<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">I always wanted a Roto Baler. I don’t have a single sane, logical reason other than I just love to watch them in action. Since I have small acreage I thought it would be interesting to try to use one. Unfortunately they were never popular around here so I would have to haul one in from afar and they are difficult to transport. So I’ve never had the opportunity to buy one that was in good enough shape to be worth the effort to transport.<div><br></div><div>Plus it would take up a lot of my nonexistent shed space. (-: I could not keep it out of the rain without erecting a shed. The lumber would cost more than the rotobaler (-:<div><br></div><div>Spencer<br><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On May 29, 2021, at 10:57 AM, Mark Johnson <markjohnson100@centurylink.net> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">
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<p>Herb & all: <br>
</p>
<p>I remember that we had two different JD A's and a 620 when I was
growing up...the 'old' A definitely did not have live PTO. The
'new' A (pressed steel frame instead of cast iron) *might* have
had live PTO; I just don't recall. The 620 and everything later
that we had, all definitely had live PTO. We used the 620 and 730s
to power our AC roto baler. The IH 300 would have had enough
power, but lacked the live PTO, so it got relegated to rake duty.
My dad said this of the original AC roto baler design: "I never
baled with it without something breaking during the day. But I
also never failed to finish baling what we had raked and ready."
Admittedly, ours was old, and had been extensively rebuilt. Even
at that, the latch plates that held the upper and lower belt gangs
in the 'roll a bale" position had some wear, and would
occasionally release without being tripped - either while we were
running twine, or even before that. I always thought of it as the
baler "throwing up" on us.<br>
</p>
<p>If the bale hadn't been partially tied, we just carried the hay
back around to the pickup deck and ran it through again :-). <br>
</p>
<p>For myself, I always thought of the AC Roto-Baler as being an
engineer's dream and a mechanic's nightmare. Lots of manual
operation (stopping to feed twine manually, then tripping the
release to eject the bale every time. I heard some tales that
there was a later version, never produced or built only in small
quantities, that had a way to 'hold' hay while the twine feed was
running, so the operator didn't have to stop for each bale. I can
only imagine the mechanical complexity of such a beast. Can
anybody confirm or deny?<br>
</p>
<p>Mark J<br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 5/29/2021 9:34 AM, Cecil Bearden
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:c7eb7404-a38e-621c-96c6-b5f53ef7d74f@copper.net">
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<p>I think the earliest live PTO was on the WD Allis Chalmers.
Built to power the AC roto baler. The hand clutch stopped
forward travel and left he PTO running. I really liked running
my old WD, just hated the seat. I still have kinks in my back
from it...<br>
Cecil<br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 5/28/2021 9:05 PM, HERBERT METZ
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:2065866001.580625.1622253920661@connect.xfinity.com">
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charset=UTF-8">
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<div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family:
helvetica,arial,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family:
helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Dean, I certainly agree and
hope that purists pick up on this by sharing their knowledge
of history of these two PTO systems. Herb(GA)</span> </div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family:
helvetica,arial,sans-serif;"> </div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div> On 05/28/2021 4:36 PM Dean VP <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:deanvp@att.net" moz-do-not-send="true"><deanvp@att.net></a> wrote: </div>
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal">Herb,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In addition to your question when did
LIVE PTO arrive and what tractor Manufacturer provided
it. I do believe there is a distinction needed to be made
between INDEPENDENT LIVE PTO and LIVE PTO for the purists</p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dean VP</p>
</div>
<div>
<div style="border: none; border-top: solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;
padding: 3.0pt 0in 0in 0in;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>From:</strong> AT <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:at-bounces@lists.antique-tractor.com" moz-do-not-send="true"><at-bounces@lists.antique-tractor.com></a>
<strong>On Behalf Of </strong>HERBERT METZ<br>
<strong>Sent:</strong> Sunday, May 23, 2021 4:19 AM<br>
<strong>To:</strong> Antique Tractor Email Discussion
Group <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:at@lists.antique-tractor.com" moz-do-not-send="true"><at@lists.antique-tractor.com></a><br>
<strong>Subject:</strong> [AT] history of PTO's on
tractors</p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;
font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif;">When did PTO's
first appear on tractors? I assume sickle bar mowers
was one of the first implements that PTO's appeared
on? </span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;
font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif;">I use an Allis
Chalmers PTO powered four foot tiller behind my AC720
large lawn tractor; sure is a nice way to till our
large vegetable garden. </span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;
font-family: 'Helvetica',sans-serif;">Herb(GA)</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
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