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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

Small Square Bale Accumulators

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Micheal

08-01-2004 20:00:37




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Hi All,
I thought i posted this Friday night but i can't seem to find it. anyway, Do any of you people have any experience with some kind of bale accumulator for small square bales? I am just about done putting up about 1,100 this year and all by hand. I think it is time to switch to some other method, but not Round bales.
I know the Stackliner Wagons are the ideal choice but they are real expensive. I was hopeing some of you might have plans to build a good accumulator or some thing. let me know your thoughts on using these, if they are worth it or not. thanks Micheal

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Ken Macfarlane

08-03-2004 12:19:10




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Micheal, 08-01-2004 20:00:37  
No offense but 1100 bales hardly merrits money on an accumulator system or bale wagon! Are you dropping on the ground?

Consider a tray to deliver onto the towed wagon or a thrower and sides added to your wagon.

Wagons are cheap here and both the tray and the thrower reduce the labour.

Ken



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Ken Macfarlane

08-03-2004 12:18:59




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Micheal, 08-01-2004 20:00:37  
No offense but 1100 bales hardly merrits money on an accumulator system or bale wagon! Are you dropping on the ground?

Consider a tray to deliver onto the towed wagon or a thrower and sides added to your wagon.

Wagons are cheap here and both the tray and the thrower reduce the labour.

Ken



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farmer mike

08-03-2004 09:29:00




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Micheal, 08-01-2004 20:00:37  
I"d like to second the request to identify the dealer that has the bale accumulator made. I know of no other source of these basket-like accumulators, and would like to find one. Thanks, Mike



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Micheal

08-02-2004 19:58:42




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Micheal, 08-01-2004 20:00:37  
wow, thanks for all the feed back guys!!!
i appreciate it.
micheal



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Unimog

08-02-2004 18:37:03




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Micheal, 08-01-2004 20:00:37  
Micheal, I use a bale buncher to gather my small
bales together behind my NH 316. It is a sled like
tool that pulls along an average of 8 to 12 bales
and dumps them in one spot for MUCH quicker pick
up afterwards. Another trip around the field you
dump near another pile and you'll be able to pick
up 20 or 30 bales per stop. No walking all over
the field. The buncher is a metal framework about
5 feet wide and 10 feet long with a top hinged
tailgate that opens by pulling a rope from the
tractor seat. The bales ride on 1/2" rods that ride or drag on the ground. The rods are spaced at
about 10" apart. The bales don't get damaged or
mis-shaped and I've never had one break. The bale
buncher is towed from the baler towbar and is
easy to use. Mine cost around $450 eight years ago and a local dealer has about 25 made each yr.
by a local welder. Farmhand used to sell them but
I don't know of a manufacturer that markets them.
Too old tech for most people, but for anyone that
only puts up a small number of bales it's money
well spent.

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Bernie in MA

08-03-2004 17:02:27




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Unimog, 08-02-2004 18:37:03  
I bought one of these old Farmhands a few years ago. Shoulder arthritis bothered me pulling the rope so I rigged a car electric window opener on the gate. Now I just flip the switch. I have a small metal fab shop and I thought about building some to sell, but most of the farms grow houses around here now.



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Kari

08-03-2004 05:47:59




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Unimog, 08-02-2004 18:37:03  
Are the bales dropped directly onto the drag or are they picked up? You mentioned a second trip around so I assume it is able to pick them off the ground - If so what does the pick-up mechanism look like? IS this something that could be home built?



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Unimog

08-03-2004 18:28:42




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Kari, 08-03-2004 05:47:59  
The bales fall from the rear chute onto rods at
the bottom of the buncher. The framework sides
and tailgate trap the bales and drag them along
till you have a "bunch" of 8 to 12 bales then you
pull a rope which trips the rear tailgate and the
bales push the gate up and slide out. The gate
slams shut and you start collecting more bales.
If you bunch the bales in piles next to eachother
you can pull up with a truck or trailer and load
many at one time. You still have to pick up the
bales, but the time saved is amazing and each bale
is just a few feet from the truck with no walking
all over the place. Best money I ever spent.

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Kari

08-04-2004 04:11:30




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Unimog, 08-03-2004 18:28:42  
Brilliant - I could see where that could really save time, and would free up the truck driver to throw bales as well.

So the bales ride on pipe that is dragging on the ground, and it is the drag that moves them to the back of the accumulator, and thenm out the back when it is tripped? Is there any damage to the bales? What keeps them from just lining up end to end?

You don't have a picture you could post do you? It sounds like it is something that could be fabricated relatively easy. Sorry for all the questions, but this sounds like something that would really be useful.

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Rick

08-04-2004 06:44:57




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Kari, 08-04-2004 04:11:30  
Kari; Go to Netherexe.com they build units like you are talking about. I run accumulator also but not drag type. Rick



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Iowa Jim

08-02-2004 21:06:46




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 Unimog - Where is your local dealer in reply to Unimog, 08-02-2004 18:37:03  
Unimog:

Where is this delear the bulds these accumulators?

Jim



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Unimog

08-03-2004 18:17:28




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 Re: Unimog - Where is your local dealer in reply to Iowa Jim, 08-02-2004 21:06:46  
The dealer is R N Johnson in New Hampshire, but
you could find a local welder to build or do it
yourself if able.



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kyhayman

08-02-2004 12:29:05




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Micheal, 08-01-2004 20:00:37  
Everyone has their own preference of system. If cost is the only driving issue I'd urge you to look again at the stackliners. Provided you have the overhead to dump or are in a part of the world where tarping outside is an option I found them cheaper than an accumulator system.

Analyzing the cost (pull type as this is an apples to apples comparison): NH 1033 or 1034 $5000 at one of the used bale wagon specialists. Another $1000 will replace every bearing and all the chains plus shoot a fresh coat of paint if you so desire. As there are only 6 bearings and 4 chains there is not a lot that needs doing. Now, if you wind up like a lot of folks here do (paying me to go get it and pick it) then the cost is a lot closer. Costs me little under $1000 to make the trip. I charge $2000 if I'm using their money, $2500 if it my money.

When I looked at accumulators, unless I wanted to buy new there werent many options. Only used one I found was an old Farmhand which was $5000 for it and the grapple forks. Parts are getting scarce. I'd still need several more flat wagons than I already had. At $1000 each that would have tied up another $8000 or so. Your results may differ. And, as posted previously, these things do not do so well on sloping land. I'm real comfortable up about an 8% slope. I've worked on steeper, up to about 15% but you have to watch how you dump from the second table to the load rack.

Comparing the output of a 1034 to my neighbors Hoesher it takes us almost exactly the same amount of time to put in hay. The difference being he still has to unload his wagons where mine is stacked in the barn. There are times it would be nice to have it on the wagons (just had a guy stop and offer to buy all of my 3rd cutting).

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Rick

08-02-2004 06:48:42




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Micheal, 08-01-2004 20:00:37  
Micheal; I run a hoelscher accumulator/grapple system. Like the other fellow stated you have to be able to make uniform bales . Although I have modified mine so I can vary about 4 inches on large sluggs and still get it to work okay. Netherexe ,Hoelscher,Steffens, hay buddy, these are a few of the companys out there building them now. Some group them flat others do it on edge. I did not like the units the drag them on the ground as I have some sand ground and when got done using that type the bales were full of sandburs etc from dragging. The New Holland bale wagons you need large sheds and they have some problems in hilly ground. You need to have level unloading spot also. These you need to learn and keep set correctly to be trouble free. I was to far between farms to use the bale wagons so I went the accumulator grapple route and haul 280 straw to a laod and 215 heavy hay bales. Give me a call if you want more info on setting them up and modifiying them to work even better. Have a hoelscher unit for sale if interested also. Rick

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Brett

08-02-2004 20:10:12




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Rick, 08-02-2004 06:48:42  
Rick, have you figured out any good ways to transport the accumulator besides dragging it behind the baler. I have to travel about twenty miles between fields and it is a slow go. I am tossing a dolly idea around and may try it this winter.



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Rick

08-03-2004 05:45:48




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Brett, 08-02-2004 20:10:12  
Brett; Why do you have trouble during transport. I don't do anything different just put baler in transport position and go. If you don't have the brake on the one dolly set right yes it will start to whip,but as long as you set this I go usually pretty close to wide open with the tractor and travel 20 miles. Have traveled up to 50 with no problems. Rick let me know what you are having trouble with,you mentioned dolly,isn't your unit on wheels?

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Brett

08-03-2004 15:09:05




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Rick, 08-03-2004 05:45:48  
20-25 MPH is about max speed pulling the entire unit behind my pickup and that makes for a slow go. The main problem is the log trucks here in SW Arkansas know only one speed and that is wide open. One of the roads I have to travel is a paved two lane with no shoulders. The trucks fly and I can't get off the road.



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Rick

08-03-2004 17:39:56




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Brett, 08-03-2004 15:09:05  
Brett; Sounds like you need to make it a pulltype unit like you said with a dolley so you can pull it seperate or go to a Steffens unit. They are nice but not worth the 11,000.00 price to me. Do you like your hoelscher unit. Good Luck Rick



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Brett

08-03-2004 20:29:06




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Rick, 08-03-2004 17:39:56  
I bought the acummulator, grabber this year and it is a whole new ballgame compared to the old way of putting up square bales. It rained almost all of June so we didn't get started here until July. I've put up about 3500 bales so far and it works quite well. Occasionally a bale doesn't hit the table just right or the number 10 bale doesn't trip the lever to dump but I probably can fine tune that. I looked at some of the other units but I don't like the idea of dragging the bales on the ground. I bought a two year old JD 338 and I have spent most of my time trying to line it out. I know it's history from the time it was new and it is amazing how some of this stuff leaves the factory out of alignment, needles, twine disk, and tucker fingers. The twine disk misses the needle side on occasion and I get two missed bales. I have aligned everything and it is down to finding the right tension coming out of the twine box. Baled 260 today and only missed once. 500 tomorrow so we'll see how it does. The humor in it all is my old rust bucket 336 will bale all day and usually only misses when it changes to a new roll of string. However, the wide pickup on the 338 is nice. I'd appreciate any tips on the Hoelscher that you might want to pass along.

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Rick

08-04-2004 06:36:10




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Brett, 08-03-2004 20:29:06  
Brett; I know exactly what you are saying. I did have a 327JD baler and that unit could not miss a bale know matter what you were baling. Only time it would miss is when I did not get tye right when switch balls. I wanted a 348 Deere but never could find a good unit in the 4 figure range they were all 12000 and so on with lots of use. I only needed a wider pickup,baling behind 25ft and 30ft combine heads was tuff with the unit I had. I knew I did not want any older New Holland baler because they do not use packer fork,to much nightmare dealing with banana bales. I found a 1999 570 New Holland this does have packer fork and fellow bought it new never used it he passed away,another fellow bought it could not get it to bale and I bought it from him.(dirt cheap he was ready to junk it) This unit did not have paint wore off even in the pin hole yet) the It was just out of time in the feeder area was all it was,two chain links off. Still it just seems little more fussy than my old deere but (I get it dialed in ) you no how that is sometimes even the same units do not operate the same. In straw thou the limiting factor on the Deere was the auger feed,One I have now you have trouble keeping it full enough. When I had the aacumulator behind the Deere I had to lengthen all the bolts on the bed trip side. I put longer rods on the slide guide and added about 2 inches two the trip arm adjust rod. That solved that problem,but you have to adjust to each cutting due to density difference. I also lined the bed with plastic sheeting so 3rd 4th cut alfalfa would slide off better and not catch on the flange lip thats at the back bottom of bed. I also put round pvc pipe over the back post that is next to the flip arm,as bales would catch it sometimes when you get the unit set so your bundle is a tight slide off. This season I also altered the bed dump do to hilly ground. This is the best thing yet for me that saves alot of aggrevation and simple. I put valves in the bed dump cylinder. I now control the bed dump action from the tractor cab and due it myself with hyd lever. Hilly ground it would dump premature at times etc you just never really knew. Doing this solved this and since I done this I don,t think I will use the other way anymore as now it doesn't matter type of crop or bale density when it has ten I just dump it period. If I want to go back to it do it automatically all I have to do is open the valves and it will work like it was. open automatic,valves closed runs manually. My biggest problem yet is getting bale under flip arm once in a while. The Deere baler was not a problem but this baler is much faster and still need perfect that area yet. I put 600 some on ground the other nite in short time so I shouldn't complain that much really. When they work they are slick. I am thinking about building a retracting flip arm. I am also going to try to make it do 15,will have 3 rows of five.Hint using old Donahue implement trailers works slick for the hauling part. Good Luck give me a ring and I could probably give you help and tips with the grapple too 319-257-6764 Rick

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Brett

08-04-2004 08:51:27




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Rick, 08-04-2004 06:36:10  
Rick, I will keep your number handy. Sounds like you have some neat ideas and improvments. Well, the dew is almost off and we may hit 100 degrees here today. I think I'll put a little extra ice in my water jug. HA HA



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Rick

08-04-2004 11:39:58




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Brett, 08-04-2004 08:51:27  
Brett; We got 1"rain last night and looks like rain as I am typing this. Good Luck. On those hot days I take frozen jugs to the field. Rick ps go to my new web site www.RickSales.com and enjoy. Will have pic of loads on there soon as how I haul out of field.



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ChrisL

08-02-2004 04:32:40




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Micheal, 08-01-2004 20:00:37  
I have read on this forum about a sled made out of pipes that accumulate bales as they slide along the ground - then you trip the back door open with a rope from the tractor seat - they are $300 to $500 (I also read that here) but I haven't actually seen one, or seen plans to build one- they sound like a good idea for certain situations



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Indydirtfarmer

08-02-2004 03:58:34




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Micheal, 08-01-2004 20:00:37  
I bought a Steffans brand accumulator at auction a couple years ago. I do about 4000 squares of hay, and about the same of straw in a NORMAL year. (This is NOT a normal year) The balance of my hay goes in big rounds.
If I hadn't got such a good deal at auction, I'd never have seen fit ti spend the price of a good accumulator, for that much hay. They are quite pricey. What I know about any other brands, I have picked up from here, or people that I know who own them.
Here's what I've learned about mine.
Bale size is critical. With that in mind, you need a good, accurate baler to make one work. I have a 336 Deere and an old 273 New Holland. The Deere baler ties a good bale. They are very consistant in size and wieght. Even with that, I spend a good bit of time adjusting on the accumulator. If I was to have to buy one new, I'd forgo that plan, and look for a good New Holland bale wagon. You will spend about the same ammount that way, and will have a much better system in my opinion. John

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Rick

08-01-2004 21:48:49




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 Re: Small Square Bale Accumulators in reply to Micheal, 08-01-2004 20:00:37  
I saw this one, and was impressed with the concept and quality, think i'll get one this fall for straw.

Link

Rick



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