Does JD 328/338/348 Baler Model Matter?

[flusher]

Yeah, squares only for me. I've only got 13 acres, and all but one of my regular customers are horse people. I'd lose everybody if I did rounds. My back would feel much better though.

I've thought about the baler hauling issue. I'm hoping to mitigate that by buying local and just driving the back roads at 30 mph to get it home. My luck I'll find the perfect baler at a great price in Arkansas or Lousiana and I'll spend a weekend driving backroads at 30mph.

Come to think of it, that doesn't sound like too bad of a deal...

Chet.

You're right. It's a matter of luck. I found a really nice MF-124 two-twine square baler locally in the super market classifieds after more than a year of looking.

So I made the deal ($2000), bought it right out of the field (the owner has used it the previous day to bale his 35 acres) and towed it home (25 miles) with the F150. Will use it on my 7-acre hayfield.

If I hadn't found this baler, I was planning to find a nice 14T or equivalent on eBay and paying the shipping cost.

 

[chetlenox]

Nice looking baler Flusher. $2k for a good working baler sounds like a heck of a deal. Yeah, I'm hoping what I find will be local, but who knows.

Chet.

 

[slowzuki]

I gave 2100$ for my JD336 in good shape. I've put about 15,000 bales through it so far with the only costs being a jack and 2 shear bolts.

 

[Lazy J]

I paid $1775 for our NH 273 in 2001. Since that time we have produced about 65,000 bales with it. The only major repairs were replacing the knotter frame and pick up teeth.

Jim

 

[chetlenox]

Ya'll are definitely a convincing argument for buying older stuff in good shape and running it hard!

Chet.

 

[shvl73]

Check the back lots of every dealer you drive by. Thats how I found my Massey 124. its not as nice as flushers, though not bad. I'm just a weekend warrior but, having fun. On my small field, I mowed the first cut when it turned brown. The weather stunk and I wasn't ready. Then in late August, I cut and baled 75 bales with it. Considering I bought it as a parts baler, I was very happy. The salesman told me it was a parts only rig due to not making square bales. Worked great for me. We helped a friend unload 600 Canadien squares two weekends ago and I commented to Nancy that we didn't get any banana bales with our old junk, like we were unloading that day. They were very square and tight. As I reclaim some more area, I'm hoping to be able to get enough to support our two steers.

 

[ddivinia]

Did you end up buying a baler?

 

[chetlenox]

I did, I purchased a new JD 328 and have used it for a couple of seasons now. Just couldn't find a used machine that I liked. The new one obviously works great (it better!), and I'm hoping to run that sucker for a good 30 years to get my money out of it.

Chet.

 

[ddivinia]

I did, I purchased a new JD 328 and have used it for a couple of seasons now. Just couldn't find a used machine that I liked. The new one obviously works great (it better!), and I'm hoping to run that sucker for a good 30 years to get my money out of it.

Chet.

Sometimes I am wondering if I should have done the same.

Where did you get it?

Ennis had a new one for $16,500

I am going to fool with these old 346s I picked up. See if I can get them working, etc.

If they work OK - all good.

D.

 

[ddivinia]

These balers are going up. I just got a quote on a 348 wire - $22K.

D.