sicklebar mower

[RichZ]

As many of you know, I'm planning on putting up about 50 acres of hay with my friend. He's putting up most of the land, and I'm buying equipment, or paying to have his fixed. I looked at his sicklebar mower yesterday, and it's so rusted, I don't know if it's worth fixing.
I was thinking of looking at a used Massey Ferguson 7 foot sickle bar for $450. Is this a decent price (assuming it's in good shape?) Also, what should I look for in a used sickle bar to determine it's condition.

Thanks!!!

Rich

 

[cowboydoc]

Rich,
If you're serious about putting up hay I wouldn't do it with anything other than a mower conditioner. If conditions are right you can rake and bale in a day or two. A mower conditioner will crimp the hay and make it dry much faster. It also puts the hay in a row for you and saves running over hay and lost leaves from having to rake so much. As far as sicklebar mowers go the gearbox is your main concern. The teeth are cheap and easy to replace. I have one here that if you were closer you could just have. They aren't worth alot as most people that do any hay at all use a moco and a rotary mower for mowing.

 

[MikePA]

cowboydoc,

Is a moco the attachment that has

Front - cutters
Middle - rollers that squeeze the hay
Back - funnel it out the back into rows?

 

[Bird]

I guess this is the first time I've seen a mower/conditioner abbreviated to a moco./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif But yes, Mike, you described one and most of my neighbors just call them a haybine./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif And naturally, cowboydoc knows what he's talking about - that's what you want for cutting hay, especially if you're cutting anything with very thick stalks. The only time I see anyone cutting hay without the crimper or roller type is if they're cutting nothing but clean coastal bermuda.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Richard,

I haven't baled hay in over 20 years, and haven't used a moco...{don't know if it was available then?}...

Anyhow... keep in mind RichZ has limited hp with his TO20 and I believe his neighbors Belarus is about 50 or 60... and the other item is cost... dirt cheap that is workable...

I think basically RichZ wants to use his TO20 for the cutting and raking part, and his neighbors Belarus for the baling aspect...

So as you can see, I want you to make "silk from a sow's ear"...

If you can, give some suggestions on cheaper equipment {most of the stuff you see at auctions and plentiful for parts & fixing}, even if it involves a few more preparation steps...

Have I got you throughly confused now Richard... /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[MikePA]

The guy I buy hay from showed me what he uses to cut hay, and that's what he showed me but he never gave it a name.

 

[MikePA]

I just checked prices at Eastern Farm and Machinery and the least expensive moco is about $15,000. That probably doesn't fit the requirements of 'dirt cheap that is workable' /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Bird]

Yep, Mike, the only one I've used personally is a 9' Gehl and the owner tells me he gave $16,000 for it about 5 years ago./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif That's helps you understand why hay costs as much as it does./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

You're right Mike.../w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Let's all help RichZ spend his money.../w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

I think really in $500. increments for the implements... and if I try real hard... this could be the start of a "farm poem"... /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif... in other words, RichZ can buy in "bite-size" chunks...

By the time, everything is done... RichZ may have spent the $15k... but it was a little at a time and won't hurt as much.../w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

 

[MikePA]

Also explains why he was holding his together with chewing gum and twine and got this real pained expression on his face when he said this might have been the final year for this moco.

But 50 acres is a lot of hay to do without a moco plus how much longer would the hay have to sit in the field drying if it was just cut with a sickle bar mower? A couple more days could mean rain and an entire crop goes to the mushroom farmers.

 

[cowboydoc]

That's it Mike.

 

[cowboydoc]

Mike,
You are absolutely right in your comments on haying.

John,
To be perfectly honest with I wouldn't even attempt it with that equipment. As Bird and others on here know that have done it you just can't hay with junk equipment. I mean you can but you're constantly working on it. If you were talking about 5 acres I'd say yes buy an old sickle mower and rake it up and find an old baler that you can keep going, but 50 acres??? That's alot of hay and alot of abuse on the equipment. I don't know how you'd keep old stuff going to make that much hay and keep your sanity and your full-time job. I would strongly suggest that he find someone to mow it with a conditioner for him. He can then rake it with his tractor and find someone who can either square or round bale it. That will be the big difference. If he wants to square bale it you can find one that is in decent shape in the 5k range. Below that forget it for doing 50 acres as it won't hold up to that much. If you're planning on round bales you need a bigger tractor. What would make even more sense seeing the equipment poor state and allocated finances is just finding someone to do it on shares. They do all the work and all the equipment and you get half of what they make.

Plus I don't know if you guys realize how much work there is involved with cutting 50 acres of hay. You're talking a weeks worth of work just in the cutting, raking, and baling part of it and that's just one cutting. Multiply that by three or four cuttings and you're talking about 3-4 weeks worth of work. That's not even counting getting all the bales out of the field and into the barn. It's a big job my friends even with all the right equipment. You just don't realize how much work is involved until you do it.

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>You just don't realize how much work is involved until you do it</font color=blue>

Amen!

 

[Woodbeef]

After all of that,if you are still bound and detirmined to do it with your little Fergie. Then look for a pull type conditioner to use after cutting. I see them go for around $150 frostbacks or so up here.

As for a mo/co if you look around you can get into a good older one for around $2000 or so. Small square baler around $1250 or so. Yes,if you take your time and look around you can get good older equipment for that price!!

 

[cowboydoc]

I agree with you completely Woodbeef and yes you can find equipment for that price. I just think that 50 acres is alot of haying to do for that old of equipment. Usually the reason it's that price is because nobody else wants it because it's shot. You are also right about the pull behind conditioners but the biggest I've seen is 6'. After sickle mowing with a 6' and then conditioning with a 6' and then raking all that you are talking about alot of hours. You're right it could be done with that equipment but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Richard,

I think RichZ's 50 acres is the "ultimate" he will end up baling...

But, I believe he will start slow {never ever done this before}, for his needs and his neighbor and slowly work his way up. I really don't know his time span, but don't imagine it will happen overnight...

So I think he has a "doable" situation with the sickle bar etc. He has to crawl before he can walk...he will have to go through his learning curve and of course he has to start someplace... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[radman]

Are you talking alfalfa type hay or brome/burmuda grass type hay? Where I live, alfalfa cuttings are 4-5 times a year and the other 1-2 cuttings/year. When I was younger, I ran a sickle mower for hours. Two, twenty-five acre alfalfa patches (9' mower bar) and each (25 acres) took about 8 hours mowing time. Around and around and around...... Then I would rake it - 7-8 hours. Then bale it with an old AC round baler - 6-7 hours (plus repairs). Then used a bale loader to put in on trucks and into the barn - 5-7 hours (3 people min.). Now double the above time for 50 acres. How bad do you need the hay? Consider having the hay done by someone and splitting the hay. In my area, the guy putting up the hay and baling it typically takes half for grass-type hay and less for alfalfa. Still have the 9' sickle mower which is in very good shape and sits inside except for occassionally mowing roadsides (steep ditches and the bar hangs over the edge.)
If still considering buying, then the major points of wear are the pivot points where sickle bar attaches to the drive mechanism after the PTO shaft. I used a NH mower which was PTO driven and then belt driven to the oscillating mechanism that drives the sickle bar. Check the wear of the bar. Individual bad sections can be replaced and riveted. A really bad bar can be entirely replaced. I have only use 3pt mounted mowers but many older pull types are more common. In my area a 3pt mounted mower in good to very good condition like mine will still bring $750-$1000 because people want them to mow roadsides, waterways etc. A 7-9' sickle mower is still much faster than a bushog rotary mower but won't take near the abuse.

 

[ronjhall]

RichZ
Gearbox and connection to cutter bar are the items that require the most concern on a sicklebar. The cutter bar, guards and end bars can all be purchased at TSC and other farm supply stores.

You are tackling a very large project without modern equipment./w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif I did the same thing a few years ago, against a lot of recommendation from others./w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif I had a lot of fun experiencing all the problems and failures that go along with haying. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I hope you have someone close by that will help you with how to cure and bale hay. I had a retired farmer that watched over my escapades into Gentleman Farming. There is nothing like the fresh smell of a barn full of hay that you just put up yourself./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

<font color=blue>...experiencing all the problems and failures that go along with haying...</font color=blue>

...and the joys and taste of success of self fulfillment and accomplishment... like I did it! /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

...and with RichZ's persistence... he will get there.../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

If he's dead set on doing it John and Rich if you're reading buy a 9' sickle mower. Even if you have to pay a little more it will be worth it in time saved. I would also invest in a good rake. Your problem with the sickle mower is that your hay is going to be spread out over the entire field instead of in rows. You have a couple ways to go about it to get the bottom dry. You can rake two sides onto one and then let that dry and turn it over one more time to let the bottom of that dry. Then also you can rake one side onto the other and then it will be dry that way.

If you're square baling you're going to have to be careful if you get an older baler as they will plug really easy and they also have a narrow pickup shoot. Your rows then will have to be adjusted depending on the type of baler that you get. Look for a baler that you can pull a hay wagon behind, if budget allows for them. This way you can bale right onto the wagon. That makes it alot easier than going back and picking up off the ground. Around here you can buy hay wagons in the 300-500 range and are well worth it.

Lastly I would look for one of the pull type conditioners. They will really help you get the hay dryed faster and believe me you are going to need it. Once hay is rained on it loses over half of it's value nutritionally and it's very hard to get it made without mold, which is deadly for horses.

As far as equipment goes it may pay you to come out to the midwest and haul some back. I don't know how the farm sales are around where you are but alot of the old equipment like you are talking about using goes pretty cheap around here. You can find those sickle mowers all day long for $150-300 around here and older balers for $1000-2500. Good older rakes are usually in that 1-2k range. Now they are 30 plus years old but that sounds like where you want to be. You can also find the moco's around here in the 3k range but you probably don't have the horses or hydraulics to use one.

Good luck with your venture.