# Custom round baling questions



## Izzy

I'm looking into doing custom round baling in west centeral WI and just need some specifics to be clarified. First question is:

What is the average working speed of a round baler in light to heavy alfalfa?

Thanks!
Izzy


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## 1chevy02

what kind of baler r u running and will you be double raking and what size windrower will u be using


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## haybaler101

The speed limit on my New Holland is however fast I can stay in the seat. Most fields, comfortably @ 8 mph. Pickup gets behind @ about 10.5 mph in hay and 12-13 mph in straw. Windrow size doesn't matter, if it goes under the tractor, its fair game.


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## Izzy

1chevy02 said:


> what kind of baler r u running and will you be double raking and what size windrower will u be using


What I'm considering is a JD 4440 with a Krone Vario-Pack 1800 round baler. I'm also looking into a baler/tractor front end, mounted raking system.
Izzy


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## 1chevy02

i dont know anything about the krone if you get one let us know how you like it. My br 780 has been a headache lately. Back on topic. i would say i do an average of 30-35 bales an hour in decent conditions. It can be much higher if everything is just right but after getting a hesston 7444 im kinda spoiled now i need a faster round baler


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## Erock813

We've have a Krone 1500 and the pick up speed on the header is nice. We do both dry and wet bales with ours and havent had any major probelms. The cutter works great. Nice clean cut and you dont notice any drag. It sucks that our local dealer went under. But i can order parts from the district rep.If i have a probelm,i can give him a call and he'll do what he can..Hopefully they can get another dealership to carry the equipment. I need a mower and tedder next year.


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## swmnhay

Izzy,you mentioned a front mounted raking system.Are you baling alfalfa hay?I would think you would be loosing to many leaves raking in front of baler.May work fine in grass hay but maybe better to do it before to aid in drying.


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## Izzy

swmnhay said:


> Izzy,you mentioned a front mounted raking system.Are you baling alfalfa hay?I would think you would be loosing to many leaves raking in front of baler.May work fine in grass hay but maybe better to do it before to aid in drying.


Hmmm... Interesting point, I'll have to think about that. I was just thinking of ways to save on fuel. Thank you for the point you made.
Izzy


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## mlappin

Unless you're climbing a lot of hills, my New Holland wheel rake hardly pulls hard at all behind my 1855. I pull it in 6th gear direct and usually run between 8-10 mph at a good fast idle.


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## Izzy

Ok, next question. How many bales could be expected per acre, with a heavy crop of alfalfa, using a bale size of 4x5?
An additional though to the baler mounted hay rake... Instead of a rake, what about having an extended baler pick-up?
Izzy


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## swmnhay

Izzy said:


> Ok, next question. How many bales could be expected per acre, with a heavy crop of alfalfa, using a bale size of 4x5?
> An additional though to the baler mounted hay rake... Instead of a rake, what about having an extended baler pick-up?
> Izzy


At 3 ton an acre and 750# bale for a 4x5 it would be 8 bales an acre.

To make the baler the most efficent make a windrow as wide as the bale.4' for your baler.Boxed shaped windrow.I do it with a V wheel rake.By doing this you don't have to weave to keep the bale even.I rake two 13' swaths together to do this with a 5x6 baler.Can be a huge windrow if over 3 ton acre.


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## Izzy

Question 3. About how long would it take to make one bale, from start to finish? I can't say that I've really worked with them up to this point so I can't visualize the process quite yet.
Izzy


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## swmnhay

Izzy said:


> Question 3. About how long would it take to make one bale, from start to finish? I can't say that I've really worked with them up to this point so I can't visualize the process quite yet.
> Izzy


A few variables there net wrap/twine,size of windrows,and the baler.Size of bales also..A good average 30-40 bales an hour.Yea its possible to do more but its pushing it and its no fun unplugging a pickup so I usually back off 1 gear of what it CAN bale.I bale from 9-12mph depending on windrow.


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## haybaler101

Ditto on swmn. In a perfect world, a bale a minute on a 6X5 is possible, but all fields, windrows, and conditions are not perfect. I do like to make at least 30 per hour minimum, makes a nice hourly paycheck @ $11 per bale.


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## Izzy

haybaler101 said:


> Ditto on swmn. In a perfect world, a bale a minute on a 6X5 is possible, but all fields, windrows, and conditions are not perfect. I do like to make at least 30 per hour minimum, makes a nice hourly paycheck @ $11 per bale.


Do you mean 6x5 or 5x6? Up here I'm looking into 4x3-6 (variable size bale chamber). The average cost up here to have a person do custom (in 2007) is, between $7.25 and $8.50 for large rounds under 1,000 lbs.

Is there any expences that I should keep in mind beyond; fuel, lubrication, Insurance, mantenence, labor, twine/netwrap, and the occasional breakdown?

Izzy


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## swmnhay

Izzy,A few hidden expences that may or may not pertain to you.

If you have your own hay or other work it may get delayed or suffer because you are diong someone elses work.

If you have a wife/girlfriend she may get quite crabby when you have plans and you get a call for baling or you get the "can't you help around the house you can help the nieghbor bale" (got that one last night) lol

Bad accounts,If someone doesn't pay you still have expence you have to make up for.

Moving eq.Depending on the area you cover can be very time consuming and it cost you fuel and labor.

Good Luck,Cy


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## Izzy

swmnhay said:


> Izzy,A few hidden expences that may or may not pertain to you.
> 
> Bad accounts,If someone doesn't pay you still have expence you have to make up for.
> 
> Moving eq.Depending on the area you cover can be very time consuming and it cost you fuel and labor.


How do you deal with that? Because ultimately you want the work, yet you need to be sure to get paid.

How do you transport your equipment to each job? I assume you use a semi and trailer, but up here you can't go 1 mile without coming across 1 hay field if not 2. So I'm not sure on how far to expect to travel.

I would like to do some kind of written survey for our area to see if there is actually any "demand" for some one to do round baling. Any ideas for formats or questions to have on a survey?

Izzy


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## hayray

swmnhay said:


> If you have a wife/girlfriend she may get quite crabby when you have plans and you get a call for baling or you get the "can't you help around the house you can help the nieghbor bale" (got that one last night) lol
> 
> Good Luck,Cy


The girl friend thing, that is a hoot. Happens to me all the time. During hay season I just cant be there for dinner at a set time. She is not a farm girl so she has a hard time some times.


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