Mowers

Gudstock

Looking at various centre pivot mounted mowers, both disc only and conditioner versions. Anyone offer any experience on Malone ones? Also McHale.

Fine Day

Looking around myself. From chatting to people, the Krone is highly regarded.

Gudstock

Definitely, krone is very good. I'd like a conditioner but the extra for conditioner with krone vs malone is significant.

Fine Day

Ya a conditioner would be a good addition alright. It might be worth considering a trailer mower.

Gudstock

Trailed gone very expensive altogether, with the exception of a trailed malone, same price as a mounted krone conditioner

Reggie.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121720085#Comment_121720085

Trailed malone is a good job. Running one here last few years and no problems. Be easier on the tractor linkage

Gudstock

Is the Comer bed still a good one? I know, trailed be better but hard to justify as it is!

Reggie.

About 500 to 1000 acres through ot now and nothing but blades needed

funkey_monkey

Are you still talking about 10hp per ft for a mower?

Are Kuhn mowers up there? I know they are all decent enough. Which ones share beds?

Is it really matter of selecting the best bed and then getting one that uses them or do they do use different spec of beds? I thought McHale used a custom Samasz bed that they designed themselves?

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719221#Comment_121719221

I had an 8’ Malone bought new. Traded it for a Krone. No comparison in the cut. Especially for topping.

but Krone are expensive.

kuhn are a good mower too.

cjpm

Heavy crop 100hp Tractor

5’6 - 3.5 Ac/Hr

10’6 - 6 Ac/he

Most I’ve ever managed. Both in a long rectangular field.

Gudstock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121722241#Comment_121722241

Were these both side pivot mowers?

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121722737#Comment_121722737

Not fully sure what you mean by side pivot. Both were mounted mowers. Malone was an 8’

krone is a 9’ and is a centre pivot

Gudstock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121722940#Comment_121722940

Side pivot being hinged at the 3 pt linkage side and majority then being belt driven. Centre pivot mowers all shaft driven I think. No comparison really between belt drive and shaft drive.

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121723526#Comment_121723526

All krone, both center pivot and side pivot are shaft driven.

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121723526#Comment_121723526

Malone was belt driven and not centre pivot. Krone is centre and shaft drive.

148multi

Good few khun sold around here, some men sold them on, you need to over rev to clear the crop. Apart from that a good mower, but men who work on mowers say the khun and pottinger are dear to fix.

heard about samasz seizing if the breather pipe gets blocked.

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121722636#Comment_121722636

Sounds right at 3. 5 for the 5'6'. Tho 20 or 30 hp less would cut in same time. Zetor 8145 and massey 168 both do 3.5. Comfortable seat would be a helpful luxury tho too.

older by the day

I have an old krone 8ft, nice mower, no problems. I let a contractor mow an outside place as it's ten miles away. I'm wondering about buying a second hand wuffler, does anyone have one. Is It good for drying a double swart

funkey_monkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121726268#Comment_121726268

I have one. It's okay, but not good as spreading and raking up.

Ours is a Conor. It's good machine. The problem with it (and all of them) is that it doesn't turn the sward upside down to dry the bottom. You can put it on the offset position and place the newly fluffed row onto the dry/dryer ground adjacent to where the sward currently sits. Otherwise it just gets placed on damp ground again.

Wouldn't say that it would dry a wet sward, but would help in dewy/normal conditions to get into the baling.

When we have used it, it worked well. If you are in catchy weather you can keep everything in rows and give it a wuffle. It does dry the grass, not as well or quickly as spreading, but does do a good job for a lower outlay.

As you are using an 8ft mower like ourselves you'd benefit from them being pulled together with a rake for baling.

We haven't used it in about 5 years which probably tells its own story. But I'm testing the silage quality now so it will likely get taken out in order to improve quality.

If buying, I'd put it down the list with a two rotor rake above it. But then you need a tedder to spread and the spending keeps going. I had asked on here about spreader vanes for a moco to circumvent the need for a tedder, but @Reggie and someone else said they don't work well.

However, what I will say is that it is better then nothing. If you watch the videos it does what it says and fluffs up the seats for drying. No denying that, it does work.

It will fluff double rows (is your contractor using a merger, or how are you getting double rows?). You might have to reduce your forward speed though.

They are a very simple machine mechanically. Just keep the oiler full and remember turn it on. So, should last a lifetime. Takes up little space in the shed in comparison to a rake plus tedder.

We used it to make hay for a couple of seasons. Everything stayed in rows from mowing to baling. Was good weather, but still there was a job for it to do.

In terms of operation it wouldn't be the most difficult to use. Just need to be careful on corners that you don't mess it up.

Wuffled on a bit there myself, but if you have any questions ask and I'll try to help.

older by the day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121726538#Comment_121726538

That's great information, thank you for your detailed response. I'm a one man band, and travelling to mow a few acres, milk cows, check cattle and be back for school collection.

My idea was pick up a second hand wuffler, let it there on the out farm. The contractor can cut it double swart it with a 9ft conditioner. IL give it a run of the wuffler, draw the bales. And live happily ever after.

I love these machinery threads, day dreaming of long dry days with lovely new machines. In reality most one man operations don't have time to be spending hours at silage. I hear a lot of ye afraid to buy a second hand mower, in fairness if you deal with a machinery sales company and they have it checked out, it could last a life time

Gudstock

What is the difference between steel and nylon tines on conditioner?

Jack C

Silage harvesters don't like steel ones.