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NE | My new hay barn is about 50% complete before this wet weather stopped the crew. I plan to stack round bales on end in rows 3 high to maximize bale capacity plus if I sell some good quality alfalfa hay, it seems when stacked on end the bales retain their shape much better? For you guys that store hay inside on the butt ends of round bales, what do you find the easiest and most efficient/safest way to stack them with? Round spears under bales, forks under the bales or spear into side of bales? Questioning if a push off pallet fork won't be the ticket to help ease out from under bales especially when on top row? Any experience or thoughts is much appreciated. fyi ; Bales will be net 5 x 6 net wrapped with Vermeer XL baler.
Thanks,
Fenceman |
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KY | This is what we use only the forks are on top part of bracket instead of bottom. Just took original jd hay spear and pulled the main fork off and cut some holes for the new positions. Also took the small ones on the bottom out.
I can stack 3 high pretty easily like that. Have to grab the top one pretty low on the bottom but it's not much of a problem.
IMO that's the only way to have forks on a loader. I do a lot of squares so can easily pick them up with these too. Have used it to pick up pallets and things so don't have to switch over to pallet forks.
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KY | It's more work, but I think it's worth it to put pallets underneath a stack to keep them from pulling in moisture and ruining part of bale. Especially if you can find some of those plastic pallets cheap. |
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NE | Thanks for reply. I assume since you have forks positioned on top of bracket, you're spearing into the sides of the bales then? You don't have issues getting spears in or more so pulling out easily? I've not tried many times but I don't think I can spear into the sides of a new bale very easy, really fear pulling out would be more difficult without pulling bottom of stack over with the top bale?
fenceman |
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Southeast Colorado | I baled some cane feed two years ago that I knew was going to stay around a while. I put 4 wraps of coveredge on them as opposed to my normal 3 wraps. I've been amazed at how much more round the bales have stayed. Perhaps more wraps would pay back from a quality selling aspect?? |
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KY | I'm no artist but here's an illustration of how I do it.
Stick the bales from the side and have the forks angled down a little when you stick them and then I drop the whole loader down a few inches because that's the way the forks want to go through the bale.
When I stack on end I usually stagger the second level bale over the first and that will keep the bottom bales from wanting to tip over when you pull out from the top. Pic on left is how you might think about stacking them on end but they get pretty tippy like that.
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Monett Missouri | I stack all my bales on thier flat side. 4x6. up to 5 high. always stick two spears in the side of the bale thru the net wrap. sometimes you have to slide them up against the trk or trailer side to penetrate them. Usually put the two top bales up at once. Helps to speed things up and also to pull the spears out of bale without tipping the stack over. I intend to build something like this in the future........when I have some extra time.
edit; I will make my grab longer/taller so I can reach across trailer and squeeze two bales at once. half the trips that way.
http://www.wrlonginc.com/RBM.htm
Edited by 68milkman 4/30/2017 14:02
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NE | Thanks for drawing. That's the way I usually do it in smaller sheds tucking good hay away but I couldn't go 3 high in those sheds or very many of them. I have a 60 x 80 x 18 going up now with 40' opening on east end to access the bales (or park hay equipment in if not full).
Thanks! |
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NE | Funny you mention that rig from WR Long, just got a quote this week for one. $2150 FOB my farm. Thinking about mounting it on skid steer to stack with inside with, tractor/trailer can be hauling up to barn at same time that way. Its the $2150 part that made me ask the original question in case I'm overlooking a simple easy cheap safe way?
Thanks |
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Monett Missouri | I have used the spear underneath the bale before but dont like not having a grip on it for safety reasons. I have seen bales on hoods and operator platforms before. I think the wr long mover will work well with a single 5x6 bale. |
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NE Oklahoma | lgn98868 - 4/30/2017 12:14
This is what we use only the forks are on top part of bracket instead of bottom. Just took original jd hay spear and pulled the main fork off and cut some holes for the new positions. Also took the small ones on the bottom out.
I can stack 3 high pretty easily like that. Have to grab the top one pretty low on the bottom but it's not much of a problem.
IMO that's the only way to have forks on a loader. I do a lot of squares so can easily pick them up with these too. Have used it to pick up pallets and things so don't have to switch over to pallet forks.
Do you think having the forks at the top instead of the bottom helps that much more? Or just for reach purposes?
Edited by Cobb 4/30/2017 14:33
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KY | I would rather have them on the bottom because it would make life a lot easier if I needed to pick up a pallet or scoop something straight off the ground.
But being on top it does help with reach a little I guess. I stack big squares 5 high and probably couldn't do that if they were on the bottom.
I put them on the top just because of the way our loader is on a 6000 series deere, we didn't think the loader side of the bracket on the bottom would be able to handle all the weigh on the bottom. I know it's hard to understand and it's just one of those things you'd have to see and then you'd know what I mean. |
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near dyersville iowa | if you go under the bale, you need longer prongs. I can only get to about 5.5 before i cant get them to balance on the spear. But I dont want them any bigger either. |
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Croswell, Michigan | I stacked some on their side this past year and was surprised how bad the the bottom side of the bottom bales looked. This was on cement, ten feet away were 2000 small square bales of straw stacked on the cement and not one bad bale on the bottom.
Really only an inch or two of the bottom bales was bad but made them look bad enough that I won't try to sell them. It then makes for a lot of work sorting out the bottom ones when selling hay. |
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NE Iowa | I like 2 of those long tapered forged spears about 40" apart. I prefer to go under the bale when stacking so that they pull out easiest. I like to buy the 10' x 25' rolls of 3 mil plastic that they put on sale at Menards for a few buck a roll under the bottom layer. The plastic helps when stacking on gravel or even concrete. I usually spear the bottom bale about a foot up on the side to keep from tearing the plastic. I actually fold the plastic up and get several years out of it if I drive carefully so as not to tear it. |
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ne ne mo | Inside the barn, I have stacked three on end or two on end, with the third one on its side. Just one bale won't flatten too bad and it is easier to get the prongs out of. |
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| That is how I do it. Also makes it easier to remove the top bale when the time comes. |
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Central NC | Fenceman, Just reading over the post and just my opinion on the WR Long RBM. My Dad and I developed the idea for the RBM and worked with Long on getting it into production. We used to use a single spear to stack 3 high until we came up with the idea of the grapple. The intent was to engineer an attachment that would grab the front third of the bale so you can stack shoulder to shoulder without moving the bale next to it. The idea worked and we have been using it for years. The only problem we have heard of is some people complained of the bale slipping when they picked it up. Keep in mind it has to be a good tight bale. We use Deere 458 balers never once had an issue. Vermeer should make a good tight bale as well. Made stacking more efficient in our operation for sure. You can contact me with questions if you like as well. |
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NE | Stuart, Thanks for your comments.
I'm considering putting one on a 75XT Case skid steer, you know of any reason that shouldn't work? I'm thinking a skid steer is quicker and easier to maneuver within the building and I don't have rear axles to bump bales that I already have stacked inline? My only concern is reach, will the skid steer have adequate reach to place bales up on 2nd & 3rd rows high you think? I also assume the hyd capacity is OK for the squeezing tines, I'm thinking I can hook it up via my flat face hyd couplers right up close and that should require extra or dedicated valve set up then, do you agree?
Thanks,
Fenceman |
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SW Ohio | 4x5 bales here and we go four high, use pallet forks mostly and stack two high outside and carry in to place, use pallets underneath with gravel floor and recently tiled inside of barn. Put extra boards on inside wall to protect siding, when taking out use forks or spears, harder to stab the top bale without pushing over stack than slipping forks under/between. When using spears always have two to keep bale from spinning, always. |
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Central NC | Friend of ours put one on his skid steer and it works great.. We have them on Deere mid-size utility tractors with Front loaders.. Always wanted to try a SS to see if was faster at the barn... As far as reach, keep in mind that you can gain some by placing the grapple a little farther down the bale.. In our early testing I could hold a 4x4 bale with only 2 sets of the spikes on each side. Hyd flow not an issue we just have the 3rd valve function on our loaders. |
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Central NC | GO to the wrlonginc.com website and look at the video that is my barn and tractor I have it on show us stacking 3 high as well. |
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NE | Thanks for reply. I'm going to try one on skid steer I think, should be quicker to maneuver around than loader I think plus easier to come into rows of bales being smaller with no axles sticking out? Even with a reverser our skid steer can spin circles around our 6430 premium scuffling bales short distances.
Thanks again! |
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| CFReeman is there a way I could pick your brain a little about what surface type you are stacking and how much waste do you find when using the bales stacked that way. We are looking at buying a RBM and had one other question. I see some thing about slipping how many passes of net wrap did you use on the bales in the video and are they 4x4 what is the approx. weight of the bales as for a 4x4 that would help me know how tight you are baling them …..we use a new Holland baler that is new. We do about 400 round inside and this would allow us to add a considerable amount.
Edited by martyn 7/31/2019 21:11
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Southeast Colorado | Hey fellow...........you do realize this post is well over 2 years old............right? Maybe someone else will catch it on their "old threads" list like me, but not likely. |
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stacking round bales on end in building
