Author
OH HAY 01-08-2007 06:05:45 199.41.197.24 Report to Moderator	I am looking for a bale accumulator. I have looked at the Steffen, Hoelscher, Rafter M, and Kuhns accumulator. I am interested in hearing users own expereinces with accumulators and what they perfer or had experiences with and the advantages and disadvantages of using them. Thanks [Reply]   [No Email]
RickL 01-09-2007 05:56:52 71.7.40.51 Report to Moderator	Re: BALE ACCUMULATORS in reply to OH HAY, 01-08-2007 06:05:45   I have run the hoelscher unit for several years now. I quit talking about accumulators on site as some companies were getting upset. If you want the reall in outs of the hoelscher,Kuhn unit and the drag on ground units. Call 319-257-6764 you will not be the FIRST or LAST. tHINKING ABOUT PUBLISHING A BOOK ON THESE DO TO THE DEMAND.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Kevin in MA 01-08-2007 08:51:48 63.64.18.254 Report to Moderator	Re: BALE ACCUMULATORS in reply to OH HAY, 01-08-2007 06:05:45   We got a Kuhns system last spring, had some teething problems (with other things, not the Kuhn system). We also scaled up hay making in a big way 500 bales to 5,000 with 10,000 expected in 2007, we do this with three part-timers (me, my wife and another guy, all in our 40s) First problem was the locally fabricated bracket did not allow the grab to be flat on the ground; the first cut hay was too much for our NH310 (know lots about unstuffing it); the NI 7210 that we got had a problem with the right handed knotter. The knotter worked whenever the guy from the dealer was there, and did not when he was gone (wanted to tape up his picture in the twine box to make the baler behave.) As we did the last of our hay everything came together and it works just like their DVD. The only problem I am having now is stacking the bales evenly on the flat wagon with the grab, maybe my depth perception is not as good as I think it is. I think that an inline baler is better as we can get through gates with the whole thing set up. The simplicity of their system is great, no power or hoses; be carefull about turning too hard while you are baling as you can jam up the chute. I had some minor problems with some of the springs comming loose but a dozen zip-ties fixed that. We generally make 40-45 pound bales for the horse market and keep some of the second/third cut for our dairy sheep.   [Reply]  [No Email]
OH HAY 01-08-2007 10:22:53 199.41.197.24 Report to Moderator	Re: BALE ACCUMULATORS in reply to Kevin in MA, 01-08-2007 08:51:48   I am also looking at the kuhns 10 bale accumulator. Did you have any other issues with the accumulator? Would you recommend them?   [Reply]  [No Email]
Kevin in MA 01-08-2007 14:12:45 63.64.18.254 Report to Moderator	Re: BALE ACCUMULATORS in reply to OH HAY, 01-08-2007 10:22:53   Yes I would recomend it. Why buy the 10 bale Kuhn system??? I have the 15, the price difference is very small.   [Reply]  [No Email]
OH HAY 01-09-2007 05:43:52 199.41.197.24 Report to Moderator	Re: BALE ACCUMULATORS in reply to Kevin in MA, 01-08-2007 14:12:45   How do you handle your hay using the 15 bale accumulator. Do you load the hay on wagons? The only problem with the 15 I see is the size, which is at least nine feet wide, with three three foot long bales. All my wagons are eight feet wide and I don't want to scap 6" to each side of my 13 wagons to make them nine feet wide. And also making my wagons 9' wide starts to make it kind of tight when I park and store the wagons with hay in my pole barn. I was just curious how you use the 15 bale.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Steve Griffin 01-08-2007 07:53:22 69.40.75.182 Report to Moderator	Re: BALE ACCUMULATORS in reply to OH HAY, 01-08-2007 06:05:45   I just purchased a 2005 haymaster 8 bale accumulator. (www.haymaster.biz) My only concern is that the bales are dragged on the ground. I have heard both good and bad comments on this. I have met the gentleman that makes the haymaster accumulators and he appears to have years of experience. The equipment is heavy duty and I have seen them work at the Sunbelt Expo in Moultrie GA. The fields at the expo though are perfect fields, big and flat. My investment was $6000. I will not know if this was a good investment until May/June of this year. One gentleman I talked to has been through three different accumulators. The one he has now and likes is the Steffen. But the Steffen is too expense for my needs.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Larry NE IL 01-08-2007 14:16:31 152.163.101.9 Report to Moderator	Re: BALE ACCUMULATORS in reply to Steve Griffin, 01-08-2007 07:53:22   The only problem that I ever had using my drag type accumulator is if you drag too far, especially with organic string, you will break strings, and that is one hellofamess. If you finish part of a field with less than a full load and need to travel some distance, drop what you have and start over. As for stacking, I start stacking and leave about 1 foot between stacks, then move closer as I get higher. The stacks lean against each other and stay put on the wagon.   [Reply]  [No Email]