JD 346 sq baler.

[AndyL52]

I don't know if you have seen these or not, but you might want to take a look at the Maxilator -- Hay Grapple and Hay Handling Equipment by Maxilator features the Accumugrapple Elite that does it all; gather, load and offload hay with one piece of equipment. It combines the accumulator and grapple into one with removable chambers. Folks at the Kansas City Western Farm Show were using them and swore by them. I want to say the price was around 5500.00 for a new one.

That looks nice, but it would depend how much trouble it is to on/off off/on. Like blueriver said, the video doesn't show that part. If it's not a quick simple task, it would be a time killer. And we know what that could mean.

 

[blueriver]

You left the door open. Put accumulator under a nice shade tree to on/off-off/on the chamber sections :dance1::laughing::dance1:

Yep sure did !!!!... I also noticed in that video the gaps between the bales ... the load looks a little loose.

 

[AKfish]

You know... both of those "drive along and scoop the bales up" accumulators look OK in short video clips. But, if your bales aren't perfect; tight, same-consistent length, no bend or twist - I'd just betcha that there would be 15%-20% that would get pinned half-way inside and break.. and you'd be on and off the tractor pulling them out or trying to straighten them up or setting them off to the side to be picked up later - by hand - that the aggravation would just about offset the time/labor saving's!

Still not convinced that they're better than the accumulator pulled behind the baler. Just cheaper!

AKfish

 

[Tx Jim]

Yep sure did !!!!... I also noticed in that video the gaps between the bales ... the load looks a little loose.

I saw the gaps between the bales also.

 

[blueriver]

You know... both of those "drive along and scoop the bales up" accumulators look OK in short video clips. But, if your bales aren't perfect; tight, same-consistent length, no bend or twist - I'd just betcha that there would be 15%-20% that would get pinned half-way inside and break.. and you'd be on and off the tractor pulling them out or trying to straighten them up or setting them off to the side to be picked up later - by hand - that the aggravation would just about offset the time/labor saving's!

Still not convinced that they're better than the accumulator pulled behind the baler. Just cheaper!

AKfish

AK ... I use one and I have for the past several years ... Hay Buddy works best with your bales at 36" ... I may add that if your bales are not tight your right... it is a problem. I screw my wire tie baler down so darn tight its near impossible to get your fingers under a wire. If bales are twisted, bowed, C shaped thats a result of poor baler settings ...I guarantee you this is by far better than any pull behind accumulator 1.) No moving parts, latches, springs,gates to wear out adjust replace. 2.) If the baler misses a bale it don't plug the accumulator cause it aint right behind the baler. With this just go around the occasional missed bale...go back the next day and gather your missed bales with the JD Gator!!! With the pull behind you will stop and have to manually remove the broken bale.

The grapple has a sweep arm as you drive forward and to the left all gaps are closed between the bales and when you set 22 grapple hooks in by hydraulics they pull back tight and right. When you unload no chambers to wiggle down between the bales ... afterall they are so tight you can't get a hand between them let alone a chamber.

The stacks in the barn are square, level tight and do not fall apart or tip over. Sometimes I get asked "What does it do to the bale sliding it along the ground?" Simple ... it slides on the cut stubble not the ground ... if you believe you may gather dirt or rocks YOUR IN A FIELD THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAY MEADOW!!!



AKfish[/QUOTE]

 

[Tx Jim]

it slides on the cut stubble not the ground ... if you believe you may gather dirt or rocks YOUR IN A FIELD THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAY MEADOW!!!

Hey Blueriver not everybody can live in Oklahoma.

 

[AKfish]

AK ... I use one and I have for the past several years ... Hay Buddy works best with your bales at 36" ... I may add that if your bales are not tight your right... it is a problem. I screw my wire tie baler down so darn tight its near impossible to get your fingers under a wire. If bales are twisted, bowed, C shaped thats a result of poor baler settings ...I guarantee you this is by far better than any pull behind accumulator 1.) No moving parts, latches, springs,gates to wear out adjust replace. 2.) If the baler misses a bale it don't plug the accumulator cause it aint right behind the baler. With this just go around the occasional missed bale...go back the next day and gather your missed bales with the JD Gator!!! With the pull behind you will stop and have to manually remove the broken bale.

The grapple has a sweep arm as you drive forward and to the left all gaps are closed between the bales and when you set 22 grapple hooks in by hydraulics they pull back tight and right. When you unload no chambers to wiggle down between the bales ... afterall they are so tight you can't get a hand between them let alone a chamber.

The stacks in the barn are square, level tight and do not fall apart or tip over. Sometimes I get asked "What does it do to the bale sliding it along the ground?" Simple ... it slides on the cut stubble not the ground ... if you believe you may gather dirt or rocks YOUR IN A FIELD THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAY MEADOW!!!

AKfish

[/QUOTE]

My bales are snug. Real tight doesn't cure worth beans when they're in the barn. For the most part, they're consistent -- except those bales that I turn out when cleaning up the field -- and I have to run all over to get enough hay before the baler will tie it. They're always about 44"-46" long! Not 36"..

And, there's those bales that get in my way... And, I clip a corner with a front or rear tire. Now, that'll put a twist on 'em! And maybe even a "club toe" on 'em. My family cusses me for those bales. But, I'm rollin' and they're not gettin' 'em outta my way!

No dirt or rocks up here. Thankfully. But, I did wonder about skiddin' up the twine and maybe poppin' a knot while dragging them along with the accumulator. Maybe that's not a serious problem..?

AKfish

 

[zzvyb6]

Once you have one of these, (sized appropriately for your barn, your customers and your wallet), you will never look at the other types of accumulators. There is a lot of optimization to be done with this system, too. I sometimes triple windrow so that bales are close together in a line. That makes the pickup session go very efficiently. I also deliver directly to several customers who live very close by. So, I just dump the entire hay load (64 at a time) in their aisleway.

Best $2400 I ever spent.

 

[blueriver]

[

Once you have one of these, (sized appropriately for your barn, your customers and your wallet), you will never look at the other types of accumulators. There is a lot of optimization to be done with this system, too. I sometimes triple windrow so that bales are close together in a line. That makes the pickup session go very efficiently. I also deliver directly to several customers who live very close by. So, I just dump the entire hay load (64 at a time) in their aisleway.

Best $2400 I ever spent.

I couldn't agree more with the following exceptions ... still have alot of wearable parts and maintaince. You are right ... sized appropriately for your barn, your customers and your wallet. One feature I like about this set is also the size and the ability to get in smaller places ... My customers drive a ways and love it when I load the trailers for them.

 

[blueriver]

AK ... I bet you do get cussed ... thats just wrong to run them over or hit them.