# inverter or merger or rake



## jk_dairy (Jul 10, 2015)

Just curious about a New Holland 166 hay inverter and a miller pro hay buddy merger. Will either one replace a rake? I run a rotary rake now, and I like it, but I'm wanting to buy another tool to speed up my raking time. I mean I would still run the rake but I'm looking for something else for my dad to run at the same time so it only takes half the time to rake. I mainly chop or wet wrap the hay, so it doesn't have to get real dry. My problem is by the time the hay is dry enough to rake, it's just about dry enough to chop or wet wrap, but I still have raking to do. I thought with two machines running I could cover more acres in a day. I just don't know if I should buy another rake, or an inverter, or a merger. Any thoughts?


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## hay rake (Dec 31, 2011)

what we have found is that rakes work best and cheapest. mergers have gone crazy in price. to each their own but i'll take the rakes. all we run are rotaries but a 30 foot circle c may soon call our place home. looking to rake 30 feet into two windrows for the small balers and one row for the round and big square in one pass. i understand wanting to cut raking time but if your going to buy another rake why not buy a bigger rotary and just run one. i'm sure you can find something for father to do. put him on the rake to free you to start baling or chopping. if i take my father off a rake there's going to be hell to pay and he's 81. but he say's not with the wheel rake


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## Jharn57600 (Dec 23, 2013)

What type of hay? Around here mergers put less dirt and rocks in the windrow, so they are nicer to the chopper knives. I don't have experience with a Hay Buddy but the pickup in front of a belt mergers will not make as smooth of a row as a rotory rake in higher moisture hay. The rake is more versatile and cheaper. Id rather chop behind a merger.


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## OhioHay (Jun 4, 2008)

Almost everyone chopping around here runs a merger. Have been told that they don't work in dry hay.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

From what I hear the hay buddy is cats meow for dry hay. Dunno about wetter/heavier crop. Look at how the crop is moved, it might leave green hay behind. The thing about hay buddy is the mechanical nature, many moving parts and chains. That machine was designed by a farmer in Pennsylvania if I remember right. Miller worked a deal with them and at the end of the day didn't build nearly as many as as the rotarys. Sorry if I'm offending anyone but personally I would stay away from it. Artsway is still slow for repair parts.

NH166 would be my choice if I had to choose between the 2. There is another option for inverters:RCI engineering makes one sold through Deere, they did anyway. Randy Clark is a farm kid who has tons of knowledge about crop moving and machine design. He builds other attachments that would likely interest many on the forum. Google rci engineering.


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