Hawk Built roller

[m16ty]

When I was a kid we had a neighbor that bought the first large round baler that was ever in this area. I remember that the brand name was "Hawk Built" and it rolled the bale on the ground. I just remember it was a weird contraption and made a awful roll. He was the talk of the town but it put a bad taste in everybody's mouth about switching to rolls, but the guy that had it thought it was the best thing going.

I haven't seen one of these since. Anybody else know what I'm talking about?

 

[DeltaRed]

Yep,Ive seen em. In junk yards,fence rows.....Everyone who had one said the same thing....JUNK!

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

Yep,Ive seen em. In junk yards,fence rows.....Everyone who had one said the same thing....JUNK!

Are those the machines that just kind of wadded up the hay on the ground & left a big mess?

Mike

 

[Tx Jim]

Many yrs ago I demonstrated a new Hawk Bilt round bundler to a customer. As with most equipment it had a large learning curve for optimum operation. Tractor operator had to adjust the teeth speed via a baler installed hyd valve with tractor mph as bundle rolled on the ground. Then when turning sharp corner tractor operator must slow teeth speed correctly to keep open station tractor operator(ME) from getting covered with loose hay.

 

[rrlund]

Ya. I remember them showing up in Archbold when guys found out what a mess they made. I know I wasn't dreaming when I say this, Hesston had one that did the same thing. When round balers first came out, Dad and I went to the Hesston dealer to look at one and it rolled on the ground just like the Hawk Built. It had belts with tines bolted to them.

 

[Fred Werring]

Father in law had one. Been sitting in the weeds for 35 years.

 

[Timmycornpicker]

Are those the machines that just kind of wadded up the hay on the ground & left a big mess?

Mike

Allis-Chalmers considered rebranding them in the early 70s, but then decided just to get out of hay and forage altogether.

 

[big a]

Ya. I remember them showing up in Archbold when guys found out what a mess they made. I know I wasn't dreaming when I say this, Hesston had one that did the same thing. When round balers first came out, Dad and I went to the Hesston dealer to look at one and it rolled on the ground just like the Hawk Built. It had belts with tines bolted to them.

RRLund, you are correct.
My grandpa got burned terribly and was unable to handle square bales, so bought a Hawk Bilt…then after a few years, that Hesston (5400, I believe) with those teeth on the belts that looked like Milo guard wires.
Nobody thought it’d be possible to go backwards from that Hawk-Bilt, but that Hesston sure was!
At least the Hesston theoretically could wrap twine. The Hawk-Bilt he had had no provision for twine at all.
I recall him baling about 20 grass bales (blobs, more like it) with a big storm gathering. Rained a bit & wind blew 50-60 mph all night.
Come morning, those bales were mostly gone…all loose haydrifted up in the fence line.
He finally bought a 1500A Gehl and at last had a (relatively) decent baler!