I have found that when you get the wind row set, go back over it with the right front tire just to the left of the row and let the rake roll it more to the left and the windrow will be rolled and more narrow, better for the square baler to make more consistent bales.
I agree, make a twist in the windrow for a square baler and bales will look great. I tell my customers when I train them... You learn how to rake once you bale. You learn how to cut once you rake.
They work fine in medium thick grass. If there is too little material it will fall between the tines, and if the material is too thick the wheels will ride on top of it. Nor is this machine good for turning. Turning to the right makes a complete mess. Turning to the left does work somewhat, but not sharply. Rather only make straight windrown and lift the rake when you are turning at the ends.
sorry mate but this is wrong, maybe it is just due to purpose of video capture, but you are driving way to slow. Those wheels have to spin faster to be effective, the tractor has to pull faster.
Your correct but we wanted to show how the machine worked. In addition, we do not want someone with little experience drive faster than their experience allows.
@@smallfarminnovations4265 didnt want to sound like ass (which I did at the end), maybe it should be mentioned and showed in video that the rake is more effective if the speed is higher.
My father used to do all his hay with this back in the day. One of the lift connections had the tip missing so instead of a clip he tied it with a rope. The rope never actually failed! He used to make big rows for making hay cocks but sometime it would 'rope' the hay. That was the only downside to it. But with no pto, it was a great machine. It's rusting away in the corner of a field now sadly.
😅I have a 1/4 acre that is long and narrow. I have cut it with a brush hog and want to rake it up, dry it, and store it loose. Would this be a good way to rake it to dry then load it on trailer to haul to the barn?
I would get you a two wheel rake. But in the future to get more tonnage, use a hay mower, sickle, drum or disc. A hay mower cuts the forage one time where a rotary cutter chops it up into small pieces and you have a lot of loss. We have seen hay yields decrease over 60% using a rotary cutter.
I know I'm late to the game, but this is exactly what I've been looking for! Never used a wheel rake but thinking about getting one soon. Thank you for the detailed look at setting it up and using it. Most of the other videos show it in use, but they don't explain it. Thank you for putting this out there.
How would this type of rake work for lucerne? I am still doing everything by hand but I am now looking to go a bit bigger. I don't want to be wasting anything.
@@cypak4477 not sure what you mean, all the wheels are the same on a right hand rake. If you have left hand wheels on a right hand rake the hay will just pile up beside you. there is no way the hay can exit.
