Author	[Modern View]
burnsg2003 01-27-2013 18:12:25 50.121.112.202 Report to Moderator	I currently have about 10 acreas of hay I bale in small bales. In the past I have custom hired some big round baling done but that did not work so will this past summer with it being rainy. I don't want to wrap a lot up in a baler but want something that works. How much should I expect to pay and what brand or model number should I be looking at. I have a JD2640 I will be baling with. Any comments and suggestions would be appreciated. [Reply]   [No Email]
rick165 02-01-2013 17:11:42 70.199.106.61 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   i also have a 850 newholland baler'does a great job paid $2500 bucks for it.only thing i dont like about it is when you kick out a bale it leaves alot of chaff and loose hay on the ground. RICK   [Reply]  [No Email]
tomstractorsandtoys1 01-29-2013 15:38:37 64.136.27.163 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   Take a look at the New Idea 483 or 484 balers.They are 4X4(483) 4X5(484).They were built for many years and sold as a CaseIh as well.First ones were orange,then gray and finally red.They may still be in production.They were a simple baler that could be run with a smaller tractor.They sell in the $2000-4000 price range.We have a Deere 335 (4X4) which we like but it is a more expensive baler.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Erik Ks farmer 01-29-2013 04:35:14 199.241.240.16 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   lol, I now own a JD baler in hopes that it is the best machine I had the means to own. Yes, I bought it for the package I have seen similar machines produce but also in hopes that it is a reliable and user friendly baler. But I have seen equally satisfactory bales out of other bales as well, I have yet to see a critter who could tell the difference. One simply has to consider the condition of the hay, the weight of the bale and the asking price when buying hay, not the color of the machine that baled it.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Edd in KY 01-28-2013 19:14:26 98.19.151.156 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   Lots of color prejudice about balers, but if the bales hold together and get to the livestock, the cows don't say much..they just eat it. Buy what you can find that is working for a reasonable price. PS: big balers (5x6) are cheaper and if you are going to feed on the farm, it means a lot less trips.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Ron-MO 01-28-2013 19:38:36 174.131.236.58 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to Edd in KY, 01-28-2013 19:14:26   I litterally had a guy call on hay I had for sale, and asked specifically if it was baled with a JD baler, otherwide he was not interested in the hay. Must not have needed it too badly.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Tx Jim 01-29-2013 04:23:17 67.142.163.24 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to Ron-MO, 01-28-2013 19:38:36   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see JD rd balers do have the capability of baling tight,good looking bales BUT the looks of the bale still depends on how good the baler operator is.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Ron-MO 01-28-2013 18:27:51 174.131.236.58 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   I am about in same boat with chevytaHOE5674. I located a cheap non working 850 chain baler for $200, then put another $100 in it to get it running. Baled a couple years with it, then bought one of the Hesston 530's. Baled about 50 bales with it, and drug out the old NH and sold the Hesston. While the belt baler makes a prettier bale, and is quieter, the NH does something the Hesston did not, and that is bale anything I can drive over, pretty much as fast as i can drive over it, never plug, and not spill hay out the sides of the pickup. During those 50 bales I was under it twice unplugging the thing, in 95 degree heat. I have never had to unplug the old New Holland. I do agree with the chain baler making a uglier bale with more loss, and the bales being loose means the hay does not keep as well in the weather and I store the bales outside and sell them, however, I had better luck selling the big bales than the small bales from the Hesston. No doubt I may eventually go back to a belt baler, but I hope it does not exhibit some of the same symptoms as the Hesston, or it will be gone as was the Hesston. Everyone has their own preference, and I would prefer a better quality bale, but I cannot justify several thousand dollars to bale a hundred bales a year and sell most of them.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Diydave 01-29-2013 05:10:46 96.244.162.208 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to Ron-MO, 01-28-2013 18:27:51   Ron, different strokes, for different folks, but after the first 50 or so bales you will learn how whatever baler you choose operates. Plus, I read the manual, on the hesston baler, there are ways to approach the windrow, that prevent jamming. Also, if the pickup is bent up from hitting groundhog holes, it is more prone to jamming. I assume any baler will have its flaws, particularly the early, cheaper ones. Not trying to pick any fights, I was pretty mad at my hesston baler, a couple of times, while fixing it in 90+heat and humidity, with hay waiting and t-storms threatening! I guess that's par for the course on any baler, I have ever used!   [Reply]  [No Email]
Ron-MO 01-29-2013 13:18:47 24.177.135.98 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to Diydave, 01-29-2013 05:10:46   No offense taken Dave, and no doubt I would have learned how to keep it from plugging. The baler I had was actually in very good condition, and well cared for. My biggest reason for selling was that I realized I had $4,000 in a baler I really did not like and a baler that would do just fine (albeit not as pretty a bale, and wrong color paint) but (the good part) I only had about $500 in it. That was 3 or 4 years ago now, and going to try to get another year out of the $500 baler. If I were running a smaller (35 or 40 horse) tractor, I would be running the Hesston and sold the NH per my original plan. Sooner or later I know my luck will run out on the old NH as it did break a main apron chain year before last, but I got lucky and only took out a couple links, and $35 later it was back in the field. I have no plans on putting very much in it, and if I cannot fix inexpensively, it will go for parts or scrap, and I will replace it, and consider it as earning it's keep.   [Reply]  [No Email]
old 01-28-2013 19:15:07 209.86.226.34 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to Ron-MO, 01-28-2013 18:27:51   If you want a tight bale slow down. I have baled some so tight that I can not get a bale spike to go in them and heavy enough that the old Ford 841 would not pick them up be instead lift a rear wheel off the ground and that is no fun   [Reply]  [No Email]
chevytaHOE5674 01-28-2013 17:23:11 74.221.60.204 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   I bale with a NH 851 chain baler. It doesn't make the nicest looking bales, but it rolls the hay up and lets me put it in the barn. There's no belts to worry about the sun deteriorating or breaking. It has been pretty trouble free and it was cheap to buy and has been cheap to run. Next baler will probably be a 4x5 as the 4 foot wide bales are much easier to sell because they fit nicely doubled up on a trailer.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Diydave 01-28-2013 16:24:05 96.244.162.208 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   I bale with a Hesston 5530 baler. It is the smallest in their line, the bale is 39" wide, and 4-1/2'diameter, max. They are real reasonable, at auction, now. I have seen them go as low as 2 grand. There are lots of them out there, as they are also known as the IH 8420, and a new idea number, that I can't remember that I can't remember, for the life of me. Also the later baler is the Hesston 530. I have had good luck with mine, in the 10 years I have used it.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Texasmark1 01-28-2013 07:18:44 198.45.243.137 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   I had a JD 530 which rolled a 5x6 that I purchased from an auction co. for $5k about 8 years ago. Pulled it with a 100 pto hp tractor and wouldn't go below 70 hp with it I don't think. It would tell you when the bale was getting full. Bale weight was 1800 to 2000 guestimate. Currently have a 375 that I bought from the same co. last year and rolls a 5x4 for $5k also. Easily pull this with a 57 pto tractor. Maybe a 45 or so would work ok. The 57 isn't working hard. Bale weight is about 800 guestimate. Both balers were in good shape. The 530 required more repairs. Other thing was my land is reasonably flat. Don't know the effect of hilly terrain on tractor size limitations. HTH, Mark   [Reply]  [No Email]
Hogleg 01-28-2013 07:17:30 38.104.162.74 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   5x5s are cheaper and easier to find than 4x5's. If you are going to move them around and not have to ship/haul them any distance, they are better. That extra food of diameter is a lot more hay. 1200lbs vs 900lbs of grass in these parts. I like the Vermeer. I have a 605H that I paid $2.5K for. Very similar to the 605F and G. Easy to maintain and parts are avail. The open throat Deere's (430/530 and above) are good also but never seem to be able to find any locally at a reasonable price. Stay away from the closed throat 410/510 unless you are a patient man. You will want a loader soon after you start messing with them. Makes it super easy to feed. Fire up the tractor, grab a bale, pull the twine and dump it into the round bale feeder, shut down and go in for coffee. All in about 5-10 min max. John on edit - one more thing. I run mine with a 65 hp Deere 2550. So your Deere 2640 has enough power to do the job on the Vermeers we have discussed. Not sure about the newer ones, though. Mine uses dual SVCs so check to make sure you have enough ports. IF not, you can use a port switch. The two ports are not used at the same time. This post was edited by Hogleg at 07:23:19 01/28/13 2 times.   [Reply]  [No Email]
GordoSD 01-27-2013 20:23:08 216.106.242.91 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   Why are you switching from round to square? Are you feeding the hay yourself? If you have the SSB I'd go for the 1500 little bales. They are selling right now for about 8 bucks.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Erik Ks farmer 01-27-2013 19:12:57 199.241.240.16 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   I would not own a New Holland chain baler such as an 850...no offense old. That baler is one step ahead of a horse power stacker and one behind a square baler in my opinion. For what your talking about I would want a Vermeer F series, 504 or 605. They can be had for 2k-3500. They are the first Vermeers with an open throat and will start a bale much easier than the closed throat models and will bale a nice bale. I once baled a lot of hay with one...it's still sitting in the shed.   [Reply]  [No Email]
thurlow 01-28-2013 06:26:09 74.177.47.211 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to Erik Ks farmer, 01-27-2013 19:12:57   I pretty much agree; we had an 851, a 605C and a 605F. Only used the NH when we were baling cornstalks or in an emergency. Price depends....I suppose.... on where one is located. When I sold the last of the cows about 6 years ago, i sold the "F" for 1000 bucks; just no demand around here.   [Reply]  [No Email]
old 01-27-2013 20:49:01 209.86.226.32 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to Erik Ks farmer, 01-27-2013 19:12:57   No offense taken. In my area the old chain baler is about as good as it gets since you have to work with rock and years where your lucky to get much of any thing. But I do also keep my hay in a barn and when it comes to cost hard to beat paying $500-600 for one that will bale most any thing   [Reply]  [No Email]
Bobl1958 01-28-2013 14:45:27 68.98.205.31 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to old, 01-27-2013 20:49:01   You are right Old about an 850 will bale anything. Someone said here once that an 850 will bale fence posts and I pretty much agree with them. I bought one for $500 and baled lot's of bales with only replacing one of the gauge wheels. No doubt there are much better balers, but 850's work if you don't have much hay, or are in rough conditions. Bob   [Reply]  [No Email]
mmidlam 01-27-2013 19:54:12 209.172.25.74 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to Erik Ks farmer, 01-27-2013 19:12:57   i agree. The F series is the start of the modern type Vermeer baler. I had a C and I thought it was ok when there was nothing else to compare it to. Wouldn't those New Holland chain teeth always be poking holes in the hay layers so water gets in?   [Reply]  [No Email]
old 01-27-2013 18:22:20 209.86.226.34 Report to Moderator	Re: Price to pay for big round baler in reply to burnsg2003, 01-27-2013 18:12:25   Well there are a good many brands and models and has been for years. I have 2 NH 850s. One I did some trading for and the other I own 50/50 with a friend and we picked it up for $600. Big thing is if you do not know much about one find some one who can look it over with you and point things out   [Reply]  [No Email]