JD 346 sq baler.

[AKfish]

Fella's got a 346 baler that he's says is "field ready". Part's and repairs are real hard to come by up here -- so, a spare baler is good idea if you don't have to invest an arm and a leg to just have something that sits in the shed alot of the time until there's a problem with the primary baler. Nonetheless, it's a long drive (and still plenty of snow and ice) for me to check the baler over and I was wonderin' if there was anyone that has owned a 346 or used one and how it worked for them.

Thanks.

AKfish

 

[blueriver]

I have owned a 346 (partnership deal) then a neighbor had a 336 so I bought it and got out of the partnership. The 346 is an excellent baler. I really enjoyed the wide pickup. Both of these I'm talking about are wire tie balers.

I would look the pto shaft, knuckles and slip clutch over. The bale chamber rollers and the knife rollers ... these sometimes "freeze" with rust and need to be broke loose to roll. Also the 336 I bought (same on the 346) I had to work on the bale size arm, the brake disc ... the brake disc are located behind the knotters if they are worn out it simply will not be consistant in bale size ... about $80 bucks for the two pads.

Around here these balers are from $3500-5000 depending on condition.

Anyway ... you already know what to look over ... jusr rambling on this morning!!!!!

 

[Tx Jim]

I own a 347 which is the model that took the place of the 346. I've owned it for over 5 yrs and I only gave $5400 for it from the original purchaser. I agree the extra width of the pickup is nice over the smaller models. JD has only made very infinite improvements on their sq balers since the introduction of the 336/346 models IE most parts will interchange. I suggest to check the plunger head and bale case for wear.

 

[AKfish]

Appreciate the reply's. He's asking $3,750 obo. It's been listed for over a year now.

I'd like to move into a round baler but that's gonna have to wait... Another square baler would get the hay wrapped up faster and also be insurance for problems with my 336.

But, it won't get those bales "off" the field any faster!

And, the baler is here - in state. Likely check it out this next month with some warmer weather and better roads.

AKfish

 

[Tx Jim]

The price doesn't sound too bad.

 

[blueriver]

But, it won't get those bales "off" the field any faster!



AKfish

Hay Buddy Systems ... better than a pocket on a shirt !!!

 

[Tx Jim]

I'd like to move into a round baler but that's gonna have to wait... AKfish

If you ever get the opportunity to purchase a JD 30 or 35 series rd baler don't hesitate because of there age. JD rd balers have only changed minutely since the 30 series same as with the sq balers AFTER the 24T/224 models

 

[AKfish]

If you ever get the opportunity to purchase a JD 30 or 35 series rd baler don't hesitate because of there age. JD rd balers have only changed minutely since the 30 series same as with the sq balers AFTER the 24T/224 models

That's where I started looking... But, most look a bit tired. I'm not real interested in another "project"! My wife has got way too many for me right now!

Hay buddy has a JD 435 with net wrap. Bales 4x5 mostly and silage wraps some of the hay when "time is short" and you've gotta get the hay off the field!! He's been baling with a JD 3010 and a JD 2640. Interesting difference with the tractors... the 2640 has more power but he likes the 3010 transmission gear ratio spread. So, that's what he uses mostly in front of that 435.

Oh yeah, he put a high moisture kit into the 435!

Like you've said... that net wrap will save you alot of time spread through the hay season. He's always tellin' the story of how he "lapped" another neighbor running a JD 468 baler and a JD 5525! By about every 2nd bale, when the other guy would stop to finish the twine wrap and dump - he'd pass 'em! :laughing:

AKfish

 

[AKfish]

Hay Buddy Systems ... better than a pocket on a shirt !!!

Looks interesting... Thought did occur after watching the video - why not include the hyd cylinder and grabber hooks into the accumulator? You'd have a "single step" attachment. Of course, you'd only have an 8-bale capacity. Those 2 front "tie-in" bales wouldn't get hooked.

Like the price, too. Thanks.

AKfish

 

[blueriver]

Looks interesting... Thought did occur after watching the video - why not include the hyd cylinder and grabber hooks into the accumulator? You'd have a "single step" attachment. Of course, you'd only have an 8-bale capacity. Those 2 front "tie-in" bales wouldn't get hooked.

Like the price, too. Thanks.

AKfish

Yes single step with the following exceptions. Accumulate, grapple and load in one step ... Then How to wiggle the chambers back between the bales to unload? And if you do get them wiggled between the bales to unload how do you keep a tight stack in the barn? How about removable accumulator chambers? Well I don't want to take the time to put them on and off ... things seem to never line up just right ... that pin just doesn't want to go in !! ... Thus the reason for two pieces of equipment. In my opinion.

 

[AKfish]

Yep.. wouldn't be a very tight pod.

AKfish

 

[AndyL52]

Accumulator and grapple verses bale wagon. What's the pro's and con's. Seems I'd prefer the wagon. But then again the grapple could be used to load out sales.What's y'all take on that.

 

[AKfish]

Accumulator and grapple verses bale wagon. What's the pro's and con's. Seems I'd prefer the wagon. But then again the grapple could be used to load out sales.What's y'all take on that.

If you've got the bale numbers to support another piece of equipment - they're a good option. A good condition, self-propelled NH (116 bale model) is gonna be somewhere between $10-15K. Then you gotta feed it and take care of it, too.

I don't have the production numbers, personally. We've been lookin' at some more ground on a lease-rent option but even then I'd only be around 2,500 bales on a good year.

I've been able to get enough high school kids @ $15hr (and all they can drink and eat!) to get the hay off the field and into the barn. However, the kids are gettin' older and fewer in number! Pretty soon it'll just be me and the wife!

I'm gonna go big rounds for alot of my hay. I'll keep doin' some small squares (~300) and the rest will be 4'x5'.

AKfish

 

[blueriver]

Accumulator and grapple verses bale wagon. What's the pro's and con's. Seems I'd prefer the wagon. But then again the grapple could be used to load out sales.What's y'all take on that.

My 2 cents ... as AK says another unit to feed and take care of ... they are very nice for the large producer and I'd think one would need a big barn to manuver around in. For a producer my size doing 5K squares a year and stacking in a smaller barn the accumulator and grapple are the ticket for me. Of course the price is attractive.

 

[AndyL52]

I was thinking the pull bale wagon. But I'm just kicking the thoughts around. I wanna make some squares on my good grass, but don't wanna be dependent on help from others to get it up.

 

[Tx Jim]

I was thinking the pull bale wagon. But I'm just kicking the thoughts around. I wanna make some squares on my good grass, but don't wanna be dependent on help from others to get it up.

Have you thought of getting a bale basket to pull behind sq baler?

 

[AndyL52]

Have you thought of getting a bale basket to pull behind sq baler?

Those seem handy, but would still have the chore of stacking in the barn.

 

[longgun]

I don't know if you have seen these or not, but you might want to take a look at the Maxilator -- Hay Grapple and Hay Handling Equipment by Maxilator features the Accumugrapple Elite that does it all; gather, load and offload hay with one piece of equipment. It combines the accumulator and grapple into one with removable chambers. Folks at the Kansas City Western Farm Show were using them and swore by them. I want to say the price was around 5500.00 for a new one.

 

[blueriver]

I don't know if you have seen these or not, but you might want to take a look at the Maxilator -- Hay Grapple and Hay Handling Equipment by Maxilator features the Accumugrapple Elite that does it all; gather, load and offload hay with one piece of equipment. It combines the accumulator and grapple into one with removable chambers. Folks at the Kansas City Western Farm Show were using them and swore by them. I want to say the price was around 5500.00 for a new one.

What they don't show you in the video is that you have to remove the "chambers" in order to unload and stack in the barn ... then you have to put them back on when you go to the field to accumulate ... on and off and on and off .... I want to put up hay not be laying under a piece of equipment on a hot summer day trying to get the pins lined up and chambers back in place.

 

[Tx Jim]

I want to put up hay not be laying under a piece of equipment on a hot summer day trying to get the pins lined up and chambers back in place.

You left the door open. Put accumulator under a nice shade tree to on/off-off/on the chamber sections :dance1::laughing::dance1: