BALE BANDIT

[coondle]

I have a 100 series Bale Bandit and due to operator error (euphemism for I messed up) I needed some spares to start the soon to begin haying season. I have read plenty of negatives about haying machines and service from suppliers but have to tell the forum of top quality outstanding service I have encountered. After all a pat on the back is only a few vertebrate higher than a kick in the butt, however the feeling is a lot different!
Emailed GFC, got a prompt reply quoting prices, and freight options to Australia, emailed the order 9.00 am our time, got a 'phone call 10.50 pm our time to arrange payment so the order could be on the first available priority mail. Thank you to April of GFC, that level of service to a machine on the other side of the world is absolutely outstanding!

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I'm glad to hear they are taking care of you. That was the only major knock I remember about them at the start. Hopefully the parts get to you fast so that you are not waiting around. Good luck and be safe.

 

[mfreund]

A friend of mine uses one on his farm. He loves it and adds to the price he can change, but not the labor to produce small square bales. Incredible piece of machinery.

 

[coondle]

Sure is and there are reported to be better machines but the ones I have seen (not seen the Accuson?) there are tradeoffs eg price a competitor is now said to be $140,000 landed here, bale size max 34" against 37" to 42" and ZI would have to run a bigger tractor

 

[slowzuki]

You're talking the Bale Baron with Hesston knotters. They are about 80,000$ in Canada, about on par with the Arcusin prices. Bale Bandit is a bit cheaper, something like 50,000? Lot more used bandits around, can get them under 20K used now pretty often. In australia did you get the mcconnell bale packers, the belaire-sarl bundler or the plegamatic bundler?

 

[coondle]

Thanks slowzuki, only ever seen Baron and Bandit bundlers and seen youtube demo of Arcusin.
Having a Bandit which is more than sufficient for my operation I do not need to shop for anything else, and getting onto the wrong side of the age ledger have very little motivation to spend $ but think it is important to acknowledge good service you never know we may get more and shock horror could it become the norm.
The last bandit 100 series I know of that sold was $33k but that did not have its own pto power pack which makes my BB a dream especially after ironing out many annoying minor issues over 3 or 4 seasons.
I do not know of any new bandits here since the barons arrived and there have been several barons reach the used marketplace already

 

[coondle]

More on the Bale Bandit I have.
Received the parts and installed them, no problems. Installed a video camera monitor to view the problematic left bander. Started bundling bales on about 17 October and some issues with the left bander breaking the crimped strap. Made some minor adjustments, still some problems. Pulled the crimping mechanism apart AGAIN and cleaned it thoroughly AGAIN. BUT this time took a file and rounded off every sharp edge or burr, reassembled it and away AGAIN.
Ten thousand plus bales later, not one strap failure, WOW what a difference and running with about 400 bales per hour bundled and out the back, but a bit slower on the very steep hilly bits.
Very happy with the results from the now oldish 100 series and can look forward to next year with confidence.
The machine has several modifications.
A pickup is installed as an after market mod to pick bales up off the ground.
A self contained hydraulic power pack is fitted, closed centre pump driven off the tractor PTO (540) rpm with a step-up gearbox, 300 litre oil supply tank and a fan-forced oil cooler (full flow) on the return line.
Video monitoring of the left bander, lit by a LED bar in the banding box and capacity to extend to a second camera, all wiring in place but camera still in cardboard box. Propose to fit a blower to pressurise the banding box for next year to keep chaff and dust out of the banding box. This should help reduce the "Photo eye 3" errors by keeping straw clear of the photo eye 3 appeture.
Here is the link to some pics of the machine.
Bale Bandit hydraulic power pack - a set on Flickr