BUCKRAKES ON THE MARKET

10 March 2000




BUCKRAKES ON THE MARKET

Getting grass clamped

quickly and efficiently is a

key element of making good

quality silage. Peter Hill

reviews an important tool

for this task

A GOOD push-off loader fork or buckrake can make all the difference on the silage clamp, when the emphasis is getting material shifting from where it has been tipped from the trailer, as quickly as possible.

First, to keep the pad clear for the next incoming trailer; second, to give sufficient time for the clamp operator to get the grass properly and thoroughly rolled between each load.

While the rear linkage-mounted buckrake has served farmers and contractors well – and still does, especially using a reverse-drive tractor – putting the same implement on front linkage or on a suitably hefty telehandler or wheeled loader helps move things along nicely.

A reasonable balance between strength and weight is clearly an important factor when every kg of implement mass detracts from the load-carrying ability of the handling vehicle. But for operators with heavy workloads – including large farms and contractors – there are several heavy-build push-off designs that should cope.

Dorset-based Hawkfawk reckons to make some of the toughest implements around. High-specification Hardox 400 hardened steel is used for the wedge-shaped tines, which are welded into the backframe using a base plate and near-vertical fixing plate of the same material to hold the tines securely.

The tines themselves can have wear plates fitted at any time, or re-tipped when worn. All push-off models come with a top hinged flip-off type mechanism for discharging the load.

Gurney Reeve also caters for the heavy-duty operator with its range of Suton "HDP" forks, which come in six sizes from 1.83m to 3.05m (6ft to 10ft) and "HDG" attachments which add a top grab for extra big bites and load security.

Both designs can be had with forged or round bar tines and either parallel-action gates or flick-off rakes for distributing grass across the clamp.

Albutts range of High Capacity buckrakes. Equipped with parallel push-off gates, there are four sizes from 2.3m to 3.05m (7ft 6in to 10ft), all using Kverneland forged steel tines.

The companys newest addition is a heavy duty grass and manure fork without push-off which comes in 2.77m and 3.05m (9ft and 10ft) sizes.

Grays of Fetterangus goes wider with a 3.15m (10ft 4in) wide addition to its buckrake range. The 16-tine SGH.16T is similar in design to existing models, including the swivel action push-off gate which ensures there is adequate force to the base of the gate to get the load moving cleanly.

Also extending its range is Cherry Products, with a 2.75m (9ft) addition to its "CF05" Pushoff Grass Forks line-up. Designed to fit either telehandlers or tractor three-point linkage, forged tines are fitted throughout with a weldmesh-clad parallel action gate discharging the load.

Twose of Tiverton goes for a profiled sheet steel back plate on its two Heavy Duty push-off buckrakes, while Samuel J Wylies design incorporates a hinged flap to ensure a clean discharge from the tines.

Lighter duty models in the Wylie range have coil springs to pull the gate back into place, while the "Contractor" models – like all other push-off buckrake and grab combinations available – have twin double-acting rams. &#42

Albutt High Capacity grass forks can be had with side tines fitted beyond the bottom tines and push-off gate to give maximum load volume.

Twose uses profiled steel sheet for the parallel-action gate on its Heavy Duty buckrake.

Grays of Fetterangus "SGH" range buckrake in action on tractor front linkage.

Cherry Products "CF06" range for telehandler or tractor linkage mounting now goes to 2.75m (9ft) wide.


Make/model Width Tines Side tines Mounting Weight List price

Albutt High Capacity 2.3m (7ft 6in) 1400mm (54in) forged Two pairs Loader or 850kg £2,175

& Parallel Push-Off 2.44m (8ft) standard tractor 3pt 900kg £2,370

2.74m (9ft) linkage 950kg £2,615

3.05m (10ft) 1,000kg £2,782

Albutt Flick-Off 13m (7ft) 980mm (39in) forged n/a Loader n/a £1,881

Manure Fork2 2.3m (7ft 6in) n/a £1,986

Cherry CF04 1.98m (6ft 6in) 1118 or 980mm (44 or 30in) n/a Loader 472kg £2146*

Manure/Silage 2.13m (7ft) solid or forged tines 530kg £2,167*

Fork + Pushoff 2.28m (7ft 6in) 560kg £2,181*

*£2385; £2554; £2586 with profiled heady duty steel tines. Reductions for standard solid tines on two larger sizes.

Cherry CF05 Pushoff 1.98m (6ft 6in) 980mm (39in) forged Two pairs Loader or 375kg ?

Grass Forks 2.13m (7ft) standard tractor 3pt 400kg ?

2.28m (7ft 6in) linkage 425kg ?

2.44m (8ft) 450kg ?

2.75m (9ft) 506kg ?

Cherry CF06 Manure/ 1.98m (6ft 6in) 1118 or 980mm (44 or 30in) n/a Loader 514kg £3,172

Silage Fork 2.13m (7ft) solid or forged tines 585kg £3,149*

+ Pushoff & Grab 2.86m (7ft 6in) 615kg £3,184*

*£3196 and £3218 with forged tines.

Grays Heavy Duty 2.03m (6ft 8in) 1400mm (54in) forged One pair Loader or 500kg £1,580

2.36m (7ft 9in) standard tractor 3pt 500/660kg £1,750*

2.74m (9ft) linkage 710kg £2,195

3.15m (10ft 4in) n/a £2,425

*£2,065 with twin double-acting rams

Hawkfawk Push-Off Forks 2.13m (7ft) 1250mm (49in) Two pairs Loader or n/a £1,840

& Large Tractor 2.28m (7ft 6in) hardened steel tines standard tractor 3pt £1,900

Push-Off Forks* 2.44m (8ft) linkage £2,020

2.74m (9ft) £2,140

3.05m (10ft) £2,260

Hawkfawk Mid-Size 2.13m (7ft) 1250mm (49in) n/a Tractor 3pt n/a £1,890

Tractor Push-Off Forks* 2.28m (7ft 6in) hardened steel tines linkage £1,950

2.44m (8ft) £2,290

2.74m (9ft) £2,410

*Flip-off type 3.05m (10ft) £2,530

Suton HDG Silage Power 2.13m (7ft) 1000 to 1400mm (39in to One or two Loader or £2,999

Grab + Push-Off or Rake 2.28m (7ft 6in) 54in) forged or round bar pairs – £85 a pair telehandler £3,031

Suton HDP Silage Fork 1.83m (6ft) 1000 to 1400mm (39in to One or two Loader or £1,730

+ Push-Off or Rake 2.13m (7ft) 54in) forged or round bar pairs – £85 a pair telehandler £1,962

2.28m (7ft 6in) £2,070

2.44m (8ft) £2,222

2.74m (9ft) £2,284

3.05m (10ft) £2,437

Twose Heavy Duty 2.38m (7ft 10in) 1400mm (54in) forged One pair Loader or 516kg £1,825

Push-Off 2.82m (9ft 2in) standard tractor 3pt 432kg £1,990

linkage

Wylie Standard 1.75m (5ft 9in) 1400mm (54in) forged N/A Loader or 270kg £1,010

1.95m (6ft 5in) Two pairs £56 tractor 3pt 300kg £1,100

2.18m (7ft 2in) Two pairs £56 linkage 325kg £1,180

Wylie Heavy Duty 1.75m (5ft 9in) 1400mm (54in) forged Two pairs £56 Loader or 300kg £1,200

1.95m (6ft 5in) Two pairs £56 tractor 3pt 330kg £1,300

2.18m (7ft 2in) Two pairs £56 linkage 350kg £1,380

Wylie Contractor 2.38m (7ft 10in) 1400mm (54in) forged Two pairs £56 Loader or 450kg £1,680

2.61m (8ft 6in) Two pairs £56 tractor 3pt 500kg £1,900

linkage


&#8226 Cherry Products 01608-678197

&#8226 Grays of Fetterangus 01771-623601

&#8226 Gurney Reeve (Suton) 01953-603303

&#8226 Hawkfawk 01305-826300

&#8226 Strimech Engineering 01922-649700

&#8226 Twose of Tiverton 01884-253691

&#8226 Samuel J Wylie Engineering 01868-784420


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