Looking for hay Equipment advice

[ModMech]

As some may recall, we own a small farm near Canton, TX. We are having troubles getting our field of good quality hay harvested on shares, even $1/bale is out of the question!

So, we are thinking that if we buy our own equipment, we might not actually make a profit, but at least we'll keep our AG exepmtion and pay for the equipment over a few years (2-3). We have a B2410 tractor, that will cut the field with a 7' sickle and rake it, but not bale it. We are trying to get a 30-40 PTO HP tractor on the cheap and there are a number of good prospects.

We found a JD 224W and two JD pull-type rakes for $4500, I'm feeling that since we don't know if the baler works and the rakes are only "ok", $3500 is a more resonable price.

There is a local NH 311 that needs timing and adjustment for $1k, what do you think about that? It seems like there is something we are missing, if it needed only minor repair it should sell for more?

There are a number of IH 46 balers in the $1200 - $1500 range but none can be tested and I hear the "old IH balers don't tie well". How about the 46? Some TBN posts indicated these were ok, just don't want to buy something and have fits with it.

We found a NH Hayliner 268 for $1500 (twine) that is reported to be "barn stored and in good condition", might look if that is a GOOD price as it is a hike to get there.

We are generally thinking along the following lines:

The pull rakes in working condition should be in the $500-$600 range, more if in good or "nice!" condition obviously and less with flat tires and missing tines etc.

The JD 224W is a good baler, but will need some maintenance after sitting up for a number of years and we can't see it make a bale, maybe $2500?

The IH balers are larger(?) than we would really want, and I am very worried about parts availability. For $1200 or so, maybe worth it?

The NH 311 would be a steal if it could be repaired as suggested w/o a lot of $$$ in parts. I am a mechanic, so the labor is not an issue and it's relatively close.

There are few sickle mowers around, we found one pull-type (pto driven) for $190 but it is a LONG drive to even look at it and there are no photos of the important parts.

We typically get 3-5 cuttings and 600-1000 bales/year from our meadow, but we would *like* to have good enough equipment to have the option of cutting others fields near-by.

Any advice is MUCH appreciated!

 

[steve08]

The NH268 would get my Vote. Anytime your Baler shoppin, Ask if you can bring some Straw bales to bust open and rebale...If they say no Walk away!

 

[flusher]

As some may recall, we own a small farm near Canton, TX. We are having troubles getting our field of good quality hay harvested on shares, even $1/bale is out of the question!

So, we are thinking that if we buy our own equipment, we might not actually make a profit, but at least we'll keep our AG exepmtion and pay for the equipment over a few years (2-3). We have a B2410 tractor, that will cut the field with a 7' sickle and rake it, but not bale it. We are trying to get a 30-40 PTO HP tractor on the cheap and there are a number of good prospects.

We found a JD 224W and two JD pull-type rakes for $4500, I'm feeling that since we don't know if the baler works and the rakes are only "ok", $3500 is a more resonable price.

There is a local NH 311 that needs timing and adjustment for $1k, what do you think about that? It seems like there is something we are missing, if it needed only minor repair it should sell for more?

There are a number of IH 46 balers in the $1200 - $1500 range but none can be tested and I hear the "old IH balers don't tie well". How about the 46? Some TBN posts indicated these were ok, just don't want to buy something and have fits with it.

We found a NH Hayliner 268 for $1500 (twine) that is reported to be "barn stored and in good condition", might look if that is a GOOD price as it is a hike to get there.

We are generally thinking along the following lines:

The pull rakes in working condition should be in the $500-$600 range, more if in good or "nice!" condition obviously and less with flat tires and missing tines etc.

The JD 224W is a good baler, but will need some maintenance after sitting up for a number of years and we can't see it make a bale, maybe $2500?

The IH balers are larger(?) than we would really want, and I am very worried about parts availability. For $1200 or so, maybe worth it?

The NH 311 would be a steal if it could be repaired as suggested w/o a lot of $$$ in parts. I am a mechanic, so the labor is not an issue and it's relatively close.

There are few sickle mowers around, we found one pull-type (pto driven) for $190 but it is a LONG drive to even look at it and there are no photos of the important parts.

We typically get 3-5 cuttings and 600-1000 bales/year from our meadow, but we would *like* to have good enough equipment to have the option of cutting others fields near-by.

Any advice is MUCH appreciated!

Get that Hayliner baler. If it's been shedded and otherwise is in good shape, the price is indeed a steal. I bought an MF124 two twine baler for $2K several years ago--bought it right out of the field--the Seller baled 30 acres the day before I bought it. Like the Hayliner guy, the Seller kept the MF124 shedded. I towed it home behind the F150--about 25 miles on the back roads, 25 mph max. Had to rebuild the slip clutch (no big problem). Otherwise just normal maintenance (lube, timing, alignment, etc). The MF124 requires 35 hp (pto) minimum per the mfg spec. I run it with my 2008 Mahindra 5525--54 hp engine, 45 hp pto. That 5525 is pretty heavy-6000 lb with loaded tires-- so I hardly notice the baler back there.

 

[redneckford]

i would get the 311 it is a steal and they are easy to work on and there are many balers out there to get used parts from and most newholland balers have the same knotter stacks if u dont wont the 311 can u tell me where it is

 

[doall]

second on the hayliner.

 

[rdbigfarmboy]

I use drum mowers there friendly to low power tractors 40 or so hp, dont require remote hydraulics and work well.
Bar rakes are iffy I like bar rakes but they can eat money.
Balers I have used MF and Ford squares but generally stay with a roller. almost all rollers require remote hydraulics.
Drum mowers used sell from 400 to 1500.
Used rake 250 to 1500.
Small roller 600 to 2500.
Shop Craigslist and the back side of big brand dealer lots. Avoid auctions unless its someone you know.

 

[Dill]

The great thing about side delivery rakes is that they are pretty cheap and easy to fix. My old NH 56 was acting up last week, it wasn't always "powered" on corners. Pulled the wheel off, and the spring for the ratchet pawl is broken on one side. 30 bucks in parts to rebuild both sides and it will probably rake for another 40 years.
I have an older IH baler a 435, my father had a 440 for years. You can pick them up really cheap around here, mine was 500 at an auction with a kicker. I would pass on the 46s unless they have the "all twine" knotter. But the most important thing to think of with the balers, is who around you fixes them, and what brand do they prefer working on? The main local independent mechanic in my area, is a wizard with IH balers, and has 4 part machines out behind the shop, so it wasn't a hard decision.

 

[Bigfoot62]

I've also been considering a small square baler. But, I wouldn't consider any used baler that I couldn't see work.

Dill made a good point about "who around you fixes them, and what brand do they prefer working on?" All used equipment, sooner or later, will require some attention.

 

[Verticaltrx]

Here's my economical haying setup:

Ford NAA tractor $3200
Good serviceable tractor, lots of parts availability. Power steering and live PTO would be nice but aren't mandatory

New Holland 451 sickle bar $750
Push bar had been broken and re welded (new part costs $1000), but other than that it was in good shape. New belt, knife and a couple guards and it was ready to cut. The 451's (and 456 pull type) are some of the best sickle bar mowers ever made IMO. I move along at 5-7mph and you can really cut a lot of hay quick.

Generic Italian 2-rotor hay tedder, 3pt type $free
Got it free because it had a broken off wheel spindle, made a new one out of 1" round stock, also needed some new tines

I haven't gotten a rake yet, but I will be looking for a 3pt type wheel rake. I really like the 18' wheel rake that my father has, but something like that is too big and too much $$$ for my operation

New Holland 268 baler, $1000
It's pretty old, I think a '68-69 model, but in great shape. It was a one owner baler and had less than 5000 bales through it, never spent a night outside. Got a good price on it from a neighbor/friend.

So for about $6000 (allowing $1000 for a new rake) I have all the hay equipment I need to make our 20-30 acres of hay. We bring in my fathers tractor and baler to do the round baling, or I would hire it out otherwise, lots of people out there that do custom round baling. All of my equipment is old, but very serviceable, and almost all of the parts are still available at NH (although a bit pricey). I cringe when I see people adding up all the hay equipment they need to do their little hay plots and end up with a $30,000-$40,000+ figure.

 

[flusher]

Here's my economical haying setup:

Ford NAA tractor $3200
Good serviceable tractor, lots of parts availability. Power steering and live PTO would be nice but aren't mandatory

New Holland 451 sickle bar $750
Push bar had been broken and re welded (new part costs $1000), but other than that it was in good shape. New belt, knife and a couple guards and it was ready to cut. The 451's (and 456 pull type) are some of the best sickle bar mowers ever made IMO. I move along at 5-7mph and you can really cut a lot of hay quick.

Generic Italian 2-rotor hay tedder, 3pt type $free
Got it free because it had a broken off wheel spindle, made a new one out of 1" round stock, also needed some new tines

I haven't gotten a rake yet, but I will be looking for a 3pt type wheel rake. I really like the 18' wheel rake that my father has, but something like that is too big and too much $$$ for my operation

New Holland 268 baler, $1000
It's pretty old, I think a '68-69 model, but in great shape. It was a one owner baler and had less than 5000 bales through it, never spent a night outside. Got a good price on it from a neighbor/friend.

So for about $6000 (allowing $1000 for a new rake) I have all the hay equipment I need to make our 20-30 acres of hay. We bring in my fathers tractor and baler to do the round baling, or I would hire it out otherwise, lots of people out there that do custom round baling. All of my equipment is old, but very serviceable, and almost all of the parts are still available at NH (although a bit pricey). I cringe when I see people adding up all the hay equipment they need to do their little hay plots and end up with a $30,000-$40,000+ figure.

Pretty much an ideal setup for the small hay farmer like yourself on a tight budget. I have all the stuff you have except the tedder--the humidity is so low and the annual rainfall is a puny 18-20 inches that tedding isn't a necessity up here in the North Sacramento Valley. Like you, I've spent $5-6K including about $1500 for a home-made bale accumulator/bale squeeze for my Mahindra 5525 tractor.



I'm too old to be bucking even the small 50-60lb square bales I get from my MF124 baler so I built this thing--also gave me a nice winter welding project and a chance to build my first custom attachment with a skid steer quick attach plate included.