bale band it????

[WTA]

A man I am baling alfalf for is interested in buying a bale band it to hopefully take all the kids out of the field that currently are picking it up and stacking it in the barn. It costs too much paying me and all of them at the same time.

He also needs to store hay in one barn then move it to another a few miles away economically and this bale band it looks like the answer. One person can just grab the stack with a fork lift, load it on the flat bed and be off with it. Not the 4 or 5 it's currently taking.

I looked at the bale band it tonight online and although they show a tractor nearly identical to mine operating it they say not to use my tractor because it has a gear type hydraulic pump. They say it will overheat the pump because it's a positive displacement pump and it needs to be a variable displacement piston type pump.

How can I get around this or is there anyone that has another idea for a one or two person haying operation.

Right now it's just my son and I taking turns with driving the tractor. We're at it for days on end sometimes. I'd kinda like to keep it this way. But My tractor is new, has great air conditioning and I really don't want to go buy another one or use someone elses just so we can bale and stack at the same time.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

What is wrong with your stack wagon and a set of grabs to load each tier from the stack wagon onto the trailer? If you are considering purchasing a Bale Band-it I would think you could afford a nice refurbished self propelled NH Stack Wagon from Roeders or someone similar. 160 bales per load with these newer units and you can get a really nice one for less then a Bale Band-It.

The main drawback to the Bale Band-It from the people I have talked to that have experience with them is there are no or very few dealers so support is a nightmare and you better plan on doing most of the repairs yourself regardless of warranty if you have hay on the ground.

 

[matt21]

I have never used a stackwagon or really even seen one being used in person. I was just curious what kind of grabs you are talking about using to pick up each layer and load it on a trailer with. I am looking for a way to automate my bale handling as well and i'm trying to look at all my options before i get anything.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I have never used a stackwagon or really even seen one being used in person. I was just curious what kind of grabs you are talking about using to pick up each layer and load it on a trailer with. I am looking for a way to automate my bale handling as well and i'm trying to look at all my options before i get anything.

There are companies that make grabs that pick up each tier of hay from a NH stack wagon. The grabs are the same type of grabs you would use for any hay accumulator.

 

[deereguy]

Hands Free Haying | Steffen Systems
Makes a grapple for a New Holland Stack Wagon, say a 1037 pull behind model. I have been looking into a hay grapple for our NH stack wagon for doing remote (off farm) custom hay operations (we were asked to make 50 acres of hay 25 miles one way this spring but declined the offer), but we need more hay to justify the grapple and loader for our tractor. I have been looking into a small grapple for the smaller tractor (it only handles 5 vs 15 bales). The costs for a new 5 bale grapple with 90 degree rotator for a 400 series JD was in the $4K neighborhood, 15 bale for a 600-700 series JD loader, 90 degree rotator- $7K range.

I have seen used Bale Band-its in the $35K range, new ones are in the $50K range if I recall correctly. How much is he paying you guys again???

Good Luck in whatever you decide.