I need a round baler!

[matt21]

Right now all i have is a square baler but i'd like to be more versatile and start doing round bales too. Any suggestions on a used round baler on a budget?

[chh]

What size are you looking for? Condition, condition, condition is the keyword when you start shopping for a round baler. Hesston balers are owned by Agco and now sold as MF balers. They are not as popular as some other brands and tend to run a bit cheaper. Gehl made a good baler but Gehl has gotten out of the ag market. There are some deals around on them and parts a still available thru Gehl.
Winter seems to me to be the time to shop for hay equipment. I bought a near new(still under warranty) baler in January this year on got a good deal.

Check out fastline and tractorhouse online. You can get a pretty good idea whats available and prices.

[HayDR]

Right now all i have is a square baler but i'd like to be more versatile and start doing round bales too. Any suggestions on a used round baler on a budget?

What size round baler are you looking for? What size tractors do you have?

[matt21]

I'd like to have a 4' wide baler. 4x5 is the size bales i prefer, but i know that some people still prefer 5x5 or 5x6. The tractor i have right now is 43 pto hp but i'm looking at about a 60 pto hp tractor to use with my MoCo and for a round baler when i get one.

[ozzie tractor]

I'd like to have a 4' wide baler. 4x5 is the size bales i prefer, but i know that some people still prefer 5x5 or 5x6. The tractor i have right now is 43 pto hp but i'm looking at about a 60 pto hp tractor to use with my MoCo and for a round baler when i get one.

it all depends on what you want to spend. i use a krone vp1800 now, had a vp1500 and a kr10-16 krone before that. i would buy a vp again but would never recommend a kr series krone to anyone. was glad to see the end of that machine .
the gehl gear was always a good bet, just stay away from the ones with the full computer controls on them as they have a fairly expensive habit of dying. the 1475 was probably the pick of them but the 1470 wasnt bad either, the best thing about gehl is they don't need huge horsepower to drive them (as opposed to krone, which is quicker but 60hp wont really do the job despite what the brochure says)

[Farmwithjunk]

My son has a Vermeer 5400 Rebel baler. I've used it behind 47hp and was most impressed. Really good support on Vermeer products in this area too.

[ozzie tractor]

My son has a Vermeer 5400 Rebel baler. I've used it behind 47hp and was most impressed. Really good support on Vermeer products in this area too.

i cant argue with the quality of a vermeer either. i have a friend with one and it has give very few issues

[matt21]

I found an older vermeer 605f baler. I've heard they're good balers but i have no experience with round baling so i don't know. I'm also looking for a bi-fold wheel rake. I'm wanting to trade my 12' Discbine in on a used baler and possibly a rake if the right ones come along, but no one around here wants to take in a 12'er.

[HayDR]

I found an older vermeer 605f baler. I've heard they're good balers but i have no experience with round baling so i don't know. I'm also looking for a bi-fold wheel rake. I'm wanting to trade my 12' Discbine in on a used baler and possibly a rake if the right ones come along, but no one around here wants to take in a 12'er.

The 605F bale usually sell for $1,000- $3000 Tops. Realize this 605F baler will make a tight bale of hay but is close to 30 years old. I do not know what your budget is but if you can find a good Vermeer 605J or 605k baler, you will spend $5000-$8000 and have close to the current technology used in the latest balers. These later model balers will be worth about the same 5 years from now when you want to update.
This is a 605 J baler.

[matt21]

I'm on a shoestring budget right now but i also don't want something that i'm gonna have to work on every 2 or 3 bales. I would be willing to pay that much for one, i just have to sell my Discbine first. I found a Case-IH 8455 round baler that seems to be in good condition for $3500.