Getting hay balers ready

[Tx Jim]

Been spending a lot of time helping assembling units lately. It's done and ready to come to the farm. Problem is, it will have to be physically driven here as the new bailer is to large (high and wide) to put on the roll back with the tractor attached to it.

From my past years of new equipment assembly experience I must ask how do you assemble equipment & continue to create posts on discussion forums during the daytime? Your Kubota dealer must be very lenient

 

[5030]

From my past years of new equipment assembly experience I must ask how do you assemble equipment & continue to create posts on discussion forums during the daytime? Your Kubota dealer must be very lenient

Part time duh.... (if you bothered to read my comment). Been raining here almost every 3 days so no hay. Don't even have the garden tilled up, ground it too wet to do anything with. In fact very few fields around here are even fitted. Once things dry out I won't be here much at all which will make you and Hay Dudette happy (and me as well) as this is just a diversion anyway.

 

[Jims1025R]

For my experience as a 27 year rural volunteer firefighter, it seems to me that getting a round bailer ready should include installing one good sized fire extinguisher on the bailer, a second on the tractor, and most importantly, assuring that you could uncouple the bailer from the tractor easily, should it catch fire.

I can recall most years, attending at least one bailer fire. Half of those events also took the tractor, as the operator could neither extinguish, nor uncouple. Upon noticing a bailer fire, uncouple first, get the tractor away, then consider fighting the bailer fire is safe. Sure, your cell phone works, and 911 works, and the fire department will arrive as quickly as they are able. Can they figure out your path to that field? Will their truck make it into the field?

We never saved a bailer. We lost a bunch of coupled tractors too. To add insult to injury, a burned tractor and bailer are both expensive, and useless for getting out of the field. At least if you can save the tractor, the fire fighters will help you couple the bailer back up after it cools, to get it out of the field.

This was a friend's tractor and bailer, 15 minute drive from the fire station. Added concern for the hydro wires he just happened to burn under. We did get our second fire truck stuck in the lane to the field for an hour. It could not get more water to the first truck, and rendering it, and the truck at the scene unavailable to return to the fire station to be ready for any other fire call. Dave told me that he was not carrying a fire extinguisher at all that day....

 

[Tx Jim]

5030
Sorry but I have no desire to read ALL your posts verbatim.

 

[Hay Dude]

Part time duh.... (if you bothered to read my comment). Been raining here almost every 3 days so no hay. Don't even have the garden tilled up, ground it too wet to do anything with. In fact very few fields around here are even fitted. Once things dry out I won't be here much at all which will make you and Hay Dudette happy (and me as well) as this is just a diversion anyway.

Really curious as to why you call me names publicly, then PM for advice?
Like you expect me to help you after all the name calling?
Do you live your life that way….Call people names, then ask them for help all the while bragging about the same guns, tractors, trucks over and over and the “no payment books” hoax?
Sounds like a quick road to having zero friends in life or here on this website.

For my experience as a 27 year rural volunteer firefighter, it seems to me that getting a round bailer ready should include installing one good sized fire extinguisher on the bailer, a second on the tractor, and most importantly, assuring that you could uncouple the bailer from the tractor easily, should it catch fire.

I can recall most years, attending at least one bailer fire. Half of those events also took the tractor, as the operator could neither extinguish, nor uncouple. Upon noticing a bailer fire, uncouple first, get the tractor away, then consider fighting the bailer fire is safe. Sure, your cell phone works, and 911 works, and the fire department will arrive as quickly as they are able. Can they figure out your path to that field? Will their truck make it into the field?

We never saved a bailer. We lost a bunch of coupled tractors too. To add insult to injury, a burned tractor and bailer are both expensive, and useless for getting out of the field. At least if you can save the tractor, the fire fighters will help you couple the bailer back up after it cools, to get it out of the field.

View attachment 747131

This was a friend's tractor and bailer, 15 minute drive from the fire station. Added concern for the hydro wires he just happened to burn under. We did get our second fire truck stuck in the lane to the field for an hour. It could not get more water to the first truck, and rendering it, and the truck at the scene unavailable to return to the fire station to be ready for any other fire call. Dave told me that he was not carrying a fire extinguisher at all that day....

If you’ve ever operated a round baler and watched how fast the fire happens (I have, maybe you have, too), it’s a spectacular lesson on combustion. Panic sets in. “do I detach from baler”? “is the hitch pin stuck”? Or ”do I try to put the fire out while detached”?
I have had 3 near misses. 2 of which were on a brand new baler. It happens unexpectedly and its a helpless feeling.
By the time you smell/see fire, it’s sometimes too late.
A fire extinguisher may help, but once it gets going, it’s like peeing on a bonfire.

Personally, I think balers should be equipped with a 25-50 gallon water extinguisher system. Once you pull the lever, the entire pressurized tank of water sprays out into critical areas and it’s over. I don’t believe this would add a lot of cost to a 40K round baler or a 250K large square baler.

 

[Tx Jim]

Jims1025
Besides having a fire extinguisher on rd hay baler having good comprehensive insurance is also needed. Having a rd baler catch fire & burn isn't a nice experience. BTDT many yrs ago but I managed to save my tractor. In fact that same tractor pulled my rd baler day before yesterday. I have been lucky enough to extinguish several fires since my baler fire using my 2-1/2 gallon extinguisher with a product called "Fire Out' added to the water.

All brands/colors of rd balers have the capability of burning & turning into a "Crispy Critter"!

I realize emergency vehicles have crossed those windrows but if I was the owner of the rake that made those irregular/clumpy windrows that rake would have another zip code IE be gone. Nice uniform correct width windrow causes rd baling to be so much easier.

 

[5030]

Really curious as to why you call me names publicly, then PM for advice.
Like you expect me to help you after all the public harassment?
I mean it’s really bizarre

You never answer anyway if I send you a pm, so what is your issue. Not calling you names, just referring to you as I see it (and you do that to me and I don't say squat and don't care actually). Quit being a thin skinned onion and get over it. Personally, I find 'Hay Dudette' to be apropos for you... Better than 'Mushroom grower'...

I don't need your help, never have, my PM to you was concerning hay prices, something I believe all growers, you, me and everyone else needs to collaborate on for comparisons and tips.

These are unusual times that require not normal business ethics.

 

[sea2summit]

Really curious as to why you call me names publicly, then PM for advice?
Like you expect me to help you after all the name calling?
Do you live your life that way….Call people names, then ask them for help all the while bragging about the same gun, tractor, truck and “no payment books” lies?
Sounds like a quick road to having zero friends in life or here on this website.



If you’ve ever operated a round baler and watched how fast the fire happens (I have, maybe you have, too), it’s a spectacular lesson on combustion. Panic sets in. “do I detach from baler”? “is the hitch pin stuck”? Or ”do I try to put the fire out while detached”?
I have had 3 near misses. 2 of which were on a brand new baler. It happens unexpectedly and its a helpless feeling.
By the time you smell/see fire, it’s sometimes too late.
A fire extinguisher may help, but once it gets going, it’s like peeing on a bonfire.

Personally, I think balers should be equipped with a 25-50 gallon water extinguisher system. Once you pull the lever, the entire pressurized tank of water sprays out into critical areas and it’s over. I don’t believe this would add a lot of cost to a 40K round baler or a 250K large square baler.

Not sure about the added cost, last time I priced a 125 gallon fire skid it was over 6k. You’d probably want 50-100 for what you’re talking about? Not a fireman just lost my parents business to fire when I was a kid, so still freaks me out.

 

[Tx Jim]

5030
It won't matter whether you commence baling hay, assemble equipment, run forums post count up or supply hay for bucking bulls. All will have no bearing on my happiness.

I'm happy God chose for me to open my eyes for ONE MORE TIME.

 

[Hay Dude]

Not sure about the added cost, last time I priced a 125 gallon fire skid it was over 6k. You’d probably want 50-100 for what you’re talking about? Not a fireman just lost my parents business to fire when I was a kid, so still freaks me out.

125 is much too big. I was thinking like 25-50 would be plenty.
It seems like to me you could add a stainless steel Badger extinguisher on top of the baler with a divider valve, 4 hoses with sprayer nozzles kinda cheaply. A Badger 10G extinguisher is about $250. I realize there’s more to my proposed system, but would also think a company like Hesston/Massey or Deere could get large price break on bulk purchases of tanks & parts.
I would not make it automatic. Mine would be to just pull a pin, cord or lever and she sprays. Keep it simple and effective. Fire is out and property/lives saved.