Bale shears. Cost/value for money.

freedominacup · 07-09-2017 5:46pm #1

I'm thinking of buying a bale shear. We have a lot more bales than usual to feed out this winter and I don't relish the thought of the constant up and down removing plastic and net for the winter.

Only one I've seen in action is the tanco model. Any posters have one? Where they worth the money? What makes?

moneyheer · 07-09-2017 6:01pm

Have a keltec bale shear here for the last 3 years, wouldn't be without it for love or money. I reckon they are a bit on the heavy side

Floki · 07-09-2017 7:15pm

moneyheer wrote: »

Have a keltec bale shear here for the last 3 years, wouldn't be without it for love or money. I reckon they are a bit on the heavy side

Does it hold onto the split bale that's left on the loader fairly well or would it drop some bits?

Also have you it on a loader or a tractor?

Final one if you have it on a tractor have you a weight on the back?

dohc turbo2 · 07-09-2017 8:23pm

I watched one off a dd add last night , a cashels one , it looked good and did hold on to half the bale , https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7IvsXrDl0Zg

Keepgrowing · 07-09-2017 8:30pm

Have a Pro Dig bs shear grab that also cuts bales and retains plastic. I couldn't recommend it highly enough. You need an industrial loader to operate it. €5,300. We're heading into our third season. Hardox tines, built like a battleship.

Will also bring 1 tonne grabs from silage pit.

http://www.prodigattachments.com/index.php/en/products/agricultural/8-shear-grab

Edit: I do not work for or have any association with the company

Wildsurfer · 07-09-2017 8:37pm

Jaysus that's a serious looking piece of kit... Some weight Id say. Looks a better job than tanco multi shear which has the rams at the side, is it slow to operate?

Buford T. Justice XIX · 07-09-2017 9:39pm

freedominacup wrote: »

I'm thinking of buying a bale shear. We have a lot more bales than usual to feed out this winter and I don't relish the thought of the constant up and down removing plastic and net for the winter.

Only one I've seen in action is the tanco model. Any posters have one? Where they worth the money? What makes?

This might suit your job?

Best of both worlds.

moneyheer · 07-09-2017 10:10pm

Floki wrote:

Does it hold onto the split bale that's left on the loader fairly well or would it drop some bits?

Floki wrote:

Also have you it on a loader or a tractor?

Floki wrote:

Final one if you have it on a tractor have you a weight on the back?

No , but you could pick up a piece again if needs be.

Have it on a matbro.

Before I bought it went to see one working that was mounted on a MF, I'd say that tractor at least 130hp.

Keepgrowing · 07-09-2017 10:16pm

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Jaysus that's a serious looking piece of kit... Some weight Id say. Looks a better job than tanco multi shear which has the rams at the side, is it slow to operate?

I have a video of young lad operating it but can't post it

visatorro · 07-09-2017 10:19pm

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

This might suit your job?

Best of both worlds.

See that one brings a nice clump of silage with it as you take away the plastic. Are they all like that or is it available?

freedominacup · 08-09-2017 4:35am

Thanks for the replies.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 08-09-2017 6:32am

visatorro wrote: »

See that one brings a nice clump of silage with it as you take away the plastic. Are they all like that or is it available?

Looking at the video, I'd say that bit of silage would drop down if he shook the grab or turned the grab down a bit more?

I'm hoping to go looking at one in action in a few weeks but I'm still waiting on a price for it.

yellow50HX · 08-09-2017 9:23am

looked at the tanco one a few years back and looked a great job but i usually put 2-3 bales into the passage at a time (4bay passage). tanco would probably put in 5 -6 bales which would be an issue as this would be 4-5 days of feeding so not ideal for pushing in (dont have access to push the silage in sideways.

keltec set-up would be more suitable for me as i also fed to ring feeders in autunm and can spread the bale out along the passage.

fair weight in them plus weight of bale so wont be getting one unless i change the digger. its getting old now and front axel wont like more than 1ton on it.

at the mo i un-wind the bales backwards along the passage and that is working out ok.

GrasstoMilk · 08-09-2017 7:46pm

https://itanco.com/iseries/

The rams on the outside is a very bad design fault tbh. You wouldn't want to let anyone careless up into it.
Fairly heafty too

Dunedin · 21-09-2017 9:28am

I'm also on the look out for one of these - seriously considering it.

I have looked at both the Cashels and the Keltec (on neighbouring farms) and both lads were happy with theirs. My only concern would be the weight. it would be on case 105 (105hp). Don't have weights but I could always just have a bale on the back.

It's a lot of money for something so you'd want to be getting it right. any other opinions on these. Keltec seem to be a lot dearer but haven't got recent prices.

farmertipp · 24-09-2017 9:01pm

I have a tanco bale shear. 5 seasons done now.. also use on silage pit not very tidy but works. Have a meal bucket for it too.great job. Wouldn't be without it.
.

freedominacup · 24-11-2017 5:55pm

We bought a keltec in the end. Very little in price difference between it and the tanco. Keltec won out because it's better suited to filling bales into the diet feeder. Plastic caught on the top of the bale and bale split upwards from the base. Happy with it so far. No weight issue as being used with a teleporter. If anything the bale and bale shear are lighter than shear grab with a full block. Came close to buying a prodig also but the suitability for filling feeder won out plus we did a bit of tidying up on shear grab and it's doing a perfect job on the pit so that ended the prodig discussion.

GrasstoMilk · 24-11-2017 9:32pm

What's the best way to sharpen a shear grab? We bought a second hand one and I've sharpeened the blade twice this morning and I still mayaswell be using a bucket

Muckit · 24-11-2017 9:51pm

The last lad has more than likely fecked the blades and taken temper off them by using angle grinder on them. You can buy new blade sections. Get a lad that knows what he's doing to weld them on

GrasstoMilk · 24-11-2017 10:01pm

Muckit wrote: »

The last lad has more than likely fecked the blades and taken temper off them by using angle grinder on them. You can buy new blade sections. Get a lad that knows what he's doing to weld them on

That lad was probably me....... it was a grab a neighbour bought and only used it for a year before he got out of cows. Been sitting in his shed for last 10 year. It cuts maize great but the pit silage is awful

Who2 · 24-11-2017 10:38pm

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

That lad was probably me....... it was a grab a neighbour bought and only used it for a year before he got out of cows. Been sitting in his shed for last 10 year. It cuts maize great but the pit silage is awful

Flappy disc on a grinder is the way i do it. Try to leave the blade edge concave to an extent as it gets thicker if you know what i mean. tilt the prongs slightly down when backing in and make sure all the tines are tight and not excessively worn. hope that helps.

GrasstoMilk · 24-11-2017 10:40pm

Who2 wrote: »

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

That lad was probably me....... it was a grab a neighbour bought and only used it for a year before he got out of cows. Been sitting in his shed for last 10 year. It cuts maize great but the pit silage is awful

Flappy disc on a grinder is the way i do it. Try to leave the blade edge concave to an extent as it gets thicker if you know what i mean. tilt the prongs slightly down when backing in and make sure all the tines are tight and not excessively worn. hope that helps.

Thanks. Yeah she's perfect in every way. Original tines on her and not a bit of wear on them. Have used it to split up the bales till I opened the pit and she cut them very well

Floki · 24-11-2017 10:41pm

Muckit wrote: »

The last lad has more than likely fecked the blades and taken temper off them by using angle grinder on them. You can buy new blade sections. Get a lad that knows what he's doing to weld them on

I wonder would there be any way to get the temper and hardness back on the blades?

I wonder say for the cod you shaped it again to 45 degrees and then the tip to finish at 30 degrees. Heat it up and quench the blade as quick as you can with water.

Would that work?

(Haven't got a grab or never done this, so don't know.)

Mooooo · 25-11-2017 12:01am

Best way is prob the old fashioned way of heavy gloves and a file. You could use the grinder and the soft disks kinda like polishing disks just make sure the blades don't get hot

Grueller · 25-11-2017 12:24am

Mooooo wrote: »

Best way is prob the old fashioned way of heavy gloves and a file. You could use the grinder and the soft disks kinda like polishing disks just make sure the blades don't get hot

Looking at your pit face in the winter feeding photos it looks like you know what you are talking about.

Who2 · 25-11-2017 2:58pm

Mooooo wrote: »

Best way is prob the old fashioned way of heavy gloves and a file. You could use the grinder and the soft disks kinda like polishing disks just make sure the blades don't get hot

Definitely the best finish but it's too damn slow to do. I try it every so often with great intentions but usually pull out the grinder.

Bale shears. Cost/value for money.

Comments