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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

How much hay will sickle bar mower handle?

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Illinois Farmal

05-18-2006 18:47:17




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With all of the rain we"ve had in the past 1 1/2 weeks I"m almost up to my neck in hay.....literally. The clover is waist deep and thick, 3/4 headed out already. The grass in it is almost chest deep and heading out. My question is will my International 200 sickle bar mower handle it? I"ve never mowed anything this deep and thick with a sickle bar mower before. From the looks of the weather forecast it may be another week before I can get to it. Oh, and 5 acres worth.

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Stickler

05-18-2006 20:53:57




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 Re: How much hay will sickle bar mower handle? in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-18-2006 18:47:17  
Mine hasn't even sprouted yet! I could only wish!!!!! !!!!! !! We only get one cut..... ....in very late August!



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55 50

05-18-2006 20:41:40




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 Re: How much hay will sickle bar mower handle? in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-18-2006 18:47:17  
Probably goes without saying but anyway, a lot depends on how sharp you keep the sickle and how good the ledger plates are and everything is adjusted for good sickle timing and pressure fingers are holding the sickle tight against the guards.



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IBorange in TX

05-18-2006 20:06:18




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 Re: How much hay will sickle bar mower handle? in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-18-2006 18:47:17  
I agree with old. I have cut many a hay cutting using a sickle mower. It really doesn't matter how tall the crop is. The key to running a sickle mower is to listen to the mower. If you can hear it clicking, then your speed is not right for the cutting. If it is running fairly quite then your ground speed is correct. Just don't labor the sickle by trying to hurry up. It only moves at a fix speed, so dont try to more of your crop over the sickle bar. Just let it cut at its own speed. Just listen to the machine.
Good luck.....

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Errin OH

05-18-2006 19:45:13




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 Re: How much hay will sickle bar mower handle? in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-18-2006 18:47:17  
I would agree with old. However I would add condition of the field makes a whole lot of difference. Laid down, dead wirey grass is a @$#%^% to cut no matter how tall or short it is. If this field of yours is clean, regularly cut, and no growth left to die and fall over from last year you shouldn't notice much difference at all.



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old

05-18-2006 19:30:25




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 Re: How much hay will sickle bar mower handle? in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-18-2006 18:47:17  
The key to how well it will handle it is simple. In the thick stuff just slow down. A sickle mower will handle it ok, shoot thats all there was back 50 years ago and they did ok back then.



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ChrisLSD

05-18-2006 19:27:54




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 Re: How much hay will sickle bar mower handle? in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-18-2006 18:47:17  
I agree should be no problem - I have mowed down 9' tall pearl millet - perfect - it would be far worse t omow a tangled 8 inch crop of fine grass then it would 7' high clover

getting it to dry is another story
i have never had much luck getting clover dry enmough to bale



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Dave H (MI)

05-18-2006 19:13:43




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 Re: How much hay will sickle bar mower handle? in reply to Illinois Farmall, 05-18-2006 18:47:17  
I use the old JD5 mowers. It rains so much here in May-June that I absolutely cannot cut the hay until it has seeded and has stalks as big around as your little finger. My grass hay is often over five feet when I cut it and it goes down just fine.



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Illinois Boy

05-19-2006 11:06:26




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 Re: How much hay will sickle bar mower handle? in reply to Dave H (MI), 05-18-2006 19:13:43  
Illinois Farmall,
I"m using a Ford 515 and it"s doing fine. We"ve had so much rain, there"s a pair of wood ducks thinking about nesting in a 1/4 acre puddle out in the center of the field. My hay is the same way - can barely make out the heads of the does that are back in there!!
Like Mr. old says, just take your time. I had to run in 1st gear but the old mower never missed a lick. Just as other posts said, keeping your mower "tuned" and ready is gonna be the key.

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