Silly Flat Eight Grab Question...

[Selectamatic]

Don't laugh...

If I had a small baler and a simple drag sledge, let go when there were three of four bales in it, would a flat eight pick them up, assuming none were on top of each other, even though they are not in the proper eight pattern?

Don't ask... just dont!

 

[ThatsSomeSheep]

Provided you drive in at the correct angle the grab should be able to pick up any number of bales, from 1-8.

I find our grab tighter with 4 in a row and of course with 8, but in theory it can be used to pick up randoms.

Hope that helps / makes sense.

TSS

 

[multi power]

Don't laugh...

If I had a small baler and a simple drag sledge, let go when there were three of four bales in it, would a flat eight pick them up, assuming none were on top of each other, even though they are not in the proper eight pattern?

Don't ask... just dont!

Look on YouTube, the USA don't do bale sledges, but do flat 8
Far better than dragging a sledge and not being able to reverse I think

 

[milkloss]

Don't laugh...

If I had a small baler and a simple drag sledge, let go when there were three of four bales in it, would a flat eight pick them up, assuming none were on top of each other, even though they are not in the proper eight pattern?

Don't ask... just dont!

Been a long time since flat 8s here! It might depend on the grab. We had a browns and a meijer I think. The brown grabs the top of the bales like a cat claws and pulls them to the back of the grab. An out of line bale will get its strings snatched upon release. The meijer grabbed them like a thumb and forefinger, much better.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Look on YouTube, the USA don't do bale sledges, but do flat 8
Far better than dragging a sledge and not being able to reverse I think

They are catching up

secondhand flat 8 sledges not too dear. Sometimes a pain to set up.

 

[Zippy768]

Don't laugh...

If I had a small baler and a simple drag sledge, let go when there were three of four bales in it, would a flat eight pick them up, assuming none were on top of each other, even though they are not in the proper eight pattern?

Don't ask... just dont!

I know you said don't ask.........but why??

 

[farmerm]

You can pick up a usable flat 8 sledge for near enough scrap value these days... but anything that collects them up to some degree is surely better than scattered bales. put them in pair lengthways, pick up a pair, place it by another pair, put that pair against another pair of pairs and you have your 8... bit of faff but less effort than loading by hand. I have one thin strip of grass the usually gives me 70 bales but barely allows me to get turned with the bailer, let alone with the sledge... usually find myself loading those scattered single bales by hand, in the dark, as it starts to rain whilst wishing I had just bloody topped it!

 

[X344chap]

Does anyone remember The Juggler accumulator?

 

[Selectamatic]

I know you said don't ask.........but why??

I have a good customer who I do some little bale for. I dont have a flat eight sledge, and have no desire to buy one, I would not use it anywhere else, I don't like them myself, i think they give the baler a hard time when full on corners and the like. Most of the fields I bale are not suitable for flat eight's anyway! I manage fine with a simple drag sledge, dropping them off in windrows.

My customer has had the idea of a flat eight grab to help with loading, but agrees with me that the sledge is not the answer "the sledge you have is fine" he says. He thinks that it would save on labour and time loading the trailer with a flat eight, for a helper or two on the trailer to sort and stack. I see his logic to be honest.

But, how to mechanically get the bales to the trailer, without resorting to a flat eight sledge, and having to manually sort the bales into eight's, which would probably make a nonsense of the whole job...?

I have thought of getting a flat eight sledge, modifying it to run by the side of the tractor, who would drive around following the baler, gathering the rows of bales into eights...

I told you not to laugh...

 

[multi power]

I have a good customer who I do some little bale for. I dont have a flat eight sledge, and have no desire to buy one, I would not use it anywhere else, I don't like them myself, i think they give the baler a hard time when full on corners and the like. Most of the fields I bale are not suitable for flat eight's anyway! I manage fine with a simple drag sledge, dropping them off in windrows.

My customer has had the idea of a flat eight grab to help with loading, but agrees with me that the sledge is not the answer "the sledge you have is fine" he says. He thinks that it would save on labour and time loading the trailer with a flat eight, for a helper or two on the trailer to sort and stack. I see his logic to be honest.

But, how to mechanically get the bales to the trailer, without resorting to a flat eight sledge, and having to manually sort the bales into eight's, which would probably make a nonsense of the whole job...?

I have thought of getting a flat eight sledge, modifying it to run by the side of the tractor, who would drive around following the baler, gathering the rows of bales into eights...

I told you not to laugh...

I know someone who just manually sets the bales in 8s and loads them with the grab, and same for unloading, no other manual handling, he tells me it works well

 

[Selectamatic]

I know someone who just manually sets the bales in 8s and loads them with the grab, and same for unloading, no other manual handling, he tells me it works well

Really? Surely that would be a massive faff?! Would it not ruin the whole idea of saving time and labour?

 

[milkloss]

If you’re good with a flat8 then you could just not bother with a sledge and group them a bit with the loader, at least they’re all facing the same way. There a knack and not everyone will have the patience.

 

[e3120]

Really? Surely that would be a massive faff?! Would it not ruin the whole idea of saving time and labour?

This used to be common after-school exercise. One benefit was that you'd make 50% 'crossed 8s' to tie the trailers/stacks together.

 

[Tha Ulsterscot]

I used to drop the bales in lines with a standard sleigh, and stook them in eights. then it was easy to drop them down for the flat eight to lift. Also used to build the second row on the ground so that the load was tied in as it was set on. Was able to set them out and load 120 bales in 15 minutes, admittedly i was a lot younger then.

 

[Tomr10]

How dose your drag sledge place them if you take the guide off the flat 8 you can carry more.

We used to stack for a Perry and a flat eight you have to manually move fewer bales than handball them all

 

[Tonym]

Farmhand used to make a collector/fork forgot what they called it. You drove down the rows of bales left by the baler to group them into eights then stacked or loading them as you wished.

 

[Devil's advocate]

When we had our flat 8 system stolen. We suprised ourselves how well we did with a long low trailer.

Did 1,000 bales myself one night, started at 7pm finished at 7.30 am. That includes stacking in the barn.

Great feeling laying in bed, during the day time listening to the rain, when all is safetly stacked.

 

[Devil's advocate]

This outfit have their unique way without a flat eight sledge. Have to agree with above comments flat 8 sledges can be tougth on the bales.

 

[mixed breed]

Turns out you don't need a sledge

When I was a lad, I was always curious what the unused brackets on the side of dad's flat 8 grab were for. Recently it all became clear, I saw a picture on the FB group of one with wheels in said brackets, the guy was driving along with it down, using it as a sledge collecting single bales to make up an eight.

Here's a pic of one with the full kit an caboodle

 

[e3120]

This outfit have their unique way without a flat eight sledge. Have to agree with above comments flat 8 sledges can be tougth on the bales.

All that effort and hi-viz and then just chuck it on the floor for dobbin to tramp on!