Bale Skiis liners??

[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.