Wire Baler VS Twine Pros/Cons

[CDennyRun]

I've been looking around for a long time for a baler with the Wisconson motor, or NH 65 since my tractor is a little small to power a 14x16" baler. Most of the self powered balers I'm finding are wire, not twine, and are going for pretty cheap in "good working condition". NH 65's are almost impossible to find, so this leaves me with the self powered option. I know wire is a pain if left in the field, and gets caught in mowers, rakes, balers and whatever else. Wire also rusts.. but other than that, what's the big drawback? Any pros vs twine?

Any input would help. Thanks!

Chris

 

[stuckmotor]

I don't know the price of bailing wire vs twine but suspect it's the prime drawback.

 

[2458n]

I don't know the price of bailing wire vs twine but suspect it's the prime drawback.

X2 + the motor is getting hard to find parts for.

 

[glockky]

Denny what kind of tractor do you have?

How much hp?

I would say cost of wire is a big issue. It's $75 for 6500ft

2 rolls of 9000 sisal is $50

I personally don't like wire if I have to handle the bales. Even with heavy gloves on it hurts my hands.

 

[Tx Jim]

Wire @ $75 per box makes wire cost per bale about 21 cents per bale depending on average bale length. I try to bale 34-36'' long bales. Boxes of wire weight close to 100#s each. Baling wire quality isn't the same as it was back in the earlier days. Since oil has gone up wire manufacturers skimp on the amount of oil applied to new wire. If I wasn't in the twilight of my custom hay baling career I trade my JD 347 wire baler for a twine baler.

 

[CDennyRun]

Denny what kind of tractor do you have?

How much hp?

I would say cost of wire is a big issue. It's $75 for 6500ft

2 rolls of 9000 sisal is $50

I personally don't like wire if I have to handle the bales. Even with heavy gloves on it hurts my hands.

Yeah, I kinda figured wire cost would be a factor. My tractor is a Ford 1715 4x4 with 27 engine HP, and 23PTO. I know a bigger tractor would ultimately be the right answer, but I can't do that yet. I only plan on baling under 1000 a year or so, just for our family's animals. Not planning to bale for profit.

Chris

Edit: My 1715 is .5 pto hp less than the 1720 pulling a Ford 532 in this video, but he said his pto clutch would slip after a bit. As mine sits, it weighs more than his, being that it's 4x4 with the loader, and almost identical dimensions otherwise.New Holland 172 pulling Ford 532 - YouTube

 

[zzvyb6]

Heck, I ran my JD 14T baler with a 22 hp Yanmar for a few years without problesm (didn't have live power, either). Now It runs nice with my JD 1070. Key is sharp plunger and fixed knives. Also keeping the rpm up to rated 540. I'm putting out some very nice, heavy bales here.

Hay Baling 214 - YouTube

 

[hosspuller]

As you're using the hay for yourself, the choice is yours. But if you want to sell hay to horse people, the overwhelming choice is twine. I did a survey on a horse forum. The geography was all over the country. Most of the responses came from women.

 

[CDennyRun]

Heck, I ran my JD 14T baler with a 22 hp Yanmar for a few years without problesm (didn't have live power, either). Now It runs nice with my JD 1070. Key is sharp plunger and fixed knives. Also keeping the rpm up to rated 540. I'm putting out some very nice, heavy bales here.

Hay Baling 214 - YouTube

I watched that video last night! ha ha. Thanks for the input. What model Yanmar? Are you on yesterdaystractors too; under Bill Cobb?

As you're using the hay for yourself, the choice is yours. But if you want to sell hay to horse people, the overwhelming choice is twine. I did a survey on a horse forum. The geography was all over the country. Most of the responses came from women.

When I worked at a local feed store, and we had wire bales I would use hooks; because the wire's would dig in pretty bad after a while. I know the pain! Luckily my wife is tough as nails, and can deal with it.

Chris

 

[Tx Jim]

CDennyRun
You can really learn to hate the Wisconsin engine on a sq baler if so equipped as they have a long history of being very difficult to restart if shut off at operating temp. Back when engine powered sq balers were more prevalent I've witnessed the engines sitting idling through lunch break for this very hard starting reason. Although not a SCUT or CUT I've sq baled hay with my JD BO with trans driven pto shaft that has only 14HP. No I wouldn't desire to do a large field but it baled about 5 acres of hay.

 

[CDennyRun]

CDennyRun
You can really learn to hate the Wisconsin engine on a sq baler if so equipped as they have a long history of being very difficult to restart if shut off at operating temp. Back when engine powered sq balers were more prevalent I've witnessed the engines sitting idling through lunch break for this very hard starting reason. Although not a SCUT or CUT I've sq baled hay with my JD BO with trans driven pto shaft that has only 14HP. No I wouldn't desire to do a large field but it baled about 5 acres of hay.

Thanks Tx Jim. I've heard that about those motors not liking hot starts. Typical ol' four stroke.. gota keep some ether handy! Just as a reference, what model JD and baler were you running? I plan to start with only baling the 2 acers I've secured down the road, and have been brush hogging. Hopefully I'll pick up another 4 or 5 acers from some other neighbors. That would be more than enough hay for our horses.

Chris

 

[zzvyb6]

Yep that's my hay video. Its only TBN for me.

Here I'm running my NH-479 9' mower conditioner with my 1070.
2813 2411 - YouTube

My yanmar was a 220D

 

[CDennyRun]

Yep that's my hay video. Its only TBN for me.

Here I'm running my NH-479 9' mower conditioner with my 1070.
214813 2411 - YouTube

My yanmar was a 220D

Good vid. Must be nice to have rear remotes! I take it the Yanmar was 22 engine hp? Not much info for those things online. A friend of mine has one, but knows nothing about it. Great little work horses though.

Chris

 

[zzvyb6]

I use two rear emotes that are just extensions to the front loader disconnects. About 6' of hose, male and female couplers, times two. That's all I need for haying. Baler doesn't need it. Mower tongue swing and header lift takes a two way and a 1 way to make life easy. I use a 1 way for my NH 1012 stack wagon chute lifter.

 

[Jerry/MT]

I've been looking around for a long time for a baler with the Wisconson motor, or NH 65 since my tractor is a little small to power a 14x16" baler. Most of the self powered balers I'm finding are wire, not twine, and are going for pretty cheap in "good working condition". NH 65's are almost impossible to find, so this leaves me with the self powered option. I know wire is a pain if left in the field, and gets caught in mowers, rakes, balers and whatever else. Wire also rusts.. but other than that, what's the big drawback? Any pros vs twine?

Any input would help. Thanks!

We used to put magnets down our cows when we used wire tied bales. There always broken bits of wire in the hay and the magnets collect it in the reticulum where the magnet ends up. They used to call it "hardware disease" and it can kill an otherwise healthy cow.

 

[Tx Jim]

We used to put magnets down our cows when we used wire tied bales. There always broken bits of wire in the hay and the magnets collect it in the reticulum where the magnet ends up. They used to call it "hardware disease" and it can kill an otherwise healthy cow.

What you state is true on the older JD balers built in the 40's-50's that had a knot on each end of the bale such as models 114W,116W & 214W which utilized twister gear boxes similar to photo in lieu of current style twister hooks. Note 2nd photo with double roller needles. My JD 347 wire sq baler doesn't leave any pieces of wire on bales to cause hardware disease.

 

[flusher]

I've been looking around for a long time for a baler with the Wisconson motor, or NH 65 since my tractor is a little small to power a 14x16" baler. Most of the self powered balers I'm finding are wire, not twine, and are going for pretty cheap in "good working condition". NH 65's are almost impossible to find, so this leaves me with the self powered option. I know wire is a pain if left in the field, and gets caught in mowers, rakes, balers and whatever else. Wire also rusts.. but other than that, what's the big drawback? Any pros vs twine?

Any input would help. Thanks!

Chris

I ran a Massey Ferguson 124 bailer (small squares, two twine) with my Mahindra 5525 (55 hp engine, 45 hp pto). The operator manual says the minimum hp for the 124 is 33 hp (pto).

Balers this size have been operated successfully on the pto using much smaller tractors such as the Farmall Super A which has about 16 hp (pto).

Good luck finding a baler with an on-board engine. In 8 years of haying, I only found one such baler, a JD 14 with a Wisconsin engine. It was pretty beat up and the seller wouldn't budge on price so I walked.

Regarding wire vs twine. Customers with horses will not take wired bales fearing that small pieces of wire could be lodged in the bale and harm their animals.

Good luck

 

[CDennyRun]

We used to put magnets down our cows when we used wire tied bales. There always broken bits of wire in the hay and the magnets collect it in the reticulum where the magnet ends up. They used to call it "hardware disease" and it can kill an otherwise healthy cow.

That's right.. we use to sell those magnets at the feed store I worked at. I totally forgot about that. It's bad news!

What you state is true on the older JD balers built in the 40's-50's that had a knot on each end of the bale such as models 114W,116W & 214W which utilized twister gear boxes similar to photo in lieu of current style twister hooks. Note 2nd photo with double roller needles. My JD 347 wire sq baler doesn't leave any pieces of wire on bales to cause hardware disease.

Thanks for the info TX!

I ran a Massey Ferguson 124 bailer (small squares, two twine) with my Mahindra 5525 (55 hp engine, 45 hp pto). The operator manual says the minimum hp for the 124 is 33 hp (pto).

Balers this size have been operated successfully on the pto using much smaller tractors such as the Farmall Super A which has about 16 hp (pto).

Good luck finding a baler with an on-board engine. In 8 years of haying, I only found one such baler, a JD 14 with a Wisconsin engine. It was pretty beat up and the seller wouldn't budge on price so I walked.

Regarding wire vs twine. Customers with horses will not take wired bales fearing that small pieces of wire could be lodged in the bale and harm their animals.

Good luck

Once I pay this tractor off; I'll be making the leap to a Ford 3000 or 4000 as a haying rig, so this is temporary. At that point, I'd probably be glad if I didn't get a baler with a motor. How was that MF 124 baler for you? Pretty reliable?

Thanks,

Chris

 

[buickanddeere]

Never baled with wire . Would assume that a wire baler can be cranked down for heavier bales than twine ?

 

[glockky]

I run my new holland 68 baler with a Mahindra 3616 tractor that has 31 pto hp. I do not have any problems.
Just have to go slow and don't overload the baler. There's a lot of power stored in that flywheel when you get it moving.
Find you a old new holland or John Deere and get real familiar with it. You will be fine till your able to get a bigger tractor.

I usually bale with a 55 hp Kubota but if bad weather is coming I square bale with the Mahindra while my father in law bales rounds with the Kubota.