# Question of the day- how do you make perfect flakes in a bale?



## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

I know uptake of hay into the baler has a lot to do with how big or little a flake is - I have not seen uniform flakes much in the haying world. So I have pondered - why not? How does one make uniform size and weight flakes in a small square?

(yeah I know you are going to laugh at me- that's fine- still hunting for the answer though)


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

A mix of the ground speed of baling and windrow consistency.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

Flakes not uniform between flakes in the same bale? Need a baler operator and or rake operator instead of a bale and rake driver.
Flakes not uniform between suppliers? Much of that is due to preference of the person baling the hay. For instance, I shoot for 14-18 flakes per bale which makes @2 to 2-1/2ish per flake. That would drive some guys/gals crazy as they handle much higher volume than I do. If they shoot for 9 flakes per bale, then their flakes would be @4". All else being equal (same baler SPM, same PTO RPM, etc....) then they are putting 2X the bales on the ground as I am in the same time.

If you are asking how YOU can make a more uniform bale, make a consistent windrow and count bale strokes while operating the tractor. If the stroke count is below what you want, slow down. If more flakes per bale than you want...speed up. If the windrows are crappy (due to a rake driver or crop conditions, you will be shifting gears like Billy Bigrigger just trying to maintain SOMEWHAT consistent windrows.

The baler (if ran at the same PTO RPMs) will give X strokes per minute. The balers needs to encounter enough hay within that time frame to make the bale the way you want. My tractor is equipped with a Hay-Encountering-Rate (HER) adjuster and a Rate of InTake and Encounter (RITE) adjustment. The "HER RITE" system is costly to buy and there is little resale value. Like any new system, it took me awhile to get aquainted with the HER RITE system; once I finally quit fighting it, it works wonders.

Skip A Rope, Mark


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

This is one place VRT on a tractor can really shine IMHO. With the old balers (or new I guess you can still get them), with a separate engine, also shined. You could change the tractor rpm's up or down to help constantly (while changing gears if needed) feed the baler a consistent amount of hay (if raked somewhat property). Either that or pick up Mark's HER RITE system (I'm not sure they are making them anymore, threw away the molds is a possibility). 

IMHO, Tes' statement and Mark's second sentence is probably all you need to know.

Larry


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## Cmm (Jun 5, 2016)

That's the easiest part of all

Consistent windrows
Limit your turning as much as possible 
speed speed speed let me say it again speed
Pto rom's never change it very very important


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