Shear Grab as a Bale Shear

jimmy G M

Would a normal shear grab operate as a bale shear similar to the Tanco bale shear for example?

Ok it wouldn't be able to cut through the bale completely and wouldn't grab the plastic but I could live with that.

Just want it to feed cattle along on a slatted shed passage and if it could tease the bale out a little and cut down on a bit of forking that would be good.

I'm reckon you'd need a shear grab circa 5 ft wide to be able to grip the bale side on and slicing through the bale couldn't be ant harder on rams or prongs than cutting a block of silage? Bale probably wouldn't weigh any more than a good block either although the load would be further forward ok.

A good second hand shear grab can be had for €800 - €1,000, a saving of €2-2.5k over a bale shear? Could also be used for cleaning out a couple of loose sheds etc

We have a 4wd tractor 100 hp with decent loader already.

What do people think? Any one use a shear grab for this purpose already?

Thx

JGM

Sharpshooter82

Might work but be a pain to get the net out of the bale as the first turn of the net does be under the last turn of silage so it would be buried a bit. A bale would be heavier than a slice of silage I think and don't forget most loader max out a little over 1000kg. And a bale could be close to 800kg

tim04750

check out this way of doin' it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsFTAHzipPk
I think I saw it on here somewhere first , been doin' it that way since, works a treat.

jimmy G M

Thats the job!

I don't mind so much pulling off the plastic, I just hate the hopping up and down off the tractor cutting plastic when feeding out with the bale spike and all the forking plus the bale spike is no use for pushing in a bit of silage or cleaning out the stuff they don't eat.

What width is your shear grab?

tim04750

Its a McHale 5' 3" I think, bale fits in snug , its on its last legs so on the lookout for one that opens a bit wider so I can get more of the bale into it but if I can't get one the same as what I have will do.
The simple Ideas that leave you wondering " why didn't I think of that"

The first morning the bossman saw me goin' down the yard with a bale in the grab arseways I got a look that said " that child's just not right" didn't take long to catch on.

Sharpshooter82

tim04750 wrote: »

Its a McHale 5' 3" I think, bale fits in snug , its on its last legs so on the lookout for one that opens a bit wider so I can get more of the bale into it but if I can't get one the same as what I have will do.
The simple Ideas that leave you wondering " why didn't I think of that"

The first morning the bossman saw me goin' down the yard with a bale in the grab arseways I got a look that said " that child's just not right" didn't take long to catch on.

Did you claim it was your idea came to you in a dream

jersey101

Was thinking about this, if your made up a bar with say 8 lengths of round pipeing on it, put it on the tines when your going to split bales and you will be able to split the bale and pull over plastic with out tearing it. If ye have all your bales down on the ground first all you gave to do is drive into them so your not taking on and off the bar.

onyerbikepat

Here's the job;

simx

Another question i have is how far would
you carry a round bale of silage on a front loader, have seen lads dragging them nice distanc seen one lad fill the diet feeder and put a bale on front loader and head onto outfarm around 5/6 miles away, personally i wouldnt carry them 100m, bring them in on spike on back first, just think its hard on front axle etc.

Sharpshooter82

simx wrote: »

Another question i have is how far would
you carry a round bale of silage on a front loader, have seen lads dragging them nice distanc seen one lad fill the diet feeder and put a bale on front loader and head onto outfarm around 5/6 miles away, personally i wouldnt carry them 100m, bring them in on spike on back first, just think its hard on front axle etc.

Yeah it is plus it's hard on the brackets in the engine too. I seen a tractor one time and all brackets in the engine ( starter, alternater) had broke or were cracked after a winters work. Ya can't beat soft drive on a tractor loader

tim04750

Sharpshooter82 wrote: »

Did you claim it was your idea came to you in a dream

Aye " God told me to do it ":D

jimmy G M

Sharpshooter82 wrote: »

Yeah it is plus it's hard on the brackets in the engine too. I seen a tractor one time and all brackets in the engine ( starter, alternater) had broke or were cracked after a winters work. Ya can't beat soft drive on a tractor loader

Yeah, soft drive is a great job alright. Really cushions the load and makes it much easier on the loader and tractor. You can get it retro-fitted to any loader for around €200 and I would highly recommend.

Zr105

We've used the shear grab to split bales plastic and all, just hold them high like you would with the tanco anyway and the bit u cut off falls out, if you drive forward a bit just as it hits the ground it helps keep the wrap out from under it. Then jus let most of it fall out and the wrap is held on the tines normally. Ours is the deeper version of the grab, not the tractor depth so it may open wider to get more in.

Oh and its a 5'2 and you do kinda need all of it, 4'6 might just work but would be very tight and you'd have to get the bale dead on.

Also if i was gettin a shear grab specifically just to cut bales it dump half the tines as it makes it easier to push ino the bale

Zr105

Sharpshooter82 wrote: »

Might work but be a pain to get the net out of the bale as the first turn of the net does be under the last turn of silage so it would be buried a bit. A bale would be heavier than a slice of silage I think and don't forget most loader max out a little over 1000kg. And a bale could be close to 800kg

If the first turn of net is under the silage its because the driver is driving a bit to far past the buzzer makes it a serious pain feeding out but you are getting what all of an extra half turn of a bale in.......

agriman27

tim04750 wrote: »

check out this way of doin' it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsFTAHzipPk
I think I saw it on here somewhere first , been doin' it that way since, works a treat.

This is very impressive never saw it done before:pac: just wondering does it work on really solid bales with very dry stuff in them

nashmach

simx wrote: »

Another question i have is how far would
you carry a round bale of silage on a front loader, have seen lads dragging them nice distanc seen one lad fill the diet feeder and put a bale on front loader and head onto outfarm around 5/6 miles away, personally i wouldnt carry them 100m, bring them in on spike on back first, just think its hard on front axle etc.

And most would do it several times a week instead of bringing down three bales on a small trailer.

Don't understand that either...

Irishmale

that's my video! Ha!

It works with heavy or light bales and it works a treat with those soft squashed bales on the bottom of a stack too. The wider the grab it's easier to catch the bale on the side. Also, if doing a couple of weeks of bales I do whip off a few tines off the grab until back lion the pit stuff.