Round Baler

[Phil T]

What do you folk s suggest for a good used small round baler? I only put up about 4-5 hundred square bales a year but have no help. I am 79 and lugging the square bales is too much now. Just bought a used disc mower so don't have a lot to spend on a new one. TIA

 

[Jim.ME]

What do you folk s suggest for a good used small round baler? I only put up about 4-5 hundred square bales a year but have no help. I am 79 and lugging the square bales is too much now. Just bought a used disc mower so don't have a lot to spend on a new one. TIA

About what is your budget range? What size rounds do you want to make, 4x4? I would say you are looking at making 75, or fewer, 4x4 rounds per year, depending on bale density.

Right now, on Facebook in Maine, there is a JD335 (contact for price), JD435 for $5000, 1470 Gehl for $2800, NH 853 for $4000, Sperry NH 847 for $1000. from there they jump to high 4 figure and 5 figure prices. Today the Craigslist listings appear to be high 4 figure and 5 figure prices.

Condition is key. The JD 335s and 435s may not be the newest but will make good bales, if they have been maintained. Others will need to weigh in on the other brands.

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

What do you folk s suggest for a good used small round baler? I only put up about 4-5 hundred square bales a year but have no help. I am 79 and lugging the square bales is too much now. Just bought a used disc mower so don't have a lot to spend on a new one. TIA

The New Idea 484/4484 was a decent, mid sized round baler. Unless you really want a small round baler. They (Caeb) make them tiny enough to put on my rototiller.

Mike

 

[Tx Jim]

I agree JD 430/530 or 435/535 would be a good rd baler. They will auto wrap any diameter bale between 3'-6'.

 

[Jim.ME]

What tractor are you planning to run it with and how many sets of remotes are available on the tractor? Those things might come into play in some cases.

 

[jaoneill]

I bought a new, New Idea 484 in 1983, used it for custom work for 12 years and it continues to work just fine. Simple, easy and inexpensive to repair, and the "open throat" design starts and bales flawlessly. I like it so well that when I went back to doing my own hay about ten years ago I bought a used New Idea 483 for the smaller (4x4) sized bale. Many of the older style "narrow throat" (Hesston comes to mind) are problematic in starting a bale and also need to be finessed when dumping the bale out.

 

[Phil T]

What tractor are you planning to run it with and how many sets of remotes are available on the tractor? Those things might come into play in some cases.

I only have 1 set of remotes

 

[Phil T]

The New Idea 484/4484 was a decent, mid sized round baler. Unless you really want a small round baler. They (Caeb) make them tiny enough to put on my rototiller.

Mike

View attachment 76062

nothing that small for sure

 

[Phil T]

About what is your budget range? What size rounds do you want to make, 4x4? I would say you are looking at making 75, or fewer, 4x4 rounds per year, depending on bale density.

Right now, on Facebook in Maine, there is a JD335 (contact for price), JD435 for $5000, 1470 Gehl for $2800, NH 853 for $4000, Sperry NH 847 for $1000. from there they jump to high 4 figure and 5 figure prices. Today the Craigslist listings appear to be high 4 figure and 5 figure prices.

Condition is key. The JD 335s and 435s may not be the newest but will make good bales, if they have been maintained. Others will need to weigh in on the other brands.

4x4 sounds about the right size to me. I can do maintenance work, I've been keeping a Case 200 baler going since the 1960's. very seldom misses tying the bale and that is when it switches twine bales, it will miss one but pick it back up on the next bale. Something to do with the splice
I guess.

 

[Tx Jim]

JD rd balers I previously mentioned only require 1 set of rear remotes when pickup height is manually controlled & twine wrapping is powered by a hyd pump on baler. Bale diameter can be easily set to automatically make a 4' diameter bale

 

[MJMJ]

With one set of remotes just make sure whatever you get doesn’t have hydraulic tie, you need an electric tie baler. All sorts of good balers out there, really comes down to what you can find for sale locallly.

 

[Jim.ME]

With one set of remotes just make sure whatever you get doesn’t have hydraulic tie, you need an electric tie baler. All sorts of good balers out there, really comes down to what you can find for sale locallly.

Electric tie is not the only option that will work with one set of remotes. As Tx Jim posted some of the JD balers have a built-in hydraulic system to run the tying and the tractor only needs one set of remotes to operate the gate.

We are having good luck with a JD 435 auto-tie, with a monitor, and only needs a set of remotes for the gate, for what rounds we do.

 

[MJMJ]

Electric tie is not the only option that will work with one set of remotes. As Tx Jim posted some of the JD balers have a built-in hydraulic system to run the tying and the tractor only needs one set of remotes to operate the gate.

We are having good luck with a JD 435 auto-tie, with a monitor, and only needs a set of remotes for the gate, for what rounds we do.

My mistake, I didn’t realize some had self contained hydraulic systems. The ones I’ve seen ran off of a second set of remotes.

 

[Jim in NC]

What do you folk s suggest for a good used small round baler? I only put up about 4-5 hundred square bales a year but have no help. I am 79 and lugging the square bales is too much now. Just bought a used disc mower so don't have a lot to spend on a new one. TIA

I have used a JD 335 for 6 or 7 years and have been very pleased with it. Just as you, handling square bales became a long, tiring, and difficult job. Mine does have the hydraulic tie and requires 4 hydraulic lines. I added 2 lines to a 574 International, and have another tractor that was equipped with 4 lines.

 

[Jim.ME]

An option if one needs a second set of remotes is to use a multiplier valve in the tractors single remote set. Depending on the tractor it may be easier and less expensive than adding a valve and plumbing remote couplers. Fasse and Summit Hydraulics are a couple that have them. A toggle switch, to control the multiplier, mounted on the SCV lever makes it handy. I have one from Summit I use when I need a second set of remotes on my 2030.

 

[tom upton]

I run a 435 JD that I bought for 4k about 8 years ago now. It has worked well and makes a nice tight bale as long as you keep the hay to it. It seems the faster you drive the better the bale. usually 4th under or direct on 1655 Cockshutt. Not sure what you have for a tractor but with the 435 I wouldnt want a smaller tractor on it. I also have a vermeer rebel 5410 that vermeer says will work with a 40 HP tractor but I havent used it much as the first time out it broke two belts. I think previos owner let it sit outside and belts are garbage? New set of belts are worth more than I paid for the baler, and the 435 works so well I have no good reason to get the vermeer running so dont really know what it works like, but if you have a smaller tractor a vermeer rebel may be a good choice? Lots of you tube videos on them you could check out.
Haying this year to say the least has been a challenge. I have only managed to get 200 squares and 75 rounds baled in between the rain storms.

 

[rrlund]

These Deeres that you guys are recommending, do they have hex shafts and bearings like the one I tried out one time? Something to consider. You're not just going to run to TSC and get one of those bearings on a weekend if you need it.

 

[Jim.ME]

These Deeres that you guys are recommending, do they have hex shafts and bearings like the one I tried out one time? Something to consider. You're not just going to run to TSC and get one of those bearings on a weekend if you need it.

I can't say for all, but the 435 does. We had to replace a couple when we got the baler (used). Looked it over and found it only needs 3 or 4 bearings to cover all the rolls, they aren't that expensive compared to being down and chasing for them, so I keep a pair of each on hand, so I don't have to run anywhere weekend or weekday. I would do the same for any brand, I don't count on TSC to have anything I need on the shelf.

 

[rrlund]

I can't say for all, but the 435 does. We had to replace a couple when we got the baler (used). Looked it over and found it only needs 3 or 4 bearings to cover all the rolls, they aren't that expensive compared to being down and chasing for them, so I keep a pair of each on hand, so I don't have to run anywhere weekend or weekday. I would do the same for any brand, I don't count on TSC to have anything I need on the shelf.

I kinda threw TSC out there as a generic term. I try to keep a good supply of every size, but I get them at the auto parts store instead of running to the dealer 50 miles away.

 

[jaoneill]

These Deeres that you guys are recommending, do they have hex shafts and bearings like the one I tried out one time? Something to consider. You're not just going to run to TSC and get one of those bearings on a weekend if you need it.

In our neck of the woods TSC has limited stock, as do any of the equipment dealers since the one remaining family owned dealership sold out to the regional boys. I now stock the bearings and wear parts that I am most likely to need on short notice, including the hex bearings for the rollers on the round balers. While I have always been a staunch advocate of buying local, times have changed and there is much that is just not available locally. I am tying up capital but, it is more than offset by internet cost savings on price and the time and labor running around locally.
Jim