Kubota rake

[coachg]

With calf prices so good it was time to spend a little money and upgrade some of our hay equipment . Starting with our oldest , worst functioning piece of equipment . Our rake . 10 wheel with a kicker wheel . Tried it out today for a few windrows . Tomorrow it’ll get broke in .

 

[Lucky]

Looks good. Nice windrows

 

[jltrent]

It will cut your raking time way down.

 

[coachg]

It will cut your raking time way down.

Yes sir , these 2 fields have lots of terraces . Had to learn how not to leave a little strip in the middle . Only had one ball up and going to say it was operator error . Started off a little sketchy . 3 rolls in broke a belt on the baler . Have a good friend who custom bales with a friend of his . He relaced it and patched it with a short piece . We had to rethread it tthroigh the rollers . After starting back we realized we missed a smalll roller . Which explained why we had slack in it ! 5:45 we still rolling ! Missed a rain by a couple of miles . Crazy but this front is moving east to west not west to east like our normal weather . On last field . I know my man Donald that helps me is going to be one tired puppy ! He bales , I rake . I am blessed we missed that shower , baler is still going , and other than about a month late cutting our hay ; it looks really good !

 

[coachg]

178 rolled today . 122 out of the same fields last year .

 

[acefire]

178 rolled today . 122 out of the same fields last year .

Last year 51 bales, this year 212 bales

 

[dcarp]

With calf prices so good it was time to spend a little money and upgrade some of our hay equipment . Starting with our oldest , worst functioning piece of equipment . Our rake . 10 wheel with a kicker wheel . Tried it out today for a few windrows . Tomorrow it’ll get broke in . View attachment 69170View attachment 69171View attachment 69172

Nice rake. We set the width of the windrows to match the size of the baler pickup. Saves the swerving from happening.

 

[504RP]

With calf prices so good it was time to spend a little money and upgrade some of our hay equipment . Starting with our oldest , worst functioning piece of equipment . Our rake . 10 wheel with a kicker wheel . Tried it out today for a few windrows . Tomorrow it’ll get broke in . View attachment 69170View attachment 69171View attachment 69172

How much does a rake like that cost if you don’t mind me asking ?

 

[jltrent]

How much does a rake like that cost if you don’t mind me asking ?

Here are some used listed 4-sale. Add some to these prices for new. A 10 wheel Kuhn with kicker is around 10k+ and a 10 wheel Vermeer with kicker wheels is around 12k+

https://www.tractorhouse.com/listin...rFb54eUku98XlR9oYkQhnpkDo_qdmJglCL1XO5i71GJ-n

 

[coachg]

How much does a rake like that cost if you don’t mind me asking ?

This is a Kubota , first one my dealer has sold . It was a little over $10,000. . I had priced used ones for over a month . Most were 6-8 grand . Most of those didn’t have the kicker wheel . My tax lady tells me to buy something every year to help on income tax . With about 75 calves on the ground I figure this was a good investment . Can’t count your chickens before they hatch but I think prices aren’t going to drop too much this fall .

 

[504RP]

This is a Kubota , first one my dealer has sold . It was a little over $10,000. . I had priced used ones for over a month . Most were 6-8 grand . Most of those didn’t have the kicker wheel . My tax lady tells me to buy something every year to help on income tax . With about 75 calves on the ground I figure this was a good investment . Can’t count your chickens before they hatch but I think prices aren’t going to drop too much this fall .

I agree and think you made a good decision. Nice take I would like to have one like that myself. Have never heard of a kicker wheel ? What is that ?

 

[coachg]

Single center rake wheel that moves the hay over that lays right in the middle.

 

[504RP]

Single center rake wheel that moves the hay over that lays right in the middle. View attachment 69230

Someone came up with a good idea by adding a kicker wheel. Bet you don’t leave any grass at all that way.

 

[RDFF]

Nice rake. We set the width of the windrows to match the size of the baler pickup. Saves the swerving from happening.

Just curious, can you get "perfectly square bales" without any swerving then? Or do you end up with high centers? Or are you able to "swerve" just enough to square them out? Neighbor does all of my baling for me, and he does a great job of making good tight, square-edged bales (net edge-wrapped), but he's always watching his monitor and swerving... even if I leave him some pretty wide windrows. 5x6 bales. JD 568.

 

[coachg]

Had to narrow the windrow down from the original setting . No swerving for our baler . Don’t have any pics of the bales after using the new rake . I’ve always been pleased with our rolls especially when I see some of the neighbors .first windrowand then after adjustment

 

[coachg]

Field we did prior to new rake . You can see the bales we roll with our JD baler

 

[RDFF]

Those JD's make a nice bale, no doubt. I've seen some from other mfr's... and wouldn't want 'em. If I bought a baler for $50,000+, and that was as good as it could do, I'd be real unhappy!

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

They all make a good bale with a good operator.

 

[jltrent]

If you want to turn the pressure up the newer balers you can they will make a bale like a spool of thread. I rather have a good bale and not as much stress on bearings. A neighbor has a Heston turned tight and the bales looked perfect. He also goes through bearings. Some types of hay will look a lot better baled.

My older Vermeer 505M got to where the bales did not look as good. I put all new teeth in and the bales came out with good square shoulders and square across the top after. My 504R makes a good bale especially when using over the edge wrap. I have noticed the local JDs and Kubota balers makes a nice bale.

 

[dcarp]

Just curious, can you get "perfectly square bales" without any swerving then? Or do you end up with high centers? Or are you able to "swerve" just enough to square them out? Neighbor does all of my baling for me, and he does a great job of making good tight, square-edged bales (net edge-wrapped), but he's always watching his monitor and swerving... even if I leave him some pretty wide windrows. 5x6 bales. JD 568.

If it’s raked the way I described the bales are perfect. Now not to sound like I invented the wheel, newer balers are very forgiving. Unless you raked terribly or paid no attention when you baled the bales should look pretty good anyway.
I do have to swerve some if the wind blows hard or some hay flies a little wide of the windrow.