NH Hay inverter

I have a 166.  It does a nice job of flipping or merging hay without roping, is gentler on the hay (saves more leaves), less greasing to do/moving parts, easier to turn left at field ends, unlike a rake.  Ground speed isn't any faster than a rake, tends to bunch up in heavy first cutting alfalfa, rakes pick up driven on hay better.  I don't know if one is better than the other, haven't used a 144.  

I have a 144 and I like it. If you have that windrow that is damp or tough underneath that is the tool for you. By the time you get 10 acres inverted you can usually start baling. They have their limit in how big of a windrow it will take before blocking up. I have tried mine on straw and it will not work on a heavy straw windrow. Too fluffy and won't go through.

Edited by jvin248 - 31 Mar 2022 at 12:00pm

Tbone95 wrote: jvin, not sure how a NH Rollabar looks clunky compared to the rake you show, it's pretty much the same thing.  Ground driven gear box and teeth that rake up the hay. Back in the early and mid 70's when I first remember raking hay, we had I think a JD rake that looked a lot like your picture.  The rollabars are for one thing the angle of attack is a lot more "crossways" to the row, not so much angle like the old ones.  And the weird thing, they seem to speed up every so often.  You're going along, watch the bars rotate, all steady, then "zing" they're going faster for a few revs and it spits the hay out.  If you try to flip it over 1/2 a revolution, it flings the hay out wide and flat.  I've had better luck doing a 1 1/2 revolution, but it is very touchy.  The inverters do an exact flop over very well.

TBone you described that to a tee.  That is the problem with rolabars, excellent rakes but nearly impossible to get a complete and consistent flop over.  Then you end up with wet slugs in otherwise dry windrows. Frustrating, especially when trying to make horse hay. Horse owners are very particular about their hay. One bad batch and you can lose a good customer.

When I was raking with the ol' WC or D17 and a NH “rollabar” in the 60s, I kept busy dreaming of some kind of machine to flip the windrow 180; the rake didn’t do that great of job like others have said.  Most of the time it was OK, but other times it would flip the windrow too far or not quite far enough.  Always seemed to be fighting it.

Allis dave wrote: Same luck here! rakes are ok and if you always have plenty of drying days, its no issue, but if your down to the last day before it rains overnight, every little bit helps. I've found that usually when the rake speed up or slow down, it's because the teeth are in the dirt, the u-joints have a lot of slop, or the bar bearings are worn.

Are the "Big Wheel Rakes" still as popular as they were in the '80's ??  The guys arond "here" ran  primarily NH angle/rail rakes, a few true MF rakes and an eve lesser amount of JD rakes of that style. The guy I worked for was "talked into" a 5 wheel rake to replace his MF, he dreaded that he let the MF go after 1 field of raking with the Big Wheel 

Edited by FREEDGUY - 01 Apr 2022 at 7:32pm

Allis Freak, I would recommend an inverter. It is a “winky” machine in some ways, at least the smaller one is. Dad always joked it was made by med students.

Around here my biggest battle is dew. The dew is so heavy, then it’s humid. The dew doesn’t come off sometimes until 1:00 or later, then falling again by 6:00. The bottom of the hay won’t get dry in that time. Flip it with the inverter and you can at least get a couple hours of baling in. On drier days you can just about follow it around the field. It does what you want to do, I can’t imagine making dry hay without it in my operation.

Tbone95 wrote: Allis Freak, I would recommend an inverter. It is a “winky” machine in some ways, at least the smaller one is. Dad always joked it was made by med students. Around here my biggest battle is dew. The dew is so heavy, then it’s humid. The dew doesn’t come off sometimes until 1:00 or later, then falling again by 6:00. The bottom of the hay won’t get dry in that time. Flip it with the inverter and you can at least get a couple hours of baling in. On drier days you can just about follow it around the field. It does what you want to do, I can’t imagine making dry hay without it in my operation.

I know of a 144 and a couple 166 models nearby, Prices range from 2500 on the 144 to 3750 on a real nice 166. Not sure what I am looking for as far as wear issues, also not sure if a 166 is worth the extra coin. The 144 appears to have seen a lot of sun, Both 166's the paint looks almost new.

Seems "ODD" that there were TONS of hay put up in the '70's/'80's WITHOUT an "INVERTER"  !! 

Haymaking is gambling addiction disguised as a challenge. Getting the labor out and the productivity up and preserving as much feed value/quality as is there at the time hay is mowed is the objective.  Almost every hay tool has a unique situational advantage. Inverters fit this as there are times they are just the exact right thing and other situations they will be the wrong thing.  Nothing else will flip a windrow like an inverter. A parallel bar rake or wheel rake can flip windrows that are wet on bottom but an inverter will do it better. Justifying the purchase is in the eyes of the beholder. I don't own one but know people that rely on them for certain situations. One windrow at a time might limit productivity and therefore usefulness for some operations.

FREEDGUY wrote: Seems "ODD" that there were TONS of hay put up in the '70's/'80's WITHOUT an "INVERTER"  !!

Yep, we struggled for those decades putting up tons of hay, saw this machine as a good new idea, tried it, and it was an improvement. Imagine that.

I would love to be done or nearly done with dry hay. It is SUCH a battle with the dew and humidity. We live close enough to the big water that the wind can shift mid afternoon and shut you right down. And the weather apps suck, I wasn’t alive in the 1800’s but I have a hunch forecast accuracy was about the same. I’ll NEVER forget two years ago, beautiful second cutting so close to ready to go. Sent my daughter out for an hour head start inverting. It was supposed to rain that coming night. But no rain for the next 4 hours, and 0, yes 0% chance of rain for the next hour. Hitched up baler and wagon drove to the field. Baled about 15 minutes and the rain blew in!!! Infuriating, would have been better to let it lay. Any luck in the next couple years, will be wrapping silage bales.

IDK, what did you pay for it, then I’ll have a better idea!

FREEDGUY wrote: Tbone95 wrote: FREEDGUY wrote: Seems "ODD" that there were TONS of hay put up in the '70's/'80's WITHOUT an "INVERTER"  !!  Yep, we struggled for those decades putting up tons of hay, saw this machine as a good new idea, tried it, and it was an improvement. Imagine that. Sorry for your lack of hay management back then !! Like I said, TONS put in the mow "WITHOUT" the machine

What’s your friggin’ problem?

Yeah, we put up 15000 plus squares per year. That literally is TONS. A lot of it was excellent. And now it’s easier to get it dry with a handy machine.

Do you know how to manage weather? You should be a zillionaire if you do.

Asshole.