New-to-me old Ford Baler

Just picked up an old Ford baler today. It was said to have baled 265 bales recently and seems it may have - there's relatively fresh looking hay in the chamber still. Not sure what model it is, but from what I've read in the archives here, think it may be a 250. It came with a book for a 150, but the pics in it don't quite match the baler. I made out 504 for the component number on the tag. I can look and post sn tomorrow. It's red with a white pickup, has a feed auger, and a side fork that pushes the hay into the bale chamber. Twine is new and the baler isn't rusted through anywhere. Anxious to try it out in corn stalks. Going to bushhog and rake some Monday and see what it'll do. It needs a new bale counter - not sure where to buy one reasonably. Also - anyone tie plastic twine with one of these old balers?
 
Word of advise on baleing corn stalks BTDT....Loosen up the bale tention as far as it will loosen when you start.. Corn stalks are wet,compress reallyt tight.So tight the string will not slide between the bales. If they come out loose,easier to tight up a bit,rather than dig out the baler and deal with broken,tight, heavy.......... bales Corn stalks are hard on small balers. Good luck!
 
I will agree with Delta Red on corn stalks being hard on a square baler but for different reasons. The stalks can be dry easily around here but they still cut harder than hay so that is additional load on the plunger and knife. Then the small pieces of corns stalks can and will get in the knotters and that will cause more missed knots. I have seen a lot of busted bill hooks and knotter frames in JD and NH balers baling corn stalks. The Fords would be no different.

As hard as parts are to find for a Ford baler I would skip baling the corn stalks unless they are BONE dry with little dirt in the windrow, which is hard to do and get them raked.
 
Once had a Ford 250 baler and its about the last baler I'd try something like cornstalks
probably constantly be replacing the shear pin in the needles if lucky otherwise the needles themselves.It would hardly bale hay.
 
I have one, and I agree with others. Cornstalks would be the last thing i would try on that baler. It has a hard time with a real heavy windrow in my experience. I have baled up to 2000 bales a year on my small operation with mine. If you have a light windrow keep it on the auger side and let it bunch up when the sweep fork puts it in the chamber, you will have better more consistent bales. When i bought mine over 30 years ago it had one blue knotter on it so some newer knotter parts may be available. My son just baled a couple of acres with it this year, first time in a couple of years and it only missed 2 knots in 150 bales. It is stored inside. Good luck.
 

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