Your Hayin' Rigs: Let's see 'em and let's hear about 'em!

[hoffmtim]

Here's what I use to make hay!

5093e with 567 Deere



Farmall 55a with Deere 894a rake



1972 Deere 800 windrower (bought it restored!)

 

[Bigfoot62]

OK, help me out here. Is the JD 800 basically a small combine?

I've never seen anything like that down here.

 

[hoffmtim]

OK, help me out here. Is the JD 800 basically a small combine?

I've never seen anything like that down here.

They are known by a few different names: Swather or Windrower. They are basically a self propelled sickle mower. There is a 14' or 16' sickle up front, canvas on each side feeding to the middle to create the windrow. The Wheel on the front brings the plant your cutting across the sickle as you are moving to assist in the cutting. Some have crimpers that are attached to the head, mine doesn't have that. They were used heavily in the small grain days (Oats, Barley as well as Alfalfa, etc.)

They are still in production (not the JD 800, but the self propelled units). Today, they have disc's on the front instead of sickles in many cases.

Here is a modern version with cab and disc for the header:

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=8221789


The 60's and 70's models usually get abandoned in favor of disc mowers, MoCo's, etc. I picked mine up for $2000 all restored and will use it until it starts costing me money. Then I'll move to a MoCo or something disc related.

Hope that helps.

 

[flusher]

OK, help me out here. Is the JD 800 basically a small combine?

I've never seen anything like that down here.

A combine is a completely different animal--mows and then separates the grain from the stalks. Stalks are chopped up in the separating process and dropped on the ground. The grain goes into a hopper on the combine or is augered into a hopper truck that drives along side the combine.

That 800 is a swather or windrower that only cuts the hay (sicklebar or disc mower), drops the cut material on a pair of conveyor belts (called curtains) that move the hay towards the centerline of the swather and then drops it on the stubble. Some swathers have conditioner roller attachments that crimp the stalks before dropping them to hasten the drying process. Most windrows you see have cabs for the driver's convenience. That 800 is a less expensive version that eliminates the cab. I like the umbrella on hoffmtim's rig:thumbsup:

 

[wmonroe]

Here a a short video of the hay Tedder behind my Kubota. The quality isn't very good since I took it with my phone while going through the field.

http://youtu.be/bD4az2YShtM

 

[Bigfoot62]

Hoffmtim and Flusher,

Thanks for the explanation. Neat concept, but like I said, I've never seen one around here.

 

[flusher]

My neighbor has an old Massey Ferguson swather that is very similar to that JD800. He's been trying to give it to me for 4 or 5 years. It needs an engine rebuild as well as maintenance on the sicklebar, the reel and the curtains (also called drapes). I've been holding him off since I have 5 old tractors that need to be worked on first.

Here's a photo of that swather. You can see the big reel, the sicklebar cutter and the two drapes (the black things behind the reel).

 

[Amelia Farms]

Birds Eye View from the wagon. New to me in the last year, JD 5520 pulling a NH 565. This is a definite upgrade from my original rig which was a JD 990 pulling a NH 68 Hayliner.

Life is a lot better in a cab with AC!

 

[D7E]

OK, help me out here. Is the JD 800 basically a small combine?

I've never seen anything like that down here.

Untill 10 years ago all crops were swathed but spraying with roundup then straight cutting has become more popular for most cereals . Swathing is still necessary for canola and I prefer it fo oats too as grain is often lost waiting for it to dry enough to straight cut .

 

[powerscol]

First year at this with a compact tractor. I cut withe an IH 1300 sickle mower and rake with a Ford 503 side delivery rake, and bale with a Hesston 4550 inline.. So far the set up is working fine.