3-Bale Mover Speeds Field Clearing
Hay producers with a skid steer and the Pro Pic Bale Mover can clear fields fast, grabbing three bales at a time. Gathering bales is easier on the skid steer and operator thanks to the unique caster wheel cart design from Bertha Mfg. The design also makes it easy to move between fields.
“The ride through the fields is smooth,” says Jeff Peter, Bertha Mfg. “It can handle three 2,500-lb. wet bales with no downward pressure on the skid steer. It’s just pushing the bale mover cart. In transit, a tongue on one end lets you pull it down the road like a header cart. When in transit, the spears point away from the center of the road.”
Peter developed the mover after helping a neighbor move straw bales. Frustrated at the long runs up and down the field for a single bale, the serial inventor (25 patents) began working on an alternative.
“By the end of the week, I had my first prototype,” says Peter. “One of our cooperators used it to pick up 136 bales in 2 1/2 hrs. He said it would have taken him 11 1/2 to 12 hrs. with a single spear. The Pro Pic saves on time and fuel.”
After testing the concept for 2 years, Peter will introduce the Pro Pic at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville this winter.
The 22-ft. wide and 6-ft. deep cart carries three sets of bale spears. Electric over hydraulic valves let each set be adjusted individually or in unison, depending on whether a bale is being picked up or multiple bales being dropped at a collection point.
When working with wrapped bales, the operator can quickly remove the bale spears and add brackets with pipe forks. The schedule 40 pipes have angled ends to slide around and under wrapped bales. Like the spears, the forks can be raised and lowered individually or collectively.
The Pro Pic bale mover has a 3 by 6-in. main toolbar with a skid steer quick attach. It also has a 4 by 4-in. lower bar. Upside-down T-shaped posts for the bale spears pivot on the lower bar. Three 16-in. hydraulic cylinders are mounted between extensions on the upper bar and the tops of the bale spear posts. As the cylinders extend and retract, bale spear tips have a lateral tilt of up to 9 in.
To install the wrapped bale pipe forks, the operator slips a bracket over the spear post and secures it with a single bolt. The bracket has four holders for the two pipes.
“Moving one or both of the pipes on the bracket can narrow their spread by up to 8 in.,” says Peter. “This allows them to pick up 4, 5 or 6-ft. diameter big round bales.”
For even more versatility, Peter designed a mount for a single bale spear attachment. It’s located on top of the toolbar at the opposite end of the tongue for transit.
“It offers operators the option to carry a single bale spear attachment for loading with the same skid steer used for grouping,” says Peter.
The Pro Pic Bale Mover has a suggested retail price of $16,400.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jeff Peter, Bertha Mfg., 7808 Ensign Rd., Hicksville, Ohio 43526 (ph 419-769-4123; jeffpeter1962@gmail.com).
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3-Bale Mover Speeds Field Clearing HAY & FORAGE HARVESTING Bale Handling 5 Hay producers with a skid steer and the Pro Pic Bale Mover can clear fields fast grabbing three bales at a time Gathering bales is easier on the skid steer and operator thanks to the unique caster wheel cart design from Bertha Mfg The design also makes it easy to move between fields “The ride through the fields is smooth ” says Jeff Peter Bertha Mfg “It can handle three 2 500-lb wet bales with no downward pressure on the skid steer It’s just pushing the bale mover cart In transit a tongue on one end lets you pull it down the road like a header cart When in transit the spears point away from the center of the road ” Peter developed the mover after helping a neighbor move straw bales Frustrated at the long runs up and down the field for a single bale the serial inventor 25 patents began working on an alternative “By the end of the week I had my first prototype ” says Peter “One of our cooperators used it to pick up 136 bales in 2 1/2 hrs He said it would have taken him 11 1/2 to 12 hrs with a single spear The Pro Pic saves on time and fuel ” After testing the concept for 2 years Peter will introduce the Pro Pic at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville this winter The 22-ft wide and 6-ft deep cart carries three sets of bale spears Electric over hydraulic valves let each set be adjusted individually or in unison depending on whether a bale is being picked up or multiple bales being dropped at a collection point When working with wrapped bales the operator can quickly remove the bale spears and add brackets with pipe forks The schedule 40 pipes have angled ends to slide around and under wrapped bales Like the spears the forks can be raised and lowered individually or collectively The Pro Pic bale mover has a 3 by 6-in main toolbar with a skid steer quick attach It also has a 4 by 4-in lower bar Upside-down T-shaped posts for the bale spears pivot on the lower bar Three 16-in hydraulic cylinders are mounted between extensions on the upper bar and the tops of the bale spear posts As the cylinders extend and retract bale spear tips have a lateral tilt of up to 9 in To install the wrapped bale pipe forks the operator slips a bracket over the spear post and secures it with a single bolt The bracket has four holders for the two pipes “Moving one or both of the pipes on the bracket can narrow their spread by up to 8 in ” says Peter “This allows them to pick up 4 5 or 6-ft diameter big round bales ” For even more versatility Peter designed a mount for a single bale spear attachment It’s located on top of the toolbar at the opposite end of the tongue for transit “It offers operators the option to carry a single bale spear attachment for loading with the same skid steer used for grouping ” says Peter The Pro Pic Bale Mover has a suggested retail price of $16 400 Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Jeff Peter Bertha Mfg 7808 Ensign Rd Hicksville Ohio 43526 ph 419-769-4123; jeffpeter1962@gmail com
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