# Suggest a tedder



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I have a tonutti tedder. Despite tightening the bolts that hold the tines on regularly, I have lost 3 tines. God only knows where they are, but I'm sure one of my rim gaurd filled rear tires or haybine tires will find them.......point-first.
I don't really like this tedder, it doesn't level out the windrows as much as I like, either.
I need a small-medum size tedder for 10-30 acre fields. As you would expect, I don't have a lot to spend.
Who has a tedder they really like that fits my needs? Thanks.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

The NH tedders seem to do a decent job and are reasonable on price. I got a pretty good deal on the 6 basket one I bought about 5 years ago for 5K, paints still good, everything is still straight and all the stickers are good. According to what I've seen on Tractorhouse it's appreciated a 1000 bucks since I bought it.


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

Make the widest windrow you can and save the money.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Krone, but they are not cheap. Mike


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

I'm looking for 1 too, but can't find a used one, except for ones I hear are wore out. And can't afford to go to the top-of-the-line, either.


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

Colby said:


> Make the widest windrow you can and save the money.


I disagree with your statement sir. I just finished baling a field with several new grasses and I spent a lot of time monitoring the field. I cut it with a 6' drum mower and although the drums leave a windrow down the center of the cut, it was not very large. In fact I eventually had to pile up about 8 ww's to get a good mouthful for my 5' throat baler.

Anyhow, I did nothing for a couple of days and it has been hot and dry here with light winds, perfect drying weather. The hay wasn't curing, it was stuck to the ground in 3" stubble. So, since I had a sparse cutting I just decided to start raking and flipping over some of the rows; like would put 2 together but flip them toward an 8 row pile eventually. In this perfect weather I was at 6 days of curing and still couldn't break some stems on JG primarily.

So, I whipped out my substandard tedder, will talk about it in a minute, ran over it and the next afternoon it was ready to go. I didn't have one for a lot of years, but this boy is convinced, they work, especially if you are using a sickle bar cutter and are cutting fields that are other than rectangular. I don't have a crimper but I'm not cutting sudan/sorghums so I didn't figure I needed one nor wanted one on my small retirement farm.

My 2c,
Mark


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

On kind of tedder to buy, I bought a Morra #34212, 2 rotor from ASC for around $1400. It advertises 9' but the only thing 9' about it is it's overall width, not it's working area. That is more like 3' if you measure what you are trying to scatter, which is what you are interested in......yeah, if you run it at full pto rpm, it will toss the remains 9' or so.

It's 3 point and the tires didn't follow the terrain when you turned a corner. They moved somewhat, but not what was needed to follow the turn and you would just drag them around the turn. I mean if you were supposed to raise the tedder in every corner, which is why you bought the thing in the first place.....to clean up the blobs of grass sicklebars leave at the corners why did they bother putting tires on it?

Additionally, the shanks the wheels were on were too long and the tedder had it's rear way up in the air such that when I got it it could only scatter like a 1' ww....I thought geez, what a waste.

I took the wheels off and chopped off the struts so that I could lower it and get more of it in contact with the ground varying the length of the 3rd member to get the rear down and more of the tynes in contact with the ground. Wala. Worked like I thought it should and have been happy with it since modifying it.

I just pulled their catalog and they are still for sale and I have had mine over 5 years so they must have fixed the height and tire rotational problem or something. I don't know and frankly don't care. So, yeah mine was cheap, but I feel it would have made a much better unit had the designers thought out their task better. It is mechanically simple but rugged for what it is. Mine will last a long time.

My 2c,
Mark


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I agree with Colby, I have a Tedder but seldom use it unless really heavy wr or rain events. Other than that I would rather not use it, but when I do it's a fanex 4 basket and I run it at about 300 pto rpm. I wouldn't buy the new holland as I've never seen one that wasn't broken....they are not big in tedder biz down here but I do see them, my fanex is old....I think the best is probably the Kuhn but I know people with the frontier that have had good success (it may be manufactured by Kuhn as are some of their other products), I know nothing about krone, the tontutti is not of real good quality IMHO remember unless it needs it, I try not to Tedder....if I have light windrows I never Tedder....unless rain. Good luck


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## NEHerdsman (Sep 23, 2009)

The subject of tedders has a lot of history here on HT, and a lot of the different opinions that range from "couldn't make hay without it" to "What's a tedder?" seem regional. God bless you folks that can cut hay, let it sit, run a rake in front of the baler and be done with it. I envy you. Here in New England if you tried that approach you'd end up with an empty barn.

I've always run Kuhn tedders and they do a good job. Not saying anything bad about others, just the Kuhns work for me.

To HayMaster and folks who have had the problem you describe - make sure your tines aren't worn out. As the tines wear you have to increase the forward tilt of the tedder more and more in order to make ground contact, that'll cause the rear to tip up, and reduce the area of contact in the front.

Happy haying!


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

NEHerdsman said:


> The subject of tedders has a lot of history here on HT, and a lot of the different opinions that range from "couldn't make hay without it" to "What's a tedder?" seem regional. God bless you folks that can cut hay, let it sit, run a rake in front of the baler and be done with it. I envy you. Here in New England if you tried that approach you'd end up with an empty barn.
> 
> I've always run Kuhn tedders and they do a good job. Not saying anything bad about others, just the Kuhns work for me.
> 
> ...


I agree with Jim, most all around here use Kuhns. Most are the 4 roror although some of the larger operrators are using 6 rotor seems to be a wash between the 3 point & trailing machines.
JMHO, HTH, Dave


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

Check out this video on YouTube:






Im not disagreeing with anyone but I don't see the point when you make a wide swath. Less time in the field saves money. 
That's how I look at it.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Colby said:


> Make the widest windrow you can and save the money.


_ Here_ and in some _other_ parts of the country a tedder can be the most important piece of hay equipment you own. A wide row does you no good if the ground is saturated or you get heavy dews at night and the swath is matted tight to the ground and won't allow any air flow thru it or under it.


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## Richardin52 (Aug 14, 2011)

In Maine you could not make dry hay without a tedder if your life depended on it. High humidity and rain at least once a week and most times once every three days pretty much makes it imposible.

A lot of people around here use Kuhn tedders. A few people use New Holland tedders. I use a Kuhn GF 5202 THA It is fast, does a good job and has given me no problems at all.


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

Everybody keeps talking Kuhn, must be a good quality. How about the Hay Bob 300, know anything about that one? Local dealer has one still in the crate for about 4300. I hate to spend that kinda $$ on something I hope I never need, but but seems to not be any used ones in this country that's usable. And, I do like the idea of an extra/ backup rake.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Colby said:


> Check out this video on YouTube:
> 
> 
> Im not disagreeing with anyone but I don't see the point when you make a wide swath. Less time in the field saves money.
> That's how I look at it.


I usually spread my windrow as wide as possible on the NH 7230 in most cases. I believe this allows the most drying area while not driving over the cut hay and smashing it into the ground. I often then flip it out within 12 hours using an Ag Maxx (enorossi) tedder. My opinions on this tedder have been expressed in other posts.

Ralph


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## Edster (Feb 23, 2010)

urednecku said:


> Everybody keeps talking Kuhn, must be a good quality. How about the Hay Bob 300, know anything about that one? Local dealer has one still in the crate for about 4300. I hate to spend that kinda $$ on something I hope I never need, but but seems to not be any used ones in this country that's usable. And, I do like the idea of an extra/ backup rake.


Kuhn manufactured tedders and disc mowers that were painted JD Green for years. Their equipment is top notch. As far as the Hay Bob goes it is a tedder/rake combo. Some say it works good, never used one. One of the limiting factors I see is it is only two basket. basically one windrow/6'-0 of field at a time. Minimun I would run would be a foour basket. Then you are covering 17'-0 at a time. If I could afford a 6 basket I would have one.

As far as the wide and thin option---It won't work in New England. Like other have said we need to leave the hay in the windrow behind the mower to let the ground dry. Then we tedd, and sometimes, tedd again, and again. In New England No tedder = NO DRY HAY!!!


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Colby said:


> Im not disagreeing with anyone but I don't see the point when you make a wide swath. Less time in the field saves money.
> That's how I look at it.


You're in Texas, parts of the country's humidity never gets as low as your normal highest humidity. _Here_ in Indiana, a tedder can take days off the drying time no matter how wide you make the row. Dews at night are heavy enough to mat the hay down tight to the ground, a tedder fluffs the hay back up allowing air movement thru it.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Been my experience that folks that think tedders are un-needed have never used one or never took the time to learn how to use one properly......with the exception of our very western brothers of the soil who really dont need one.

Regards, Mike


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

So if I get LOTS of morning dew, keep the windrows narrow, then ted it out in mid morning, once the sun dries the dew off? That's what I've been doing.
I have one big place I do, it's a huge flood plain, but it's cleaner than most of my non-flood plain fields. It never seems to be able to dry out!!!


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> So if I get LOTS of morning dew, keep the windrows narrow, then ted it out in mid morning, once the sun dries the dew off? That's what I've been doing.
> I have one big place I do, it's a huge flood plain, but it's cleaner than most of my non-flood plain fields. It never seems to be able to dry out!!!


My suggestion to you is to ted right after mowing.....if it is not in the mid-nineties let it cure for two full days(dont count mowing day) then rake about 10:30 or 11:00 the morning of baling....begin baling at 12:30 to 1:00 or when finished raking if later than said times. If temps are in the mid-nineties let lay for a full day....rake on baling day about 12:30 or 1:00 begin baling around 2 or when finished raking. You should be able to get grass hay dry if the ground is not sopping wet.

Regards, Mike


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

I just have no need for a Tedder. I do wide swath and it drys fine. But I don't have dews or wet ground. Heck with it being 105 here my hay will dry without being cut....


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

Here's pictures of my Ford 3910 with my Kuhn GF 5001 MH tedder. It is a 4 rotor 3 point hitch machine with hydraulic fold, and has a 17 foot working width. I am very happy with the job it does for me, and couldn't imagine trying to get hay put up without it.The rule here in the northeast is "If you want to get it dried, you gotta keep it in the air!" It's not uncommon to ted 3 or 4 times between mowing and raking/baling!
HTH, Dave


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Wow, so much diff. Depending on where you are located....I would never tedder after the first 36 hrs. unless rain, on uncrimped t85 maybe but Alicia....no. If really thick the next am after cut, after 10am


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Here's pictures of my Ford 3910 with my Kuhn GF 5001 MH tedder. It is a 4 rotor 3 point hitch machine with hydraulic fold, and has a 17 foot working width. I am very happy with the job it does for me, and couldn't imagine trying to get hay put up without it.The rule here in the northeast is "If you want to get it dried, you gotta keep it in the air!" It's not uncommon to ted 3 or 4 times between mowing and raking/baling!
> HTH, Dave


Same here if we take a late cutting in the fall. Might take a week to dry and it would be tedded every one of those days


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

Vol said:


> Been my experience that folks that think tedders are un-needed have never used one or never took the time to learn how to use one properly......with the exception of our very western brothers of the soil who really dont need one.
> 
> Regards, Mike


I totally agree. I was skeptical for a lot of years. I had no idea that anything like that existed until I heard some jabbering on farm sites. As time went by I learned of them. Then one spring day, I had my triangular hay patch all ready to bale I thought, and in investigating a 120 degree turn, kicked over a pile of hay and it was still wet and green.......sickle bar mower "doins". Said to self, boy this wad would really do nicely hidden inside a square bale of hay in my barn............I investigated , bought a reasonably priced one, actually a cheap one but I was doing good to afford that that at the time, modified it so that I could effectively use it and the rest is history.

Mark


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## bensbales (Jul 18, 2011)

In Vermont to dry hay u must ted hay. I have two tedders a nh163 hyd fold 17 ft( made by Kuhn) and a Vermeer te 25( 25ft ) tedder. In the morning will mow for about 45 mins then the help will follow behind me with the new holland tedder. Then that afternoon around 330 we will both go out and ted again. The second day we will ted the hay in the morning and in the afternoon with the vermeer. Third day maybe tedd in the morning but with mid 80 and mostly sunny weather ill rake around 1130. My idea behind tedding so much is that that im trying to keep the hay moving and exposed to the good weather that i have now because in Vermont the weather can change in a hury! I would recomed an older Kuhn fold behind tedder, try to find one with 7 arms per spinner, I wish both my tedders had 7, they have 6 so i ted a little bit slower gear.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Here's the way I look at this, first off the Tedder is about as simple as it gets to operate....I doubt there r many peeps that don't know how to run one, if they don't it's because they have never seen one...the learning curve has got to be fairly quick, there is no way that I would ever consider teddering one crop 5 times....I would beat the leaves right off the stems, we do have some high humidity here but we also have a terribly big ball o fire in the sky. If I have to Ted I consider myself unfortunate to get rain on fresh hay or fortunate because the yield was so great.


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## jchay (Jun 21, 2012)

i run a sitrex tedder now but used to have an old lely drum type that just fluffed up the windrow and didn't spread it out. it worked but you would get green un dryed clumps here and there while raking. i have also run a kuhn in my younger days working on a dairy, and for a friend. both types worked and each have their differences but imo the basket or rotary type are best. where i live southern new england you can't really make dry hay w/out a tedder.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

somedevildawg said:


> there is no way that I would ever consider teddering one crop 5 times....I would beat the leaves right off the stems, we do have some high humidity here but we also have a terribly big ball o fire in the sky. If I have to Ted I consider myself unfortunate to get rain on fresh hay or fortunate because the yield was so great.


Here I only ted in the AM with plenty of dew still on the crop, if it's the AM and you have no dew, most likely no need to ted.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

To the folks in the south / west, we are only running the tedder because there is a lot of moisture, from green fresh cut to just 30-40% moisture hay. I don't shake with dry leaves if I can help it but if its that or let it rot in the field, I'll lose some leaves.

As an example, we had great weather for us up to a week ago, then it turned and has rained for 7 days straight, over 4" of rain, and there is 4 more days of rain forecast. Once we get sun it will be 2-3 days. If 3 days we can get some hay in, but we will have to ted 3 times as the ground is soaked. The rake will run right in front of the baler and the hay will be right on the edge of being too wet. Not much choice unless we use preservative or make silage.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Colby said:


> I just have no need for a Tedder. I do wide swath and it drys fine. But I don't have dews or wet ground. Heck with it being 105 here my hay will dry without being cut....


LOL, that's what I'm having here on the hilltops at the moment. Thin to start with then catch any breeze at all. Baled 28 acres today, low spots were coming in at a perfect 17%, hilltops to too dry to even read on my Harvest Tec unit, so under 8%? Wasn't enough hay on those hilltops though to even consider baling the low spots then going back in the morning for the hilltops.


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