Hay accumulator/grapple

[kthompson]

Just have some coastal Bermuda sprigged to add to that over the next two years to end up with about 40 acres. Have friend who also raises hay (all is square bale) and will be doing my cutting and baling as long as I need him to at what I think is a fair price. He has connections to get enough help to handle the bales but I do not. Planning on hay accumulator with grapple to do my loading and stacking. So think I must have hay accumulator as my first hay implement. Think the 10 bale size with two long and four rows wide and two across. It is my understanding there are more brands than I can find on the internet and am looking for recommendations on brand, design and any other thoughts.

This is totally based upon videos on line but like the WR Long with the removable dividers. I like thee think right Kuhn brand with the string running around the bales to help stabilize them when stacked. I do not care for the ones with no rails to keep the bales straight.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

The Kuhn system does indeed work and the learning curve takes awhile, The more you handle the bales, the looser the stacking gets. I wanted to try a string wrapping around the bales but we sold the equipment before the upgrade. If I was ever going to do small square bales again, I'd take a real hard look at a bale bandit.

 

[powerscol]

Kuhns Mfg LLC | Innovation in small square bale handling. I have one of their small hay grapples - the 205 model. The worked well with me to add the extra hooks needed for what I was up too. Service after the fact is excellent too. I had som question on the operation the second year and when I called they remembered me and offered advice on better operation. Whats nice is they have matching set ups. Be sure to consider the trailer width and length you will be transporting on and the area in the barn you will be stacking to properly choose a unit. Going too big can slow you down. I used cardboard and a pallet to mock up the size to see if I could maneuver in my barn for stacking. Reconsidered the size. I am thrilled with my unit and it versitility, Excellent construction too. Give them a call and just chat about you needs and they will help. They don't just sell units, they want their units to work for you. Other brands I looked at and called just did not want to take the time to be sure it would work for me.

One last thought - I sized mine so I would not need additional ballast out back - makes for better operation in tight spaces.

Good luck

 

[M5farms]

Hay Master, Inc. great product.

 

[kthompson]

I have only seen any of these in use on computer but concern I have and a friend also expressed, the sliding of the baled hay along the ground not pick up dirt into the bales?

Anyone know anything on WR Long brand? I like it and they build them within 300 miles maybe within 200 miles so shipping should be less. They have a dealer who does not stock special orders with in 10 miles of me. Kuhn does not have dealer less than I think 150 miles of me.

 

[ProjectKing]

Kuhns Mfg LLC | Innovation in small square bale handling. I have one of their small hay grapples - the 205 model. The worked well with me to add the extra hooks needed for what I was up too. Service after the fact is excellent too. I had som question on the operation the second year and when I called they remembered me and offered advice on better operation. Whats nice is they have matching set ups. Be sure to consider the trailer width and length you will be transporting on and the area in the barn you will be stacking to properly choose a unit. Going too big can slow you down. I used cardboard and a pallet to mock up the size to see if I could maneuver in my barn for stacking. Reconsidered the size. I am thrilled with my unit and it versitility, Excellent construction too. Give them a call and just chat about you needs and they will help. They don't just sell units, they want their units to work for you. Other brands I looked at and called just did not want to take the time to be sure it would work for me.

One last thought - I sized mine so I would not need additional ballast out back - makes for better operation in tight spaces.

Good luck

I've followed your small hay grapple build. It's pretty slick. I talk with Kuhn at the National Farm Machinery show this year. They offer a small accumulator and grapple package. Looks pretty slick. Uses gravity to collect the bales then dumps them. After you are done baling you come back with the grapple and load up.

If I'm not mistaken you do not use an accumulator and just use the grapple. Is that correct? How does that work for you? I would like to do same to save buying accumulator since I would only be baling 3 acres at a time.

 

[ProjectKing]

Hay Master, Inc. great product.

Have you used one of these accumulators? I'm curious if it damages the bales to drag them across the ground.

 

[kthompson]

I have not used any of hay accumulator. I have seen those the bale moves from baler to a trailer which dumps when it gets loaded and then you use a front end style to lift and move them for loading or stacking.

Then I have seen them that are pull behind style or front end mount used that run across a field catching the bale and most have rails or such to line the bales up but the bales are sliding on the hay stubble. On the front end mount models they use those designs to also load with. Well the best I can tell same attachment they use to load from any other attachment used to accumulate the bales.

Below is youtube of WR Long's which is about same as any other brand I have seen.

W. R. Long Grapalator - YouTube

 

[powerscol]

I have only seen any of these in use on computer but concern I have and a friend also expressed, the sliding of the baled hay along the ground not pick up dirt into the bales?

Anyone know anything on WR Long brand? I like it and they build them within 300 miles maybe within 200 miles so shipping should be less. They have a dealer who does not stock special orders with in 10 miles of me. Kuhn does not have dealer less than I think 150 miles of me.

If you get the correct unit, you do not slide across the ground. With mine I swing in, hook up/lift and go to the next bale. The swing in, unhook the first, gather the second and hook up. No sliding and the hook/unhook does not tear up the bale and works well. Once you get into a rhythm it takes only seconds to gather.
Now with an accumulator that drop the bales in a block. it gets easier. You would line up and gather (slight side swing takes the slack out) and hook up all at the same time. Again there should be no need to slid across the ground with the right equipment.

I had the same concern and chose not the get the type that you slide to gather bales. With that type of unit you cannot stack and un-stack easily either which was a big disadvantage for me. Hope this helps.

 

[powerscol]

I've followed your small hay grapple build. It's pretty slick. I talk with Kuhn at the National Farm Machinery show this year. They offer a small accumulator and grapple package. Looks pretty slick. Uses gravity to collect the bales then dumps them. After you are done baling you come back with the grapple and load up.

If I'm not mistaken you do not use an accumulator and just use the grapple. Is that correct? How does that work for you? I would like to do same to save buying accumulator since I would only be baling 3 acres at a time.

You are correct I just use the grapple. Would love the accumulator, but don't have the tractor to pull with the baler. I have gotten very handy at gathering up the bales. Takes less than a minute to gather the 4. Once you get the hang of it it goes very quickly. One trick I did learn is to adjust the hooks to be clear of the strings, Otherwise hooking and unhooking a bale several times to gather the rest is not and issue. I run mine off a rear remote, but if you have a 3rd function off the loader controls it would go even faster.

It will even pick up a round bale if you squash it a bit. Neighbor lost a load going up their hill last year and were trying to roll them up the drive, Their little BX tractor was no help either. I saw the circus and went over and was able to tilt the grapple up and over the bale and get a good grip. I was at max capacity, but able to walk them up the drive to their barn. To use, they hang the round and roll off what they need to feed - pretty slick.

 

[powerscol]

I have not used any of hay accumulator. I have seen those the bale moves from baler to a trailer which dumps when it gets loaded and then you use a front end style to lift and move them for loading or stacking.

Then I have seen them that are pull behind style or front end mount used that run across a field catching the bale and most have rails or such to line the bales up but the bales are sliding on the hay stubble. On the front end mount models they use those designs to also load with. Well the best I can tell same attachment they use to load from any other attachment used to accumulate the bales.

Below is youtube of WR Long's which is about same as any other brand I have seen.

W. R. Long Grapalator - YouTube

Love to know where they found the smooth and flat fields. They don't exist like that where I cut

 

[ProjectKing]

Love to know where they found the smooth and flat fields. They don't exist like that where I cut

Yes exactly!! I like the sounds of your grapple system much better!

 

[kthompson]

I may have not been as clear as should have been, I have been told all is needed is the hay accumulator with grapple and not the separate accumulator that is pulled behind the baler and also then one with the grapples just to move the bales.

If I have understood powerscol is doing about what I thought was the best way to run it. I will be using rear remote for the grapples also but on my tractor that lever is very near the fel joystick. Use that same set up for a rear mounted boom mower.

 

[Garrett Wiggins]

I know I am late but kuhns makes a great accumulator and grapple set up. Easy to set up and works 100 percent of time

 

[Zeugim]

Have you ever seen a Hoelscher? I have one and love it. Hay loads onto a table cut edge up for good stacking, table tilts when 10 bales are accumulated, nice 10 pack laying there to be picked up with their grapple. I put 120 - 150 on a 22 ft deck over and haul it to the barn to unload the trailer and load the barn. One tractor, one man, for the whole operation.

 

[kthompson]

Have you ever seen a Hoelscher? I have one and love it. Hay loads onto a table cut edge up for good stacking, table tilts when 10 bales are accumulated, nice 10 pack laying there to be picked up with their grapple. I put 120 - 150 on a 22 ft deck over and haul it to the barn to unload the trailer and load the barn. One tractor, one man, for the whole operation.

Again I have only seen any of these on line but like the accumulator trailer design they have. However for my needs or read that budget, will most likely go with the WR Long accumulator and grapple combo. Might end up with an accumulator like this one in time to come.


No idea where those videos are made but we are a right flat area here. One reason we have so much swamp land. I rivers run shallow but wide. A hill here is like 5 feet and a mountain it a over size ant hill. Yes we have mountains made out of ant hills. lol if you have fire ants you have mountains. Mountains of problem and pain.

I have noticed the little push and turn in the bundles of bales on the ground with the grapple before they engage the hooks.

A question that came to me mind this morning: they show picking up the 10 bale bundles with the two cross wise away from the tractor or skid steer, is there any reason you can not pick them up near side to the machine? IF so then you could alternate the direction for stacking and not need to load trailer from both sides or that is my thinking with NO experience.

 

[powerscol]

If you choose the correct set up cross stacking is not a problem. To pick up in both directions you need a grapple that will handle a square pattern. My unit will pick up 4 bales flat long ways, or 4 bales flat sideways (note for side ways you will need at least 3 hooks per bale - at least for me) This means I can cross stack just by grabbing the 4 packs from the other side. The way I operate is to sweep in and grab all the bales long ways (more secure) the create blocks of 8 so I can then grab from the side. For my goose neck deck over I place the first set sideways in the middle and long ways each side (the center is always long ways to counter the random length of the bales) Then as I gather more I keep in mind how many sets I need long ways and sideways and make them (the blocks of 4) up as I go.

In searching for my unit I came up with some criteria.
Whats important first is the weight of the grapple plus the weight of the hay and not overload your tractor. I did not want to have ballast out back (I do have filled tires). That ballast can get in the way in the barn. I chose my size based on being able to maneuver in the barn and not need ballast. I also mocked up the size of the grapple using my pallet forks, a pallet, and cardboard. I found that the next size up limited my viability to stack - could not see the edge of the grapple clearly and turned out to be too heavy without ballast. It also stuck out too far forward to easily move around in the barn. To check for weight I loaded up a bunch of concrete blocks at the approximate center of what I would be lifting and took my tractor for a spin.

I think I chose wisely both for gathering in the field and working with the stacks in the barn. One item I will be adding to my unit are twisted hooks on the outside of each group. Local CoOp has them on their unit. When you grab the twisting action compresses the bales slightly for a firmer grab. Should help in the sideways pick up. The accumulator would speed things up, but is too much for my tractor to pull behind the baler. Also remember that any grabber that has bars between the bales will not allow you to cross stack. My grapple has one bar on the right side to help line up the bales as I grab.

Once you get the hang of it it goes very fast gathering and stacking. I just set the grapple slightly above the ground to clear the top of the bale by a few inches, swing in to have the bale move into position, lower fully and grab, then pick up for the next. As I awing in for the second one, I unhook the first as I am swinging in, get the second to line up and re grab. I just repeat until full, then off the the trailer. I have had no issues with re-grabbing a bale several times, but you hook position needs to be clear of the strings. I have a Hesston inline baler so the strings are on top.
Hope this helps

 

[kthompson]

Up date on where I am, think I am passing the WR Long and will go with the Maxilator. Finding $1,300 difference in price and do not see anything that stands out to justify the much higher price with the Long. Will point out and I ALMOST missed it, WR Long has two models one with removable rails to allow for tighter bales for stacking and the other one does not and what some dealers lead with price quotes on. Watch to see if the info states "BOLT ON RAILS" if so they do not come off, the one that has the pull pin and easy remove the rails are of course not bolted on.

 

[powerscol]

Up date on where I am, think I am passing the WR Long and will go with the Maxilator. Finding $1,300 difference in price and do not see anything that stands out to justify the much higher price with the Long. Will point out and I ALMOST missed it, WR Long has two models one with removable rails to allow for tighter bales for stacking and the other one does not and what some dealers lead with price quotes on. Watch to see if the info states "BOLT ON RAILS" if so they do not come off, the one that has the pull pin and easy remove the rails are of course not bolted on.

How flat are your fields? He sure slid the bales a long way before grabbing the bundle. Just watched the video Maxilator Accumagrapple - YouTube Looks cumbersome to me, You really need the skid steer to operate to line up the bales correctly, Then think of all the hardware you need to undo the be able to pick off the trailer and stack. I also think Kuhns Kuhns Mfg LLC | Innovation in small square bale handling. will have better pricing - at least they did when I was shopping a few years back.

Hope this helps