# Found rotary rake



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

Well I heard of another equipment site I hadn't spotted (JD machinefinder) & found a rotary. Many folks around here don't even know what one is; majority round bale & use the big V or wheel rakes. I'd expected to have to go north to find one but this one was in the next major city.







Was pretty high IMHO but since it was only 35 miles away I decided to go look at it yesterday. I took an envelope full of cash & made an offer & they took it! Picked it up this afternoon; I'll get pix tomorrow & post them. It's a single rotor Krone Niemeyer pull type. needless to say I'm anxious for the grass to grow (sure need rain) so I can try it out









Lew


----------



## darren (Nov 18, 2009)

I have 2 niemeyer twin rotary rakes.Some parts are unavailable. Do not rake much above idle or u will be picking up pieces. Double check all bolts under carrousel for tightness and roller bearings for wear. Good luck.


----------



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

Thanks Darren

I plan to check everything out & lube everything (of course) before I use it. The guy that helped me load it said the prior owner traded it in on a bigger one (3 rotor I think he said?) & said he'd been pleased with it.

Lew


----------



## Dolphin (May 21, 2010)

Pics


----------



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

Dolphin said:


> Pics


Soon; prob this evening. Still on lowboy trailer with some tines removed for transport; plan to unload & put it back together this morning

Lew


----------



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

OK I don't know how to imbed pix here but here's the photobucket links
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/lewbest/krone rake/01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/lewbest/krone rake/02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/lewbest/krone rake/03.jpg

Lew


----------



## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Nice looking rake. 
A pull type is handy for hooking up. 
Run it with a pto running in the 300 to 350 rpm range. 
I seldom used the curtain as it was not really needed. 
I was thinking of using a hydraulic motor to drive the screw to raise or lower the machine. That would have been handy. 
I changed to a NH rake tedder that is really handy. If I was in the market I would buy a Hesston Rake Tedder as it will work as a tedder, work as a one direction rake or a rake to the middle rake.

You will fine you can now rake slightly damp hay and not wind the windrow into a rope. 
You will have fewer wet slugs.
It is so nice baling hay that has been raked with a rotory rake.

What direction from Waco are you? I am just south of Temple, on TX 95.


----------



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

hay wilson in TX said:


> Nice looking rake.
> A pull type is handy for hooking up.
> Run it with a pto running in the 300 to 350 rpm range.
> I seldom used the curtain as it was not really needed.
> ...


Thanks!

I'm on FM 434 just south of the loop. Just have a small place; cut & bale about 3 acres for my little donkeys. No telling what it costs me per bale but making hay is FUN in my opinion!

Lew


----------



## Goatman (Jun 11, 2010)

Hay is VERY FUN! Looks like you got a nice rake Lew!


----------



## scrapiron (Mar 10, 2010)

Lew: Nice rake, I would like to have it. As Mr.Wilson said do not be afraid to slow the pto down, most of the time it will do a better job turning slower in bermuda grass. 
Parts can be a little hard to locate for it. You will like it ! 
Hay is fun, expecially compared to growing vegs.

scrapiron


----------



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

Thanks; the dealer I got it from is a Krone dealer & called Krone & they said parts pretty readily available. In the OM (downloaded it online) they recommend 350-400 pto speed; 350's about 1200 rpm on the old Ford; about where I like to run it. I don't like running my "oldies" too fast (this rake by far the newest thing I got) as I think they last longer that way.

Lew


----------



## hay king (Feb 6, 2011)

Looks like a nice unit
With a rotery rake slow down on the RPM's and you can drive faster they are far better on fuel and make nicer wind rows than any other rake. Once you use this rake you will fall in love and wonder why you didnt get one sooner. Enjoy the good times to come.


----------



## yardbird (Apr 5, 2011)

Lew,

I am in the process of buying a rotary rake just like yours. Where did you find the owners manual online? I have looked, but have not had any success. Like you. I cant wait to use mine.


----------



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

yardbird said:


> Lew,
> 
> I am in the process of buying a rotary rake just like yours. Where did you find the owners manual online? I have looked, but have not had any success. Like you. I cant wait to use mine.


Go to Agroparts (which can also be accessed from the Krone website). You have to log in (or register if you're not registered) & near the bottom of the column on the left it sats Niemeyer. That's where it is; NOT with the Krone stuff.

Lew (who is desperate for a good rain!)


----------



## gman1772 (Mar 20, 2010)

I wish I knew you were looking for a rotary rake Mr. Lew. There has been a nice Kuhn unit for sale in Spring, TX for a while now. Oh well, the one you got looks to be in good shape. Hope you got some of that rain yesterday. All we got down here was a bunch of dust.


----------



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

Thanks gman

Is that the one that's been on craigslist for quite a while? If so I looked into it (think I put a question about it on here) & it's kind of wierd; don't work like most do (2 rotors with some "wheel looking things" that apparently gather the hay?). Wherever I posted it anyway it was recommended that I stay away from it.

Did real good with the rain; a whopping .03 inch














We had just over one inch the month of March; usually about 3" IIRC? They say this is the worst drought in 44 years!

Lew


----------



## Greyhorse (Jun 22, 2009)

Count yourself lucky, we had a whopping nothing for rain in March. Did get about 1/2" on Monday morning finally, now if we got that much every week we would be ok..... doesn't look too likely.


----------



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

I was wrong; looked back on my spread sheet & we only got .05" in March. We're really getting desperate here; lotsa wind & pasture/brush fires plus the hay not growing. I'm hoping to get back to Louisiana next week to pick up that "new to me" baler but wondering when I'll have anything to bale!

Lew


----------



## OhioHay (Jun 4, 2008)

Looks like a nice rake. We have used rotaries since 2000 and wouldn't switch back. I would love to share some rain with you, we have flooding again up here in Ohio.


----------



## Greyhorse (Jun 22, 2009)

That's what I was thinking, didn't look like it had rained down your way much this year either. So, it appears that it rains so much in the Midwest now that they can't make hay and so little down here that we can't make hay..... I really don't like this trend.


----------



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

OhioHay said:


> Looks like a nice rake. We have used rotaries since 2000 and wouldn't switch back. I would love to share some rain with you, we have flooding again up here in Ohio.


Thanks; sure wish you could send some of that rain down here!

Lew


----------



## lewbest (Dec 9, 2009)

Greyhorse said:


> <<snip>> So, it appears that it rains so much in the Midwest now that they can't make hay and so little down here that we can't make hay..... I really don't like this trend.


I don't like it either!

Lew


----------

