D17 diesel running my AC conditioner

https://youtube.com/shorts/SMp5Dw68zrw?feature=shared
Short video of my D17 running my conditioner this afternoon. We have a short window of opportunity in the forecast. Always run it on 1st cutting to speed up the drying process and to make the hay softer for horses. It has saved us many times over the years. Disc mower did a good job of picking up some laid over hay to mow it. We have been blessed with too much rain over the past 3 weeks. My D17 did a great job and I am very pleased with how it performed since I gave it a make over last year. It’s the 1st big test since it’s completion last fall. Never went over 170 degrees all afternoon.

Edited by AC720Man - 19 May 2024 at 8:43pm

That looks like some nice seat time and fluffing up and reconditioning that hay should get it to dry quick.

Yup funny how the sound of them running triggers memories.

I know some folks think it’s crazy to run a conditioner after it just went through the disc mower but it makes a huge difference when the orchard grass is 4 1/2’ tall. The field in the video contains mixed grass hay but as you can see the fertilizer did it’s job and produced a really thick crop. We mowed 1 field of orchard grass 3 weeks ago using the same equipment. Mowed it Monday afternoon and baled it Thursday afternoon.

Robbie that's a nice combination getting it done. Years ago we had a Cunningham conditioner. Tim

Ok dumb question. Does your disc mower not have a conditioner in it? Around here I've seen some with and without

That’s not a dumb question, sometimes I don’t make things clear when I post. That’s my fault for leaving information out. Thanks for asking.
Rob

I would say that you had a 1960-1961, unofficially a series II D17. I have been using Krone rotary rakes for 5 years when I help out a friend with his hay operation. They do an incredible job, leaving virtually no hay behind and making a nice fluffy windrow. All the reasons you gave are correct. They are not a cheap purchase but I know it will help us out even more.
The 262 diesel has its own sound coming out the muffler just as the 301 in my XT has its own undeniable sound and I enjoy hearing both of them run.

Friend I help with hay just bought a new Krone single rotor rake. 46T, it's the widest single rotor model. Just delivered, haven't used it yet. $17,000.00 Bought it mainly for alfalfa.

I only do this with orchard grass and our mixed grass fields on 1st cutting. The manual for the conditioner says to run it shortly after cutting the hay. So the disc mower/conditioner goes first, I usually give my brother a 2 round head start and then I start running the conditioner. It is slower to run so he is always ahead of me. I can usually run my D17 in 2nd hi with sometimes pulling back to low range if it’s really thick. So yes it is getting crimped twice which breaks up the long stalk even further. We will run our Enorossi Tedder the next day usually twice about 4-5 hours apart if we have a short window of 3 days to get it up. I would not recommend this process with alfalfa as you said you would loose to much leaf. The Krone rake does an excellent job but they are super expensive. Even used ones fetch a hefty price.

Edited by AC720Man - 23 May 2024 at 3:28pm

We baled around 460 square bales. My buddy Gary uses the same process using a newer crimper. He ran 2 -NH 575 balers and a Bale Barron Tuesday and made 2900 square bales. His fields are extremely thick, he seeds his fields both ways and has an excellent fertilizer/spay program. Each baler spit out a bale every 8 seconds.

Edited by AC720Man - 23 May 2024 at 9:22pm

I enjoy the entire process of hay production including loading the wagon. It’s hard work but seeing all your hard work turn into a beautiful bale of hay is rewarding personally and financially. I’ve ran my conditioner behind my D17/82S mower combo and it does a nice job. The cool factor of how it was done in the 60’s and 70’s before haybine’s. I like old school farming occasionally, actually with all our old equipment I guess we do it all the time lol. At least we finally upgraded to a disc mower. I will still run the D17/82S/conditioner combo occasionally just because I like to watch all 3 machines work in unison to get the job done.

Edited by AC720Man - 24 May 2024 at 9:20pm