Bale Skiis liners??

[AKfish]

Any body ever use these in your baler? Good vs Bad. Waste of money...

Thanks.

AKfish

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

We sell them. We've had many people report that they do help with length consistancy.

 

[DanD78]

We sell them. We've had many people report that they do help with length consistancy.

I have thought about these as well but how do you keep the bale weight up if it makes the bale slide through easier. I have added two extra chute wedges on the sides to increase the back pressure. This makes the bales have to push harder so I don't have to crank down on the top bale tension so much. I bale a lot of grass hay if that makes a difference.

Dan

 

[AKfish]

Mostly timothy hay in this area. Brome hay further north of me.

I was looking for something that would help with the consistency for older JD and NH balers. Nothing worse than chasing those "gremlins" of a missed knot every 50 bales or that rogue banana bale...

Thanks.

AKfish

 

[Mike120]

I looked at them for my old IH-37 baler before I sold it and bought a new JD. My neighbor put them in his JD-348 after about 60,000 bales and is very happy with them and says they improve the bale consistancy. Personally, I think that good uniform windrows and watching your speed/strokes per bale will contribute more to consistancy than a liner. If I was going to add anything to my baler now it would probably be an airbaler:

Scott Seaver Co. - West Michigan Farmer and Inventor of the Airbaler System.

 

[Tim D]

I have a Ford 532 twine baler and was pleased with it's performance but was not happy with having to set bale tension down so tight to make a tight bale even with two sets of wedges in chamber. I was skeptical about the bale skiis but I went ahead and put it in. They are not cheap. After 3 seasons, I can say that they have taken a good baler and made it even better. Bale length is more consistent, tighter bales with less tension, baler runs more quiet, and I can run 1 gear faster. I like them but they won't cure a baler that is not adjusted correctly. Wanted to let you know that I am not a dealer for them, just a happy customer.

 

[AKfish]

Thanks for feedback.
I'm gonna give 'em a try.
I know they're pretty expensive for an old baler - that might only be worth $2,000-3,000 - but, with timothy bales "in the field" up here going for $8.50 for a 50lb bale; I think the investment is worthwhile.

AKfish

 

[jagyzf]

I have thought about these as well but how do you keep the bale weight up if it makes the bale slide through easier. I have added two extra chute wedges on the sides to increase the back pressure. This makes the bales have to push harder so I don't have to crank down on the top bale tension so much. I bale a lot of grass hay if that makes a difference.

Dan

When you say wedges, are you talking about the plates that look like a cheese grater? Or something different?

I would like to add something to JD 336, the Skiis Liners are more than I can spend right now.

 

[zzvyb6]

The funny thing about all this is that just cleaning out the bale chute completely to install them is the main reason the bales come out better. The bale is formed by the addition of flakes held in place by 2 side resistors and 2 - 3 floor resistors. If they are all plugged up with chaff, crud from many years of old hay residue, they are not even 'there' and the bale consistency suffers. The banana bale gets its shape from uneven tenstion (and length) due to an uneven charge (adjust feeder forks) and even from a missing bale chute. If the bale drops off before it exits the tension cage, its gonna be misshaped. Length issues are caused by a bad, slipping, worn measuring wheel and a misadjusted or worn dog clutch on the knotter trip. Setting tire pressure too high or wrong pressures on each wheel can cause an unintended trip, too. As would a bumpy field. For Heaven's sake, clean out the bale chute completely every year to inspect the insides, set the tire pressures, clean off the measuring wheel gear teeth, and check the timing. There should always be 13 - 14 flakes per bale unless your windrows are thin.
You'd be surprised at the machinery I've looked over, and the 'rules' I get quoted by hay farmers ("don't ever empty out that baler, it'll never work again.") So after 20 years its having some problems if it has not already self destructed. Try the simple stuff first... You'll be amazed at the mud, gravel, stones, old fence wire, hay rake teeth, sickle knives and stuffed animal parts I've dug out of bale chambers. And a Timex watch, not running...

 

[Barry Bowen]

Gentlemen, you have made several good points here about baling hay. Personal experience has been that the operator makes more difference than the equipment. The operator needs to understand what it takes to make a good bale, that is even windrows or the ability to make up for it with the speed of the tractor. Understanding the proper set up of knotters, plungers, and the bale chute. This stuff is not rocket science, but the operator needs to understand all the aspects of his individual baler. There is no substituting for this knowledge, and usually experience is the way most of us get it.

Balers need cleared out every year and you need to blow off all the dust and power washing is a good idea provided you dry off the baler and spray the shiny metal surfaces with WD-40 or something similar. This cleaning is not a vanity thing, I do it every year on all my balers to force myself to look over every piece and adjustment on the baler. I have caught many small things before they became big problems.

Baleskis will make up for some deficenies in the machine's adjustment, but experience has proven that getting the machine set up properly and operated properly with obtain the same end.

Personally I would say do not waste your time on these things. Make sure the hay resistors are in good condition, install a set of straw blocks, make sure the hay dogs have good springs and are working, and most importantly of all make sure the knotters are right. After the last adjustments I made on the 336 I personally run, my streak is around 8500 bales and have not missed a knot yet, and no baleskis in the baler.

 

[kidr]

What are straw blocks please?

 

[AKfish]

What are straw blocks please?

Not completely sure, either. I'm gonna make a WAG and say they're the same as the "hay dogs".

Those are the spring loaded "fingers" that pop up in the bale chamber and hold the hay in place after the plunger has compressed each flake or charge before the bale has been finished.

There's 13-14 flakes or "charges" per bale and the hay dogs keep them from falling down or bending over, etc. before the next plunger stroke.

AKfish

 

[flusher]

Not completely sure, either. I'm gonna make a WAG and say they're the same as the "hay dogs".

Those are the spring loaded "fingers" that pop up in the bale chamber and hold the hay in place after the plunger has compressed each flake or charge before the bale has been finished.

There's 13-14 flakes or "charges" per bale and the hay dogs keep them from falling down or bending over, etc. before the next plunger stroke.

AKfish

The spring-loaded hay checks (aka hay dogs) in my MF124 baler are on the top and bottom of the bale chamber (3 on top, 2 on the bottom). The wedges are installed in pairs on the side walls of the bale chamber, which is pre-drilled to accommodate 3 pairs of wedges. I use one pair of wedges for my oat hay. These wedges bolt onto the bale chamber side walls and are not spring loaded.

 

[AKfish]

The spring-loaded hay checks (aka hay dogs) in my MF124 baler are on the top and bottom of the bale chamber (3 on top, 2 on the bottom). The wedges are installed in pairs on the side walls of the bale chamber, which is pre-drilled to accommodate 3 pairs of wedges. I use one pair of wedges for my oat hay. These wedges bolt onto the bale chamber side walls and are not spring loaded.

So, the "straw blocks" are the edge that the plunger knife cuts the oat straw or hay against.. You add or subtract wedges depending upon the material you're baling?

AKfish

 

[kidr]

Bary Bowen, You mentioned the straw blocks. End the suspense and tell us what they are please.

 

[flusher]

So, the "straw blocks" are the edge that the plunger knife cuts the oat straw or hay against.. You add or subtract wedges depending upon the material you're baling?

AKfish

Nope. The wedges install in the bale chamber 1-3ft downstream of the plunger knife. You can see one pair of wedges in these photos.





You can see the plunger knife, the two wedges I have installed now and the 5 spring-loaded hay checks in this photo.



The guy who sold me the baler couldn't find the other 2 pairs of wedges, so I welded up replacements.

 

[AKfish]

Hmm... looks like the wedges function like a horizontal rail that support and/or keep the plunger head in postion.

But.. you said that they're 1-3 ft. downstream of the plunger? Maybe I'm not looking at the pics and seeing what I need to!!

Thanks.

AKfish

 

[flusher]

Hmm... looks like the wedges function like a horizontal rail that support and/or keep the plunger head in postion.

But.. you said that they're 1-3 ft. downstream of the plunger? Maybe I'm not looking at the pics and seeing what I need to!!

Thanks.

AKfish

These photos were taken from the output end of the baling chamber looking forward toward the business end of the plunger. These wedges have nothing to do with plunger operation. They just help restrain the compressed hay and keep it from unpacking while the plunger is cycling for another compression stroke. The hay checks in the top and bottom of the bale chamber also help keep the bale compressed while it's being formed.

 

[gf5205]

Hey AK,
Thanks for starting this thread. It reminded me about Bale-Skiis. I ordered a set for my JD328 and they came yesterday. I hope to install them this weekend and try them out next week. I hope to end up with more consistent bale length and density to make stacking on wagons with a grabber easier.
Greg

 

[TXSQBALER]

I know this is an old thread but just to put in my 2 cents. I just refurbished my JD 346, replaced worn Hay dog springs, measuring wheel gear, twine knives, clean, adjust, repaint etc. The thing that I think helped most was the addition of the airbaler tension system to supplement the springs. Being able to make ONE adjustment for tension and see it because there is a pressure gauge is immensely helpful for someone in their 2nd year of baling. Plus the advantages of the air pressure over springs or hydraulics.

If I was gonna spend 6-700 I would get the airbaler first.