Bale Wrapper virgin

[Arthur Living]

Hi there,

Being a soft southerner I usually make hay for our livestock but this year looks like it is going to be rather challenging! I am a one man band and my hay ground is spread over quite a distance and was wondering about making some into silage / haylage for the cattle.

I have never had experience of bale wrappers, I have tried bagging in the past with little success.

I was wondering if there was such a thing as an old, no frills, simple to use wrapper or are they all the work of the devil? It will probably be for no more than 200 - 250 round bales a year. Before the use a contractor comments come along I am in a predominantly arable area with few grassland ones around. My other problem is some of the batches maybe no more than 10 - 15 bales

Tia Arthur

 

[michael N123]

Used to habe a knvernland (it was black an red so just a guess really) it was older than me you had to tie the wrap on by hand count how many times it went round and cut the plastic off it would do 5-600 bales a year between my dads an uncles farms a year and would never brake more than enough for your number of bales and would pay for itself straight away

 

[Dave W]

No frills wrappers are fine as long as the pre stretch unit works properly.
This would be fine if a little pricey.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272285224368
Should be able to set yourself up for £500 easy

 

[Mursal]

Yes, go for a basic machine 750mm plastic if you can, a few here, just to have a look click

 

[Arthur Living]

No frills wrappers are fine as long as the pre stretch unit works properly.
This would be fine if a little pricey.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272285224368
Should be able to set yourself up for £500 easy

Looks a tidy machine, what is there to look for in the pre stretch unit, or is it something you find out later? Would my old Ford 4000 have enough oil to drive it?
Other than the obvious, whats the difference between 500 and 750 mm rolls?

 

[Arthur Living]

Yes, go for a basic machine 750mm plastic if you can, a few here, just to have a look click

Many thanks, had a quick look but might be out of my price / travelling range.

 

[Dave W]

The pre stretch unit is usually 2 rollers that are gear driven to each other so the one drives slightly faster than the other. Hold one roller and try to turn the other by hand. If it skips a tooth or is excessive play walk away. Parts for these units are now obsolete and would cost more than wrapper is worth to replace.
Kverneland work slightly differently and are generally bombproof

 

[Dave W]

A 500 wrap machine will be cheaper than 750 to buy and won't make much difference with the number of bales you're doing

 

[Mursal]

Fair point, sometimes they charge extra or you cant get the small wrap, depending on area.

 

[michael N123]

Would you have a spare tractor to put bales on and off or would you need one that can load itself?

 

[Arthur Living]

Would you have a spare tractor to put bales on and off or would you need one that can load itself?

My wife says I have too many tractors! Might justify their existence a bit more. Guess with a simple static machine I will get rather used to climbing on and off.

 

[Dave W]

Have a look in Cheffins catalogue next week. They don't get too many wrappers in but if there's anything simple and old it will likely be cheap

 

[Mursal]

You'll be knackered getting up and down off the tractor, does herself drive at all?
Don't do to many for the first outing ......

 

[michael N123]

You'll be knackered getting up and down off the tractor, ......

In batches of 10-20 bales dont think that'll matter

 

[Mursal]

Well, I thought if herself started driving, she could have her own tractor .........................

 

[Tim G]

@FILM TECHNIQUE can supply new prestrech units if required, also have the option of upgrading to 750mm if required. Probably worth budgeting to replace the pre stretch unit on any older wrapper which makes them worth only a few hundred pounds.

 

[michael N123]

Well, I thought if herself started driving, she could have her own tractor .........................

Would you rather have a nice peacefull day quietly wrapping and stacking some silage bales by yourself or explain everything to your wife (who thinks you have to many tractors so highly likely not to want to drive them) 3 times as she drives into your new wrapper and holes the bales stacking them

 

[Mursal]

Cheffins Auction rappers click
Just watch the auction fees and the VAT

 

[michael N123]

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/322164307843 Should be £700 pound less but you can pick 2 bales up an drive to were you want to stack them

 

[Mursal]

Would you rather have a nice peacefull day quietly wrapping and stacking some silage bales by yourself or explain everything to your wife (who thinks you have to many tractors so highly likely not to want to drive them) 3 times as she drives into your new wrapper and holes the bales stacking them

Well that's that knocked on the head ..............