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JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark!

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Jim.UT

09-06-2000 20:01:41




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Sounds stupid, but I swear that's what is happening. I don't know why. I started mowing tonight around 7:30. I had put a new grass board on the mower and was curious to see how it worked. Everything was working great! Mower was cutting everything it touched and it all laid back nice and neat. Then as soon as it got dark the mower started to clog leaving 1' wide rows of uncut hay. This is in alfalfa, btw. The only thing I can do is stop every 20 feet and clear it away from the blade or give up until tomorrow. Guess which I've chosen. OK, I'm a dumb city kid trying to learn how to use all this equipment. The manual might as well be written in Greek. What's the deal here? Does the lower nighttime temps really cause a difference in the behavior of cut hay? Seems weird to me.

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tim[in]

09-08-2000 01:42:57




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 Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to Jim.UT, 09-06-2000 20:01:41  
the best time to cut hay is in the morning. if you can get it cut before noon ,it takes one day less to dry. if you dont have much to cut ,then cut nearer noon so the brix index[sugar level] is higher and results in better nutrition. i had a 14 T JD baler that you could tell the time.temp and humidity by!!you could set your watch by that sucker!!lol i gave up on the weatherman and would go out and just ask the baler if it was ok to cut hay yet!!lol

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B.C.

09-08-2000 06:37:19




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 Re: Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to tim[in], 09-08-2000 01:42:57  
Gramps and some of the farm books said that towards noon was better, if you could get done in time, because the juice rises up the grass stalk and you get sweeter hay that way. Just a quibble.



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tim[in]

09-09-2000 21:25:35




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 Re: Re: Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to B.C., 09-08-2000 06:37:19  
that is essentially what i said. cut before noon for extra drying ,but close to noon if you have choice. of course help availabilty ,acreage size ,weather conditions all factor in to . the brix index i just recently learned about myself. of course if you have your own mower and the time you can just cut small amounts and get the best of both worlds!! the worst part is if you have to hire it down then you have to deal with their schedule!

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Jim.UT

09-07-2000 12:58:21




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 Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to Jim.UT, 09-06-2000 20:01:41  
Thanks for all your comments. They were right on! Started cutting again today around noon. Had to wait that long for everything to dry out. We had frost on the windshields this morning! Started cutting real well again. It sure is nice to have a place like this to come ask stupid questions. I can get the answer and don't have to see you roll your eyes! Thanks again.



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B.C.

09-08-2000 06:35:40




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 Re: Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to Jim.UT, 09-07-2000 12:58:21  
There are stupid ideas, stupid situations and even stupid people but there never was a stupid question.



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tim[in]

09-09-2000 21:31:13




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 Re: Re: Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to B.C., 09-08-2000 06:35:40  
the only stupid question is one you dont ask!!!



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Jim.UT

09-08-2000 07:05:55




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 Re: Re: Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to B.C., 09-08-2000 06:35:40  
Stupid people? Guilty
Stupid situations? Been there
Stupid ideas? Done that



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paul

09-07-2000 20:04:24




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 Re: Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to Jim.UT, 09-07-2000 12:58:21  
If the frost was hard enough to hurt the alfalfa, be careful cutting it right away. Some toxic stuff sometimes gets trapped in the stems that way.

--->Paul



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Jim.UT

09-07-2000 21:26:58




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 Re: Re: Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to paul, 09-07-2000 20:04:24  
The frost was just on the windshields of the cars. None on the lawn or the hay. All the "professional" farmers were out cutting today so I guess I'm ok. Watch and learn....



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B.C.

09-07-2000 06:12:33




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 Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to Jim.UT, 09-06-2000 20:01:41  
Like the others said, when the sun goes down, the hay temperature drops near the dewpoint and things get damp. Damp equals tough. Even if your sickle is properly adjusted and sharp, and your rock guard sections are nice and sharp, this starts to affect things.

You notice it trying to bale as well. The windrow gets tough and pins start shearing that wouldn't have otherwise. Also, the hay is damper than it would otherwise have been and may tend to mold when it wouldn't have had it been baled earlier in the day.

It really is nature's way to telling you to shut it down for the day.

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Steve IA

09-07-2000 03:31:46




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 Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to Jim.UT, 09-06-2000 20:01:41  
Maybe it's just Mother Natures way of telling you it's not really safe to mow when it's dark. There's too many holes to drive in to, too many stray pieces of fence to tangle with, too many neighbor's dogs to cut the legs from when we can't see everything around us. Sickle mowing is tough enough, trying to watch where the tractor is going, and trying to watch the bar. Don't mean to scold; just a reminder to work safely. Steve 8N 169302

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Fudd@Work

09-06-2000 22:14:32




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 Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to Jim.UT, 09-06-2000 20:01:41  
It is probably the dew but make sure your sickle is flat on the ground or make sure the guard tips are not pointing up or down. Good luck.



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paul

09-06-2000 20:37:29




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 Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to Jim.UT, 09-06-2000 20:01:41  
Dew.

Wet grass cuts much tougher than dry.

Altho alfalfa shouldn't really be too bad? If your sickle/guards aren't so good, or there is some grass in your alfalfa would be the thing.

--->Paul



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Tim(nj)

09-06-2000 20:13:36




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 Re: JD #9 sickle mower clogs after dark! in reply to Jim.UT, 09-06-2000 20:01:41  
My grandfather cut hay with an MF 31 sickle mower that did the same thing. When it gets dark, the crop gets dew on it. This extra moisture is just enough to make the cut stuff get stuck between the ledgers and the sickle sections instead of clearing, which leads to plugging and strip-leaving. New ledgers and sections would tolerate a higher level of dew, but Grandpa chose to cut during the day when it was drier.

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