Saturday, September 17, 2016

Harvest: Hay: Ejecting two large square bales

Screenshot of pre-charge chamber
I haven't discussed little square bales, big round bales, and big square bales yet, but I came across some details that are worth capturing in the meantime. (Actually, I do have some notes on 

Starting at 6:23 in a "The Farming Life" video, The Farmer's Wife shows what you have to do after you have finished the last windrow on the field: clean out the pre-charge chamber, force a knotting to make the last bale, eject the two bales still in the chamber, and fold up the rollers at the end of the baler.

When done baling with a little-square baler, my uncle would pull out the complete bale that was still in the compression chamber. But he would leave the partial bale because it wasn't much hay. And when switching between hay and straw, you would have to throw away the first bale out because it would be part straw and part hay. But when you are building bales that are between a half-ton and a ton, you want to tie off and eject the partial bale because that can be quite a bit of hay.

Screenshot of knotters

Screenshot of  the baling chamber after the bales have been ejected.
In the video, you can see the plunger going back and forth.

Update: I did not realize that big-square balers have been around since the early 1990s.
International Harvester Collectors Chapter 37 Eastern North Carolina posted
1991 CaseIH Buyers Guide


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