Baler/wrapper – so far so good, say contractors
25 June 1999
Baler/wrapper – so far so good, say contractors
Witnessed by many at this
years Grassland Event,
Krones new Combi-Pack
baler/wrapper was received
both scepticism and awe.
Andy Moore discovered how
a Devon contractors
machine was performing.
N M Farley and Sons contractors near Tiverton in Devon, did not see the Krone Combi-Pack baler/wrapper in action before buying it.
A rash business move at first glance, but after a chat with a user in Scotland and several honest opinions, the decision to purchase was made in early May. As a purpose-built baling and wrapping machine, the Combi-Pack uses the existing Round Pack 1250 round baler with an adjoining wrapping unit fixed at the back.
The main attraction of the Combi-Pack for the Farley operation was its potential to save on labour. Up until this year, some 8000 bales were wrapped by a tractor mounted stationary wrapper – either out in the field or back at the customers yard.
"The whole situation started to become ineffectual," says Gary Farley. "It was a full-time job for two men and two tractors. The Combi-Pack requires just one man and the whole operation can be completed in the field.
"In addition, because the Combi-Pack does the two jobs at once, wrapping can be done the same day with no opportunity for the bales to wilt or become misshapen – a problem with the old system."
Another key feature Mr Farley reckons is to be found in the units integral design. "With separate baler and in-line baler wrappers, there is a tendency for the bale to miss the wrapper after ejection and fall onto the ground – the Combi-Pack does not have that problem," he says. "We also like the system of wrapping with an orbiting arm because bales are less likely to fall off on steep ground compared to the rotating table types."
The ability to bale and wrap effectively on steep ground is especially important since much of the Farleys work is based throughout a hilly area. In this situation the baler can store bales in "hold" function in the chamber and on the table with wrapping and ejection paused until the machine reaches level ground.
The baling process itself works in the same way as a normal baler with the driver stopping the machine to eject the bale from the tailgate. After ejection, the sequence is fully automatic, the bale falls onto a lifting mechanism which tips the bale onto the wrapping table located behind.
Once the bale sits on the table and the operator drives on, the wrapping sequence begins with the dispenser arm orbiting the bale. Film is distributed around the bale with a pre-stretch mechanism which can be adjusted between 50% and 70%. Following a pre-set number of wraps, the cycle stops automatically and the table tips the bale onto a spring-loaded rubber mat.
All automatic operations are controlled by the machines in-cab electronic control system, leaving the driver to concentrate on stop and start signals and raising the pick-up and crop cut length. To let the driver know what is going on behind the baler, the Farleys opted for a CCTV camera, which they claim is very useful.
In terms of outputs, coupled to a 135hp John Deere 6910, Mr Farley believes the Combi-Pack system to be equally productive as the old system – achieving up to 30 bales per hour. For fast wrapping, which takes about 90 seconds, 750mm film is used which gives a four-ply overlap amounting to 32 bales per roll of film – narrower 500mm film is also available.
Appetites for the machine are said to be high – able to pick up a 1.2m (4ft) swath of grass rowed up from 9m (27ft) while forward speeds are claimed at up to 6 mph.
Equipped with a pre-chopper, crop length can be varied to suit the farmers own requirements – although at £2.60, the Farleys charge the same for an unchopped type.
"Having baled and wrapped about 1000 bales so far, it is still early days to fully assess the performance of the Combi-Pack, but with the ability to wrap immediately behind the baler, resultant crop quality must be 10 times better," concludes Mr Farley.