[AT] Old baler guidance needed

[Cecil Bearden]

I always loved New Holland hay equipment.  They make the best looking 
round bales I have ever seen!  I have run nearly every brand of round 
baler and most brands of square in my 50 years of farming.   I own 2 
International balers, a 430 and a 440, 430 is twine tie.   The 440 needs 
the wire cutters built up as they are worn.  New ones are over $500!   I 
have not had a chance to run the 430 as I bought it from the Deere 
dealer nearby.    I traded a hay rake for the baler.  I had an Oliver 60 
baler and loved it.  I sold it and a Massey baler to some Mexicans years 
ago to go to Mexico.  I had an Oliver 50 baler and it also worked great, 
but I traded it to an Oliver collector for a truck and 4 truck 
tires....   I cut a lot of hay for a guy who baled with an Allis 
Chalmers baler and he was not a very good mechanic.  It kept on baling 
for him and he baled some pretty good prairie hay bales.
My experience lately with new Holland is that the parts are ridiculously 
overpriced.   They are higher than Deere for the same parts.   I have 
worked with machinists and in a factory.  I know what it takes to build 
parts and I can tell you that New Holland is just way out of line.   If 
you complain to their customer service about the parts prices, they will 
increase the price, I complained once and they raised the price 
$20!!!!!!    I was in the NH dealership last week and came out with 5 
gears and 2 bearings for my round baler and it was $2400!!  The parts 
guy told me that since Fiat bought into NH, the price increases were wild..
My advice would be if you can find an affordable baler that works for 
less than $1000, buy it and look for a parts machine, or buy a lathe and 
mill and try to build your parts if needed.   Also keep it under a shed, 
and never let it get rained on.   The factory service manual is 
invaluable, and the parts manual is a lot of help...  Most all square 
baler problems are due to wear or adjustment.  Sometimes you have to 
make adjustments to overcome the wear....!!

My NH round baler is outside getting rained on while I am working on it, 
and I know it will cost..  I just have so much taken apart, I cannot get 
it into the shed.

Cecil in OKla



On 4/19/2016 8:57 PM, John Hall wrote:
> I'm still running my 60 year old New Holland Super 66. I'd love to
> upgrade to something that is newer but all my cash has been put into
> other equipment. Hard to beat a New Holland and dealers are everywhere,
> just like Deere. Closest Massey dealer to me would be Siler City, don't
> know about your area. I assume you are keeping a good watch on
> Craigslist. Don't forget to search around the Danville VA area, lot of
> hay up that way.
>
> John Hall
>
>
> On 4/19/2016 11:47 AM, Spencer Yost wrote:
>> >From the "ain't farming fun" department.....
>>    
>> As you folks may remember, I have only 5 acres to bale.   I do manage it fairly intensively so there is a lot of hay there and always worth the effort.   I mow and tedd and a neighbor rakes and bales it.
>>    
>> Short story:   I now need a baler - Can anyone share experience with the Massey #3 baler?   I looked at one in very nice shape for very little money.  #3s are a wood block instead of roller bearing baler but the blocks seem to be in good shape.  The Massey is really straight and shows very little wear.   Very tight chains and signs of continual maintenance and mostly shed storage.
>>    
>> Long story:  My neighbor who bales for me has a family member - another farmer also - in the hospital and he says he can no longer do my hay because he now also has their hay to worry about.   I know better than to ask to borrow his equipment so I am left to scramble for a rake and baler and get them within 3 weeks.  I would say "forget it" and just buy hay, but I have $500 in lime, seed, fertilizer, and have spread lots of composted manure.    It would be a a real loss to just mow it and then have to buy hay.  Because it is only 5 acres, cost is a huge concern and am willing to make do with any old thing that will put up 400-500 bales a year.  I just don't want a baler that everyone knows is a "problem baler". I have never even picked up bales behind a Massey baler; let alone operated or owned one.   I am still looking for a custom baler but I am coming up with zilch for a custom baler that will do square bales.   A few in the area will do round bales.
>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>>
>> Spencer Yost
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> AT mailing list
>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at