IH 47 baler knotter problems

[Lew Best]

Hey guys

I finally got my 47 going kinda. This is one of a pair (46 & 47) I traded for a while back. One had a broken needle; other a bent needle. I used the good needles on this one. These are the first twine balers I've messed with; most folks around here use wire balers. I do like the idea of twine (40 bux a bundle compared to 70 per roll for wire) from a cost standpoint tho so decided to give them a try. They'd been sitting for about 5 years the guy said. Tying problems don't surprise me they've been sitting so long but I need some guidance.

I picked up some old hay I'd cut & raked back in the fall when my wire baler quit (JD 214WS) & here's what happened.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/lewbest/balers/twinetop01.jpg

At top behind the knotter mechanism

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/lewbest/balers/knotterleft.jpg

Left knotter

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/lewbest/balers/knotterright.jpg

Right knotter

This is old twine (which I've seen recommendations against) but it isn't breaking before it gets to the needles. I'd prefer not to buy twine until I have an idea whether the baler's going to work but will if this is a "probable cause" of my problems.

Any help appreciated!

Lew near Waco, TX
 

[showcrop]

Trying to test a baler with old twine is probably not a good use of your time.
 

[Lew Best]

Thanks; I think I'll call around & see if anyone has any twine today. Twine balers are scarce in this area, mostly wire. I'm pretty sure TSC can order it but that'll take a few days to get. I had to buy hay the last couple of winters & out of about a dozen different sources (hay was scarce; had to do lotsa "shopping") I only got twine tied bales from one source; all the rest were wire tied.

Lew
 

[tomturkey]

My son and I picked-up a 47 last year. We only used it once. It missed about every fifth bale. I bought a book from binderbooks and we will be going thru the timing, set-up, clearance specs page by page. I've read thru the book/manual. It lays out a step by step process on getting them set correctly. gobble
 

[dboll]

1 out of five? thats pretty good! we fought our 37 from new and finally traded it on a 425, we had a good knotter man who would get it tying good for 1000 or 1500 bales then the problems would begin again, our neighbor had a 47 that tied better but I wouldn't get my hopes too high.
 

[Lew Best]

[jhilyer]

The problem with your IH 47 is that it's an IH 47.

I struggled with one for years, then got a New Holland. Magically, my trouble went away.

Good luck.
 

[Lew Best]

If I can get this one working fairly well I may look for a NH if I like twine tied bales. Wire is so high but by far the most common around here. At an auction I frequent you'll find wire balers about 10 to one over twine balers. Those twine bales I bought over the winter were far looser (harder to handle by far) than wire tied bales. NH seem to be popular; they must support them better than their skid steers. I have a NH skid steer built in the '80's & most parts are obsolete already; I hafta rely on "old stuff" (mostly 60's-70's) due to price. I just have a little hobby farm; cut & bale about 3 acres to feed my miniature donkeys.

Lew
 

[Nebraska Cowman]

The way an IH knotter works is the hay exiting pulls the knot off the bill hook. If the twine is weak it will break before releasing. There is an adjustment on bill hook tension but if it is too loose it won't tie either. So yes, get everything cleaned up. The bill hooks better be shiny bright, and have good heavy twine, The 8000 ft works better than 10,000
 

[Lew Best]

Thanks; I just ran it a bit more after cutting away all that twine on the one knotter; it seems to be doing fine now. the other one is tieing but not cutting after it ties; gotta check the knife on it but first I gotta fix a flat on a front tractor tire; guess I ran over an old mesquite branch yesterday. Was flat this morning; aired it up & it held for bout 30 minutes. Always something it seems.

Lew
 

[dboll]

if the twine has been kept dry and has no deterioration it is just fine
 

[Lew Best]

it don't look that bad but does have some discolored spots (I'm guessng where the bottom of the roll is dark?) as it sat in the baler for bout 5 years I'm told. I called around; none of the farm stores/eq dealers stock natural twine; only bout half of them here have plastic for square balers but good old TSC ordered me some; should be here in bout a week.

Lew
 

[flying belgian]

one out of five is considered good for an IH baler. It is working like it should so don't mess with it.
 

[parisspringstom]

I ran a 46 for years and fought the knotter every year. The first batch I baled had to oil it well all over to get it working and then it would go to tying. It would miss one now and then in the best of circumstances. Bought a New Holland 68 for scrap price that had been sitting outside for years. Replaced the rusted springs and oiled and lubricated the baler well and it has only missed when the string ran out in two years. Other than the fact that I cannot put as much hay thru the 46 as the NH 68 it probably is a good bailer but you have to know more about it and how to keep it set right.
 

[Lew Best]

Yeah it's gonna be a learning process I'm sure. I'm anxious for the new twine to come in & for it to dry up a bit (we're predicted to get rain for the next few days but I'm not complaining; it"s gotten really dry here again) so I can try tinkering with it a bit more.

Lew