Nikkel Iron Works, a 46-year WAE exhibitor, developed the new rake with changes and enhancements made as a result of customer feedback. The new model is in addition to the model 917 rake, which has been on the market for over two decades.
Enhancements include the upgraded Dur-Adjust Spring and Rod System and Super Duty walking beam assemblies now offered as standard features.
Hydraulic hoses are now enclosed for a smoother, more efficient and maintenance-free operation; a convenient, easy access cover protects the multifunction hydraulic valve from weather and debris; and a redesigned channel lift tube support delivers trouble-free rake wheel height adjustment.
“We have had the 917 for many years and it continues to perform very well,” noted sales manager Bruce Shannon. “The 1017 is a result of open communication with the people who put our rakes in the field.”
The nearly 90-year-old Nikkel Iron Works continues to manufacture its equipment at a plant in Shafter, California, near Bakersfield.
The company says that its DARF hay rakes are in use on small and large family farms and many commercial operations throughout the western U.S.
Stan Azevedo, of Azevedo Custom Hay in Hanford, says he uses the DARF because it gently lifts the hay, without losing the nutrient-rich leaves. He notes that the DARF also aerates the hay, which allows it to dry more effectively and bale more quickly.
Azevedo points to changes in rake design that have allowed him to work his rakes at 13 miles per hour, compared to the previous 4 to 5 mph. And, the DARF wheel rake allows him to rake when the hay is on the drier side, which helps with baling, and even when the hay is a little too damp.
The DARF hay rake is now available with up to 17 wheels in 24 different models. FG
—From Nikkel Iron Works news release
PHOTO
Photo courtesy of Nikkel Iron Works.
