Making bales on hire since 1995, it’s fair to say Sean Gilligan (below) has seen his fair share of bales across three decades. Based in Skehanagh, Co Galway, Sean runs an agricultural business, with round baling being his bread and butter job followed also by slurry spreading, reseeding, tillage works and fertiliser spreading services. Sean is also an avid stockman, running 30 suckler cows.
Having worked with other contractors over the years, Sean started off his own contracting business with a used Krone 130 round baler and a locally built Roco wrapper.
These were pulled with a 2WD Belarus 860 and a 2WD Zetor 7011. Speaking about his outfit in the early years, Sean joked that the gear was good in those years, when he knew no better.
In the following years, bale numbers grew quickly and in 1997, he bought a new John Deere 575, which he explained was a great baler in its day. Sean explained that it had a reversing auger, which helped unblock the pick-up reel in the event of a blockage. Two years later, another new John Deere 575 was added.
He said they were a great baler, but had a poor netting system. These balers were coupled to McHale in-line wrappers.
Fusion 1
In 2003, Sean bought a new McHale Fusion 1. He held the machine in high esteem, and said it was a great machine for its day. Although he reckons the actual baler was no better than the John Deere of that era, he said the wrapping system was revolutionary. In 2007, a new McHale F550 was purchased, alongside a new McHale HS2000 in-line wrapper.
In 2008, Sean changed his Fusion 1 for a new Fusion 2, a baler he still has to this day. With over 100,000 bales on the clock, Sean says it was a very reliable machine. In 2017, he moved to a new McHale Fusion 3 plus. In 2019, Sean was due to upgrade a baler again. In recent years, his local machinery dealer had taken on the Kuhn agency and was carrying out some baler demos.
"I love the way when you pull into the field and start, you don’t stop at all".
Sean attended a demo, and was impressed with what he saw. The price was also an important factor, and he decided to buy a new Kuhn 3135 combi baler-wrapper. With over 45,000 bales on the clock since then, Sean says it’s a serious machine, with maintenance to date only having been knives and chains.
He noted that the bale transfer is a little slower than some other machines, but that it’s very well built, has a serious intake and chopping system and has a bulletproof barrel wrapping unit.
Kverneland FastBale
Making bales on hire since 1995, it’s fair to say Sean Gilligan has seen his fair share of bales across three decades.
Last spring, Sean travelled to Kilkenny to IAM Machinery to look at a new Hardi trailed sprayer he was buying. While there, he laid eyes on a Kverneland FastBale for the very first time. I asked Sean was it love at first sight, and he said he was very intrigued by its design. He spent some time studying it and was impressed with what he saw. While he was there, one of the salesmen Sean had been dealing with for over 30 years came over to walk him through the machine.
Sean Gilligan.
Sean was in the market for upgrading a baler, and says he bought the FastBale for two reasons - firstly, because he said that particular salesman he knew for donkeys years was very much black or white, on what is or isn’t a good machine for Irish conditions, and secondly, he was impressed and intrigued with the machine’s build quality and concept. He got a price on the machine that day, and soon after he agreed a deal. He took delivery of the new baler just ahead of the 2024 silage season.
How does non-stop baling work?
The FastBale features two bale chambers. One is a full-sized main chamber and the other is known as a pre-chamber which is about two thirds of the size of the main chamber. The baling process starts the same as any other baler, with the main chamber producing the first bale.
Once the bale is fully formed, instead of having to stop to apply the net, it diverts the crop flow to the pre-chamber. This in turn allows the net to be applied to the bale in the main chamber, before being ejected onto the wrapper. When the prechamber is full, the incoming crop flow, together with the pre-compressed crop are both then transferred into the main bale chamber. Here the bale is formed to its final size and density.
“It sounds complicated, but the concept is actually simple and the machine isn’t as complex as you might think. But most importantly it works, and works very well”, said Sean.
Pickup
The FastBale has a 2.2m wide pickup reel. The five-tine bar reel has a cam track at both ends of the pickup. Kverneland claims this reduces cam loadings by 50%, leading to more durability. The guide wheels don’t need to be removed or folded for transport. The intake rotor is equipped with 50 hardox tines. Sean runs 25 knives in the baler, but uses the selectable knife floor. This means he has only 12 or 13 knives up at any one time.
“I really like the pickup on the FastBale. Its literally built just like a forage wagon- it has a serious rotor, its 800mm in diameter".
“I really like the pickup on the FastBale. It’s literally built just like a forage wagon – it has a serious rotor, it’s 800mm in diameter.
“It’s well able for difficult west of Ireland wet [hay/silage] which has been tedded and raked,” explained Sean.
The FastBale is equipped with a 1,000rpm PTO input speed. The bale chamber drives feature 1¼in pitch drive chains, while the rotor drive is equipped with a 1¼in chain.
The rollers are fitted with 50mm diameter bearings, with double-row roller bearings on the drive side. Meanwhile, the bale chamber rollers and rotor bearings are lubricated by an automatic greasing system, while an oiler system looks after the chains.
Pull-out knife bank
"The pull-out knife bank is a great job, its easy to pull-out and you would be more inclined to sharpen the knives more regular when its easy to do so".
FastBale Premium upgrades in recent years have included a new user-friendly interface and a customisable knife cassette system. The knife bank now slides out to one side of the machine, making it extremely easy to remove the knives and sharpen them. The extractable knife cassette system is hydraulically/electronically controlled, minimising knife exchange time. The complete knife exchange requires a three-step procedure with simple manual operation.
The drop floor safety function and knife cleaning function are fully controlled by the software which Kverneland says ensures chopping quality and knife protection during baling. The 25-knife ‘SuperCut’ chopping system features group selection giving a choice 6, 12, 13 or 25 knives to match all conditions.
“The pull–out knife bank is a great job, it’s easy to pull–out and you would be more inclined to sharpen the knives more regularly when it’s easy to do so, rather than having to climb in under the baler and try take them out of a knife bank. I have also been very impressed with the Kverneland knives - they chop well and they are very strong”, said Sean.
Wrapping system
The twin satellite system wraps at up to 50rpm.
Once the bale is netted, it’s discharged from the bale chamber on to the wrapper. The wrapper is then raised, allowing the twin satellites to wrap the bale. The twin satellite system wraps at up to 50rpm. The wraparound rear frame eliminates the possibility of bales rolling off the wrapper when on slopes. Once wrapped, the bales are discharged by raising the rear roller.
When it comes to replacing the wrap, like other combi machines, it’s done from the lefthand side of the machine. The FastBale has the capacity to store 10 rolls of wrap,including the two on the rear dispensers.
Sean said: “I’ve never had any hassle with the wrapper, it has worked away trouble free. The transfer system might not just be as quick in comparision to the Fusion, but it’s not bad.”
Controls
Similar to the majority of balers nowadays, the FastBale baling and wrapping process works fully automatically from start to finish.
The FastBale comes with the Tellus Pro touchscreen screen. The animated display shows the real-time status of both the pre and main baling chambers and the wrapper. The operator can see the status at each stage of the baling process.
The FastBale is equipped with a 1,000rpm PTO input speed.
Sean has built-in cameras on his machine, allowing him to keep a close eye on the process.
If baling dry crops such as hay or straw, the wrapper can be put in a raised position, allowing the bales to be discharged directly out of the main bale chamber.
The FastBale is also IsoBus compatible as standard, meaning it can be operated on any IsoBus compatible tractor without the need for a terminal.
Verdict
“I’ve been very impressed with the FastBale. I bought the machine without ever seeing it working. What I liked most before I bought it was the fact I had a few good conversations with Seamus Varley, the Mayo man who actually designed the machine for Kverneland. If I’ve ever had any queries or questions on the machine, he’s always on the other end of the phone. In fact, he’s coming out to me shortly to go through the machine for this year’s silage season. That offers great peace of mind”, said Sean.
“The machine is well designed and is strongly built. The pick-up and feed system are very strong, and it works a treat. The two chambers have been completely trouble free, and the wrapping system hasn’t missed a beat. I love the way when you pull into the field and start, you don’t stop at all. The bale transfer system is seamless, it’s a very smooth transition- there’s no slapping or banging,” added Sean.
“Weighing in at close to 8t empty, it is a heavy machine, but the Claas Arion 650 is well fit for it. The machine has serious throughput potential, but with any machine I have I try not to drive them on too hard, I like to mind machinery and keep things right. Once I’m making a good solid bale of silage every sixty seconds, I’m happy with that. But you could push it a lot harder and pump them out a lot quicker. In straw for example, we have turned out 100 bales per hour,” said Sean.
“I’m running the Kuhn 3135 combi alongside the Kverneland FastBale- both have for and against, but I like both machines. Going forward, I’d say I’ll upgrade the Kuhn for a Kuhn, and a FastBale for another FastBale when the time comes”, concluded Sean.
Top likes
Very easy on the tractor and operator, no jerking the tractor at bale transfer Good on softer ground, because you never stop and loose all weight to the rear of the combiPull-out knife bank is a great jobKverneland knives are very strongTop dislikes
The area where the plastic is stored is a bit high- makes it a bit difficult to take rolls out if you aren’t tall. Machine spec
Model: FastBaleKnives: 25-knife, with selectable floor - 6/12/13/25Rollers: 17 main chamber, 14 pre-chamber (11 + 3 rollers shared)Net capacity: two rolls (1 in use, 1 spare)Film capacity: 10 rolls (two in use, eight spare)Weight: 7,990kgWheel size: 710/50-26.5in
Making bales on hire since 1995, it’s fair to say Sean Gilligan (below) has seen his fair share of bales across three decades. Based in Skehanagh, Co Galway, Sean runs an agricultural business, with round baling being his bread and butter job followed also by slurry spreading, reseeding, tillage works and fertiliser spreading services. Sean is also an avid stockman, running 30 suckler cows.
Having worked with other contractors over the years, Sean started off his own contracting business with a used Krone 130 round baler and a locally built Roco wrapper.
These were pulled with a 2WD Belarus 860 and a 2WD Zetor 7011. Speaking about his outfit in the early years, Sean joked that the gear was good in those years, when he knew no better.
In the following years, bale numbers grew quickly and in 1997, he bought a new John Deere 575, which he explained was a great baler in its day. Sean explained that it had a reversing auger, which helped unblock the pick-up reel in the event of a blockage. Two years later, another new John Deere 575 was added.
He said they were a great baler, but had a poor netting system. These balers were coupled to McHale in-line wrappers.
Fusion 1
In 2003, Sean bought a new McHale Fusion 1. He held the machine in high esteem, and said it was a great machine for its day. Although he reckons the actual baler was no better than the John Deere of that era, he said the wrapping system was revolutionary. In 2007, a new McHale F550 was purchased, alongside a new McHale HS2000 in-line wrapper.
In 2008, Sean changed his Fusion 1 for a new Fusion 2, a baler he still has to this day. With over 100,000 bales on the clock, Sean says it was a very reliable machine. In 2017, he moved to a new McHale Fusion 3 plus. In 2019, Sean was due to upgrade a baler again. In recent years, his local machinery dealer had taken on the Kuhn agency and was carrying out some baler demos.
"I love the way when you pull into the field and start, you don’t stop at all".
Sean attended a demo, and was impressed with what he saw. The price was also an important factor, and he decided to buy a new Kuhn 3135 combi baler-wrapper. With over 45,000 bales on the clock since then, Sean says it’s a serious machine, with maintenance to date only having been knives and chains.
He noted that the bale transfer is a little slower than some other machines, but that it’s very well built, has a serious intake and chopping system and has a bulletproof barrel wrapping unit.
Kverneland FastBale
Making bales on hire since 1995, it’s fair to say Sean Gilligan has seen his fair share of bales across three decades.
Last spring, Sean travelled to Kilkenny to IAM Machinery to look at a new Hardi trailed sprayer he was buying. While there, he laid eyes on a Kverneland FastBale for the very first time. I asked Sean was it love at first sight, and he said he was very intrigued by its design. He spent some time studying it and was impressed with what he saw. While he was there, one of the salesmen Sean had been dealing with for over 30 years came over to walk him through the machine.
Sean Gilligan.
Sean was in the market for upgrading a baler, and says he bought the FastBale for two reasons - firstly, because he said that particular salesman he knew for donkeys years was very much black or white, on what is or isn’t a good machine for Irish conditions, and secondly, he was impressed and intrigued with the machine’s build quality and concept. He got a price on the machine that day, and soon after he agreed a deal. He took delivery of the new baler just ahead of the 2024 silage season.
How does non-stop baling work?
The FastBale features two bale chambers. One is a full-sized main chamber and the other is known as a pre-chamber which is about two thirds of the size of the main chamber. The baling process starts the same as any other baler, with the main chamber producing the first bale.
Once the bale is fully formed, instead of having to stop to apply the net, it diverts the crop flow to the pre-chamber. This in turn allows the net to be applied to the bale in the main chamber, before being ejected onto the wrapper. When the prechamber is full, the incoming crop flow, together with the pre-compressed crop are both then transferred into the main bale chamber. Here the bale is formed to its final size and density.
“It sounds complicated, but the concept is actually simple and the machine isn’t as complex as you might think. But most importantly it works, and works very well”, said Sean.
Pickup
The FastBale has a 2.2m wide pickup reel. The five-tine bar reel has a cam track at both ends of the pickup. Kverneland claims this reduces cam loadings by 50%, leading to more durability. The guide wheels don’t need to be removed or folded for transport. The intake rotor is equipped with 50 hardox tines. Sean runs 25 knives in the baler, but uses the selectable knife floor. This means he has only 12 or 13 knives up at any one time.
“I really like the pickup on the FastBale. Its literally built just like a forage wagon- it has a serious rotor, its 800mm in diameter".
“I really like the pickup on the FastBale. It’s literally built just like a forage wagon – it has a serious rotor, it’s 800mm in diameter.
“It’s well able for difficult west of Ireland wet [hay/silage] which has been tedded and raked,” explained Sean.
The FastBale is equipped with a 1,000rpm PTO input speed. The bale chamber drives feature 1¼in pitch drive chains, while the rotor drive is equipped with a 1¼in chain.
The rollers are fitted with 50mm diameter bearings, with double-row roller bearings on the drive side. Meanwhile, the bale chamber rollers and rotor bearings are lubricated by an automatic greasing system, while an oiler system looks after the chains.
Pull-out knife bank
"The pull-out knife bank is a great job, its easy to pull-out and you would be more inclined to sharpen the knives more regular when its easy to do so".
FastBale Premium upgrades in recent years have included a new user-friendly interface and a customisable knife cassette system. The knife bank now slides out to one side of the machine, making it extremely easy to remove the knives and sharpen them. The extractable knife cassette system is hydraulically/electronically controlled, minimising knife exchange time. The complete knife exchange requires a three-step procedure with simple manual operation.
The drop floor safety function and knife cleaning function are fully controlled by the software which Kverneland says ensures chopping quality and knife protection during baling. The 25-knife ‘SuperCut’ chopping system features group selection giving a choice 6, 12, 13 or 25 knives to match all conditions.
“The pull–out knife bank is a great job, it’s easy to pull–out and you would be more inclined to sharpen the knives more regularly when it’s easy to do so, rather than having to climb in under the baler and try take them out of a knife bank. I have also been very impressed with the Kverneland knives - they chop well and they are very strong”, said Sean.
Wrapping system
The twin satellite system wraps at up to 50rpm.
Once the bale is netted, it’s discharged from the bale chamber on to the wrapper. The wrapper is then raised, allowing the twin satellites to wrap the bale. The twin satellite system wraps at up to 50rpm. The wraparound rear frame eliminates the possibility of bales rolling off the wrapper when on slopes. Once wrapped, the bales are discharged by raising the rear roller.
When it comes to replacing the wrap, like other combi machines, it’s done from the lefthand side of the machine. The FastBale has the capacity to store 10 rolls of wrap,including the two on the rear dispensers.
Sean said: “I’ve never had any hassle with the wrapper, it has worked away trouble free. The transfer system might not just be as quick in comparision to the Fusion, but it’s not bad.”
Controls
Similar to the majority of balers nowadays, the FastBale baling and wrapping process works fully automatically from start to finish.
The FastBale comes with the Tellus Pro touchscreen screen. The animated display shows the real-time status of both the pre and main baling chambers and the wrapper. The operator can see the status at each stage of the baling process.
The FastBale is equipped with a 1,000rpm PTO input speed.
Sean has built-in cameras on his machine, allowing him to keep a close eye on the process.
If baling dry crops such as hay or straw, the wrapper can be put in a raised position, allowing the bales to be discharged directly out of the main bale chamber.
The FastBale is also IsoBus compatible as standard, meaning it can be operated on any IsoBus compatible tractor without the need for a terminal.
Verdict
“I’ve been very impressed with the FastBale. I bought the machine without ever seeing it working. What I liked most before I bought it was the fact I had a few good conversations with Seamus Varley, the Mayo man who actually designed the machine for Kverneland. If I’ve ever had any queries or questions on the machine, he’s always on the other end of the phone. In fact, he’s coming out to me shortly to go through the machine for this year’s silage season. That offers great peace of mind”, said Sean.
“The machine is well designed and is strongly built. The pick-up and feed system are very strong, and it works a treat. The two chambers have been completely trouble free, and the wrapping system hasn’t missed a beat. I love the way when you pull into the field and start, you don’t stop at all. The bale transfer system is seamless, it’s a very smooth transition- there’s no slapping or banging,” added Sean.
“Weighing in at close to 8t empty, it is a heavy machine, but the Claas Arion 650 is well fit for it. The machine has serious throughput potential, but with any machine I have I try not to drive them on too hard, I like to mind machinery and keep things right. Once I’m making a good solid bale of silage every sixty seconds, I’m happy with that. But you could push it a lot harder and pump them out a lot quicker. In straw for example, we have turned out 100 bales per hour,” said Sean.
“I’m running the Kuhn 3135 combi alongside the Kverneland FastBale- both have for and against, but I like both machines. Going forward, I’d say I’ll upgrade the Kuhn for a Kuhn, and a FastBale for another FastBale when the time comes”, concluded Sean.
Top likes
Very easy on the tractor and operator, no jerking the tractor at bale transfer Good on softer ground, because you never stop and loose all weight to the rear of the combiPull-out knife bank is a great jobKverneland knives are very strongTop dislikes
The area where the plastic is stored is a bit high- makes it a bit difficult to take rolls out if you aren’t tall. Machine spec
Model: FastBaleKnives: 25-knife, with selectable floor - 6/12/13/25Rollers: 17 main chamber, 14 pre-chamber (11 + 3 rollers shared)Net capacity: two rolls (1 in use, 1 spare)Film capacity: 10 rolls (two in use, eight spare)Weight: 7,990kgWheel size: 710/50-26.5in 
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