Square bale handler

[CORK]

Hi all,

We load 8x4x3 straw bales with a Fendt 516.

Currently use a silage grab and it grabs two at a time. I don’t find it ideal as the lower prongs can be a bit short and the bale can get a bit ragged looking when loading lorries.

I’ve seen people using simple frames with two or three prongs on them for loading square bales.

Does anyone have one that they are happy with? I’m wondering what length the prongs should be and the dimensions of the frame.

 

[TomB]

Home made. KV 4 x tines about 1100mm long. Short off cuts of broken shear grab tines further up to stop bales moving side to side. 100mm x 10mm box. I’m sure the fancy spikes/grabs are better but have three of these that do the job for not much expense.

Shorter version on the Claas, top can slide in but very rarely bother.

 

[CORK]

Home made. KV 4 x tines about 1100mm long. Short off cuts of broken shear grab tines further up to stop bales moving side to side. 100mm x 10mm box. I’m sure the fancy spikes/grabs are better but have three of these that do the job for not much expense.

Shorter version on the Claas, top can slide in but very rarely bother.

Cheers Tom, it’s something like that I was veering towards. It’s useful to know what length tine you used.

 

[Andrew]

I would suggest 100x100x10 SHS for the lower tine bar. 1500 ish long is OK, but if rough ground and no grab you may want to go 2000 long.
3x KV Conus 2 tines, 1100 long.
Put the tine bar right at the very bottom.
The bottom box is overkill, but it does mean you can drag it along the ground to level the stacksite with no damage (it happens a lot).

If you want to handle 2x 4x3s at a time I would use 100x100x8 ish 1500 tall. If you go up to 3x at a time I would use 150x100x8 so you're looking at the narrow side, and make it 2400 tall. Its when loading you need the extra strength in the verticals, if you put them on the bed and tip to push the top bales over.

I'd agree with the short tines, put them right at the top, if 3 the friction will hold the middle bale.

If you're not making a grab, angle the brackets back a good 15-20 degrees so you can roll it right back (so it just clears the loader arms).

 

[colhonk]

`One Lonely Farmer` will make you one..............may be a killer shipping from the US though

 

[cows sh#t me to tears]

Hi all,

We load 8x4x3 straw bales with a Fendt 516.

Currently use a silage grab and it grabs two at a time. I don’t find it ideal as the lower prongs can be a bit short and the bale can get a bit ragged looking when loading lorries.

I’ve seen people using simple frames with two or three prongs on them for loading square bales.

Does anyone have one that they are happy with? I’m wondering what length the prongs should be and the dimensions of the frame.

Have a fendt 410. I will grab a picture tomorrow of the set I made for it when we were buying hay during the 09 drought down here. Bales were soft and hard to handle. I made mine with 6 prongs in the bottom. Half the length of the prongs i use on the telehandler, but i made that set with only 4.

 

[cows sh#t me to tears]

Tines are 820mm from tip to front of conus

note the way I attached the mounting points for the euro hitch to give the fendt loader more crowd back angle.

One thing to note with stupid fendts is how light they are in the backend and how the centre point from the load to the rear is basically over the front axle. Whilst lifting straw might be fine, a couple of heavy (650 kg each) 4x3s will get your butt cheeks clenching .... highly advisable to disengage front axle suspension and still be on flat ground.

 

[CORK]

Tines are 820mm from tip to front of conus

note the way I attached the mounting points for the euro hitch to give the fendt loader more crowd back angle.

That’s a damn fine bit of fabrication if you don’t mind me saying.

Improving crowd angle was on my mind too! I have a pair of brackets- I must have a closer look to see what their angle is.

Thank for going to the trouble of getting the pics.

 

[cows sh#t me to tears]

Read my edited post...... important info for us idiot fendt owners

 

[Forever Fendt]

Here’s one we made earlier for @Extreme Optimist

i have 2 myself and I can’t see any reason for having anything more complicated , if you need tines and bushes happy to quote

 

[Forever Fendt]

I would suggest 100x100x10 SHS for the lower tine bar. 1500 ish long is OK, but if rough ground and no grab you may want to go 2000 long.
3x KV Conus 2 tines, 1100 long.
Put the tine bar right at the very bottom.
The bottom box is overkill, but it does mean you can drag it along the ground to level the stacksite with no damage (it happens a lot).

If you want to handle 2x 4x3s at a time I would use 100x100x8 ish 1500 tall. If you go up to 3x at a time I would use 150x100x8 so you're looking at the narrow side, and make it 2400 tall. Its when loading you need the extra strength in the verticals, if you put them on the bed and tip to push the top bales over.

I'd agree with the short tines, put them right at the top, if 3 the friction will hold the middle bale.

If you're not making a grab, angle the brackets back a good 15-20 degrees so you can roll it right back (so it just clears the loader arms).

very good point about the brackets angled back ,The bales travel better and if you have 3 tines they don't pull through the bottom bale when the weights pulled back against the frame

 

[Rob Holmes]

This is ours.....

...with a push-off so you dont pull stacks over when pulling out

 

[tr250]

I’ve made two like this one to load and one to empty the tines are 1100mm and it carry’s 4 120x70s it’s probably a bit wide for standard bales but we make ours just over 9ft
I

 

[CORK]

I’ve made two like this one to load and one to empty the tines are 1100mm and it carry’s 4 120x70s it’s probably a bit wide for standard bales but we make ours just over 9ft
I

I was thinking of having the prongs up from the base like you have done.
It could give more height and also leave the implement more stable when sitting unattached.

 

[tr250]

I was thinking of having the prongs up from the base like you have done.
It could give more height and also leave the implement more stable when sitting unattached.

Yes my idea was to have the bush long ways on the box so it can’t twist and I think the bit of frame under the spike anchors the bottom bale on to stop it pulling through the strings and creating stability at the top bale whilst being crowded down onto the trailers. Also I’ve 3 young children so I wanted to make it so it stands up and won’t fall over if a child climbs on it

 

[Hard Graft]

What people thoughts on this type as I have round to handle as well

ProDig Attachments Ltd. – STRENGTH | DESIGN | INNOVATION

 

[cows sh#t me to tears]

I got one of these cheap. Bloke had imported it for a customer who changed his mind.(Last one on page)
https://steffensystems.com/big-bale-handlers.php#bb8520vhd Then cut the mounting off and turned it 90°. Reason? So I could load bottom row on flatbed trailers.

Made this standard one for the jcb.

 

[CORK]

Finally got around to making the bale fork, thanks everyone for your suggestions.

It will be taking two 8x4x3 bales at a time.

3 prongs seems to be ok although I might make it 4. I don’t want too much resistance trying to get out of the bales either.

It shouldn’t bend anyway!

Just need to brush it down, prime and top coat.

 

[puntabrava]

Finally got around to making the bale fork, thanks everyone for your suggestions.

It will be taking two 8x4x3 bales at a time.

3 prongs seems to be ok although I might make it 4. I don’t want too much resistance trying to get out of the bales either.

It shouldn’t bend anyway!

Just need to brush it down, prime and top coat.

You should of put the tines in the bottom, not ideal for loading and unloading trailers.

 

[CORK]

You should of put the tines in the bottom, not ideal for loading and unloading trailers.

I considered what you have suggested before I made it (especially the chance of catching the trailer with the bottom of the frame).
However, I have it made so that when the prongs are midway in the bale (we use 8 x 4 x 3 bales) the bottom of the frame clears the trailer/floor by 4-5 inches.

By having the prongs raised, the frame is tilted forward when unattached and is therefore less likely to fall back on a child etc.