I made a bale spear

[blunosr]

Hi, I made a bale spear this weekend. The main spear is 2 3/8" OD , do you think it will work?

It is very heavy wall pipe (7/16 wall), from oil and gas industry so it shouldn't bend. All the spears are removable, and my intent with the 45 degree socket, is to use the spear to poke holes for fence posts, set the posts, then push them down with the loader.

I don't have my bobcat right here, so I couldn't fit it. I'm hoping the 45 degree socket doesn't interfere with the quick attach, where it pokes out the back a bit. Anyone know right off ?

Thanks,

Bye for now,

Troy

 

[1349]

VERY NEAT WORK.

Now your question, I think it will bend. A long tapering gusset at least 2/3 the length of the pipe would make it MUCH stronger. I made one and bent it from some thicker wall pipe than that. An old truck axle like out of a 2 or 3 ton works better than any pipe (and it would still need gusseted). that spilce may give you trouble from completely spearing the bale too. your little bottom spears wouldnt hurt to be heavier and SLIGHTLY pointed upward.

the fence post idea, never would have imagined such a thing.

VERY NICE NEAT FAB WORK, once again. I see a lot of time in that.

 

[farmerdon]

would have worked great on soft core bales harder to make a pipe work with hard core bales which most round bales are now. very professional looking job on the fabrication. I would just get a Kverneland spear for the spear

 

[blunosr]

The truck axle didn't occur to me till I already had the spear made, but that's a great idea. The collar on the main spear is not a splice, just a collar to give me some added stuff to push against when pushing it into the ground for fence posts. I didn't think the 3/4 pin would be enough when pushing it into the ground.

I think I will put a couple gussets between the plates at the top spear mount. When I'm pushing into a bale, I could see that bending.

I'm a bit concerned that the main spear is too big in diameter to go into a bale.

The bottom spears are 1 1/4" diameter.

Oh well, it gave me something to do. I like to putter, and most of this was just scrap anyways. Although the Bobcat utility plate was pricey!

From pictures I could find on the internet I don't think the 45 degree pipe will interfere with the mount on my Bobcat (which is out at my farm), and it definitely won't interfere with my tractor mount.

I do have pallet forks that I can move big bales with, so if this doesn't work, it's ok.

Bye for now,

Troy

 

[Deere Scotty]

I'm impressed by whats pictured!

 

[TomH in PA]

I suppose it depends on how heavy the bales are, but that looks far stronger than the spear I use on 5x4 bales.

 

[JMS/.MN]

One way to strengthen the spear is to add an internal flat bar, 3/8 or 1/2 inch thick x the pipe ID, tacked vertically when the spear is installed.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Try, that's some nice weldin, looks better than my chicken turds! AS to whether it will work, in my experience, the thinner solid spears work best, at least on the small round bales that I deal with. Agrisupply sells them for under $50, last time I checked. Try it out, it may work, just to make a liar out of me! The thicker you make the spear, in my experience, the better the chance is that it will "ice cream cone" the bales, pushing the bale into a cone shape, rather than penetrating.

 

[blunosr]

JMS, that is a fantastic idea! That's what I love about this place, folks with good ideas that I never thought of (flat bar inside the pipe...).

I'll remember that for future projects.

Thanks,

Troy

 

[David G]

Nice Job

 

[BCnT]

i built almost the same spear as you did about 5 years ago...havent bent it yet and i dont fool with them 500# horsey bales...mine are 1800# +
sometimes they dont stick easy but i tip em up on edge and drive point in.

 

[Texasmark1]

Beautiful workmanship as you know you did a super job.

If it starts bending on you, then put a gusset under it, otherwise
leave it be. I have built 2 or 3 over the years. My last was not
with a 2-3 ton truck axle but the axle from an 18 wheeler.
Worked fine, no gussets, heavy 5x6 JD 530 baled.

You did a smart thing and great job on your spear point. That is
paramount in sticking a solid bale sitting in the field, regardless
of the size of the shank.

The pipe you used is just fine as it is. I have used that drilling
pipe and with that wall and the diameter you have plenty of
strength for bale lifting.

I even made a portable boom for mine, before I had a loader,
made from 2 5/8 or whatever the next size up is that I slid over
the one I built with the truck axle and is at least 8' long and I
haven't bent it yet. I've picked up over 500# hanging from the
end.

So from a ft-lbs point of view, if you had the whole 1800# bale
hanging off the tip of your spike (which you don't.....it is
distributed down the full length of your spike); spike being say 3
1/2' from a ft-lbs point of view the stress is 96/42 = about 2 my
500# looks like 1000# fixed on the tip of yours.

It's a walk in the park man. Enjoy.

On the interference, I have a loader with a quick attach setup up
on the premise of the Bobcat but I don't know about the
dimensions so you will just have to try her and see. If it does
interfere, just cut the back of the pipe off and cap it. You don't
need that much in driving posts.....pressure is vertical; no
"bending moment".

HTH,

Mark

 

[Eastfork]

It will work no problem. I made one out of 2 7/8 pipe but I didn't get a sharp enough point on it so I added a 4 inch piece of 1 inch sucker rod to help it start. Mine is mounted inside my loader bucket on my tractor. I did bend it slightly but it was my own fault trying to force into a bale before I added that sucker rod. No problems since.

 

[Texasmark1]

I looked at my FEL attachment point which is supposed to be a
bobcat footprint and there is nothing to interfere with your fence
post setter.

Mark