Baling with a compact - minimum size?

[Soundguy]

We are getting so much rain here in florida.. I'm considering bailing part of my bahia pasture.. I'm having to cut it weekly!

soundguy

 

[slowzuki]

I think the problem is the only 2000 I've seen is the smallest of everything offered and the 3000's around here are the largest most optioned out of the series. I didn't even know the 2000 was available in diesel. The 3000 the neighbour had appeared to have the identical transmission as the Ford 5000, non-sychro 4 speed w reverse, 2 ranges.

Both didn't have true live pto but rather a two stage clutch.

I do know that despite similar pto hp ratings, the neighbours 3000 will pull a 9 ft haybine up hills that I have to drop the speed back in my L5030. I think the older lower speed diesel must have a flater torque curve or something. I know mine weighs more which hurts it too but its got more total hp too.

The 2000 and 3000 were basically the same chassis. Most (all?) 2000's were void of the options that made a 3000 a much better overall tractor.

 

[patrick_g]

If the OP still cares...

Here is current pricing for some small round and square balers.

IHI Brand Hay balers

Sales Price

THB 1031 $13,999.00

THB 2031 $14,999.00

MRB 855NW $ 9,800.00

MRB 855TW $ 9,500.00

TRB 910 $14,999.00

IHI Brand Hay Rakes

MGR 2220 $ 3,500.00
MGR 2630 $ 4,500.00

IHI Brand Drum Mowers

MDM 1010 $5,550.00
MDM 1350 $7,350.00


REESE Drum Mowers

1600 5? cut $4750.00

2070 6? cut $5300.00

Tonutti Hay Rakes

2 Wheel Mounted $550.00

3 Wheel Mounted $750.00

3 Wheel Mounted $995.00


This is current pricing at...


Small Farm Innovations (Caldwell Texas) There are other distributors in GA etc.

979-200-1473

To tool up to bale hay is not a trivial investment. You can buy full sized used equipment for less than this small stuff new but... I have seen a lot of people have a lot of grief with a lot of used/abused equipment.

MY friend who has been baling me had a slight problem. His son was baling on my friends place and the baler caught fire and burned to a crisp. I am now searching for someone else to bale for me. The going rate this season is 25/bale to bale your field IF THE FIELDS ARE NOT TO SPARSE so as to take a lot of driving around to make a bale.

Pat

 

[POC]

Sorta like the age old question of what is a pond and when does it become a lake?

A pond becomes a lake when the sunlight no longer reaches the bottom. There may be acreage limitations also.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I hooked one up behind my Massey, which dyno's at 47 hp. Made 'er grunt at VERY slow speed in light grass windrow. Hooked it to my 2440 Deere (60hp) and lit into a windrow at a more respectable speed. Had black smoke rolling. I hit a spot where windrow was doubled. RPM's dropped considerably.

The 348 is for sale. (Belongs to a neighbor) He's switching to rounds. I was interested until I found out how much he was asking

The 348 is Deere's biggest square baler. It's considered a high capacity model. With sufficient hp, you can pack the hay through it. seller runs his with a 4230 Deere (100 hp) or a 1086 IH (130hp)

Sounds like you must be really hauling to use so much HP- was the black smoke from the bale chute? With my IH 37 I go down a 4' wide windrow at between 4 and 5 mph spitting out a firm 14x18x36" bale about every 50'. This takes less than 27ptohp and the tractor isnt shaking. Thats about as fast as my baler will pick up hay- I just verified this on 200 bales of primo orchard grass hay. The screw bounces and the feed mechanism just wont feed it to the paw any faster unless I rev the baler higher and then I run into knot problems. I really dont need any more speed for a private operation, but I know I could get more out of the baler with some adjustments to this mechanism.
larry

 

[steveky]

I'm using a 32 hp Kubota L3010 and a Case / IH 8420 round baler and it works great. The baler makes a 4x4 bale, weights around 400 lbs or so. Was using an old worn out #3 MF baler and it pulled my tractor hard. I was really surprised at how easy this little tractor handles this baler. I'm using it on about 10 acres of rolling hills, nothing too steep and it works great. And the bales are small enough to push them around by hand if you need too.

Steve

 

[patrick_g]

A pond becomes a lake when the sunlight no longer reaches the bottom. There may be acreage limitations also.

Gee, thanks for the info. Yesterday I had 12 ponds. And today at least three of these are lakes. Those particular water features are always so muddy I'm sure light does not penetrate to the bottom very well.

There is an extinction coefficient. If light penetrates even a little below the surface then light makes it to the bottom, perhaps at a seriously reduced intensity but at least a few photons make it. Think of it like Zeno's paradox where you go half the distance to your destination every time period. You get closer and closer but you never go all the remaining distance to your destination, just 1/2 so you never get there no matter how long you try.

With light, a given distance through the turbid water will cut the intensity in half. That distance again will be 1/4 the light and after that distance again 1/8 the initial light. The light will get seriously dimmer but NEVER goes quite to zero. For most practical purposes we can say light doesn't make it to the bottom BUT that isn't precisely true.

Gee, I wish it were true. I'd have such wonderful bragging rights if I had several lakes and some ponds and not just 12 ponds.

Pat