Square baler choices?

[tom4018]

What would be a decent older square baler to look at for something to do a few hundred bales a year? I don't know a whole lot about the older model numbers but been looking a little at NH 68,310, & 273 and JD 24T.

 

[shorty]

I have always has NH balers , years ago we had a 273 , it was avery good baler a 310 is about the same just newer, NH balers are hard to beat.

 

[certherfbeef]

Growing up we had a JD 233 of maybe a 223? Something like that. Real consistant and hardly never missed a knot. And Dad liked the bales tight. Put over 30,000 bale a year thru it as a kid. He still uses it a little.

Kinda funny, I grew up and went off to college and the old man started feeding round bales, putting more hay in the silo and quit shocking corn. Oh ya, they got central air in the old farm house too. :roll:

Can't wait till my kids are grown... ;-)

 

[Chuck]

Tom- my two cents worth. All the major companies balers will do what you want for a few hundred bales a year. Just find one that is not plumb wore to a frazzle. NH, JD, IH is not as important for you as having a brand that you can get parts for in a reasonable time and distance from home. If it is a major road trip to a dealer that has parts, it's something you have to consider.

 

[Crowderfarms]

Tom- my two cents worth. All the major companies balers will do what you want for a few hundred bales a year. Just find one that is not plumb wore to a frazzle. NH, JD, IH is not as important for you as having a brand that you can get parts for in a reasonable time and distance from home. If it is a major road trip to a dealer that has parts, it's something you have to consider.

Tom, my favorite is a Ford 573. Parts are easy to find and there's a guy nearby that if you have a problem you can't figure out, he's a master with them. second favorite, is NH.

 

[jkwilson]

I've always been partial to the 273. Dependable and parts are available. Can't buy one around here because the Amish scoop them up in a second.

 

[flaboy]

I've always been partial to the 273. Dependable and parts are available. Can't buy one around here because the Amish scoop them up in a second.

We have worn out several NH 273's. If you can find one in good shape that is what I would get. The only problem we had was not tying the knots. I finally got the manual out and went through all the timing adjustments on the knotters and it never missed another. One adjust was a clearance issue. I had to use a big pipe wrench and bend/adjust. Never did figure out why it was so far out of whack. I am looking for another reasonable 273 now. We just do enough square bales to satisfy the horse owners.

Ha, I remember one of our old units. It was a NH (I forget the model). It had an old flat head ford engine mounted on it to run the baler. Hand crank! :lol:

 

[El_Putzo]

I've always been partial to the 273. Dependable and parts are available. Can't buy one around here because the Amish scoop them up in a second.

I am of the same opinion. It's hard to beat NH hay equipment. My dad bought a new NH 273 Hayliner over 25 years ago, and the only things we have replaced on it are pickup teeth, drive belts, and thrower belts. It has the "thrower" attachment and we've replaced the motor that changes speeds. I think it's really quite remarkable as we have never retimed it and it still ties at least 99% of the bales, even though the string holes in the needles are elongated to about 1 inch from all the use. We only do 1500-2000 a year with it now, but from new it was used on our place (5000), the farm we rented (2000), and some custom neighborhood baling (???). If I had to guess there has probably been at least 130,000 bales through that thing. Of course my dad treats it like a newborn baby. I guess it paid off.