# Rotary rake-versatility & speed?



## hay&holsteins (Mar 24, 2013)

Been thinking about getting a single row rotary rake since the old bar rake is falling apart. Throughout the year we rake everything from grass, alfalfa, straw, corn stalks and wheat silage. How do rotary rakes generally handle everything? Also how fast can you run them but still do a nice job? Any brand suggestions...? Thanks


----------



## farmin14 (Feb 24, 2013)

A great decision. We have 2 singles and selling one. Pequae 1140 hay maker (2 years old). Where are you located? Would you be interested in it? Selling because we just bought a Krone double rotor.

You can rake any crop with them. At any ground speed you want to go. The trick is your rpms. Heavy hay or silage use a lower gear and more rpms. Alfalfa or something gentle bump up a gear and pull the horsepower back.

I know a lot of guys like wheel rakes but as a rollbar does they twist the hay all together making drying harder. Rotary rakes make a perfect even fluffy row that plenty of air can flow through.

Like I said we have a Kuhn and Pequae an just bought a Krone. Bought the Krone because all the rest of our equipment is Krone. Pequae is only 2 years old and needs nothing has been flawless. It turns at a higher rpm than the Kuhn and another plus is that it picks up higher so you can go over windrows without pulling them apart. Keeping the Kuhn just as a backup.


----------



## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

I like our Kuhn 300GM single rotary rake. Best single rake we ever had. We used to use a NH bar rake, but it never really did a good job. Then we had this custom 2 week rake attached to the front of one tractor that did ok. Though the Kuhn sometimes is a bit wide and we get the windrows to close to each other. Probably not a problem where tedders are used. I go about 5-7 mph depending on the field and adjust the RPM accordingly to move all the hay.


----------



## Orchard (Mar 12, 2013)

I too went from a bar rake to a rotary rake. I gained one foot or so working width, so that's the first plus. Cannot comment on corn stalks or wheat silage. Rotary advantages: biggest one is the form of the windrow and being able to somewhat control the width of the windrow. The rotary rake has the ability to 'stand-up' the windrow for better drying, I would say it is also gentler on handling the crop as well, alfalfa anyway seems to retain more leaves versus a bar rake. If you have a 3pt rotary, its easy to maneuver in your field and not mess up already raked-up windrows. Rotary disadvantage: overall cost of operation. The bar rake is simple in design and operation and you don't even need a tractor with a pto to operate it. Break a tine on the rotary and its $20 or 30 bux. Rake tooth? Couple of $$. I've seen rotary rakes with rake arms replaced, those must be real money. As you already know, purchase price of a rotary is generally higher than a bar. Push: I suppose the max operating speed on both rakes is about the same. Overall: if the rotary is maintained and cared for, advantages outweigh the disadvantages.


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Ill say the price of a new rollabar is very high too, just happens to be lots of used available.


----------



## hay&holsteins (Mar 24, 2013)

Thanks for the offer farmin14, but we've been doing some repairs so we'll probably try to limp through with it for some of this season. We're down in Maryland. How often do the teeth on rotary's break or need replaced?


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

They last a long time except if you catch a fence post etc. Might break one per 100 acres once you get a few years on them. You can end up wearing the leading teeth enough that they need to be swapped to closer to the hub to equal out the wear.



hay&holsteins said:


> Thanks for the offer farmin14, but we've been doing some repairs so we'll probably try to limp through with it for some of this season. We're down in Maryland. How often do the teeth on rotary's break or need replaced?


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Love my rotary compared to rolabar rake. Difference is less dry time and a stood up, fluffy windrow. The breeze blows right through it. No roping


----------



## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Should you really be breaking any teeth? They shouldn't really even be hitting the ground at all. . I haven't and we've had a rotary rake over 10 years.


----------



## weatherman (Dec 5, 2008)

Went from bar rake to Kuhn rotary rake thought I was born again. Looking to add a new rotary rake got it narrowed down to Krone Swadro 38t. Big difference in dry time like what JD3430 said.


JD3430 said:


> Difference is less dry time and a stood up, fluffy windrow. The breeze blows right through it. No roping


----------



## lfc (Jun 23, 2010)

Same here - went from a rolabar to a Kuhn rotary, and won't ever go back. No issues at all with the Kuhn. Only thing I don't like I guess is that the Kuhn rakes to the right. I rake in circles due to my field shapes, so I have to jump windrows with the baler. I haven't figured out a way around this yet.


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Do you double rake? My belt rake is a bit of a pain raking onto unraked hay when trying to single rake.



lfc said:


> Same here - went from a rolabar to a Kuhn rotary, and won't ever go back. No issues at all with the Kuhn. Only thing I don't like I guess is that the Kuhn rakes to the right. I rake in circles due to my field shapes, so I have to jump windrows with the baler. I haven't figured out a way around this yet.


----------



## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

lfc said:


> Same here - went from a rolabar to a Kuhn rotary, and won't ever go back. No issues at all with the Kuhn. Only thing I don't like I guess is that the Kuhn rakes to the right. I rake in circles due to my field shapes, so I have to jump windrows with the baler. I haven't figured out a way around this yet.


You can bale going to the right with a JD baler. If your tractor is running on the windrows offset the drawbar to the right or rake the whole field and leave the rake down when you come out. That gives your baler a way in and start in the middle and work out. You could start in the middle and rake out.

I have a JD700 and to help some of the fields I ;have the rake go to the right for three rounds and come out. I then start in going in and coming out. Then he goes back and forth in straight rows.


----------



## lfc (Jun 23, 2010)

No double raking here - between our humid New England weather and heavy yields, single windrows can even be a challenge to dry & bale. I usually rake the outside windrow in and then immediately out most of the way, so that becomes a heavy windrow. I keep raking the field the field out (rake ccw) until I get to the center. Usually the next day I rerake starting at the center and rake the windrows back in (rake cw). This gives me room around the edge of the field for the baler. Jumping windrows isn't the end of the world, but it seems we always end up dropping a bale during the jump (use a NH SP balewagon) that gets in the way the next time around. Haven't figured out a way to rake in unless I start at the outside of the field, but then I don't have the width I need to get the rake through.

Never tried baling the other direction - good idea. Problem is the ground is often moist here, and running over any windrow makes it absorb some of this moisture but I'll give it a try. Starting baling from the center would work too, but with my small fields and heavy yields I may end up with a mess in the center. Something to consider though. Straight windrows would be best for the baler and the stacker but I don't have the room unless I mow the outside first and then the center later.


----------



## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

If you were getting anything bigger than a single row rake than you are money ahead buying something like a Vermeer R2300.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

lfc said:


> Same here - went from a rolabar to a Kuhn rotary, and won't ever go back. No issues at all with the Kuhn. Only thing I don't like I guess is that the Kuhn rakes to the right. I rake in circles due to my field shapes, so I have to jump windrows with the baler. I haven't figured out a way around this yet.


I never thought of that. So if the rake spun counterclockwise, to the left, what difference would that make?


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

We have the same issues/climate in NB but are only grass hay so we rake as late as possible, very little drying in the windrow here. Our rake is sold as a 9 ft so on lower yields I can double rake about 15 ft and have nice clean windrows. If I single rake, it really only leaves 7 ft clean to drive in which is a huge pain squeezing the tractor by even with the tires all the way in.

I just bought a 14 ft rotary for next season but its a double rotor centre delivery Fransgard so it can't double rake anyways.

Since our helpers usually mess up the raking pattern anyways I find its not too bad to jump windrows once per round. The crossover moves a bit each round and once you get near a corner you can't pickup a strip but we just go back later and clean it up once the bales are picked up.



lfc said:


> No double raking here - between our humid New England weather and heavy yields, single windrows can even be a challenge to dry & bale.


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Left delivery puts the tedded hay on clean ground and the rake will never grab clumps from the adjacent windrow. Right delivery you have to rake onto hay that hasn't been flipped and next pass if you keep tight to the windrow its easy to accidently rob hay from the last one.



JD3430 said:


> I never thought of that. So if the rake spun counterclockwise, to the left, what difference would that make?


----------



## FCF (Apr 23, 2010)

slowzuki said:


> Left delivery puts the tedded hay on clean ground and the rake will never grab clumps from the adjacent windrow. Right delivery you have to rake onto hay that hasn't been flipped and next pass if you keep tight to the windrow its easy to accidently rob hay from the last one.


I must be missing something. We have a right delivery Kuhn and rake onto clear ground instead of unraked hay. You do have to drive CCW instead of CW as you would with a left delivery rake. Only issue is you need to be at least 2 windrows ahead of the baler otherwise I see no problem. What don't I understand?


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

lfc was asking about the jumping of windrows and the problems with that. If you bale onto the ground you can't clean some of the missed windrow until the balewagon has cleaned up the hay in that area.



FCF said:


> I must be missing something. We have a right delivery Kuhn and rake onto clear ground instead of unraked hay. You do have to drive CCW instead of CW as you would with a left delivery rake. Only issue is you need to be at least 2 windrows ahead of the baler otherwise I see no problem. What don't I understand?


----------



## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

FCF said:


> I must be missing something. We have a right delivery Kuhn and rake onto clear ground instead of unraked hay. You do have to drive CCW instead of CW as you would with a left delivery rake. Only issue is you need to be at least 2 windrows ahead of the baler otherwise I see no problem. What don't I understand?


What type of baler do you have? If you have an inline then there is no problem. If not then you baler is right handed and you turn to the inside CW. It is easer to turn the the CW than the left (CCW) with a right hand baler. The baler follows the direction of the rake and the rake needs to go the direction of the baler.


----------



## FCF (Apr 23, 2010)

Slowzuki - We do not drop the bales on the ground, have a New Holland 570 with kicker.

Gradyjohn - See above line to Slowzuki. I still see no problem *as long as the rake is 2 windrows ahead of the baler*, there should then be a raked unbaled windrow between the rake and the baler if/when they pass each other going in opposite directions around the field. Am I still missing something? With newer haying equipment one does not need to follow the old practice of mow, rake and bale in the same direction especially if the hay has been tedded.

Guess I am having a mental block seeing the problem others have.


----------



## lfc (Jun 23, 2010)

Sorry if my question hijacked the thread, but this is all good!

I'm usually never baling and raking at the same time. As slowzuki stated, we have to do most of the drying with the tedder. I usually rake twice (sometime three times) but that last raking is always an hour or so before baling to give the windrow time to dry after you flip it. Most of my first cut goes to horses and second/third/fourth goes to alpacas, so I have some fussy customers and I try hard to avoid even a single dusty bale. I have a moisture monitor on the baler too which helps with an occasional heavy bale along the woods/edges of the fields.

I bale with a NH 570 and drop the bales on the ground for the stackwagon. Although my Kuhn rake (GA4220) is 11' wide or so, in first cutting grass mix I cannot always consistently rake a full width into the windrow. The windrows would be tough to dry, and I'd be creeping in first/second gear to try and keep 18 plunger strokes per bale to keep the bale length consistent for the stackwagon. So, the windrows are close together and I barely have enough room to fit the tractor between the previous row of bales and the windrow sometimes. Jumping the windrow each time is easy enough, but it seems that half the time a bale falls right as you are jumping, and this bale gets in the way of the tractor the next time around. I try to start stacking soon after the baling starts (to limit the time the hay sits on the sometimes damp ground), but I'm usually not running that close to the baler that I pick it up before the baler is back. The baler driver has to get out then and move the bale out of the way. Not a big deal, but as you know when you are baling you hate to stop for anything!

I could rake cw starting at the outside of the field and my windrow would be pointing the right way, but I would be throwing the windrow in, right next to the next windrow in. I wouldn't have enough room to fit through the next time around without doubling up a windrow. I really need to start in the center to make room.

Thanks everyone for thinking about this one. It seems like it should be easy, but isn't!


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Sounds like we have very similar conditions, except I have a hydro tractor I can bale with if the windrows are too large. Sounds like you have the same problem we have of first cut getting delayed due to rain some years and the yields getting a bit out of hand.

We picked off the ground for years onto wagons so I'm used to the problem of navigating bales too, I know what you mean about the missed clumps to avoid being on and off the tractor moving bales, I'd bump them out of the way sometimes with the loader but sometimes I'd just fork the hay onto the truck last run of the day.

I really think you might want to try leaving it tedded as long as possible and only rake once. I've tried experimenting with raking early and rolling over a windrow but it only works in July/Aug with sustained good weather and dry soil. In June/early July hot days are humid and still, ground is wet, as soon as the wind picks up the temp drops and sun goes away and my windrow gets wet from the ground.

I remember my tedder broke one year with 500 bales down and I raked part passes about 4 ft wide with the arm off the rake so it would slump over. I rolled them over about 6 or 7 times in 3 days in good weather and had to bale due to weather, lost over half the bales to dust. I bought a spare tedder soon after.



lfc said:


> Thanks everyone for thinking about this one. It seems like it should be easy, but isn't!


----------



## lfc (Jun 23, 2010)

Slowzuki,
Yes, I bet we do have simialr conditions. I've been baling hay for 30+ years and I can't ever remember the weather being as difficult as it has been lately. 2009 was a total loss - I was still doing first cut in September. Things have been better the past few years, but it doesn't seem we get those stretches anymore of five nice days in a row where you can really fly.
I'm slowly mastering the stackwagon, but if the bales are too close together my vintage stackwagons can't cycle that fast so I still don't like really heavy windrows. 
I usually mow in the evening or first thing in the morning due to my other work commitments. I'll ted around 11:00 that morning, and if I'm really trying to push it I'll ted it twice that afternoon. It will be pretty dry by then, with no really wet areas. The goal is to be able to rake it that evening and keep the night dew off as much as possible to try and retain some green color. I'll then rake the next day at 11:00, and then bale from 2:00 to 5:00 or so. Can't bale much later than 5:00 or 6:00. I don't think it would work for me to rake once, as there always seems to be clumps that the tedder doesn't pick up that are pretty green still after one raking. I am probably too fussy and ted and rake more than I need to, but with first cut at $5/bale here I figure and extra hour spent tedding is good insurance for $3000 worth of hay. When we were feeding our own dairy cows it wasn't as much of an issue, but I want the hay I sell to be dust free.
I'm also paranoid about breakdowns so I have two balers and soon three stackwagons. I can easily borrow a tedder or rake from a neighbor fortunately.


----------



## longmeadow farm (Jun 26, 2009)

I purchased a H & S rotary a few years back and cut a day off my hay drying time. The rotary tend to place the hay on end in fluffy windrows. The H & S may be a Miller Pro... and in my judgement..as of a few years back, the best rotary on the market. I used to use rollabar side rakes..which I refer to as hay beaters..will never go back. I took a lot of time to set my rake up, including front pitch and mated it to just one tractor, as drawbar height difference will require rake readjustment, which can be tricky. The teeth on our rake rarely, if ever touch the ground. I have used my H & S rotary for 6 or 7 seasons and notice very little wear on the teeth. Get a rotary with dual/floating axle arrangement, you won't be sorry. I operate mine as the manufacturer suggested, at somewhere around 380 RPM, with a ground speed of 4.5 to 5 MPH.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I was stunned at the difference it made going to a rotary rake. Thought I died and went to heaven. As was mentioned, get the double bogie axles, mine goes right over ground hog holes. 
I hope I have the same s&!t eatin grin on my face when I get to use my discbine this season as opposed to my old haybine.


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Unfortunately here in the humidity, there is no hay made without tedding too much. My mower has wide spread which saves a tedder pass, but makes the first pass with the tedder tough because the moist fresh cut stubble lays down and lets the limp grass lay very close to the soil. I have to set my tedder very aggressive on the first pass to pick up crop. The next passes are fine as the stubble and the hay has stiffened some to hold itself up. The other problem is the tire tracks, my 4 basket tedder sometimes can't grab hay pressed down by the tires into holes etc. Normally this means the rake won't grab it either but once in a while it happens.

If the ground is really wet I'll make tight windrows with the mower so it can dry, then I can fit the tractor between them while tedding and never misses any clumps. This means an extra tedding pass though so I try to avoid it due to my work schedule.

Do you use acid? Friends of mine do and have good luck but my clients are skeptical and I'm not a fan of the way the bales dry down and get loose.

I'm not trying a bale wagon due to small fields and I can't see how 1000 bales a day off the ground by 8 pm can work without buying a self propelled. I was gearing up for an accumulator but probably will continue stacking wagons for another year. We got a conveyor and kick-off sled for the mow to try this summer.



lfc said:


> I don't think it would work for me to rake once, as there always seems to be clumps that the tedder doesn't pick up that are pretty green still after one raking. I am probably too fussy and ted and rake more than I need to,


----------



## lfc (Jun 23, 2010)

I mow as wide as I can to clear the tractor tires, but I still run over a lot on the ends of the fields.

Acid isn't too popular around here, but I guess for that matter neither is dry baling anymore. Most of the dairies round bale and wrap now. I'm not sure my customers would appreciate the use of acid either.

I have an old NH 1047 SP that holds 120 bales. My original intention was a pull-type 1033, but this 1047 came along locally so I went with it. Glad I did, but I still try to limit myself to 700 bales a day to fall into my 2:00 to 5:00 window. I did pick up a pull-type1033 to use as a backup and in wet fields where the 1047 will get stuck, and I recently bought a project 1049 that should speed up the operation even more once I get it functional. Overall, it beats the six flat wagons we used to use!


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

We have 3 wagons/trailers that hold 270 - 300 bales and a few small ones, and are building 3 more long ones this spring. We'll be able to put 1500-1800 bales on wheels hopefully so 2 days of haying without unloading. I'm hoping to get a building so I can leave the last loads on wagons for delivery.

Where abouts are you? Must be either the wet side of washington or the north east?


----------



## blueridgehay (Dec 25, 2012)

Hugh fan of the rotary rake. Used a NH 256 roller bar for years. Amazed at the difference in drying time with the rotary rake and also the consistent windrows. Mine is a Krone and grabs 12.5 ft. This gives me more room to get accumlator trough windrows with out messing them and getting loose hay caught in it.


----------



## lfc (Jun 23, 2010)

Those must be long wagons - ours held 140 easily, with one 18' wagon holding 180 or so. If possible I had two people riding the wagon, as the 18' was a long walk for one person when the wagon was empty. We could get the hay off the ground faster with the flat wagons, but looking forward to unloading 800 bales the next morning wasn't fun. Now I ususally bale the first 100 or so, then my BIL takes over the baling and I start stacking. We usually finish about the same time. I'm the only one I know of around here that uses a stackwagon.

I'm in SE CT. I should add that to my profile.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

lfc said:


> Those must be long wagons - ours held 140 easily, with one 18' wagon holding 180 or so. If possible I had two people riding the wagon, as the 18' was a long walk for one person when the wagon was empty. We could get the hay off the ground faster with the flat wagons, but looking forward to unloading 800 bales the next morning wasn't fun. Now I ususally bale the first 100 or so, then my BIL takes over the baling and I start stacking. We usually finish about the same time. I'm the only one I know of around here that uses a stackwagon.
> 
> I'm in SE CT. I should add that to my profile.


That would be a great idea.....thanks, I'm not sure I follow something either, how do you "mow with tight windrows", I'm just not sure I understand that one......I always cut just as wide as that damned mower will let me mow, guess I could mow shorter and overlap each pass? Seems like it would be inefficient to do so and wouldn't you cut the already cut crop that is laying in the adjacent windrow? Just not sure I follow that one. I have a kuhn double rotary rake and can't wait to use it this year if mother nature will quit with the winter already.....


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Widespread type kit spreading over the whole mowed area vs letting the windrow forming sheet metal tighten it up into 2-3 ft wide. With the 10 ft mower and it set tight, there is about 6 ft clear between windrows to drive the tedding tractor in without running over hay.



somedevildawg said:


> how do you "mow with tight windrows",


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

The longest is 27 ft, yes, you need 2 people or slow baling to fill it. One is a caged 24 ft thrower wagon, I like loading it because I can stack it myself on the wagon to 270 bale as no tie building is needed, the bales I miss just fall on the round bale nose bumper and roll into the wagon I can stack them while turning on the ends. The shortest 8 ton we have is 18 ft, I don't like using it because you need 2 people to load it high to get much capacity. Moving that deck onto a 4 ton gear and putting a 24 ft deck on it like the other 8 ton gears.

We like the gears as you can double hitch and get 500-600 bales home per trip of the tractor.



lfc said:


> Those must be long wagons - ours held 140 easily, with one 18' wagon holding 180 or so. If possible I had two people riding the wagon, as the 18' was a long walk for one person when the wagon was empty. We could get the hay off the ground faster with the flat wagons, but looking forward to unloading 800 bales the next morning wasn't fun. Now I ususally bale the first 100 or so, then my BIL takes over the baling and I start stacking. We usually finish about the same time. I'm the only one I know of around here that uses a stackwagon.
> 
> I'm in SE CT. I should add that to my profile.


----------



## lfc (Jun 23, 2010)

We would usually stack five high, and then send someone up on top of the load once it was full to add layer six and seven. Over that high and they wouldn't fit in my barns. My fields are all connected so I don't have to travel far, but a 600 bale train must be impressive!


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

This isn't me but its something like 990 bales? I bought a few pieces of equipment from him. 30 ft wagons. He used an eztrail style basket, baler man would swing by the baler and dump his load every 100 bales. He used a pair of hay hooks to arrange the bales on the ground and grab them with a grapple to load the wagons. He baled until the wagons and the bale basket where full (1000+) bales per day then headed to the barns and unloaded. He did say the unloading took almost 2 hours but they were all kinds of weird old barns he filled, not tall easy access.


----------



## lfc (Jun 23, 2010)

That seems like a lot of work. I had considered a bale basket, but the way things worked out I was able to build a new barn and therefore set it up for the stackwagon. If I had continued to use the old dairy barn, it would have been a bale basket.
Here's the best I can do with 118 bales on the 1047 baling some second cut last year.


----------



## hay king (Feb 6, 2011)

around here on the west coast of BC we get about 10 feet of rain a year. So for making hay I start mowing as soon as i can once the rain has stopped I mow all day or until the field i'm doing is done, I leave the grass in mower windrows over night let the sun come back up and dry the ground between rows. Then i tedd once the first day twice the second and twice the third day then i check the grass to see if it will be ready to be bailed on the fourth (if not tedd twice again) if its ready to be bailed on the fourth day i'll tedd in the morning 10 or so give it a few hrs then rake starting at 1:00 -3:00
(i like big windrows so I use a class 470 15 foot rotary i'll at least double maybe triple or i might even put four widths into one row) then bale till the sun sets using both balers (one flows the rake about 1 hr behind it) after bailing we start hand bombing bails till were done depending on the field might be 500 bales might be 3000 bales so we finish kind of late (10:00 pm -3:30 am) but we like to move bales at night because its not so hot and we don't seem to burn out as quickly as during the day. wake up and repeat until cut is done. If the weather changes and its not dry enough to small square bale we round bale and wrap easier to round bale but not as much money in it.

As for what rake id go with a rotary get a three point or a twin so you can clear your rows I have found the rotary's do a better job no roping and if the feed is wet like silage when your round baling I've stopped on the row (full chamber) and watched grass from in front of the tractor get sucked back and into the baler. Plus with a rotary I've also found my bales have a nicer appearance (no lumps and squarer edges) when i use to use a roll-bar my bales were warty and uneven from lumps in the row even with the knives in the baler.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

lfc said:


> That seems like a lot of work. I had considered a bale basket, but the way things worked out I was able to build a new barn and therefore set it up for the stackwagon. If I had continued to use the old dairy barn, it would have been a bale basket.
> Here's the best I can do with 118 bales on the 1047 baling some second cut last year.


It is a lot of work. Once the upper entrance to the bank barn I was using became unstable, I found the bale basket to be nothing much more than a dump truck that dumped the bales on the ground. Then I needed a bale conveyor. I'm a little nervous about profits not making small squares this year, but my barn situation does not allow for small square storage very easily. I'm going to be tarping a lot of round bales as it is until I find/build a shelter.


----------



## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

JD3430 said:


> I hope I have the same s&!t eatin grin on my face when I get to use my discbine this season as opposed to my old haybine.


That's my hope this year. I couldn't get over the first time I was cutting with a disc mower in late heavy first cut and watching my father back up a haybine every 5 minutes while I just kept making circles. If the rotary is were near as good I'll be happy.

I don't get the bale basket routine. We use kicker wagons, usually its just one of us baling, since my father and I both have full time jobs. Could I do more if I had someone stacking in the wagon? Sure but then I'd have to pay someone. Most of my customers either off load right off the wagon in the field. Or I deliver the wagons to them. So the bale baskets don't help much.
Our biggest day last year was 1300 bales, followed by 1000 the next day. The first time in years we had both balers in the same field. We could have kept going the first day but the horse farm that was buying the hay couldn't keep up unloading so we ran out of empty wagons.


----------



## Veritas (Jul 17, 2013)

Dill said:


> That's my hope this year. I couldn't get over the first time I was cutting with a disc mower in late heavy first cut and watching my father back up a haybine every 5 minutes while I just kept making circles. If the rotary is were near as good I'll be happy.
> 
> I don't get the bale basket routine. We use kicker wagons, usually its just one of us baling, since my father and I both have full time jobs. Could I do more if I had someone stacking in the wagon? Sure but then I'd have to pay someone. Most of my customers either off load right off the wagon in the field. Or I deliver the wagons to them. So the bale baskets don't help much.
> Our biggest day last year was 1300 bales, followed by 1000 the next day. The first time in years we had both balers in the same field. We could have kept going the first day but the horse farm that was buying the hay couldn't keep up unloading so we ran out of empty wagons.


 New to the forum and in need of a new rake. Right now we have a friend cut with a John Deere 7 or 925(can't remember) as the old NH is out of service and in need of a re-conditioning. We still have the 1st cut to do and the weather has been crap(high humidity and absolutely no breeze). We have an old New Idea rollerbar rake(think that's the name of the style). I was out yesterday and realized how bad it is. To flip it perfectly, you're pulling out of the next windrow and the stuff never dries. We've been getting so much dew for so long now that you can't even think of raking until 11:30-12:00 and can't start baling(NH 316 small square) until 1:30 at the earliest. My Dad saw someone using a fluffer tedder(no raking) and said it would save a day off drying but when I look it up, I see a lot of recommendations for rotary over tedders.

We'll be using either a MF 265 or 175 to rake with. I don't know the width of the rows but around here, they're fairly narrow. Judging by pic's on here, it looks like you all have hay all over the fields(very high-tech). Will a single rotary be alright for thicker rows of heavy hay or will a tedder plus our current rake be better?

We have no problems getting the top to dry but the bottom is usually green. Once in a blue moon we can cut one day and bale the next(high on hills where the wind gets at it but it's a rarity. Anything to save a day is a very big deal.

As per kicker wagons(don't know what they are) ... when the hay is dry, 1300 is a good number. We can usually bale up 6 wagon's x 190 average between 1:30 and 4:30'ish before it starts to turn. Even faster if we had a better rake!? We use old school wooden racked wagons and stack them on. Everyone else bales them loose but we fit a lot more on stacked. Can't find good help so unload the next morning and start again. The advantage of stacking is that the bales are perfectly square but you do need an extra person and it will kill them if the guy on the baler isn't constantly adjusting the speed thrower and direction(theres a knack to it). It can't be full speed ahead like some of the older guys!!!

Edited!


----------



## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Veritas said:


> New to the forum and in need of a new rake. Right now we have a friend cut with a John Deere 7 or 925(can't remember) as the old NH is out of service and in need of a re-conditioning. We still have the 1st cut to do and the weather has been crap(high humidity and absolutely no breeze). We have an old New Idea rollerbar rake(think that's the name of the style). I was out yesterday and realized how bad it is. To flip it perfectly, you're pulling out of the next windrow and the stuff never dries. We've been getting so much dew for so long now that you can't even think of raking until 11:30-12:00 and can't start baling(NH 316 small square) until 1:30 at the earliest. My Dad saw someone using a fluffer tedder(no raking) and said it would save a day off drying but when I look it up, I see a lot of recommendations for rotary over tedders.
> 
> We'll be using either a MF 265 or 175 to rake with. I don't know the width of the rows but around here, they're fairly narrow. Judging by pic's on here, it looks like you all have hay all over the fields(very high-tech). Will a single rotary be alright for thicker rows of heavy hay or will a tedder plus our current rake be better?
> 
> ...


I am assuming "mowing" means stacking on the wagon by hand? Kicker wagon is same as thrower.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Veratis...welcome to the forum...I needed a drink to understand what the heck ur talkn about when you say you "mow"..... the wagon is usually coupled to the baler (has high walls) and the baler throws them in the basket (wagon) are you saying you have someone on a wagon stacking by hand after the baler throws them onto the trailer? 
Ima go make a drink and read it again.....second time may be the charm


----------



## Veritas (Jul 17, 2013)

I meant mowing as in stacking, not cutting(different pronunciation). Old slang I guess. When we're in a hay mow and stacking, we refer to it as mowing . I've edited my post and apologize for the confusion.


----------



## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

So rotary rake questions. I had made a deal with a local dealer for an older Kuhn 300 series, the deal was cheap but they had to get it fixed and running first. That was in Jan and its still in pieces.

So I'm looking around at other rakes. The 300 was the single wheel non hydro lift. I've been told the single wheel doesn't work well on our uneven and hilly fields. So I've widen the search.

In the 2500 range, I've found a Kuhn 4100, a miller pro 1050 and a Vicon 423gt. I don't want to spend too much until I see how a rotary works for my operation. I do a far amount of over the road travel on busy roads so I need a trailered model I can tow behind my truck.

Any suggestions?


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I bought a well used Fransgard Ti-4000P rake last fall for 500$ that I posted about on here. We've raked about 3000 square bales worth so far this and it puts a smile on my face! It basically is two small rotary rakes that rake to the centre and are hydraulically adjustable in width.

In 2 ton per acre crop at the widest 14.5 ft or so it makes a perfect windrow for a square baler. In my heavier patches I can shrink it down to 10 ft to keep the windrows consistent.

If you need to double rake you'd have to look at a different model like the Ti-6000, they are 18 or 19 ft wide and you can set both rotors to rake the same direction if you want.

The one I got was pull type so you can tow it after stowing the arms. That is probably my only complaint, I like 3 point rakes as I like raking to the centre then driving out with them lifted.


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

somedevildawg said:


> are you saying you have someone on a wagon stacking by hand after the baler throws them onto the trailer?
> Ima go make a drink and read it again.....second time may be the charm


A guy here used to load wagons exactly that way.He had 24' hay racks and the baler with a thrower and throw them to the guys on the rack.They would basically guide them down into place.I think he would get 250-300 bales on a load.6 wheel running gears.


----------



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

swmnhay said:


> A guy here used to load wagons exactly that way.He had 24' hay racks and the baler with a thrower and throw them to the guys on the rack.They would basically guide them down into place.I think he would get 250-300 bales on a load.6 wheel running gears.


Yup, we always had a thrower on the baler, also made our wagons wide enough to go across the wagon three bales end to end. Never ever looked bored with my grandfather running the baler as he would keep speeding up until you caught a bale square in the back. Didn't take long to learn to look like your busting your ass even if you weren't.


----------



## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

Most of the guys around here have someone in the wagon stacking. Except my family. I don't see the point of paying a guy so I can get maybe 20 more bales into a wagon. I don't think its safe either, I've tried it myself and I was always looking over my shoulder to make sure I wasn't going to get hit. Why make a one person job into a multiple person job? The only time I hire in help is to stack in the barn.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Dill said:


> So rotary rake questions. I had made a deal with a local dealer for an older Kuhn 300 series, the deal was cheap but they had to get it fixed and running first. That was in Jan and its still in pieces.
> So I'm looking around at other rakes. The 300 was the single wheel non hydro lift. I've been told the single wheel doesn't work well on our uneven and hilly fields. So I've widen the search.
> In the 2500 range, I've found a Kuhn 4100, a miller pro 1050 and a Vicon 423gt. I don't want to spend too much until I see how a rotary works for my operation. I do a far amount of over the road travel on busy roads so I need a trailered model I can tow behind my truck.
> Any suggestions?


What is it about a rotary that you think may not work dill? Are you using a wheel rake now? As for towing, my ga6000 kuhn is kinda like a tedder for mobiling(same kinda tires), I usually pull it about 35mph max. Tedder...I'm lucky to get 30 without it floppin around like a fish, some are better than others, but ain't none I've seen as good as a wheel rake for mobiling to distant fields behind the pickup....

But more significantly, I couldn't imagine not having hydro pickup for the rotary rake, I probably would not like it one bit if I didn't have it....and if ya can.....spin a double, either to the side or middle with the swath, the ability to vary winrow width is another big plus....

And buy in the winter....I bought mine for 5k in January, excellent field ready condition....hope it helps


----------



## Veritas (Jul 17, 2013)

We load them on because as soon as we're done, there's chores and then milking. It's a lot easier mowing/stacking perfectly square bales then it is kirked and crooked ones that have been sitting all night. As per cost, it is usually free(family) but on the odd day, to pay a guy $50 bucks to ride the wagon makes sense especially with the price of hay these days. The only time it becomes even remotely dangerous is when you're finishing off the load at the front(we go four rows(28 bales) back to front one at a time and then build straight up three to the top and come forward) and it's all on the baler, if he doesn't have the knack for driving then don't do it!

I remember once we had a guy who got lazy after realizing that with a bit of practice, the guy baling could almost land them "in the hole". He got a bit sucky on hills when the bale was a bit of a walk but a quick speed up of the thrower and a bale to the side of the head straightened him out 

In regards to my question, am I right in thinking that a rotary rake does everything an old roller bar does and then some?

I only worry because on the youtube video's, it looks like the cutter almost swathed it. Our rows are a bit tighter!


----------



## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

You know, new technolgy. Just cause it works for everyone else doesn't mean I'll like it.
No wheel rakes around here. I run a 256NH with a dolly and a Deere 660 with a dolly wheel. The bar rakes are still the most popular. A few pinwheels around, but you couldn't pay me enough to have one.


----------



## Veritas (Jul 17, 2013)

The most dangerous part is climbing down off of the wagon!


----------



## Veritas (Jul 17, 2013)

I talk down modern technology more because we can't really afford it. I rarely admit it in real life!


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Dill said:


> You know, new technolgy. Just cause it works for everyone else doesn't mean I'll like it.No wheel rakes around here. I run a 256NH with a dolly and a Deere 660 with a dolly wheel. The bar rakes are still the most popular. A few pinwheels around, but you couldn't pay me enough to have one.


10-4 so really no diff. In the mobiling aspect of your haying operation, forget about just trying it, ain't nothing to not like except for the aforementioned.....good luck


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Veritas said:


> I talk down modern technology more because we can't really afford it. I rarely admit it in real life!


Don't worry you ain't the only one....had one of my workers the other day trying to tell me that when you buy snap-on tools you're just buying a name, blah, blah, he just ain't never used one cause he couldn't afford one.....that's fine, but no need talking down the one you ain't never tried.....btw, I hate the new gulfstream G280, cheapass avionics.....


----------



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Dill said:


> You know, new technolgy. Just cause it works for everyone else doesn't mean I'll like it.
> No wheel rakes around here. I run a 256NH with a dolly and a Deere 660 with a dolly wheel. The bar rakes are still the most popular. A few pinwheels around, but you couldn't pay me enough to have one.


About the only people still running roper (bar) rakes around here are Amish or too tight to upgrade. I've seen all kinds of different brands of wheel rakes the last few years, even see a few real off brand rotary rakes now and then.

Last couple of years I've been charging $2 more a round bale to custom bale if it was raked with a bar rake.


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

mlappin said:


> About the only people still running roper (bar) rakes around here are Amish or too tight to upgrade. I've seen all kinds of different brands of wheel rakes the last few years, even see a few real off brand rotary rakes now and then.
> 
> Last couple of years I've been charging $2 more a round bale to custom bale if it was raked with a bar rake.


I've already went home and got the V rake and raked 2 of their ropes together so I could make a decent bale.


----------



## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

Okay so I take it they work.

Anything on brands? The vicon is a lot closer than the khun and millerpro, but I've always been a little leary of Vicon. However it seems like the other brands look a lot like an older Kuhn.

And anything to keep an eye on when looking at used rakes?

The advantage to the old bar rakes is they are really easy to work on. I usually buy a busted 256 or 2 each year to flip. They are still in good demand around here.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I was all set to it MillerPro. 
really liked that rake. Dealer talked me into a New Holland (Knvereland) and saved $1,000.
The Millerpro is the nicest rake I've seen, but I took the $1,000 and put it towards an applicator.


----------



## DSLinc1017 (Sep 27, 2009)

Dill said:


> So rotary rake questions. I had made a deal with a local dealer for an older Kuhn 300 series, the deal was cheap but they had to get it fixed and running first. That was in Jan and its still in pieces.
> So I'm looking around at other rakes. The 300 was the single wheel non hydro lift. I've been told the single wheel doesn't work well on our uneven and hilly fields. So I've widen the search.
> In the 2500 range, I've found a Kuhn 4100, a miller pro 1050 and a Vicon 423gt. I don't want to spend too much until I see how a rotary works for my operation. I do a far amount of over the road travel on busy roads so I need a trailered model I can tow behind my truck.
> Any suggestions?


Dill,

I'm not the most experienced on this forum, I did however grow up making hay. Took many years away from making hay. Back at it for a bit of time now, after spending much time helping others and carefully crafting my new (used) hay making gear. I quickly realized that a roll a bar rake was not in my future. The desition was like night and day after the first pass of a field with a borowed Kuhn rotary rake. I was amazed at the accuresy, the beautiful effort less windrows. It was like years of raking with an ax to using a scrapple. I can make any wind row I need. Combine, split, rake hay off a hill, or carefully flip with a windrow with ease. The result is evident in the quality and shape of my bales. Wether I'm raking for a big square or small. I have to say that my rotary is my best piece of hay gear.

Our land is uneven and hilly, for that reason I went with boggie wheels. Hydro lift allows me to go over windrows and not make a mess.

By far I'm not nocking rolla bar rakes, they still do a great job. I don't have much experience with wheel rakes either.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

You'll like it dill...just get one you'll like, no way I could afford a new one....keep an eye out...good luck


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

What they said above. Once you have one, you'll be mad for not getting one sooner. I was ear to ear grin when I first got mine and it was an ancient rotary rake. Now I have a new one and its and amazing tool.


----------



## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Dill said:


> Okay so I take it they work.
> Anything on brands? The vicon is a lot closer than the khun and millerpro, but I've always been a little leary of Vicon. However it seems like the other brands look a lot like an older Kuhn.
> And anything to keep an eye on when looking at used rakes?
> The advantage to the old bar rakes is they are really easy to work on. I usually buy a busted 256 or 2 each year to flip. They are still in good demand around here.


 I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a krone 46t rotary rake. From what I can tell it seems to be heavy built and one reason I like the krone is the tine arms fold up for road transport while it seemed that all the other brands you have to remove the whole arm from the rotor and put it in a holder on the machine.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

FarmerCline said:


> I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a krone 46t rotary rake. From what I can tell it seems to be heavy built and one reason I like the krone is the tine arms fold up for road transport while it seemed that all the other brands you have to remove the whole arm from the rotor and put it in a holder on the machine.


Folding arms? That sounds great! 
I will say the removable arms are a snap to take off/ put on.


----------



## longmeadow farm (Jun 26, 2009)

I've been using a H & S 11' rotary for five years now. The trick is to adjust the rake to a specific tractor or drawbar height. It took a few tries and some foul language but I got got it. I believe the rake might be a Miller Pro which I believe is the best rotary rake around. I have no wear on the raking tines and I don't get any left over hay in the field. I have mine perfectly adjusted for my raking tractor. I cut at least a day off the drying, as opposed to a roll-a-bar rake( a hay beater) as the rotary stands the crop up in wide fluffy windrows, which aids in drying. The hay in the windrows produced by roll-a-bar and wheel rakes are essentially "roped" and don't dry as well/quickly. There are many arguments and positions regarding the rotary, but this farmer retired his tedder when he started using the rotary. Another example of superior European agricultural engineering. Too bad that American agricultural is caught up in a time warp.


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

longmeadow farm said:


> There are many arguments and positions regarding the rotary, but this farmer retired his tedder when he started using the rotary. Another example of superior European agricultural engineering. Too bad that American agricultural is caught up in a time warp.


You have lost me....could you explain further please?

I use both my tedder and my rotary rake and really they work independently of one another......the tedder scatters and the rotary gathers.

Regards, Mike


----------



## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

I just went out today and bought a claas 370 rotary rake. Only used it for a short time cause it looks like it going to rain. I hope it helps drying as good as you guys say. We are lucky to get two days in a row with out rain but under good conditions I mite get hay up in a few days. So far the machine works good easy to set up


----------



## DSLinc1017 (Sep 27, 2009)

hog987 said:


> I just went out today and bought a claas 370 rotary rake. Only used it for a short time cause it looks like it going to rain. I hope it helps drying as good as you guys say. We are lucky to get two days in a row with out rain but under good conditions I mite get hay up in a few days. So far the machine works good easy to set up


Please let us know how you like your new claas. I've take a look at them and they look to be a quality piece of equipment and company.

As stated up above, the trick to a rotory rake is the fine tuning. I have a dealer that is close, so that defiantly helps with desitions.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

hog987 said:


> I just went out today and bought a claas 370 rotary rake. Only used it for a short time cause it looks like it going to rain. I hope it helps drying as good as you guys say. We are lucky to get two days in a row with out rain but under good conditions I mite get hay up in a few days. So far the machine works good easy to set up


Good selection, claas equipment is first class, you'll love it I suspect...


----------



## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

This will be my first claas machine. I do think they have a will built machine. In fact I was looking at getting a claas discbine. Looked like a nice machine and a good price. But the kuhn dealer gave me a better deal. They had a brand new machine they sold a a demo. It never left the lot, just because kuhn made a few design changes on the new models. I got a 10 foot kuhn for the same price as the 8 foot machine. It seems to me any european hay machines are a bit better than anything made in north america.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Except some of the Italian stuff. Some is fine, but some is pretty lightweight and falls apart. 
My new holland rake was made in Czech Republic.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I like those quick change blades on the disco mower, really nice feature when you change blades as much as we do...I believe in sharp blades...


----------



## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

So far I like what my claas rake does. It does do a nice job of fluffing the swath up. I can rake as fast as I want but next time I go out I think I will slow my ground speed a bit and hopefully the swath will be a bit less clumpy. My hay is yeilding about 5 t/acre right now. Still learning what I can do with this machine. I can make a double swath with it. I go around and around the feild so I start going one way and skip rows till I get done and than turn around and head the other way. My baler is only a twine tie 4x5 baler and with this double swath I was putting out 38 bales an hour. On flat ground I might beable to do over 40 but not in the hills Iam baling now. On the hills before I was only around 20-22 bales an hour. So I can speed up drying and baling a win win I think.

I thought the claas was a light machine till I looked online at some other models and it is a lot heavier than most models out there. I cant remember the name of this one rake a guy had for sale but the claas machine is twice as heavy as his. Also his was slightly used and the new claas was on $1100 more than what he was asking.

If it ever stops raining so I can cut more hay I can try me new rake again.


----------



## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Do people actually remove the arms for transport? If you're used to towing a 12' (or wider) mower, towing any rotary rake up to 13' should not seem that complicated. Good SMV emblem, extra DOT tape, head down the road.

I'm looking at a 2 rotor taarup (two sindle rows or double to the left) my neighbors want to sell for $3500. Don't know why I haven't pulled the trigger on that deal yet...


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Thats a deal! I remove the arms on mine so far. If it was 3 point and lifted higher there would be less chance of damaging it.



8350HiTech said:


> Do people actually remove the arms for transport? If you're used to towing a 12' (or wider) mower, towing any rotary rake up to 13' should not seem that complicated. Good SMV emblem, extra DOT tape, head down the road.
> 
> I'm looking at a 2 rotor taarup (two sindle rows or double to the left) my neighbors want to sell for $3500. Don't know why I haven't pulled the trigger on that deal yet...


----------



## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Been thinking of taking the plunge to rotary. I have always had NH equipment-haybine, then discbine, 163 tedder, two rolabar rakes, currently a 258, and three balers, a 273, 315 and now a 570. If I ever get a different tedder it will be a Krone-by far the heaviest frame I have seen. We are close to JD dealers, and NH dealers-others not so much.

Sounds like from the discussion that the Claas and Krone are the heaviest frame units. Can't figure out where you guys ended on right vs left delivery with a right handed baler. Someone want to clarify?

One question- I often have to flip my windrows and from the discussion that seems common and that the rotary does that fine-is that correct?

Assuming that it is, is there any reason for me to keep my 258? it is fairly new and if excellent shape so if I don't need it might as well trade it or sell it outright. Thanks.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Hayman1 said:


> Been thinking of taking the plunge to rotary. I have always had NH equipment-haybine, then discbine, 163 tedder, two rolabar rakes, currently a 258, and three balers, a 273, 315 and now a 570. If I ever get a different tedder it will be a Krone-by far the heaviest frame I have seen. We are close to JD dealers, and NH dealers-others not so much.
> 
> Sounds like from the discussion that the Claas and Krone are the heaviest frame units. Can't figure out where you guys ended on right vs left delivery with a right handed baler. Someone want to clarify?
> 
> ...


I just ain't sure I understand about the left right deal hayman.....what diff does it make? Just not sure I understand....

Flipping the winrows, do you want to flip and Ted and rake...or do you want to flip and rake? Either way I think you can accomplish what you want to do.....

I would sell the rollabar....fairly desirable...good value I think...

On the other part of the discussion about taking off the arms for transport...just curious...mine transports like this....does y'all's do something else?


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Hayman1 said:


> Been thinking of taking the plunge to rotary. I have always had NH equipment-haybine, then discbine, 163 tedder, two rolabar rakes, currently a 258, and three balers, a 273, 315 and now a 570. If I ever get a different tedder it will be a Krone-by far the heaviest frame I have seen. We are close to JD dealers, and NH dealers-others not so much.
> 
> Sounds like from the discussion that the Claas and Krone are the heaviest frame units. Can't figure out where you guys ended on right vs left delivery with a right handed baler. Someone want to clarify?
> 
> ...


I just ain't sure I understand about the left right deal hayman.....what diff does it make? Just not sure I understand....

Flipping the winrows, do you want to flip and Ted and rake...or do you want to flip and rake? Either way I think you can accomplish what you want to do.....

I would sell the rollabar....fairly desirable...good value I think...

On the other part of the discussion about taking off the arms for transport...just curious...mine transports like this....does y'all's do something else?


----------



## weatherman (Dec 5, 2008)

I took on more hay ground this year and didn't think my Kuhn 3200GT would serve my purpose. Narrowed my search to another Kuhn, 4220th model, and a Krone 38t. I liked the Krone a wee bit more than the Kuhn but the dealer was further away and I already had a Kuhn. Got a fair deal on the Kuhn and put it to work on 32 acres. The Kuhn 3200 is left side delivery and Kuhn 4220 is a right side delivery. Rake the hay in less than half the time it took to rake with just the Kuhn 3200. Initially thought I was going to give up the 3200 rake but I'm kind a liken it so far.


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Left / right matters for a conventional square baler only. Have to get the right spiral to the field if you don't want to jump windrows.


----------



## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

slowzuki said:


> I bought a well used Fransgard Ti-4000P rake last fall for 500$ that I posted about on here. We've raked about 3000 square bales worth so far this and it puts a smile on my face! It basically is two small rotary rakes that rake to the centre and are hydraulically adjustable in width.In 2 ton per acre crop at the widest 14.5 ft or so it makes a perfect windrow for a square baler. In my heavier patches I can shrink it down to 10 ft to keep the windrows consistent.If you need to double rake you'd have to look at a different model like the Ti-6000, they are 18 or 19 ft wide and you can set both rotors to rake the same direction if you want.The one I got was pull type so you can tow it after stowing the arms. That is probably my only complaint, I like 3 point rakes as I like raking to the centre then driving out with them lifted.


I have a Fransgard TI 4000 3 point hitch Tedder Rake, that I bought last year, at an auction sale, a d I love it. I go into the field, set it for tedding, drive around the outside row CCW, and spreads the hay, to the left, once that round is completed, I turn the tractor around, and Ted that round, so the hay spreads, towards the outside round, and then travel, the same direction, I did, the first round, around the field, and so on.
In a day, or two, I go back, set the tedder rake, to rake, and set it as wide as it will go, and I rake two rows, together. Makes good baling, ,for a small square baler. Going to try, putting 4 rows together, for the round baler, with it as well, and see how that goes.


----------



## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

slowzuki said:


> I bought a well used Fransgard Ti-4000P rake last fall for 500$ that I posted about on here. We've raked about 3000 square bales worth so far this and it puts a smile on my face! It basically is two small rotary rakes that rake to the centre and are hydraulically adjustable in width.In 2 ton per acre crop at the widest 14.5 ft or so it makes a perfect windrow for a square baler. In my heavier patches I can shrink it down to 10 ft to keep the windrows consistent.If you need to double rake you'd have to look at a different model like the Ti-6000, they are 18 or 19 ft wide and you can set both rotors to rake the same direction if you want.The one I got was pull type so you can tow it after stowing the arms. That is probably my only complaint, I like 3 point rakes as I like raking to the centre then driving out with them lifted.


I have a Fransgard TI 4000 3 point hitch Tedder Rake, that I bought last year, at an auction sale, a d I love it. I go into the field, set it for tedding, drive around the outside row CCW, and spreads the hay, to the left, once that round is completed, I turn the tractor around, and Ted that round, so the hay spreads, towards the outside round, and then travel, the same direction, I did, the first round, around the field, and so on.
In a day, or two, I go back, set the tedder rake, to rake, and set it as wide as it will go, and I rake two rows, together. Makes good baling, ,for a small square baler. Going to try, putting 4 rows together, for the round baler, with it as well, and see how that goes.


----------



## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

Sorry for the double post. Last year, I also had grain cut, with the swather, it got rained on, for 2, or 3 days and the only way I could get it to dry, was take the tedder rake, and spread out, the windrows.
The pickup on the combine, was just wide enough, to get the windrows picked up, the next day. Couldn't believe, how good a job, it done, with the hay, and the grain. Sure I lost a little grain, but 2 days later, it rained again, for 3, or 4 days, which I would havery lost, a lot more grain.


----------

