# Maxilator Accumagrapple Elite



## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Anyone running one of these? I'm about to pull the trigger on one, just want to check if anyone has anything to say about them?
Won't be putting up thousands upon thousands of bales, probably 4-5000 max a year. It's just too easy for me to feed squares to the ewes.


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## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

I've used one with wheat straw. It worked well for the way we were using it. We were hand stacking van trailers in the field, so it was only used for gathering and setting bales into the rear opening of the van trailer. You could push several grabs in at first, either one or two layers deep until they got close to the front of the trailer. Then the stackers went to work and stacked the trailer floor to ceiling, wall to wall. Took a lot of guys (skid loader operator, truck driver, and 4 stackers), but put the straw up fairly quickly and it was stored and ready for sale.

Takes a little bit to get quick with gathering them. The grabs are slightly loose because of the guide bars on the accumagrapple. But since we never used open wagons for transport, and never used the grapple to offload into a storage facility, I can't comment on how that might affect a load, then off-load into storage scenario.


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## Ranger518 (Aug 6, 2016)




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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Well, right or wrong I pulled the trigger today. I realize it’s not a perfect system, but then again I’m not a perfect person so we should work well together.


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## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

It's a nice piece of equipment and you'll get the hang of it with a little practice. Do you have a 2 speed skid loader?


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

paoutdoorsman said:


> It's a nice piece of equipment and you'll get the hang of it with a little practice. Do you have a 2 speed skid loader?


No I don't. It's on the wish list but not for a while.


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## Beav (Feb 14, 2016)

At $5500 to $6000 about half the price of a new Khun accumulator if you looked around you could find a used Khun foe $8500 to $9000 and then $3500 for a grapple would have been money better spent IMO good luck


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Beav said:


> At $5500 to $6000 about half the price of a new Khun accumulator if you looked around you could find a used Khun foe $8500 to $9000 and then $3500 for a grapple would have been money better spent IMO good luck


I would have loved a Kuhns but could not find a used for anywhere near $9000.

I also did not pay anywhere near $6,000 nor $5,500 for that matter.


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## Beav (Feb 14, 2016)

When we were looking at a new Maxilator they were $5500 to $6000, bought a new Kuhn F-1036 for $11500 and 2 grapples for $3800 each instead. Best money we ever spent we went from 15000 bales a year to 22000 bales a year paid for itself in the first year. I saw a Kuhn F-1036 sell at a retirement farm sale sell for $8500. I have not seen a lot of used equipment sell lately


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Beav said:


> When we were looking at a new Maxilator they were $5500 to $6000, bought a new Kuhn F-1036 for $11500 and 2 grapples for $3800 each instead. Best money we ever spent we went from 15000 bales a year to 22000 bales a year paid for itself in the first year. I saw a Kuhn F-1036 sell at a retirement farm sale sell for $8500. I have not seen a lot of used equipment sell lately


I can virtually guarantee there wouldn't be any used Kuhns near me with 150 miles honestly. I'd be thinking maybe Central SD might have some, lots of cattle operations still using small squares out there. 
I think a new Kuhns 1036F (or whatever model) is running about $13,000 new and then still gotta buy the grapple. Lots of money that the flock would have to pay back, not a worthwhile investment for me at the moment.


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## gkuhns (Aug 1, 2008)

stack em up said:


> I think a new Kuhns 1036F (or whatever model) is running about $13,000 new and then still gotta buy the grapple. Lots of money that the flock would have to pay back, not a worthwhile investment for me at the moment.


For everyone's information, Kuhns does have a 4 bale accumulator. It is sold with an 8 bale grabber and the idea that one can pick up 4 bales, drive, pick up 4 more and then put 8 on the wagon. The reason I bring it up is this system is around $8-9k for both the accumulator and the grabber and saves you from needing to do another entire pass on the field.

My apologies for being a little salesman-y but I just wanted everyone to know that this option does exist. Full disclosure: I work for Kuhns Mfg.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Very cool to have a Kuhns employee post here! In all honesty, I’d love to have a 10 bale Kuhns, it’s just not in the cards right now. Unless you have a coupon I can use!


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

I do not work for Kuhn, but will say they are a great group of folks to deal with from personal experience.

Larry


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

The Kuhns family stand behind their products and are readily available to answer questions if you call. Old school type service. I have called a few times and always had my questions immediately answered. Of all the ag products I own, tractors and equipment, Kuhns has the best service hands down and great products.

Regards, Mike


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## Braunvieh Gal (May 8, 2020)

I enjoyed reading these since ive been thinking of purchasing one.


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## Braunvieh Gal (May 8, 2020)

If you were getting a Kuhn would you get the edge or the flat?


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Braunvieh Gal said:


> If you were getting a Kuhn would you get the edge or the flat?


Depends upon YOUR needs/desire. They make both to cover OUR needs/desire (along with different sizes).

I'm from the school of stacking hay on edge cut side up, they make a machine that fits my needs (15 bale on edge). See old attached piece from John Deere, section #5, one of the reasons I stack on edge. Another reason is less mice damage to strings in some cases, especially straw bales. 

The 10 bale flat works for a lot of folks, converting from traditional hand stacking on wagons. Allows them to use existing wagons/equipment pretty easy.

I re-started from 'scratch' per se, so I re-built or add new hay hauling equipment that edge stacking works for ME. An 18 bale wasn't as conducive to my existing equipment, hence 15 bale was my choice. If I was to start loading semi trailers, I'd be upgrading most likely.

Now, if you don't have a tractor/equipment to safely handed 10 bales, then a smaller version might work.

HTH

Larry


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Braunvieh Gal said:


> If you were getting a Kuhn would you get the edge or the flat?


Flat is much more stable and allows one to skip purchasing the tie grabber that is used to make the edge bale bundle more stable. The tie grabber also weighs about twice the amount of a standard grabber which could make a difference in what kind of equipment one would be required to utilize. If you have a preservative system on your baler or intend to use one, then there would be no advantage in stacking grass hay on edge.

Regards, Mike


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## ttazzman (Sep 29, 2019)

I have the Rhino (by maxilator) same thing......we bought it at a farm show sept 2018 ...$4600.....used it during 2019 for about 1k bales ( i am a 100% one man show) ....

it worked as advertised ....i used it on the front of a skid-loader....with a skidloader it is easy to use

pro's ...reasonable price, one implement ,does the job

con's ....slides the hay on ground (not really a issue) ....bales need to be consistant in size...requires a quick reconfiguration to unload at barn

the rails that separate and guide the bales during accumulation keep the bale pack separated till you release the pack on the trailer ...then if you need a tight pack on the trailer you have to push it to tighten it up........also i have always edge stacked in the barn till 2019 and flat stacking worked out ok just seemed wierd but i got used to it

i would buy one again....its a god send to a small operation


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

I bought one four years ago. Great unit. Need good eye sight and smooth operator but once you get use to it you can keep up with the baler if trailers or wagon are placed aroud the field. We got to the point used one (bought a second a different brand still need to compare here) in the field and move the Maxilator to the barn for unloading and yes stacking in the barn and then reloading back onto trailer for deliever as need be. Used a about a 40hp NH at the barn and it fit like a champ there. Used 5525 JD in the field.

If you go this way see about finding an accumulator pull behind (sorry the brand name escapes me this minute) and remove the divider panels and one of the outside bars. Then you just run up to them and turn into them and driving forward they get real tight. We would load four or five high and seldom had to tie them for transporting to the barn. Now if crossing major road they got tied. IF you are using the 10 bale system be sure you rotate the stacking, if not the end bale will most likely roll on you.

If use this with the dividers in the field be sure to remove them to unstack from trailer or the barn.

Forgot who was talking about loading trailer with it, have neighbor who uses a bale bandit and he stacks them two high and is able to fill the total trailer by pushing the bottom of the stack. I suspect if you have a tractor with hooks on it and drop the hooks off you probably could use that frame to do the same. Or bucket either or the grapple itself with the sides off so you could lower it to about the middle of the bale.


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## Curious (May 26, 2020)

gkuhns said:


> For everyone's information, Kuhns does have a 4 bale accumulator. It is sold with an 8 bale grabber and the idea that one can pick up 4 bales, drive, pick up 4 more and then put 8 on the wagon. The reason I bring it up is this system is around $8-9k for both the accumulator and the grabber and saves you from needing to do another entire pass on the field.
> 
> My apologies for being a little salesman-y but I just wanted everyone to know that this option does exist. Full disclosure: I work for Kuhns Mfg.


New to this forum but the Original Poster's question is one that I spent a lot of time researching.

I hope my experience may be helpful to anyone looking at small bale automation.

I don't know how to add a link, but if you are interested in my experience with a Kuhns AF4 a google search of "newagtalk curious small bale accumulator and misc. hay pics" should lead you to a thread where I share my experience and answer some questions.

The Maxilator style system was where I was headed when I started looking, but in my circumstances,

1. It would have been a bit heavy for my 185 Bobcat.

2. My storage area would have made for close quarters with a longer grapple.

3. I neeed to move quickly from load to unload and in my case the installation and removal of rails would have been necessary too often for convenience.

4. I don't think I would have been very successful with re-grappling the bales while unloading or re-loading for sale due to the grab lay-out. 8 bale is pretty straightforward and I have learned a few things that help tie-stack with minimal hand re-stacking if I want a five bale configuration for longer hauls.

5. 9 foot racks allow 3 wide lengthwise stacking of one and a half grabs.

The simplicity of the AF4 would be hard to over-state.

I had less than $5,000 in a new AF4 and an old but good Farmhand 8 bale grapple. (A few gazzilion miles on my pickup but that's just entertainment)

This got longer than I expected.

I have benefited from the discussions here when researching hay equipment, and hope this may be of use to someone looking for information as I was before deciding on my set-up.

Thanks.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Welcome to Haytalk Curious.....I’m sure some will benefit from that.


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## happyfarmer (Sep 10, 2014)

I would be curious as to how either maxilator or Kuhns work on farm tractors vs skid steers. I would like to try one system or the other but I cannot afford/justify a skid steer for 1500 sm sq 2nd cutting. I round bale the first for my cows but would like to sell 2nd.

I have a JD 5525 and a 50 hp NH boomer. Both 4x4. I would prefer to use the NH but I think the grapple and hay will be too much for it even with ballast.

Any advice or suggestions on this??
Thanks in advance


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## Ranger518 (Aug 6, 2016)

Although I would not recommend running a grapple on a small tractor I sometime run my 8 bale grapple with my 38hp Kubota with a ballast box on 3pt and loaded rear tires and it actually works really well with it having especially with hydrostat trans.


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

I have a 'Deere 5320 that I run a 8/ 10 bale grapple on with no problems. I will use 4wd when I'm loading a customers trailer/ truck just to make sure I can stop on slick grass.


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