quicksandfarmer
Elite Member
I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss the 67. That machine should be able to do about 250 bales an hour. One to two thousand bales is four to eight hours work. Balers of that vintage were made to run continuously all summer, that's why they're still around 50 years later. If it's really in good condition $1500 is not out of the question.
Think of it this way: new balers cost like new cars. Old balers cost like used cars. What is the difference between a $1500 used car and a $500 used car? A $1500 used car you would expect to run and be road legal (at least until the next repair). A $500 used car is going to require at least $1000 worth of work to be a $1500 used car -- and may really be a junker that requires thousands in repairs to be a $1500 car. If you had a need for a vehicle that you only used four to eight hours a year -- let's say a pickup that you only used when it was time to bring in the hay -- would it make sense to buy new or nearly new, or to buy something in the $1500 price range and patch it up every season? A lot depends on your situation and temperment, but it would be perfectly defensible to opt for the cheaper choice.
The key question is, is this a $1500 baler, or is it a $500 baler that needs $1000 worth of work to be a $1500 baler, or is it a junker that needs $5,000 worth of work to be a $1500 baler? Well, does it make bales? The most problematic part of the baler are the knotters. If it doesn't tie a good knot every time, figure on $400 per knotter to replace them. The next most troublesome part are the chains. If the chains are worn they can skip and the timing goes out and things go south in a hurry. If the chains are worn the sprockets can wear out too, and that's some money. Are all the bearings tight, but well-lubricated? It's easy to spend a lot of money on repairs -- witness the $6,000 overhaul of the JD you're also looking at. On the other hand, these balers were meant to be fixed, all of the wear parts are replaceable.
Finally, the market for used equipment is very local. I spent a year looking for a used baler and paid $900 for a Deere 24T, which is of the same generation. That was just about the lowest I saw, similar balers were listed with asking prices of as much as $2000. While my baler was advertised as being field-ready, I ended up putting about $500 in parts into it before it saw the first of my fields. It does everything I ask of it, makes tight bales and so far hasn't broken down when I had hay on the ground.
Think of it this way: new balers cost like new cars. Old balers cost like used cars. What is the difference between a $1500 used car and a $500 used car? A $1500 used car you would expect to run and be road legal (at least until the next repair). A $500 used car is going to require at least $1000 worth of work to be a $1500 used car -- and may really be a junker that requires thousands in repairs to be a $1500 car. If you had a need for a vehicle that you only used four to eight hours a year -- let's say a pickup that you only used when it was time to bring in the hay -- would it make sense to buy new or nearly new, or to buy something in the $1500 price range and patch it up every season? A lot depends on your situation and temperment, but it would be perfectly defensible to opt for the cheaper choice.
The key question is, is this a $1500 baler, or is it a $500 baler that needs $1000 worth of work to be a $1500 baler, or is it a junker that needs $5,000 worth of work to be a $1500 baler? Well, does it make bales? The most problematic part of the baler are the knotters. If it doesn't tie a good knot every time, figure on $400 per knotter to replace them. The next most troublesome part are the chains. If the chains are worn they can skip and the timing goes out and things go south in a hurry. If the chains are worn the sprockets can wear out too, and that's some money. Are all the bearings tight, but well-lubricated? It's easy to spend a lot of money on repairs -- witness the $6,000 overhaul of the JD you're also looking at. On the other hand, these balers were meant to be fixed, all of the wear parts are replaceable.
Finally, the market for used equipment is very local. I spent a year looking for a used baler and paid $900 for a Deere 24T, which is of the same generation. That was just about the lowest I saw, similar balers were listed with asking prices of as much as $2000. While my baler was advertised as being field-ready, I ended up putting about $500 in parts into it before it saw the first of my fields. It does everything I ask of it, makes tight bales and so far hasn't broken down when I had hay on the ground.
