Rakes - Twin vs Single

[Sheep]

I'm wondering how people get on with single rotor rakes vs twin, previous threads have said that the rows end up too uneven for baling with a single rotor rake and twin is the way forward, others have said they're absolutely fine. What is the consensus?

We use a three cut system cutting 40ac 3 times.
1st - Hay/haylage baled with a 80x70 Krone BigPack
2nd - Haylage baled with a 80x70 Krone BigPack
3rd - Silage with a trailed forager.

The ideal swath size would be 22-24ft, so a 12ft single rotor would be ideal. We're struggling to find a reasonably priced twin rotor that isn't ancient or rough (sub £5k budget), I'm thinking that a clean 12ft single rotor at £2.5k might be a better investment?

We have an excellent contractor at the minute that does it for us, however it is a faff for him to do it for us, as the rake is for their own round-baling outfit, and we do sometimes end up with haylage raked 12hrs+ earlier than we would like due to time constraints.

Cheers.

 

[farmer pickles]

I'm wondering how people get on with single rotor rakes vs twin, previous threads have said that the rows end up too uneven for baling with a single rotor rake and twin is the way forward, others have said they're absolutely fine. What is the consensus?

We operate a three cut system cutting 40ac 3 times.
1st - Hay/haylage baled with a 80x70 Krone BigPack
2nd - Haylage baled with a 80x70 Krone BigPack
3rd - Silage with a trailed forager.

The ideal swath size would be 22-24ft, so a 12ft single rotor would be ideal. We're struggling to find a reasonably priced twin rotor that isn't ancient or rough (sub £5k budget), I'm thinking that a clean 12ft single rotor at £2.5k might be a better investment?

We have an excellent contractor at the minute that does it for us, however it is a faff for him to do it for us, as the rake is for their own round-baling outfit, and we do sometimes end up with haylage raked 12hrs+ earlier than we would like due to time constraints.

Cheers.

The single rotor will be fine for your workload. I won't be too worried about the uneven rows you will soon be able to make the right row for the baler with practice. It's the extra driving and having to take off tines to move fields which makes them slow.

 

[Horn&corn]

Double rotor every time but how about you drive the contractors rake if you can without damaging. He gets a quicker job of baling And you keep your money. He charges half rate as only rake used?

 

[Sheep]

Double rotor every time but how about you drive the contractors rake if you can without damaging. He gets a quicker job of baling And you keep your money. He charges half rate as only rake used?

We have done that before when they can't send someone.

However it's two different contractors for baling and raking. The contractor with the rake has a round baler & wagon, and the contractor with a square baler doesn't have a rake (or the labour/time!).

I think it does make sense to buy a rake, its just finding the right twin or going for a single rotor.

 

[robs1]

While they arent cheap once you have used a twin you will think it's worth every penny. Buy a new one on three years zero finance and if you look after it and keep it under cover it will last you till you retire.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Got a twin rotor rake this year after 10 years with a single rotor...what a painful 10 years.
Twin rotor all day every day

 

[Ducati899]

As above really,I had a single rotor for years and as long as you e somebody sensible on it then the swaths will be ok for round balers,I changed to a twin rotor two seasons ago and haven’t looked back,just speeds the job up

 

[balerman]

It’s round balers that struggle with bad rows,square balers and foragers not so much.In a decent first cut you can save half a bale an acre with better shape bales and hence better silage.The half bale saving pays for the raking.

 

[HarryB97]

There is nothing wrong with the row a single rotor leaves it's all about the man on the seat and takes more skill and setting up than a twin. We moved to a twin rotor last year and apart from being quicker it does produce a brilliant row every time with no effort and picks up every blade of grass whilst the single would leave little bits. For your workload I would buy a new single rather than a used twin, the majority of grass gear is sold for a reason... As others have said buy a twin or a mounted twin rotor and stick it on 0% finance, you will never wear it out on your acreage!

 

[LMPom]

Depends on your crop as to how good of a row you make with a single rotar rake I'd say. We found in heavy crops the single rotar rake used to make a 'plat' row. Seemed to make heavy work for picking up and would continue to drag the row in if you stopped due to lack of power. Causing our wagon to block, very frustrating. As others have said swapped to a twin rotar and have never looked back, far more even row and a lot less messing about between fields, we have quite a few small fields, rake man was very happy when we swapped.
If you've got light crops and the time to spare a single rotar would be fine, also would think your stand a better chance of getting a decent s/h single rotar rake as appose to a twin. When we looked the rough ones that had welding etc. still seemed strong money.

 

[An Gof]

I'm wondering how people get on with single rotor rakes vs twin, previous threads have said that the rows end up too uneven for baling with a single rotor rake and twin is the way forward, others have said they're absolutely fine. What is the consensus?

We use a three cut system cutting 40ac 3 times.
1st - Hay/haylage baled with a 80x70 Krone BigPack
2nd - Haylage baled with a 80x70 Krone BigPack
3rd - Silage with a trailed forager.

The ideal swath size would be 22-24ft, so a 12ft single rotor would be ideal. We're struggling to find a reasonably priced twin rotor that isn't ancient or rough (sub £5k budget), I'm thinking that a clean 12ft single rotor at £2.5k might be a better investment?

We have an excellent contractor at the minute that does it for us, however it is a faff for him to do it for us, as the rake is for their own round-baling outfit, and we do sometimes end up with haylage raked 12hrs+ earlier than we would like due to time constraints.

Cheers.

Life's too short @Sheep i persevered with a single raptor rake bought second hand for years. I then splashed out on a new twin rotor rake. Wish i had done it years ago as i would have had the benefit much longer. Doubt it covers 150 acres of grass a year and will use it on some straw according to the season. Kept under cover and well maintained, washed and oiled at the end of each season. I reckon it will last my farming lifetime. I've given up with making do and working with second best. The sooner you buy it the more years you will have the benefit of it

 

[Tarw Coch]

Making a decent row for a baler with a single rotor ain’t that difficult but like others here, I have moved on to a twin rotor, the biggest benefit being the time saving, it’s probably nearer a third of the time than half .
My biggest regret, buying a second hand as I don’t have enough use to justify new,