Baler identification

[ih844]

Looking at at an for a "old massey 546 baler" but can't find it online, nor any info about it. Here's a pic

 

[MJMJ]

Looks like an old 450.

 

[ih844]

Looks like an old 450.

Got him to send me a pic of the manuals he has for it in hopes they had model names. Sure enough they do, he has 2 manuals! One for a 450, one for a 560 lol. Both look the same to me. What are some easily identified differences and which is more desirable if either? It's 500 bucks so if it rolls hay I guess it doesn't really matter eh?

 

[ih844]

Here are the other 2 pics he has of it

 

[DanielW]

I think all those old Massey were rebadged Vermeers. The 450 was a Vermeer 504C, not sure about the 546. Might roll hay ok if you're desperate, but I'd probably pass if I were you. The 'C' series and earlier were closed throat balers. They could roll hay, but were picky on starting and hay conditions. The first time you use an open throat baler, you'll never go back to a closed throat. I bought a Massey 1440 (re-badged 504G) as a backup baler a few years ago for $1000. Still an old baler, but open throat and a lot more capable and easy to start bales with. You could probably find something similar for a similar price, and it's well worth the extra $500 for a newer, open-throat baler. That baler looks like it's seen a lot of weather too, so bearing and belts will be suspect.

 

[ih844]

I think all those old Massey were rebadged Vermeers. The 450 was a Vermeer 504C, not sure about the 546. Might roll hay ok if you're desperate, but I'd probably pass if I were you. The 'C' series and earlier were closed throat balers. They could roll hay, but were picky on starting and hay conditions. The first time you use an open throat baler, you'll never go back to a closed throat. I bought a Massey 1440 (re-badged 504G) as a backup baler a few years ago for $1000. Still an old baler, but open throat and a lot more capable and easy to start bales with. You could probably find something similar for a similar price, and it's well worth the extra $500 for a newer, open-throat baler. That baler looks like it's seen a lot of weather too, so bearing and belts will be suspect.

Yeah the only other baler I've found remotely near me for cheap is a MF 1560, but its 900, further away, and the belts on it look like dust. Every other "cheap" baler is around 5 grand, which is out of the budget right now especially for a field that's only 20 acres and puts out one cut a year

 

[caterpillar guy]

Keep looking and hire it baled and save the frustration. Those old NI balers will bale just about anything you can get in the throat. They are a soft center baler.

 

[ih844]

Keep looking and hire it baled and save the frustration. Those old NI balers will bale just about anything you can get in the throat. They are a soft center baler.

He said its a hard core.. if it is a soft core I'll definitely skip that one as they won't store over the winter well enough

 

[MJMJ]

Got him to send me a pic of the manuals he has for it in hopes they had model names. Sure enough they do, he has 2 manuals! One for a 450, one for a 560 lol. Both look the same to me. What are some easily identified differences and which is more desirable if either? It's 500 bucks so if it rolls hay I guess it doesn't really matter eh?

Size was the most obvious difference. Probably other differences, but I’m not familiar enough with them. 450 was 4’ wide and the 560 was 5’ wide. Just looking at the belts, I would guess that’s a 560.

 

[MJMJ]

He said its a hard core.. if it is a soft core I'll definitely skip that one as they won't store over the winter well enough

He means the NI (New Idea) balers are soft core balers. And they store just fine. If anything, they're outer layers can be far more dense than solid core bales, shedding water better in theory. The Massey baler is a solid core baler. But like mentioned, they can be finicky to work with. That's actually putting it nicely. You will spend more time than you ever wanted to laying on your back unplugging the pick up while it's 100 degrees and you're covered in sweat and hay chaff. Also worth mentioning, the pick up wasn't designed all that great, and eventually wears out and locks up. Parts aren't available, and even if they were it's not worth putting much money into. I started with an old Vermeer 605B that needs a trip to the scrap yard for that reason.

 

[mennometis]

Did you buy it? I picked up a MF 450 after season in 2021 for $600 CAD. My first round baler. It baled its value in hay the first evening in 2022. I did about 40 bales that year, about 80 last year and I'm hoping for 100 this year. Small <800 lb size is great for a light chore tractor. It will probably be a manual tie which gives you a sore shoulder after a couple hours of baling.