MHF #3 square baler

[Stovepipe]

After reading that this baler makes nice bales, I noticed one for sale about 7 hours from home. It's supposed to have low usage and been shedded for a long time. Are these reliable balers? Are they worth much? Would I be better off with something else? Thanks for looking!

 

[sammydwm]

I was totally unimpressed with the baler. Personally I wouldn't drive an hour to look at one.

 

[DeltaRed]

There will be lots of as good or better balers a lot
closer to home.But then,who am I to talk?I just
bought a JD 95 combine that is 700 miles from home.

 

[showcrop]

A number three could have been shedded for twenty years and still left out in the open for thirty years.

 

[Stovepipe]

There's a NH 273 close to home... Any suggestions for good balers?

 

[Brian in MA]

NH 273 is a good baler if taken care of.

 

[Stovepipe]

(quoted from post at 10:57:58 04/02/12) NH 273 is a good baler if taken care of.

My neighbour has one, probably seen lots of bales but its supposed to be in working order. Less than $1000. He's probably going to sell his newer Hesseton inline, but I bet it would be a lot more $$. I'm hoping my buddies W-6 will run the 273. Won't be doing a lot of bales.

 

[JDseller]

The MF baler is a good baler but the NH would be much easier to find parts for. AGCO is getting finicky on the parts for older stuff. You may not be able to get parts in the future from AGCO for the MF baler. The current MF balers are Hesstons just painted Red.

IF I was buying an older baler to use I would stick to NH or JD because you will find getting parts easier.

There are many older balers that work but parts are the issue. Ford made a fair baler but the parts are just about impossible to find. Older IH balers where hard to work on the knotters. They where more temperamental.

 

[craigreavley]

I am in central Illinois(Peoria) and have a MF #3 baler that I have been restoring. It is a very low hour baler, and has been stored inside for at least 20 plus years. I now have 5 balers, and really only need 2. We pulled the plunger and reworked the rails,due to rust it was extremely tight. After reassembly it acts like it is going to be a decent baler.It is quiet, smooth and tight and has not been abused, just sat too long and needed some tlc. I have always been a New Holland guy, but there are many farmers out there that swear by a MF #3 If you are close and interested call me 309-264-0330 Craig



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[craigreavley]

I also have a New Holland 68 Hayliner that bales hay well, and ties the tighest knots of all the balers I have. It is field ready. Like the MF #3 it had been sitting in a barn for 20 plus years. I replaced a few broken parts, it was slightly out of time. Retimed it, and rebaled 20 bales of straw, and it never missed a tie. The farmers bought a brand new knotter assembly, baled for a couple years, and his health failed. I was going to use the knotter on a different baler, but decided to make this 68 function call me if interested. 309-264-0330 Craig



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[ewalker]

I use a #3 in my small operation, we will have around 24 acres of hay this year. I run it with a 47 H, makes nice bales for for horse people around here. I live in central Indiana. I gave $300 for it 2 yrs ago, greased and started using it. Only issue I have had was the last bale last year the packing fork chain gave up on it and the plunger bent the packing fingers, used the heat wrench and she is running again. The H has no problem running this old machine.