Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[Western]

My gauge got 3-4/10" My wife's "bowl" got 3 7/8":laughing: Much prefer her figure to mine

What surprises me the most is the runoff, not near what you'd think. I haven't made it up to my little tank, but I doubt it got what I was hoping for. On the otherhand, it was a good soaking rain though.

 

[pacerron]

If your picking up rolls stored inside a barn against the wall don't make the spear too long or you will make the wall air conditioned
I thought you had pallet forks? If you lock them so they can't swing open at the bottom they are great for handling hay rolls.

 

[bindian]

If your picking up rolls stored inside a barn against the wall don't make the spear too long or you will make the wall air conditioned
I thought you had pallet forks? If you lock them so they can't swing open at the bottom they are great for handling hay rolls.

Ron,
I had borrowed a set of pallet forks. The spear I ordered is 48 inches long. The sleeve, that gets welded in, is 6 inches long. So when I am finished, I will have apporx 42 inches sticking out. I asked a friend which length was best and his mind went blank. When I ordered, I asked and was told 48 for round bales and (I think it was) 33 inches for square bales. My neighbor gets his hay delivered and put right in the large center aisle of his barn.

I got about 2 and 3/16 inches of rain. Neither pond level raised during the night. No run off whatsoever this afternoon, so the ground was less saturated than I thought. So no need to pump water from one to the other.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Thanks for the idea Brandi, I was wanting my F150 to be able to dump.

Don,
I wouldn't want to lift a F150 like that.:laughing: Do you want a dump bed F150 or just be able to haul one bale on a winchable/retractable spear off of the back of the bed or bumper with the tailgate removed?:confused3:
hugs, Brandi

 

[Western]

I actually got close to 18" in my pond:thumbsup: It is small so it doesn't take much, but it was dry with only some mud in the center. We did get some run-off, but not what you'd expect, still more than it appeared around the house.


Brandi, I made a bale spike for my 140 hp 2290 Case I had, I had to cut 1 hole on the FEL and it worked great. Nice thing was , it took one 1" bolt and about 2 minutes to put on/ take off. Bought a spear like you did and it took maybe 1 hr to build.

 

[bindian]

I actually got close to 18" in my pond:thumbsup: It is small so it doesn't take much, but it was dry with only some mud in the center. We did get some run-off, but not what you'd expect, still more than it appeared around the house.


Brandi, I made a bale spike for my 140 hp 2290 Case I had, I had to cut 1 hole on the FEL and it worked great. Nice thing was , it took one 1" bolt and about 2 minutes to put on/ take off. Bought a spear like you did and it took maybe 1 hr to build.

Dennis,
That sounds like a neat, simple installation. How about a photo?

As the photo shows below, my tool carrier is open in the middle. So I am going to weld a 2x4 tube frame around the front of the QA Adapter Plate I bought last year at RB Auction. It will have a 2x4 vertical tube in the center to drill a 2.25" hole for the spear sleeve that will be welded in place. I should have the spear next Monday. The 48 inch spear with a 6 inch sleeve and two 17 inch long spikes with weldable brackets cost $91 or $123 with shipping.

I thought about buying a spear that fits my 2 inch receiver hitch tube that is welded on my FEL bucket. But that would make the spear about 2.5 feet off the ground with the spear level. I would be dragging the bucket's cutting edge each time I tried to stab a bale with that setup. So I get to fab up a neat compact spear with QA attach!
hugs, Brandi

 

[pacerron]

Ron,
I had borrowed a set of pallet forks. The spear I ordered is 48 inches long. The sleeve, that gets welded in, is 6 inches long. So when I am finished, I will have apporx 42 inches sticking out. I asked a friend which length was best and his mind went blank. When I ordered, I asked and was told 48 for round bales and (I think it was) 33 inches for square bales. My neighbor gets his hay delivered and put right in the large center aisle of his barn.
hugs, Brandi

You might want to consider a couple smaller short anti-roll spears used with your big spear. Depending on how tight the center of the rolls are and/or how loose from being moved multiple times a single spear can be a hassle. If the center of the roll is too tight you will either knock it out and have a big loose hole or have to spear it above or below center. If the bale is loose your spear will go in but in any case the roll may want to roll to get the weight balanced.
A thousand pound roll with a mind of its own can do more damage to your pretty red trailer than you will make hauling hay for your economics deficient neighbor.

 

[bindian]

You might want to consider a couple smaller short anti-roll spears used with your big spear. Depending on how tight the center of the rolls are and/or how loose from being moved multiple times a single spear can be a hassle. If the center of the roll is too tight you will either knock it out and have a big loose hole or have to spear it above or below center. If the bale is loose your spear will go in but in any case the roll may want to roll to get the weight balanced.
A thousand pound roll with a mind of its own can do more damage to your pretty red trailer than you will make hauling hay for your economics deficient neighbor.

Ron,
I stated above I ordered 2 each 17 inch spikes just for that. Also, I'm only moving hay with my tractor.........at this time. Someone else brought up buying or using a hay trailer.
hugs, Brandi

 

[texasjohn]

Happy, happy, happy. Decided to wander around this afternoon in my RTV 1140. All 4.2 inches soaked in sufficiently to only leave shallow tracks.:biggrin:

Checked electric fence...my Gallagher Smartfix tester REALLY, REALLY led me STRAIGHT to the problems on the fence. Highly recommended as a great time saver if you use electric fencing. Smartfix - Gallagher Permanent electric fencing components You can find it for various prices, just giving you a link so you know what I have.

I started out an hour before total dark, 34 amps were flowing on the fence, but volts were in OK range. In a series of jumps, I kept testing the fence thru numerous branches, following the flow. Found the problem about a mile away on far end of ranch. Tiny bit of wire, almost unseeable in the weeds, was shorting out against T post. Problem solved. :jump:

Along the way, I found several other places where fence was going SNAP, SNAP...and fixed these...caused by wet conditions causing arc over not there when dry. So, it's a good time to drive your electric fence and listen for problems. :raindrop: An even better time to get a fence tester that shows you not only voltage but current...and WHICH WAY THE CURRENT IS FLOWING... spent years with the neon flasher type of tester...never again!!:duh:

By the way, being able to drive along the fence in the RTV carrying fence supplies, etc. makes fence fixing much easier on hips and knees:applause:

 

[Western]

Brandi, I dont have a photo, but I could sure make a drawing for you if you'd like! Really simple if you dont mind 1 hole on the FEL. I think I had less than $75 in it (mostly the hay spike) For the "anti-roll" I just used 1 piece of 3/4 sucker rod.