Bale Spear Picture

[slim pickins]

Here is a close up of my bale spear

 

[slim pickins]

front view

 

[jon]

I like that milkcan seat. Is it made intentional or just happened to be laying up against it?

 

[slim pickins]

Thanks, but it is still in the plans to become a milk can seat, just havent got around to it yet. It is a seat of of an old rake I believe.

 

[Dan in CO]

Slim:

That looks stout! great job & thanks for posting the picture. Like Dunk always says, this is the best bar I go to and I get a lot of enjoyment out of seeing the creativity.

 

[Dunk]

LOL@Dan in CO!!

I think it is awesome!!

It looks like something I would come up with (cept maybe better).

Now all you have to do is find, or make, small enough bales for the N to handle.

 

[slim pickins]

I have heard folks mention trying to find smaller bales for the N, but I've never had a problem lifting any 4x4 or 4x5 bales. 4x5 is as big as anyone rolls round here. Do they roll any bigger in other parts?

 

[Dunk]

Slim, if your N would lift most of the rolls around here, you would have the front end pointed at the moon.

Are you weighting the front end on yours?

Around here most folks only do it with a 3000 or better.

 

[slim pickins]

The only weight on my front end is the bumper and winch. Sometimes when I get a good bale behind her she gets light on her feet and wont steer if the ground is wet.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 21:23:40 02/06/08) The only weight on my front end is the bumper and winch. Sometimes when I get a good bale behind her she gets light on her feet and wont steer if the ground is wet.

We got 'em heavy enough here that "if" the 8N will lift them (some not) then the only way the front end is on the ground is by running in reverse. Moved a lot in reverse before got bigger tractor.

 

[Fordfarmer]

We go 4x4 1/2 for high moisture, 4x5 or 5x5 for dry, depending on who's available for me to hire. The guy who does the 5x5 for me can go to 6' diameter, but then I can't stack them 3 high in the shed. Don't generally see bigger than that except out west, but there are balers that make up to 6x6'.

 

[Too Tall]

Here in North Central Florida a lot of our round bales are about 5 feet diameter or so, and most weigh in at about 500 Lbs. Some of the larder ones hit 600. I've moved a few with my 8N and a bale spear, but the front end is light...
Larger ones can be purchsed, but I can't move them, so I go with the smaller ones. Price is reflected with size.

What does a 4X4 or 5X5 bale weigh?

TooTall

 

[Fordfarmer]

Weight depends on type of hay, type and brand of baler, moisture, and how the baler is set. Soft core bales from fixed-chamber balers usually weigh less than ones from variable-chamber balers. VERY few fixed-chamber balers around here. Vermeer, JD, and NH (10 years old or less) all seem to make tighter, heavier bales than the other brands I've seen. JD, NH, and Gehl are most common localy. Our high-moisture bales (that get wrapped) are only 4 1/2x4, but run 1800-2000 pounds. Our dry 4x5's are usually 900-1000 pounds, depending on what the hay mix is, (clover, alfalfa, timothy, trefoil, grass, etc.) and 5x5's are right around 1100-1200 pounds.