Figured wrong; bale conversion.

Let's see....Hmmmmm. 1500# divided by 65# should yield 23 squares. That should be adequate to pay me extra for my trouble.

Wrong! Got 12.

Hmmmmm m

Mark

Since you go to so much more trouble with squares, you'd think you would be able to get a better advantage.

If this test was any ways accurate, it says that I only got $36 dollars for squares that I could have gotten $30 for the roll with one heck of a lot less trouble and time expended and expense.

Maybe my horse neighbors need to shop elsewhere. Grin.

Thanks,

Mark

Since you go to so much more trouble with squares, you'd think you would be able to get a better advantage.

If this test was any ways accurate, it says that I only got $36 dollars for squares that I could have gotten $30 for the roll with one heck of a lot less trouble and time expended and expense.

Maybe my horse neighbors need to shop elsewhere. Grin.

Thanks,

Mark

I went in with a 5x5.5 roll and came out with 16x18x36 squares.I'll do a quick calc and see what the area's are: This is interesting. The area of the roll in cubic inches is 205260. 12 squares of the dimensions mentioned are only 124416.

Pretty much attests to the fact that the squares are much more dense than the roll. Hmmmmm.

Thanks,

Mark

60-80 lb. bales were the order of the day back in the days of wire tie balers, hay hooks and iron men. For most of North America that was a long time ago.

Speaking of iron men, I take my hat off to the farmers that did their chores before the advent of mechanised harvesting equipment.

Speaking of that, I will never forget the picture I saw in an early school text book about Eli Whitney inventing the cotton gin....or was it the wheat harvester.....naw that was McCormick. Geez that was eons ago.

Mark

If a small square baler is building 65 pound bales, something is dreadfully wrong. They should be coming in at 90 lbs and up to around 105 pounds in good heavy alfalfa hay.

'Nother reason that the small squares are a totally silly way of puttin' up hay.

Just my view and stated as such. :>)

Allan

If a small square baler is building 65 pound bales, something is dreadfully wrong. They should be coming in at 90 lbs and up to around 105 pounds in good heavy alfalfa hay.

'Nother reason that the small squares are a totally silly way of puttin' up hay.

Just my view and stated as such. :>)

Allan

Been a long time since I saw an alfalfa bale, but as I recall, it was quite small....dunno the dimensions, just recall mentally taking note of how small it was as compared to coastal bales I had seen.....course I was distracted by the leaves falling off....didn't like that.

Mark

While you are on here Jim, question:

My bales don't start the tie very well. The book says to have about 12" of string sticking out of the tube in the stow position; I have about 10-11.

You know it first makes a sweep across so that the bale can snag the string then it comes back and ties the roll. If it misses the sweep snag, it always catches it on the way back, but if you weren't paying attention, you will dump a half tied bale; the second half of the tie distance.

It says to keep feeding product into the chamber for a couple of seconds after the blinking light changes to solid....meaning that the tie arm has started the cycle.

I put a little roller on the feed line (up on the side of the baler) and painted black stripes on it so that I can easily see when the string has snagged and it has started....helps knowing, but does nothing for snagging.

Maybe I just need to bale with it some more and get used to it. I pretty much have it adjusted per the book.....except the cutter....maybe I need to adjust that so I have more string dangling.

Thanks.

Mark

On the 5.5 dia bales, I can lift the front end of a 52hp Ford 4600 off the ground with 2 front wheel weights bolted to the front bumper. So the 1500# number isn't that far off.

This is the first time that I had the opportunity to do a one on one comparison. I was really surprised also.

Thanks,

Mark

I've checked with every blessed cow I can find.

Aparently, and from my quickly arranged and unscientific poll, they don't seem to care what the bales look like. :>)

Allan

Get em Allan.

Mark

I take a certain amount of pride in my bad bales. It is a 'country' boy thing, ya know. :>)

Allan

Mark

I take a certain amount of pride in my bad bales. It is a 'country' boy thing, ya know. :>)

Allan

I like to get them properly tied if I can cause it helps them shed water and preserve longer...and to get all the bale to the pasture..as you surely know.

Mark

I've checked with every blessed cow I can find.

Aparently, and from my quickly arranged and unscientific poll, they don't seem to care what the bales look like. :>)

Allan

Mark

Thanks,

Mark

Thanks,

Mark

I'd wade thru a cowboy fist-fight before I'd fool with small squares, but the little balers cut and compress; the rounders don't.

'Spose that is where the difference is?

Dunno,

Allan

Mark