Hoelscher 120 series hay grapple with NH 1033 Bale Wagon

We have a 1033 Bale Wagon and it stacks 3 wide by 7 high stacks where the bales are unloaded with strings in the stack and cut end facing up. We are looking at purchasing a Hoelscher Hay grapple possibly series 120,150 or 180 depending on feedback. We have a 60x120 hay barn with 2- 20' doors on one end and a 60' opening on the other. We haven't started using the barn yet but plan to stack our hay in the barn in rows and are interested in purchasing the Hoelscher grapple as a way to pull a layer from the stack to load onto a customer's trailer. Can you tell me if the Hoelscher grapple can grab bales that are in stacks put up by a 1033 bale wagon? I can't find any information to say it can or can. Additionally and JUST as important, can you use the Hoelscher grapple to pull from either side of the stack (front or side)? Here is the link to the Hoelscher we are looking at: http://www.hoelscherinc.com/prod_stackforks.htm . This is my first post on this site so I'm hoping I picked the right forum and get some feedback. I love this haytalk site. Gives great information!  Thanks y'all!

Hoelscher 120 series hay grapple with NH 1033 Bale Wagon

Hoelscher 120 series hay grapple with NH 1033 Bale Wagon

We have a 1033 Bale Wagon and it stacks 3 wide by 7 high stacks where the bales are unloaded with strings in the stack and cut end facing up. We are looking at purchasing a Hoelscher Hay grapple possibly series 120,150 or 180 depending on feedback. We have a 60x120 hay barn with 2- 20' doors on one end and a 60' opening on the other. We haven't started using the barn yet but plan to stack our hay in the barn in rows and are interested in purchasing the Hoelscher grapple as a way to pull a layer from the stack to load onto a customer's trailer. Can you tell me if the Hoelscher grapple can grab bales that are in stacks put up by a 1033 bale wagon? I can't find any information to say it can or can. Additionally and JUST as important, can you use the Hoelscher grapple to pull from either side of the stack (front or side)? Here is the link to the Hoelscher we are looking at: http://www.hoelscherinc.com/prod_stackforks.htm . This is my first post on this site so I'm hoping I picked the right forum and get some feedback. I love this haytalk site. Gives great information!  Thanks y'all!

Hoelscher 120 series hay grapple with NH 1033 Bale Wagon

Non herbicide buttercup control

Here in northern Vermont, virtually all the hay land has been invaded with buttercups. We have had a couple of wet spells, and I do understand that buttercups thrive in poorly drained, compacted soil which has been overgrazed.  However, it is affecting everybody and almost all grass stands.  Having said that, my previous control methods haven't done a thing this year. I do a small rotational grazed beef operation. Normally, I lime, cut the buttercups after the cattle leave a paddock (mower set about 4") and try not to overgraze, but this year is terrible--honestly more buttercups than grass and where I have clipped, they are growing faster than the grass.  I sell hay to an organic producer and the land is certified, so I can't use herbicides.

What I am trying this year on a test plot was to harrow the field, seed with buckwheat to produce a green manure which I hope will shade out the buttercups as they try to come back and then graze it off in Sept. and seed to a pasture mix.  In another field, I am going to bush hog it down, do some subsoiling and plant some tillage radishes in the most compacted part.  I don't know how this is going to go.  The only part of the farm that doesn't look like a stand of buttercups is hayfield which get 2-3 cuts and only minimal grazing.

Any useful experience would be great to hear about.  Thanks

Non herbicide buttercup control

Circle C Conditioner Roll Failure

This past winter we bought a complete Cricle C conditioner setup for our older Deere swather. So far we have put a little over 50 hours on it (header hours). All has been well until yesterday the swather started smelling like burnt rubber. We looked everything over and couldn't find any problems so we kept cutting. Two hours later and we notice that the windrow looks funny. We get out and find that a foot wide strip of rubber peeled off the center of the top roller. Called Circle C and they are trying to put the blame on us saying that something must have jammed in the header and scrubbed the rubber off. While I could see this as a possibility on the bottom roller, there is a foot of clearance around the top roller on all sides so there is no way something could have "jammed" in it.

 

Has anyone had this happen or heard of this happening to anyone? My guess is they goofed up on surface prep on this roller and the rubber didn't get stuck quite right in this spot...

 

Anyways, Bryce was good about helping us get back up and running by rapping the roll in duct tape (yes, we did, and yes, it seems to be working), but has yet to own up to the possibility of any fault and isn't willing to even cost share the $3500 to recover the rollers.

 

Any experience with Circle C or their products in this situation? I really hope they come around as they make a good product, but we can't afford to have a failure after 50 hours and have the only solution be to shell out another $3500 after we just dropped almost $8K...

Circle C Conditioner Roll Failure

Kuhn’s Accumulator questions

I keep going back and forth about a Kuhn’s accumulator, have been for a couple of years. I know I want one, but a question I have for those that own them. Can you dump the accumulator without it being full? I’m sure I could rig something up but I feel I’d like that option at times. Just thinking out loud, it’s a good chunk of change to spend, I want to make sure I’ll be happy with it.

Kuhn’s Accumulator questions

NH688 w/Bale Command II Ejecting a 32 inch bale

Due to continuing thunderstorms and my desire to put up top quality hay, I have decided to turn the cows out on the remainder of the hay ground and have an extended grazing season rather than market horse quality grass hay that isn't what I would call "horse quality'. I cleaned up what I cut and ended with a 32-34 in diameter bale in the chamber. I have a Net Wrap only NH688 baler and the manual says I can not wrap anything less than 42 inches. Further it says trying to wrap less than 42 inches can damage the knife, etc.

 

Given this warning, how can I eject the bale without damaging anything?

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

Jerry

NH688 w/Bale Command II Ejecting a 32 inch bale

Cracked Casting/Cover

Hey.....Attached are a couple of pictures that show a hairline crack in the Casting/Cover at the rear of the transmission on my 05 RTV. The crack runs from the bolt at 9, down to 7, and then across and up to 5 and 3 OClocks………...It is a very fine hairline but leaks enough fluid in a few days to be a real problem with running the trans dry and the expense of replacement fluid or trans...……..
I am going to try some JB Weld on the crack externally, a coating; but doubt if that will actually work.
What is behind that cover so if and when I pull the 6 bolts is something gonna fly out or go out of adjustment or the like????????……….Thanks for the thoughts...…….

Am trying to load some pics but having a hard time. A quick description so I can get some, hopefully thoughts...…..The cover is at the very rear of the transmission, immediately to the left of the oil filter. It has 6 bolts holding it, has a webbed indention that comes out with an allen wrench hex head something in the middle of it...…...

Cracked Casting/Cover