I’m after a few tips on rowing up hay only having a few seasons under my belt I’ve kind of learned the basics of rowing up but any tips would be appreciated using a claas single rotor rake.. some tips on corners and when best to row.. eg night before? Should it be Tedded the same day as rowing and should it be baled the same day as rowing up.. rowing speed and rpm cheers guys
Rowing up hay
- Thread starter trewern
- Start date
- Location
- Limousin, France
Arrrrggggghhhhhh.,..the question is SO big and life too short.
dirty harry
Member
- Location
- east of east midlands!
Self taught with same machine here !
Headlands first or last....? I was wandering the same today whilst rowing up! The dilemma!! I’ve figured out headlands last is probably better after 7/8 year doing it now?
We generally start rowing up afternoon before Baler coming to get a headstart then flick it over a few hours in front of baler, seems to work ok, also gets it off the ground if dewy ( no problem with that this year!!)
Good luck, you’ll soon get the rhythm of it & wander why you didn’t get one years ago!!
Cheers dh
Headlands first or last....? I was wandering the same today whilst rowing up! The dilemma!! I’ve figured out headlands last is probably better after 7/8 year doing it now?
We generally start rowing up afternoon before Baler coming to get a headstart then flick it over a few hours in front of baler, seems to work ok, also gets it off the ground if dewy ( no problem with that this year!!)
Good luck, you’ll soon get the rhythm of it & wander why you didn’t get one years ago!!
Cheers dh
It wants tedding the day before rowing up just to liven it up abit imo and raked atleast an hr before baling ideally but in boiling hot weather it doesnt hurt so much. I always rake at about 1600revs and forward speed depends on ground and crop conditions, i try to go steady to lessen wear n tear. Start by having the top link set correctly so your not missing crop or cultivating. Corners sometimes need two passes to round them off rather than right angling them. I try to help the baler out as much as possible by raking butts over twice to save on rows too. I always rake the headlands first and try to have the swathes as wide as the balers pick up .
dirty harry
Member
- Location
- east of east midlands!
The ideal scenario is row the headlands up, Baler arrives & clears them then crack on & do middle!!
Easy!
Only worked like that once this year & once last year though!!
Easy!
Only worked like that once this year & once last year though!!
- Location
- Ceredigion
Row it up two hours before baling and never the night before ideal would be to row up at 2 o'clock and bale at 4 o'clock but don't bale after 6 o'clock. If you can't bale it all start a 3 o'clock but never before 2 o'clock all bales off the field before dark
All my tractor work is self taught seam to learn fast when it goes wrong! I soon learned to leave the headlands until last as every time I drove over them the either went flat or rake threw them about.. I try to double up on corners to round them off but sometimes find to much in the row I’m always thinking of Baler and cutting through rows. My main thing is when to row I struggle to bale and row large acres so can’t work out if I’m better rowing up the evening before baling so I’m not so rushed for baking the following day or rowing up in the morning after few and baling later in the afternoon/evening... speed is also something I struggle with never know how fast is to fast how many kph avarage ??
Contractors will be putting a price on your head!
I only put front tyres on headland rows and then reverse hard round ,back in line for the next row, if the rake catches the row it flicks it into the crop you have yet to rake
Thanks for advice but at that point there’s only 4 hrs a day I’m able to work. Although I’d love the free time I need to bale for longer and would like to have started to bale by noon day the latest.. but I know nothing
Always row up same day as you bale, we do headlands last but try to leave the correct width because if you leave a narrow headland and on your final run are crossing the up and down rows then it will just leave heaps and then nothing, the baler man will not be amused!
Try and leave rows same width as baler pick up and go at the speed that does the best job and looks after the machine, corners are always a pain, big balers and rounds not so bad, just don't leave square corners for a small baler and sledge
Try and leave rows same width as baler pick up and go at the speed that does the best job and looks after the machine, corners are always a pain, big balers and rounds not so bad, just don't leave square corners for a small baler and sledgethat's how to make hay the right way
johnspeehs
Member
- Location
- Co Antrim
That is the ideal but if you have a lot of hay lying its just not practical, not many contractors want to bale for just 4 hrs a day and they wouldn't be able to keep many customers happy.
as a rule yes it wants turned that day just to be sure, but all crop dependant
oakleaf
Member
- Location
- South coast of Ireland
Dont start before 2 pm , stop at 6pm!
Compromise is as much a reality in haymaking as in any other agricultural activity.
One cannot realistically farm to the clock in the manner you suggest.
- Location
- Ceredigion
Noon be ok if you don't get a morning dew but your pushing it best time to bale is 3 to 4 that's when you can tighten the screws the most .after 5 you be slacking off again. Check your pressure screws every half hour
- Location
- Ceredigion
Don't make hay then. No point making shite is there
- Location
- West Yorkshire
Engine speed for single rotar for me is about 1500/1600 rpm. Tavel speed is down to ground conditions you will know if going to fast naturally as it won’t be clean.
I do headlands first and never had a problem with catching rows be it hay, haylage or silage on any tractors big or small on headland turns. I don’t like lumps in rows as causes blockages from doing them last. I learnt this with a trailer drag chopper more so.
Depending on land if ruff make sure toplink can float and rotar is sitting flat around the full diameter when on the ground by setting wheel height correctly I find is best.
I make my corners by pushing the grass outwards on the reverse pass depending on your drop off side.
I’m always happy when baling my own rows as it feels so easy.
I always try to rake of the lumps and bumps to save the baler pickup from skuffing the ground and picking soil up. Most baler men should appreciate this if they do ruff ground regular
As long as your not being chased by the baler slow and steady is best in my opinion I’m found rakes are not the strongest implements no matter what brand and they don’t take abuse well.
I do headlands first and never had a problem with catching rows be it hay, haylage or silage on any tractors big or small on headland turns. I don’t like lumps in rows as causes blockages from doing them last. I learnt this with a trailer drag chopper more so.
Depending on land if ruff make sure toplink can float and rotar is sitting flat around the full diameter when on the ground by setting wheel height correctly I find is best.
I make my corners by pushing the grass outwards on the reverse pass depending on your drop off side.
I’m always happy when baling my own rows as it feels so easy.
I always try to rake of the lumps and bumps to save the baler pickup from skuffing the ground and picking soil up. Most baler men should appreciate this if they do ruff ground regular
As long as your not being chased by the baler slow and steady is best in my opinion I’m found rakes are not the strongest implements no matter what brand and they don’t take abuse well.