What's the best/easiest older square baler to learn on, operate, & maintain?

[RickB]

On 2 different occasions before I bought my own sq baler I hired 2 different people to bale some sq bales with NH 570(I think was the model) and both made banana shaped bales. Both baler owners tried to correct the bale shape problem but failed. I rake with a 14 wheel rake and we tried several different sized windrows.

Next time you know somebody faced with that problem, have them set the packer fork to plunger timing EXACTLY as described on the decal under the feeder chain cover door. The baler will function poorly when the timing is off by a link or so either way, and many 570's and 575's left the factory in that condition. When timed perfectly, they respond to normal adjustments intended to correct bale shape concerns.

As to the OP, small square baler support is GENERALLY limited to New Holland and Deere. Pick the brand that has good local support and find a particular baler that has been stored inside and cared for properly.

 

[Tx Jim]

Rick
Thanks for the explanation. I had wondered why both balers wouldn't make square bales.
Jim

 

[RickB]

Rick
Thanks for the explanation. I had wondered why both balers wouldn't make square bales.
Jim

Don't ask how many 500 series balers I worked on before I proved that to myself. You really wouldn't think it should be that fussy, or think a factory trained NH 'technician' would take so long to figure it out. Took a call-back on a close friend's baler to get me to choke the ego & start from absolute square one.

 

[banjodunn]

Don't ask how many 500 series balers I worked on before I proved that to myself. You really wouldn't think it should be that fussy, or think a factory trained NH 'technician' would take so long to figure it out. Took a call-back on a close friend's baler to get me to choke the ego & start from absolute square one.

'G'day know the feeling sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees


Jon

 

[Cliff_Johns]

The very best baler to learn on is someone else's baler in someone else's field.
Helping a few locals bale will teach you a lot and make a few friends.
Cliff

 

[bjr]

I have a NH 269 and the learning curve is more like a circle as I seem to keep making the same (mistakes) adjustments over and over. I would think I'm in heaven if I could even "MAKE" a banana shaped bale. The baler just doesn't seem to want to tie a knot. I won't go into all the replace/repaired and and adjusted parts. I've decided next to pull the plunger and check/rebuild that. I sincerely wish you good luck "baling". bjr

 

[flusher]

The very best baler to learn on is someone else's baler in someone else's field.
Helping a few locals bale will teach you a lot and make a few friends.
Cliff

You're right about that. I picked my neighbor's brain and got familiar with his NH baler (3-twine squares) by looking over his shoulder as he serviced it.
Also, I bought my MF124 baler (two-twine, small squares) from a seller who had used it the day before to bale about 30 acres. It was shed-stored all its life. We ran a few bales through it and he showed me how to load the twine into the knotters. I figured buying a working baler is a lot better than buying one that's been sitting around for who knows how long and/or has been field-stored.

 

[biker4jc]

I got a New Holland 270. It's kind of an odd duck in the New Holland line, but was owned by a millwright before me so it was well maintained. No NH dealers around here, but the local JD dealer was very helpful and got what few parts I have needed, and had the best price around on twine too! I really like the NH balers as the whole plunger rides on roller bearings (They can be fiddly to adjust if you need to replace one). I know the Masseys ride on a slide bar that gets swelled from rust and can make them real stiff. My buddies JD 336 is still having knotter issues, baled half his hay too, but I think once that's fixed the 336 will be a good baler, just needs more tractor to run it. There is a good supply of parts on e-bay, and craigslist too, and I like having preventative spares around.

 

[southerndeere]

I goy my start on a jd 24t. Sometimes I feel like I could strip it an put it together in my sleep. We upgraded to a vermeer 504. Same thing with it. Now we are about to upgrade to a jd 535. Wejust recently got the 24 out of the shed an started stripping it. I was confident eben after 10 years we coulda oiled her up an started baleing. You just gotta find 1 u like. The new hollnd balers are prtty good too.