So I got this MF32 sickle bar mower and while it still needs a bit more refurbing, i.e. guards and sickle sections, I got it adjusted and was able to mow pretty well this summer. The experience wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I was kind of impressed with the sickle mower.
Sickle bar - doesn't crimp, also doesn't lay the cut stuff in somewhat of a windrow. My hay seemed to dry OK spread out wide/directly behind the cut on the 7 ft bar. Even though most everything I read indicates a sickle bar is a pain, mine wasn't to bad this summer.
Haybine (with sickle mower). Must have been a nice step-up from the sickle mower, but I've never used one. Reel to pull the hay off the sickle and crimpers to condition the hay. Sounds like a good deal to me. One of these days I might give one a try. But I've read about plugging. Do the sickle bars on these things tend to plug or is the plugging going on in the rollers? I've read a fair amount of stuff about hay getting wrapped around the rollers too. General impression - sickle bars is a headache, save yourself the trouble and get a haybine!
Discbine - Sounds great! However, expensive and a lot of hp required to drive them. Aside from the hp requirement and cost, what is the achilles heal? Do they plug, hay wrap around the rollers, what drives one nuts about a discbine? Are they really that much better than a haybine? General impression, a haybine is a headache, save yourself the trouble and get a discbine!
So the merit I see in a sickle bar is low cost, low hp, wide cut vs windrowing - helpful drying.
Haybine - low hp, lots of used ones, cost is not as much as a discbine, definately better than a sickle bar mower????
Discbine - if you got the hp and $$$$'s, the best there is?????
I'm thinking my budget down the road is going to be a haybine, like a New Holland 472 or maybe a drum mower.
Is a drum mower really that much better than a haybine? Any dissapointments in going with something like a NH 472 haybine?
Window shopping over the winter.....
Thanks!
Bill
Sickle bar - doesn't crimp, also doesn't lay the cut stuff in somewhat of a windrow. My hay seemed to dry OK spread out wide/directly behind the cut on the 7 ft bar. Even though most everything I read indicates a sickle bar is a pain, mine wasn't to bad this summer.
Haybine (with sickle mower). Must have been a nice step-up from the sickle mower, but I've never used one. Reel to pull the hay off the sickle and crimpers to condition the hay. Sounds like a good deal to me. One of these days I might give one a try. But I've read about plugging. Do the sickle bars on these things tend to plug or is the plugging going on in the rollers? I've read a fair amount of stuff about hay getting wrapped around the rollers too. General impression - sickle bars is a headache, save yourself the trouble and get a haybine!
Discbine - Sounds great! However, expensive and a lot of hp required to drive them. Aside from the hp requirement and cost, what is the achilles heal? Do they plug, hay wrap around the rollers, what drives one nuts about a discbine? Are they really that much better than a haybine? General impression, a haybine is a headache, save yourself the trouble and get a discbine!
So the merit I see in a sickle bar is low cost, low hp, wide cut vs windrowing - helpful drying.
Haybine - low hp, lots of used ones, cost is not as much as a discbine, definately better than a sickle bar mower????
Discbine - if you got the hp and $$$$'s, the best there is?????
I'm thinking my budget down the road is going to be a haybine, like a New Holland 472 or maybe a drum mower.
Is a drum mower really that much better than a haybine? Any dissapointments in going with something like a NH 472 haybine?
Window shopping over the winter.....
Thanks!
Bill