inline baler vs 'conventional' baler....

[powerscol]

The paint looks new - welcome to the inline world.

As I am sure you know be sure to change all the fluids and check chain tension.

If you have a twin problem I know mine likes the Bridon brand over the Triton which kept braking at the knotter.

Let us know how things go.

Looks Sweet

 

[powerscol]

The paint looks new - welcome to the inline world.

As I am sure you know be sure to change all the fluids and check chain tension.

If you have a twin problem I know mine likes the Bridon brand over the Triton which kept braking at the knotter.

Let us know how things go.

Looks Sweet

 

[Dadnatron]

A question about these 'low bale #' inline balers...

I see them every now and then. I'm not in the market for purchase at this time, but might be in the future, and I really enjoy learning about things.

But... why are there so many 'low bale #' balers out there? If they are so good, why spend $25K only to take the shine off it and turn around and sell it? I know circumstances etc. But, it seems as though there is quite a bit of 'low use' farm equipment for sale sometimes and being relatively newly back to farming, it always makes me wonder.

 

[Trillium Farm]

A question about these 'low bale #' inline balers...
I see them every now and then. I'm not in the market for purchase at this time, but might be in the future, and I really enjoy learning about things.
But... why are there so many 'low bale #' balers out there? If they are so good, why spend $25K only to take the shine off it and turn around and sell it? I know circumstances etc. But, it seems as though there is quite a bit of 'low use' farm equipment for sale sometimes and being relatively newly back to farming, it always makes me wonder.

There is only one maker of small inline balers and has been so for the last 10 plus years and that's Hesston/Massey Ferguson. Case & CIH also made them but before that, so there aren't a lot of new inlines. As to why there may be a lot for sale with low bale nbr is quite complex and related to the operation of that farmer. Shortage of labour made them move to round or big Sq bales the would be IMO the most compelling reason.

 

[Farmer495]

I would think anyone commercially farming that bought a new square baler in the last few years would be using an accumulator and clamp or NH bale wagon at this point meaning the labor should be similar to large squares or rounds. My opinion most of the "hardly used" stuff is bought by people for "fun" and not for business, so I am thinking they would be very motivated to sell since that is a lot of money to tie up in something that very few people are interested in or can justify owning.

 

[powerscol]

Many operations here in Colorado have moved on to round or large square balers. Less bales to handle means less operation budget. Most of the hay here goes to cattle operations and it also easier to unroll one large round, then toss out a lot of small square ones. The big squares are easier to load and haul on trucks (better stability) I have seen my share of small square bales on the road when a truck lost them.

Now I got mine off of a horse feed operation when they traded up the 1840 to increase their operation. The big horse hay producer in the area that raises certified timothy for export now has a fancy accumulator that wraps a brick of bales in the field. He ships overseas. Every year he sprays for weeds in the fall (round up type) and replants in the early spring. Usually gets 2 cuttings (under irrigation) and sprays for weeds in between. I have heard he fumigates the wrapped bricks so no bugs survive in export. He recently had his old balers for sale (2 inline and one JD) All pretty much used up when I took a look at them and got new Hesston 1840's or the new bigger one. This operation produces well over over 100,000 bales a year from what I have heard.

The last reason low usage may be showing up is tax write off. You get 7 years depreciation, then it can be worth buying new depending on your situation. Im my case I was either going to send $4500 to the IRS or spend 6K on a new mower that will depreciate over the next 7 years, and end up with $1200 in a refund. There were other factors involved, bu by forming a farming LLC and filing a Sch F with the IRS there are a lot of tax and liability advantages. Its worth looking into.
Hope this helps

 

[bjr]

The biggest problem I had with in-line balers was stradling a large high windrow. typically something on the underside of the tractor would snag and then you were pushing a bunch of hay under the tractor. Either style should make bales that size with no problems.

I had a sale for a inline and it was returned to me just for that reason. It was a deal breaker for the farmer.

 

[vsteel]

Straddling the windrows was the reason we never had an inline. 15 foot head in heavy hay would pile it up too high for us to not have issues.

 

[Phillip w]

Straddling the windrows was the reason we never had an inline. 15 foot head in heavy hay would pile it up too high for us to not have issues.

Exactly, plus harder to turn around and keep an eye on the baler down. I need an in- line baler like I need a hole in the head.

I had a sale for a inline and it was returned to me just for that reason. It was a deal breaker for the farmer.

 

[powerscol]

I have not had your issues. A rear view mirror is all you need and for me, if the windrow is too high to straddle, then I have too much hay in the windrow. At first I hung a long piece of wide baler belt under the tractor to keep from snagging, then found the round front axle did just as good, especially if I had the bucket set just as low to flatten. The only spot I really snagged wast the draw bar bolt hanging down. I reversed that so only the head was below the draw bar and everything is fine. However I know all tractors are not the same.

I'm planning to get a cheap camera set up to put on the baler (or my ROPS) one of these days. My rear view mirror (clamp on) keeps moving

 

[sunrise77]

Background:

I cut and bale somewhere between 70 and 85 acres of grass hay for my wife's horse boarding operation yearly.
Currently running a NH273 and a very 'touchy' farmhand accumulator that i did eventually get running last year.
Last year I put up somewhere around 2200 square bales. Probably fewer this year, but not by much...and it may end up being more....depends on how a new field does.

Situation and circumstances:

Started haying because we wanted control over the quality and availability of bales -- it was a dry year and nobody was selling. I have a pretty good job, the deductions of equipment and land leases/purchases works out very much in our favor at tax time.
My tax accountant has advised us that it would be in our best interests to find some more equipment to buy and depreciate.

Questions for the group:

I really like the look of the inline massey balers -- 1838, 1840, etc... Being able to lazily roll down the windrow and have a super-wide pickup directly behind me seems incredibly effort-free. Pretty sure my farmhand accumulator could be setup to work with it, or if not...a new accumulator isn't out of the question.

But -- the newer JD/NH/etc conventional balers look pretty good too -- and there must be a darn good reason why there are so few manufacturers that make inline balers and so many that still make conventional 'off the side' models...

I'm looking to end up with 65 to 75 pound bales from my brome/orchard/timothy/sweet clover various fields....that are straight and very square. I'm looking for something that will tie and function as reliably as my NH273 has, and something that generally doesn't require a rocket scientist to repair. I do all my own work and demand to keep it that way so i can fix my own broken crap when the rains are coming.

I wouldn't say that money is no object, because it always is of course... and i'm sure there are other discussions that i should probably search for....but i'm wondering what the general consensus is on what you all would buy if you were buying a new or nearly-new machine to take over your square-baling duties...

There is a a JD, NH, and MF dealer all within 35 or so miles of me for reference as well.

As A custom harvest operator for 10 years, i stacked over a million bales with new holland bale wagons . the Hesston inline design , produced by far the most consistent size bales . Easiest to stack and handle , and from the farmers that owned them the most trouble free. I owned NH and JD balers at the time . I preferred the JD over the New Holland for bale consistency , though was in the process of buying an inline when I switched careers . just realized I was replying to 10 year old post .

 

[Hay Dude]

I, too have found Hesston to build the best balers. In the large square baler category, too.
Now Fendt is in the market And along with Krone, presents some serious competition.