# Are Bale Skiis worth messing with?



## OneManShow (Mar 17, 2009)

Been looking for some info on bale skiis from a source independent from the manufacturer. If what the manufacturer claims is true, it sounds like something a guy might get some use out of. I sure wouldn't want to install the thing then find out it didn't work out. We bale with a Hesston inline small square, or a NH 575 if the Hesston breaks down-which isn't very often. We pick-up with a NH bale wagon then load the squeeze blocks into the barn. We stack the blocks two high (not too high), and frequently load customers with the squeeze. So we try to make a pretty tight uniform bale so the block will hold together-loose bales do not work for us at all. The bale wagon will chew up loose bales, and the hay squeeze doesn't do all that well squeezing a block of squishy bales either. Nothin like having a nicely stacked squeeze block turn itself into an unstacked mess when you're trying to get a truck loaded. I read that some guys installed bale skiis and could not get a tight bale, so they took them out and got a refund. Also saw that some guys wouldn't have a baler without bale skiis. Anybody have the real unbiased lowdown on this gizmo?

Thanks


----------



## ButchAutomatic (Jun 4, 2008)

Try them if you don't like them, send them back.


----------



## downtownjr (Apr 8, 2008)

Below is a link to some earlier discussion on the Bale Ski subject. Few different thoughts. I have also considered them, but have not purchased them. The link is below...

http://www.haytalk.com/forums/f2/does-anyone-here-use-bale-skis-393/


----------



## JoshA (Apr 16, 2008)

I have no experience with them, but I want a set for both my big and small square balers. If they're as good as they claim, they'll be worth every penny.


----------



## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

I have a reply in that other discussion.

If you already make your bales extremely heavy or tight, I'm not sure if you'll see a difference - maybe in the fuel usage or baler wear, but I'm not sure.

I just moved our sets to the 3rd pair of balers. I figure they have about 2-300k on each set, and they look like new. the steel washers that hold them in place have to be replaced, but the plastic doesn't seem to wear? I thought we really got ripped off when I saw the box they came in, but I am of the oposite opinion now.

Rodney


----------



## OneManShow (Mar 17, 2009)

I ordered a set for our Hesston baler. If it works out, I'll get a set for our NH too. Thanks for the input.


----------



## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

I am really surprised you would need them with a Hesston. What improvements are you looking for a far as bale shape or is it density?


----------



## OneManShow (Mar 17, 2009)

Our Hesston makes a great bale-but if this gizmo does what they say, it make a great bale with less wear and tear on the baler and they claim much less leaf loss also. So if it works well, great-if it doesn't do much for us I'll send it back and take the refund.


----------



## j316deere (May 24, 2009)

I put the bale skii in my New Holland 311 last season and saw an immediate improvement. The bales are both tighter and much more uniform.


----------

