Homemade Bale basket

ryanwheelock · Jun 15, 2010

I was reading older posts on here a while back and remember someone saying they made their own bale basket that was pulled behind their small square baler. Cant remember who it was or were the post was at. I'm interested in building my own. Local dealer wants $2500 for a used one and thought that with my pipe bender and welding skills I could make one cheaper than $2500. Wondered if anyone had any pictures or pointers or can forsee any problems.
Thanks
Ryan
PS
Being in northern Michigan bale baskets are rare. Might be cheaper in bigger farming sreas but not here.

rrlund · Jun 15, 2010

We used to just take the beaters off old chopper boxes and build up some decent angle braces in the front to keep them from wobbling too bad.

jhilyer · Jun 15, 2010

Man, I'd really like to have me some bale baskets. As a designer-type dude, I can see two problems:

A. That chute up to the basket has to be designed -just- right, so you can make a corner turn and the whole thing doesn't get bunged up.

B. There is a lot of structural steel in one of those, whether you use square tubing or pipe. Probably more cost than you think.

That said, go for it! I'd love to see a successful home-built bale basket. Good luck.

Errin OH · Jun 15, 2010

Well it wasn't me and I have not made a bale basket, but have fab'd many things for the farm. I have learned when it comes to building something the first thing to do is draw it out to scale. Every bolt, bend, and weld. Front, back, both sides, top and bottom. You need to know what is going to be where and it all fits. Really sets you back to discover a hinge point will not hinge because some critical part of the frame is in the way.

Next, price materals and add 25% overage. This should include nuts, bolts, welding rod, paint, any accessories, as well as stock materials. One of my first projects ended up costing more than used because I jumped in thinking (actually not thinking) I had 90% of everything I needed to begin with.

Once your plan is in place, cost is figured out, figure in your time. If it is going to take you 80+ hours of labor to save $100 (material vs. used equipment) is it really worth it? When I started my little farm I had much more time than cents and could afford to do that. Today I am so busy I have placed a dollar amount on my time. If it doesn't make/save me money on paper I do something that does.

tjdub · Jun 15, 2010

Keep looking. I bought one for $1000 that just needed some minor welding. I passed up another in the paper for $1200 because I couldn't justify buying a second one at the time. I'm kicking myself over it a bit now though.

There is one selling at the auction in Waukon, IA today, maybe someone here is going and can tell you what it sold for.

EZ-Trail is still making new ones, but I think new ones sell for about $3500.

Jim in Ma. · Jun 15, 2010

For a small 2 person operation - My Dad made some over the years. We took some 2X6 oak about 5 feet long bolted 1" oak boards on top of it to make it look like a drag. Space the boards are spaced about 1 1/2" apart. With a chain attached to the front to hook to the rear of the baler. With someone standing on that drag , he could pile 20-25 bales on it. We kept a crow-bar on the front, just stab it into the ground at the front on the pile and the drag would slide out and he would repeat again.
I hope that makes sense.

John S-B · Jun 15, 2010

Ryan, I just posted 3 pics of the one I used to have in the implement photo section. One thing I would suggest is to make it in panels so it could be bolted together. I don't know why EZ-trail didn't do it that way, it's got to cost a lot to ship them because they are a wide load and they are one piece cages. I'd also make a way to hitch a second wagon on so you can make one trip instead of two unless your field is right next to the barn. I never had much trouble with turns, but you do have to be careful. I used a 24t and 214t baler and I took off the chutes behind the bale chamber so it went right into the bale basket chute. Make sure it will fit through your barn doors so you can dump it inside if you have weather coming in. It's the best deal for the money unless you are a big time hay operation and can afford the haystackers.

JOCCO · Jun 15, 2010

One local guy put a high rise shoot on the back of the baler and used a wagon with a low front. Same idea as easy trail. Did use a man to repile after so many bales.

Bruce from Can. · Jun 15, 2010

Right on rrlund, old forage boxes make usable kicker wagons.

El Toro · Jun 15, 2010

Here are your pics. Hal

John S-B · Jun 15, 2010

Thanks Toro, I forgot I could do that. I got it mounted on the ties in two of the pics because I had sold it an the guy was bringing a trailer to load it on.

CLTX · Jun 15, 2010

My father did that back in the'50s. He had a large steel plate at the front with a pair of 2x12 about 12' long with a 2 inch gap down the middle. Each pair of 2x12s were fastened together with a 2x4 running parallel. The hay was stacked crosswise and a heavy bar was jammed into the ground to slide the hay off. It worked great, but kept the man on the sled busy. Once those 2x4s were polished, the hay slid off easily. C.L.

ryanwheelock · Jun 16, 2010

Thanks for the input guys.
Ryan

Homemade Bale basket

ryanwheelock

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rrlund

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jhilyer

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Errin OH

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tjdub

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Jim in Ma.

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John S-B

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JOCCO

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Bruce from Can.

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El Toro

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John S-B

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CLTX

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ryanwheelock

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