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Post by MarlandS on Aug 28, 2011 10:52:24 GMT -5
Neighbor approached me about using my tractor to shred stalks using his 15 ft batwing . Assuming the blades are decent and the stalks are dry, how fast should I be able to run and still do a good job ? Fields are flat and pretty smooth , I'm guessing he's gonna want it cutting about 4-5 inches high .
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SMASH
Hired Hand
doo-rag dude
Posts: 197
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Post by SMASH on Aug 28, 2011 11:12:36 GMT -5
My Dad did 16 acres in 5 hours the other day. Knowing my Dad, I think you could do it faster.
He mowed in a square. I would mow with the row. skip 12 when you turn, so you don't have to turn so tight. Unless you have plenty of end rows.
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Post by Gambi80 on Aug 28, 2011 11:27:49 GMT -5
My dad did it once with the 4430 in 6th gear...so maybe 8mph at PTO speed...? He did about 20 acres before he realized the futility of it.
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Post by Farmerkuk on Aug 28, 2011 12:21:00 GMT -5
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SMASH
Hired Hand
doo-rag dude
Posts: 197
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Post by SMASH on Aug 28, 2011 12:48:23 GMT -5
why a bat wing? Maybe because you have to use what you already have? IDK some have call me stupid, but I disagree MOST of the time.
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Post by Gambi80 on Aug 28, 2011 13:28:09 GMT -5
[quote author=smash board=talk2 thread=965 post=9027 time=1314553703 Maybe because you have to use what you already have? IDK some have call me stupid, but I disagree MOST of the time. [/quote] I'd have to agree with you as well. Unless you can justify a $20,000 impliment and burning $3 fuel to pull it. I think if you want stalks chopped, money is better spent with a chopping head on the combine.
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Post by Farmerkuk on Aug 28, 2011 14:28:41 GMT -5
I got mine for new $13,000 two years ago!
It takes much less fuel to use! I would have to disk stalks 2 times in the past.
I can no way afford a chopping head or the combine that it would take.........
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Post by MarlandS on Aug 28, 2011 16:35:31 GMT -5
So, I should be able to get 6 acres an hour easy enough .
farmerkuk , I would be using a batwing because that's what he asked me to use .
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Post by Farmerkuk on Aug 28, 2011 17:04:20 GMT -5
Wow.
There is much better ways to shred stalks then using a batwing doing 6 acres/hr. The boys in Il must not have much to do!
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Post by MarlandS on Aug 28, 2011 20:53:57 GMT -5
well, there's a couple of guys around here with chopper harrows and they have to hit it twice to get the stalks chewed up so they aren't the best either .
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Post by bcreech on Aug 29, 2011 12:42:44 GMT -5
Marland if you can run 6mph and figure an average of 12ft cut then you will be mowing 8.7 acres pr hr I used the 12ft width because of turning on each end it is easier than trying to subtract the acres pr hr speedx5280xwidth /43560 equals acres pr hr on clipping pastures with my tractors and 15ft BH I get $15 pr acre or $65 pr hr
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Post by lafarmer345 on Aug 29, 2011 16:20:20 GMT -5
Because we rebed everything down here, all stalks have to be shredded. Most have a shredder, some use a bush-hog type cutter.
I would think with a 15 ft mower you should be able to pull it at 6 mph and get around 9 acres and hour.
After the stalks get shredded, we have to spray glyphosate and select or a generic, usually 2,4d thrown in there as well. (That is the stage we are in now as far as the season goes). After that we spread our P&K and rehip or rebed the old rows.
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Post by MarlandS on Aug 29, 2011 20:53:48 GMT -5
Thanks guys , he's wanting them chopped up before he runs his Soil saver type chisel over it . Just trying to get an idea if the time involved , I used the 6 acres an hour for worst case scenario like only being able to squeeze 5 rows in , not having a gear that will do a pure 6 mph , turning around etc .
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Post by jabber1 on Sept 4, 2011 19:13:51 GMT -5
Marland, I am sure we have run more than 6 MPH buuuuuuuuttttttttttttttttttt I gotta tell ya, watch those slip clutches. The stalks and shucks have a nasty habit of piling up on the deck of the batwing. If a clutch slips you have a great source of kindling for an insurance claim and a new chopper. Don't ask me how I know.
The smoldering fire when it starts looks a lot like the dust that is generated when you are chopping until it is too late. Don't ask me how I know that either.
There is a fella northeast of me that said he always carries two 5 gallon buckets of water on the deck of his batwing for the reasons above.
If you are chopping 30" rows with a 15' you should be able to do 6 per pass without much trouble sooooooooo your chopping width is 15'.
If you don't have baffles- the batwing will winrow the stalks a bit but overall it does a nice job.
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Post by MarlandS on Sept 4, 2011 20:01:44 GMT -5
Thanks for the tip Jabber1 . Probably should carry a couple myself should he accept my bid .
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