Baler purchase

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rjbovine

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I'm interested in getting a different baler before next season. Would like the option of net wrap and twine . A 4x5 would be preferred . A JD or NH dealers in the area. My question when a baler has x amount of bales ,baled. When should a person pass on that baler. I'm having a hard time spending 20 to 30 thousand dollars for a newer model. Balers with 12 to 15 thousand bales through them seem to be more in my price range. Will repairs/down time on the older balers make a person wish he had spent the extra money for newer machine . Baling around 350 bales a year . Seem like we get a 3 day window to make hay . Thanks for reading and sharing ideas . rj
 
I would look for a jd 468 or 469. If you shop around, you can get a prettt good buy. We have had a 567, 568, and a 569 now. Awesome balers. I have saw several 568's with 40-50k bales. We usually trade about every 4 years, that's right around 20k bales. Never had a major issue with one. I think we're going to look for a low bale 569 as to switching to the new style baler.
 
A lot of JD 535 balers around for not many dollars. A winter project to rebuild one would still cost less than new by half.

They wouldn't be 4 wide but you can lighten the bales by downsizing diameter.
 
NH7060 or model right before that maybe 740? Great baler easy to work on and get parts. Not picky about the hay you feed it.
 
I settled on JD balers years ago. Very reliable and stand the test of time.....lots of bales through the machines.

No doubt twine wrap has made it's place in the market. That translates to increased cost for increased performance both in tying time and weather resistance. Reading between the lines, if those two aspects aren't a problem for you, you can save big bucks in seeking a twine baler since the market is on NW.

Used to be the 5x6 roll running around 1600# for a number was the standard (around here at least). Somewhere down the line the 4x? became the standard at about 1250# (for the 4x6) because a pair would fit on a trailer side by side and come in under legal highway width limits and be easier to handle with smaller equipment.......and you could sell them for what the 5x6 was selling for and increase your profits......course in that regard, price of a bale of hay is out of sight and can vary 100% depending on conditions at the time of sale.

I have been very lucky with older JD balers in hardiness even with thousands and thousands of bales through them prior to my purchase and availability of repair parts. Main problem areas are bearings for the rollers and chains, both of which can be easily avoided by keeping the baler under a cover and keeping chain lube on the chains.

My 2c!
 
Texasmark said:
I settled on JD balers years ago. Very reliable and stand the test of time.....lots of bales through the machines.

No doubt twine wrap has made it's place in the market. That translates to increased cost for increased performance both in tying time and weather resistance. Reading between the lines, if those two aspects aren't a problem for you, you can save big bucks in seeking a twine baler since the market is on NW.

Used to be the 5x6 roll running around 1600# for a number was the standard (around here at least). Somewhere down the line the 4x? became the standard at about 1250# (for the 4x6) because a pair would fit on a trailer side by side and come in under legal highway width limits and be easier to handle with smaller equipment.......and you could sell them for what the 5x6 was selling for and increase your profits......course in that regard, price of a bale of hay is out of sight and can vary 100% depending on conditions at the time of sale.

I have been very lucky with older JD balers in hardiness even with thousands and thousands of bales through them prior to my purchase and availability of repair parts. Main problem areas are bearings for the rollers and chains, both of which can be easily avoided by keeping the baler under a cover and keeping chain lube on the chains.

My 2c!
Costs to produce that roll of hay is also out of sight.... :2cents:
 
I dumped my last NH baler at I think 17k bales. It was getting to the point the repairs where starting to effect uptime and my ability to make hay timely. That was 17k bales of dry hay, baleage, and corn stalks on original belts, sprockets, chains, bearings, etc. Had all those bales been dry hay I would guess the repairs would have been less/none, so a bale count number isn't everything.

All the balers do the job and make a nice bale and have good service life. Reason I choose NH is the dealer support both locally (closest dealer is 80 miles away), and online/phone with Messicks. The JD dealer is 100 miles and does everything in his power to be unhelpful and not get you what you need.
 
I know this doesn't really answer your question, but you can either make payments or work on them.
 
I bought a well maintained 535 in 2012.Admittedly 200 bales or less through it each year since but,other than a few pickup teeth,a chain and one sprocket the only cost has been grease,oil and twine.Other costs were minor and operator error.
 
snoopdog said:
I know this doesn't really answer your question, but you can either make payments or work on them.

That's a fact. You just have to sit down and figure out which scenario works best for your particular operation. In other words, do you want it or do you need it.
 
gcreekrch said:
A lot of JD 535 balers around for not many dollars. A winter project to rebuild one would still cost less than new by half.

They wouldn't be 4 wide but you can lighten the bales by downsizing diameter.

That's essentially my 375 (a 5x6 roller limited to a 4' diameter) with added cost cutting notions, like bale info on the front of the baler, viewable through the right hand side mirror rather than a wired console on the dash in the cab....like my 530 had; gate lifting cylinders act as pressure cylinders for bale rolling, preset to 3000# (pressure relief valve) for another difference.
 
I have looked at a NH 658 twine only. owner guessing 5000 bales through it . He clams the belts need sized . The question I have will this model of baler bale long stemmy grass hay . Will it start a bale .Are they easy to work on . Thanks rj
 
rjbovine said:
I have looked at a NH 658 twine only. owner guessing 5000 bales through it . He clams the belts need sized . The question I have will this model of baler bale long stemmy grass hay . Will it start a bale .Are they easy to work on . Thanks rj

How well a baler starts a bale is usually a function of the condition of the belts and the pickup cams and pickup teeth. In my experience if those things are in good shape the baler will make bales. Once the bale is started everything else follows. Just my opinion.
 
snoopdog said:
I know this doesn't really answer your question, but you can either make payments or work on them.

I would agree this probably is your first decision point. If you have time to fix/refurb going for a higher bale count makes sense. If not, spend more on a lower count/newer model.

I would also say diligence helps. I searched tractorhouse and fastline relentlessly and ended up sourcing a JD 468 from an area where 4 foot balers were not in demand.

Not sure in your region, but here due to consolidation we have JD and Case dealers that have locations that stretch from WI to WY and with the ag market I'd bet they'd haul a baler from out west to you. My local JD dealer actually shipped a tractor from Wyoming to MN just for me to look at it. No agreement of any kind to buy (And I didn't). But they had a truck going and coming anyway.
 
A lot of JD 535 balers around for not many dollars. A winter project to rebuild one would still cost less than new by half.

They wouldn't be 4 wide but you can lighten the bales by downsizing diameter.
Pretty easy to work on too..I missed a chance on one few years back great shape had been well maintained ,and barn kept..for 6500...I have an old 530 that was it predecessor...
 

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