Opinions on Round Balers

[farming]

While were at it... what are you all using for Round Baling? Any pros or cons between the Brands and Models? Thanks.

 

[redlevel]

The only round baler I have had experience with is a New Holland 650. I think it was their medium-size baler. I only put up about 400 1000 lb rolls per year. After five years, it still rolls a good, tight roll. I don't think I've had over two days of down time in the five years I have used it. When it works, the automatic tie system is a dream--you just stop the tractor, let it tie, dump the bale, and go on. It works flawlessly about 99% of the time. I think the twine you use has more to do with the auto tie system than anything else. I am the only one who operates the machine, and that is always better than having "hired help" who might abuse your machinery.

I'm sure the JD and Vermeer folks will chime in. I'm sure they are good machines, too.

 

[Charolais]

I've used Hesston and CIH. The CIH was made by Hesston for CIH. My 8430 puts out a bale that's 43" wide and 54" tall. Weighs from 900-1000 pounds,depending on what I'm rolling at the time. I've replaced the roller chain once and flipped the twine cutter knife over once. Other than that it's been trouble free. It's electric tie but manual with a toggle switch.

Most round balers are pretty simple. The bells and whistles are great until they start giving problems. When ever I trade or buy new I'll sure take a good look at the Vemeer Rebel. My BIL has one and I've watched several around here run. For the price of the Rebel it looks like more bang for the buck than any on the market.

But for now I'll keep running my CIH. Bales fit the shed for maximun storage space. Light enough that it isn't hard on the loader tractor. Easy to load on a truck or trailer and doesn't hang off the sides of the bed. Some states are cracking down on loads that hang over now.

Lots of good round balers out there. Just depends on how much you want to spend and size.

 

[rambler]

All companies seem to improve their round balers by generation. A new machine is better than an old machine - by quite a bit. But from green to yellow to red, if you compare the same age machines, they are fairly close.

I borrowed my neighbor's old Gehl 1450, worked ok for an older one. Borrowed his brand new Case machine the next year - well for $19,000 it better work real good! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Bought an old beater Vermeer 605F the next year, works fine for me. Seems Vermeer invented the things, and they are perhaps one small step ahead in the development, if you compare like models.

Hyd pressure is better than only spring pressure; belts are the best, tho the chain balers do very well at 'odd' crops like cornstalks but beat leaves off of alfalfa; open throat design is good, closed throat is difficult, and so on.

--->Paul

 

[HayDR]

farming,

We sell a 100+ new and used round balers a year. The NH, NI, Hesston, JD, Case/IH, Gehl, M&W, Krone, Class, Vicon & Vermeer will all bale hay. We sell Vermeer and M&W new. The key to baler satisfaction is matching the baler to your situation. Tractor size, wet or dry hay production or doing both have with the same baler have more to do with the baler choice than you might think. Twine tie choices and monitors desired also a great deal to do with what someone might choose. Some customers like automation and some do not. Some customers want to bale in road gear and others want to use bull-dog low. Some customers live in the flat lands and others live in the mountains. Some customers purchase new and some purchase used balers. Price does influence some customers more than others. The more information you can give a dealer the better chance they have of meeting your needs.
Mark Carter

 

[MFMan]

Massey Ferguson has some small round balers that may fit the bill for you.

http://www.masseyferguson.com/agco/MF/NA/HayForage/1700RB.htm

 

[HayDR]

The MF baler are the same as the current AGCO: Hesston/ New Idea round balers. Just rebranded.

 

[johndeerefarmer]

I ran a JD 4x4 round baler for 12 years. I put about 1000 bales a year through it. In thick windrows, I kicked out a bale about once a minute. This baler had manual tie (hydraulic) and manual gate. It was mentally tiring to work all of the controls in the proper sequence, once a minute. About the time you dumped one bale it was time for another. If you daydreamed for a couple of seconds you would either made an oversized bale or dumped one that wasn't tied.

I bought a new JD 4x5 last year with the BaleTrak computer. I highly recommend getting one with a computer. If you are just a hobby farmer baling a few acres (that you didn't even fertilize) then a manual would be fine.

BTW, don't believe the weight that any manufacturer tells you that a baler will produce.

My 4x4 was rated at 750 lbs, my coastal bales actually weighed 600
My 4x5 is rated at 1100 lbs, actually weigh about 950.

This depends on what type of hay that you bale and of course the moisture content.

Smart farmers buy hay by the ton, not by the bale

 

[MFMan]

True (except for the AutoTie monitor option - MF has always had it and HS and NI has some units without it) but there are considerably more MF dealers around so the likelihood of seeing one at a dealership will be greater with MF.

 

[HayDR]

IN hay tools NI and Hesston are MFG's that have been around longer showing stability. MF has never MFG'ed its own Round balers. Vermeer, Gehl, PZ, PMI, and Hesston have all made balers for MF since the late 1980's. If you go to a MF dealer for parts, likely they will send you to the true MFG's brand dealership. AGCO branding of it's round bale production listed in order of stocking dealers and brand sales is Hesston, New Idea & MF in that order. There are more MF tractor dealers but they are not selling the MF branded balers. These dealers sell either Hesston or New Idea because of brand awareness in haytools.

 

[rambler]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( True (except for the AutoTie monitor option - MF has always had it and HS and NI has some units without it) but there are considerably more MF dealers around so the likelihood of seeing one at a dealership will be greater with MF. )</font>

I think that would depend upon what region you are in. All the nearby Agco dealers up here are based on Oliver/White tractors, & Gleaner combines. Practicly no hay equipment at all. What MF dealers used to be within 100 miles of me mostly sold out 10 years ago, think there is one active one about 60 miles from me.

I'll see 15 Oliver tractors in use for every MF around here. Out of 100 balers, maybe 1 or 2 will be MF. Not knocking any brand, all the same company now anyhow, but just - things are different in different areas. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

--->Paul

 

[MFMan]

I was just speaking of the region I am familiar with. Lately, it has been easier to see a MF branded hay baler at MF dealers where you used to see some NI and HS. Good point on the supply of previous MF hay equipment, but I think it would be very hard to find any brand that hasn't, isn't or will not be taking some product from different sources.

 

[MFMan]

Hit post a little soon! I left off my close.

In the end, I recommend what you have previously stated that all balers do a good job these days. The important factors relate more to dealer support and the unit's true value (not purchase price) down the road than they do to the actual piece of machinery.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> Hit post a little soon! I left off my close. </font>
You can edit your own posts. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[jgh]

20051128

I just bought my first round baler, a Case IH model 8420, so soon as I pick it up and get going with it, I'll let you know what my experience is (may bale some clippings from our overgrown areas just to get rid of some for the winter).

My photos (including Case 8420 & NH 1002)

Over the past few months I have baled over 1600 small square bales of mixed stuff here in VA with a rather old NH 273 (and I have another one for backup). Total investment, both, <$2500. It won't handle but so big a windrow and will mistie if I use the wrong twine (too thin), but otherwise I am amazed at its productivity and resilience. Sometimes bales will tend toward a "banana" shape, esp if I feed it too fast, too unevenly or with too dry hay.

And it was not the finest in producing bales for the NH 1033 bale wagon I was trying out, though its own problems were probably synergistic with those of the wagon (which I declined after fully evaling it--many bad welds, etc). I am told newer balers do a much better bale for the stack wagons.

I have no experience with a newer square baler to compare against.

With the Case round baler I also bought a very old and rusty NH 1002 stack wagon, so we will see!

I'm going to post separately about modifying my new 8420 Case and working on the 1002, hope you folks can help /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

HTH

Jim

 

[myrnarud]

I am looking at used balers and found 4 JD 535 for $5000, NH 848 for $4,750, NH 545 for $3,800 and a NI 4844 for $3.000. I am a first time buyer with about 20 acres flat. I am just starting to buy equipment to bale and need to keep my cost down, but also want one that is not going to be a lot of trouble.

 

[RickB]

I am looking at used balers and found 4 JD 535 for $5000, NH 848 for $4,750, NH 545 for $3,800 and a NI 4844 for $3.000. I am a first time buyer with about 20 acres flat. I am just starting to buy equipment to bale and need to keep my cost down, but also want one that is not going to be a lot of trouble.

Any baler in that age/price range can be a money pit. Know what you are looking at, or pay somebody you trust that does. NH didn't make a 545 that I ever heard of, and I would avoid the 848.

 

[cowski]

jd 535 for sure.

 

[pjbci]

jd 535 for sure.

X2....

 

[DwayneB]

I personally like the old nh chain balers. After running my neighbors 845 for a couple of seasons. I bought an 849 for myself. I took a chance on it for 2500. I bought mine as a dealer trade in. It sheared the pickup pin twice before I figured out it was over filling and both arms on the auto wrap were bent. After correcting those 2 problems it's worth what I paid for it plus. It runs flawlessly. The 849 is a 5x5 baler and my 42 pto hp long runs it just as easily as my 50 pto john deere. I could tell from the lack of rust it had been stored inside. This was a major factor in my decision to buy it. I'm cutting 30 acres twice a year.
It makes a good tight bale but, not as tight as the newer belt balers.
Edit. That is too much money for an 848 two to 3k max in working condition.