Mowing Madness

After the recent rain, the weather outlook has looked a bit more favorable for hay making; looking to knock down as much as we can over the next few days.
As always, take care and enjoy! Please rate the video and subscribe. Leave a comment or ask a question.

[@PhluterGoode]

I love these videos showing farming in different parts of the world. My Dad used to have a “finger bar mower” - a single version of what you use in the video. Biggest issue used to be the grass clogging up over the blades - grass crops in Ireland tend to be heavier than in the US. Keep up the good work.

[@farming4g]

Yea same here too... grasses not so much, but rather the clingy crops. heavy alfalfa, clover, or some vines make issues.

[@anthonybanda8192]

we purchased a dual sickle mower this summer. our dairy cattle love the alfalfa and hay the way it cuts it and leaves it whole. the feed value of our hay has been better than if we used a mower conditioner. we can cut more hay using less fuel per acre.

[@farming4g]

That's the thing too if I do get a haybine at somepoint... I dunno if I want to use it on alfalfa. I know a lot of people like to, but alfalfa is one of those crops that should be handled with care unlike grass or stalky crops where those should be roughed up. A disc or haybine is definitally easier to cut through it, but my main concern is always the end product.

[@floydfarms1578]

Glad to see you getting some hay down! I love our NH 451 9' sickle mower, it's what your rowse mower heads, bars and blades come from. Had to bite the bullet and get a disc mower though because we have too much clover in spring for it to handle. We run ours at the highest setting for the inner and outer shoes to keep it out of fire ant mounds and hog holes.

[@farming4g]

I'll cave in eventually and get a discbine at somepoint. It's finding a good used one, but I'm also looking for a good used big 4wd so...

[@floydfarms1578]

Farming 4G yeah I couldn't make myself go the used route and get someone else's problem machine with my luck so I went new and put off the nice used diesel 4wd I've been wanting for a few more years. But you put up way more hay than I do and need a much larger machine, I can understand sticking with what works. We were having to stop about every five to ten minutes and spend five minutes or more cleaning off the bar. By the way, the 4wd sounds more fun anyways!

[@rogerwilson9892]

Brooks haven't seen you in a while than I noticed wasn't subscribed to your channel go figure nice video.

[@farming4g]

Hey! I wondered where you went, haven't seen you in quite a while lol. KZbin being youtube I suppose...

[@rogerwilson9892]

@@farming4g Really hey though you weren't posting anymore until seen a new video and looked and seen wasn't subscribed to your channel like you believed youtube being youtube lol.

[@jonstevensmaplegrovefarms3754]

Isnt 2019 over yet. Lol might be a good year yet?!! Yes very isolated severe storms. We had trees down and a half inch in minutes. My uncle 8 miles north has missed a lot of rains.

[@farming4g]

It **might** be... as long as the stupid hail and wind stays away, should have really good crops at least, not so much prices sadly.

[@alexschoenberg448]

I have my mower bars tilted up a little bit so they glide over the mounds easier. I also had to mushroom a roll pin on both ends because it was giving be grief.

[@sherischneider2672]

Alex Schoenberg Here's what we do for the roll pins. We clean out the holes, use a new spiral pin, and Loctite the pin in place. This ended our problems with the spiral roll pins. I would switch to a solid brass pin like those used in old outboard motors if I could find one of the correct size.

[@farming4g]

Same, we've got them tilted a bit as well. We rarely have issues with roll pins, but when they have an issue they have an issue. It's been holding in place ever since I worked with it.

[@JoshuaSmith-xw6jp]

It always seems so strange to see all your newer tractors and then you use a sickle bar mower!! And a new one at that! I can't believe they even still make them. Are they common in your area and if so , why?

[@farming4g]

They're still pretty popular here. They're versatile machines, can go through variety of terrain and obstacles. There are lots of disc conditioners and some haybines here too, but most ranchers around here still have 1 or 2 bar mowers.

[@sherischneider2672]

We use the bundle plug in the outer shoe. We grind down the last two sickle bolts to flat on top and modify the bundle plug with a carbide bit and a die grinder to make the arch for the sickle bolts larger.

[@farming4g]

Never heard of a bundle plug... link to one?

[@sherischneider2672]

Farming 4G Here is a link to a bundle plug kit from the company that supplies many of the Rowse cutting components. We get the Webb's Sickle Service catalog and have ordered from them before. It is a good company and anyone with Rowse equipment could benefit from the catalog. www.cuttingcomponents.com/parts/mower-parts/nh-plug-bundle-kit.html PS; We have used the bundle plug for many years and wouldn't go without them. The bundle plug stops outer shoe hay bundle build up and makes the outer section more durable. Webb makes these for Rowse and I have told them they need to update the kit as we need to modify the plug quite a bit with a carbide grinding bit in a air die grinder to make it clear sickle bolts (we also grind the last two sickle bolt nuts and bolts flat on top). We also open up the bolt holes so the plug edge can be adjusted directly over the cutting edge of the ledger plate as the plug wears. They are expensive but we keep tweaking the with the grinders to make them last a long time. PPS; We convert our inner and outer shoe ledger plates to JD countersunk bolts (ground down) for easier replacement of worn or damaged ledger plates.

[@sherischneider2672]

Farming 4G Here is a link to a sickle bolt tool we purchased and have used for years. This tool was created by one of the founders at Webb's. We wouldn't be without this tool for sickle bolts (we modified ours to create a smaller tool that uses smaller wrenches). www.cuttingcomponents.com/parts/test-field-repair/bolt-tool.html PS; Did you see my comment on a different video on why I think the newer New Holland heads appear less durable?

[@sherischneider2672]

Farming 4G I think the bundle plug kit may also be shown in the parts breakdown in the Rowse mower manuals (at least for the older Rowse mowers without bolted sections)

[@farming4g]

@@sherischneider2672 damn ,that's pretty neat! Flippin expensive is right! That little bolt tool I'm seriously interested in, but the bundle plug not so much. A small farm store close to us can get end sections at a decent price compared to any other store ive seen. Thanks for that link, that look full of goodies! Might have to browse it a bit more when I have time. Yes, I saw your comment, I have a video coming sometime in the next week talking about the heads a bit from what we've experienced the 2 current mowers, as well as the previous mower.

[@clark59729]

What’s the advantage for you guys to run those mowers? How come not a conventional swather or even a rotary?

[@farming4g]

It's what we're currently setup for. I eventually want to get a disc conditioner, but until then... kzbin.info/www/bejne/bH2ocoqtltWinqM

[@sherischneider2672]

clark59729 The mowers handle rocks, debris, ditches, and other difficult areas better. The hay often dries in one day and this makes it easier to miss rains. The mowers are also lower maintenance. Some people in our area have moved from the mower conditioners to mowers and rakes for this reason.

[@clark59729]

To each there own, makes since

[@sherischneider2672]

clark59729 You also can't lift up one half of a swather or mower conditioner to clear an sign, tree, or obstacle like you can with a double mower. The lighter weight of a mower bar also makes it float over obstacles or break away to prevent damage in ways a swather or mower conditioner can never do. It is also nice to drive on the road or in the flat of a ditch as your mower bar or mower is down or up in the road ditch dealing with steeple slopes, holes, culverts, or other such obstacles.

[@biggamehunter9138]

If your getting by without a conditioner now maybe just look at a 13’ center pivot disc mower without the conditioner, there cheaper and require less horsepower and you would definitely cover more ground in a day even though your not cutting as much per pass