Drum Mower and Rotary Rakes

kballein

Member
I've made the switch from a JD 1217 mower conditioner to a used Zetor drum mover and it cuts fast and clean. I have a Hesston 530 baler, which does a good job.

The drum mover leaves a windrow behind in the center of the drums. I've been using my tedder the day after cutting and getting good results. I can ted in the late morning rake and bale by afternoon, usually.

The problem I have is getting the drum mover, the tedder and the rake to the fields. I have one 10 acre field close to the house, but the other fields are a 20 to 30 minute tractor ride on local roads one way.

I currently use a 3pt JD bar rake. I have been looking at rotary rakes and rake/tedders. There is a NH 255 for sale close by, I've heard good and bad things about them.

My real question is could I just use a rotary rake the day after the drum mower and still get the hay to dry? I have heard rotary rakes make a fluffy window and help dry hay.

I'm trying to reduce field passes and equipment hauling.

Thanks,
Ken
 
i have a rotary rake (kuhn) and use it to fluff
windrows left by my haybine when they get rained
on, it's just a single rotor machine, i also use
it to move two windrows together for faster baling
in lighter crops, they do fluff up the windrows...
 
Donno, but I get good results with a MINOSagri 190
drum, followed up with a NI 3pt 5 bar mower. No
tedding. Usually combine two passes with the drum
together into one windrow. Can do that in one
pass, straddling the right of the pair.

Best setup so far for my operation. Especially love that DRUM mower. That said,
this was a nasty summer for haying, weather wise.
Only had a couple fields that I got in without
rain.
 
I have the same travel issues. I use a drum mower
and have a 2 basket tedder/rake. I've had great
results. I cut and then ted usually the following
day. Hopefully rake the next day and bale the
following afternoon. The tedder is not as good as
a stand alone tedder but works ok and sure saves a
bunch of trips. I live in the NW so drying time is
very weather dependent. Normally though the tedder
has cut at least 1 full day off my drying time.
Thats important when it's going to rain--just a
matter of time....
 
The NH255 is a rake-tedder. Depending on how you
set it, it will rake or tedd. I had one for manyn
years, and they don't do a bad job of either chore,
but if I had to do it over, I'd keep the bar rake
and get a tedder. The 255 is getting older, and
some of the small parts that have to be replaced are
ridiculous from NH. As mine got a few years on it,
it had a tendency to break down when I needed it the
most....
 

Can't predict changes in drying time knowing nothing about your climate and soil but I used to have some far flung fields. I have done most of my tedding with a small tractor that I can load onto a trailer with the tedder attached. Something I often thought about doing was to put a hitch on the back of my rake and pull both at the same time to distant fields.
 
(quoted from post at 23:52:20 10/26/14) I have the same travel issues. I use a drum mower
and have a 2 basket tedder/rake. I've had great
results. I cut and then ted usually the following
day. Hopefully rake the next day and bale the
following afternoon. The tedder is not as good as
a stand alone tedder but works ok and sure saves a
bunch of trips. I live in the NW so drying time is
very weather dependent. Normally though the tedder
has cut at least 1 full day off my drying time.
Thats important when it's going to rain--just a
matter of time....

What brand and model of 2 basket tedder rake do you have?
 
Me Too!
I've 35hp chinese tractor and a Small drum mower 52" and a old IH No.5 side delivery rake and bale with NH 269 offset baler(kinda obnoxious to maneuver in small fields). I've nearly the same transportation issues as you. I've not been able to do the small jobs (pay okay money) because of narrow gates and small fields and that old no 5 rake is nearly impossible to transport. I have a Hesston 4550 inline baler coming some time this winter. Now I'm lookin' at 3pt. belt rakes something that is close coupled to the tractor. What do you think of belts rakes? bjr
 
I use a tedder and a side rake, and I can usually bale the second or third day. A friend of mine uses a rotary rake, and he hardly uses his tedder anymore. If he rakes it once and it's still too tough, he just rakes it again.
As far as distant fields go, I try to move as much of my equipment as I can with my truck to avoid road time on the tractors.
Pete
 
(quoted from post at 07:23:22 10/27/14) Me Too!
I've 35hp chinese tractor and a Small drum mower 52" and a old IH No.5 side delivery rake and bale with NH 269 offset baler(kinda obnoxious to maneuver in small fields). I've nearly the same transportation issues as you. I've not been able to do the small jobs (pay okay money) because of narrow gates and small fields and that old no 5 rake is nearly impossible to transport. I have a Hesston 4550 inline baler coming some time this winter. Now I'm lookin' at 3pt. belt rakes something that is close coupled to the tractor. What do you think of belts rakes? bjr

I have never heard of a belt rake, maybe you are referring to a turner or merger. I have never seen one of those with more than a five foot pick up.
 
Well now.. the only thing you'll need to complete the holy trinity is a Belarus tractor to lug all this stuff around...
In for a penny, in for a pound.

I don't think you'll bale the next day just because you use a rotary rake. They do make a fluffier row but it still needs time to dry. A tedder may save you a day. A rake will not. The drum mower is already costing you a day...

Rod
 
Give TX. Jim a ding on this one. He posted a picture once of his
and apparently he likes it. He has baled a lot of hay.

His is the dual sided large unit. I have one which is only 4
baskets on one boom and it SUCKS. I'll take a parallel bar JD or
NH any day of the week over that useless thing.

I have seen dual parallel bar JDs in a train going down the road.
The arms fold back so that it's only about 3' wide and connectors
on both ends so it can tow and be towed.

Mark.
 

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