Small hay grapple.

[powerscol]

Well folks - after picking up another cutting by hand the other day I have been looking into this more. This is what I found so far.

Hoelscher Hay Systems Model 50

Grappalator

Steffen Systems | Hands free haying

408 Grabber

I am leaning towards the Steffens TBH5-B unit with an additional side bar so the unit can work as an accumulator too in the field. Thoughts? The Bale Handler | 1.888.543.8429

Last question - how many times can you engage and disengage the hooks in the bale? I will be running around the field, and instead of sliding the bale to the next for pickup, I was hoping to grab it, move the the next, disengage, align the second one, the grab again and so on. Will this approach work?

I will load on to a 20' equipment trailer and I do understand some re-stacking for interlock will be required. This is a small operation at 25 to 70 bales per field.

 

[Bigfoot62]

The Steffen link is the only one that works, and it does not show that specific model. Couldn't really tell which one you are referring to.

Someday, I want to have a square baler, accumulator and grapple. I plan on the Steffen.

 

[powerscol]

I made some edits so the links work - don't know what happened

 

[SSdoxie]

I would try lifting and carrying the bale(s) any great distance, the bouncing across the field could cause the hay to tear loose at the hooks. It doesn't seem to hurt the bale any to slide it. I don't have an accumulator but the last 100 bale load I purchased, picked up in the field this year, I had to pick up and load by myself. I used my tractor with pallet forks and empty pallet to load. First I set the forks to widest position without the pallet and used it as an accumulator colleting 4 bales at a time and pushing them to a central location. Then put the pallet on and stacked bales on the pallet to raise up to trailer load height. It sure beat pulling trailer around the field, getting on & off with each bale and throwing it up on the load and stacking as a one man operation.
I am in design mode of a combination accumulator/grapple.
Keep us posted on what you decide.

 

[powerscol]

You and I think alike as I too used the pallet forks to gather up the bales. I actually set them closed and was able to slide under and get 3 at a time - still had to lift into the truck by hand though, or stack 10 to a pallet and drive slow out of the field

 

[Walcar]

Might want to look at a hay basket like the E-Z trail. Baler pushes the bales up a chute into the basket then you dump it at the barn. Will do about 100 bales per load.

 

[Verticaltrx]

This past spring I built a 'bale sweep' type accumulator and it has worked excellent. I modeled mine after the Rocky Mountain Bale Sweep: Rocky Mountain Bale Sweep. I use it on my skid steer and can pick up 1000 bales a day and never touch a one. With flatbed trailers I can load them on a trailer and not get out of the machine. Only have to handle them when you stack them in the barn. I only have $300 in metal/parts in mine, but even at their price it would be well worth it. Only thing is that you have to use it on a skid steer for the visibility.

 

[powerscol]

Walcar. I believe it would be too much weight to pull with my tractor, assuming it goes behind the baler. Good thought though.

 

[powerscol]

Verticaltrx - I looked at that, but wondered about visibility from my tractor seat - should be OK. However I want to be able to unload and stack from the trailer into the barn if possible. Thanks for the thought.

However they also make a grapple. I have asked if they make one in my size.

 

[TX0303]

Check out Maxilator Hay Handling Equipment, it's a combo accumulator and grapple. Good thing about it is you can remove the guides and it becomes a regular grapple for barn work. It also rotates the last two bales for interlock.