 6.5 mph max, but I do not have enough tractor horsepower to attempt those faster speeds and I do not keep my mower in tip top shape either. I do not really have the desire to go much faster anyway as ground does get rough.

I would not be too concerned about picking an old used haybine by dealer preference. I have bought very very few parts at dealer for my haybine. Most items can be bought, TSC, Shoup, Sickle Service etc. I would look at what you can buy reasonable and a design that is likely to endure. I like NH, but those NH pesky rollers will eventually delaminate and that darned wobble box is big $ when it goes. I do not like any of the Deere's. The Hesston can be bought reasonable and when you see how simple the sickle drive system is on it then it was a no brainer for me.

Your Farmall h = gas hog. My Farmall h is just the opposite. I am quite impressed on how little fuel it actually burns (relative to what it is - designed over 75 years ago and burns gas). I was nervous last year using it for raking (had to run 4th gear WOT to get any speed even on light task like raking). I figured the fuel use would be atrocious but it was not bad at all. I am so impressed with the fuel use that I will be keeping the ole h around for sure. Best of all I like the ride of that Monroe seat.

No way would I put expensive tires on an ole h. If the current tires hold air then run em. Do not need much tread for haying anyhow and as you already pointed out new tires worth more than tractor.

 

[rankrank1]

Boy you had the IHC H or JD A "eared back"(6 MPH +) to cut 5-1/2 acres per hour with a Hesston cutter. I'll bet it was difficult to stay on the seat. I find it difficult to cut 5 acres per hr with a disc mower in the rough(Fire ants & gophers) hay fields I have.

Well my figures were off a bit but not by much as the fields I am using probably measures closer to 5.1 acres. First time I mowed it took me 50 minutes to mow the 2 fields that used to take me 6-7 hours with my bushog. The h travels a little slower and adds just a few more minutes to the job.

Anyway just for the sake of argument: Travel at 4.5 mph and with a 9'3" cut haybine (use a figure of 8.75' or so effective cut to account for 6" overlap and you can easily mow 4.8 to 4.9 acres an hour without even taxing yourself at all. If you desire to go faster then than that is always always an option too or you can opt for less than 6" overlap as well to speed things up. Sometimes just for fun, I will see how little overlap I can go without missing anything - pretty easy to do with NF tractor that is very maneuverable. My whole hay operation is pretty much strictly for fun, so anything I can do to make it more interesting (that does not cost $) then I usually make some kind of game out of it to keep it interesting.

For the record: Due to no live PTO and not even a hydraulic cylinder, I mow roundy round towards the center just as outlined in old sickle manuals. In other words there is little wasted motion in my mowing pattern. I am always mowing and never even slow down for turns.

 

[rankrank1]

Thank you for your interest! Seems I am wrong again, it is a T14!!
Dennis

Try again...your 3rd guess should be the winner. I bet you have a 14T

 

[L355SS]

I should get some credit for getting all the numbers/letters right! I will get my large felt tip marker out and label this beast so I won't forget again. Thanks for the clarification.
Dennis

Try again...your 3rd guess should be the winner. I bet you have a 14T