This message is a reply to an archived post by AllisG on October 26, 2015 at 23:50:57.
The original subject was "New holland 66 baler".
This is an old post. .but I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in. .
I bought a New Holland 66 baler off craigslist last year .. it was stored in a barn and I could tell right away it was in pretty decent shape!
Not all rusted and rotted out...
There was twine still in the box. .and it was still threaded through the machine. .. there was still a bale in the chamber..
I had NO history of this baler. .the owner passed away and they were just selling everything off.
I'm half way decent turning a wrench.. but had absolutely no experience with balers..
I did get couple pieces of advise from an experienced farmer. .. Keep your fingers away from moving parts when it's connected to the tractor!!!!!!
and keep the knives sharp! . .and use the sisal twine.. If I was going to work on anything . .turn the wheel by hand!
I got the unit home.. and went through it. .greased everything up. .and turned the wheel by hand to make sure it was going to work.
I downloaded the manual online.. Oiled the chains and tighten them up just a little..
I bailed a little over 500 bales with it last summer.. was very happy with it .. .it paid for itself..
You said you're going to use a sickle bar . . There is more of a learning curve for those!!
That's what I use!. . I bought one from a guy . .it was sitting on a stone wall. .
It was about 3 years ago. . it took me some time to figure it out and how to run it. .
I'm pretty confident with it after tearing it down a couple times!
The hard part I had bailing last year . .was looking for that window of nice weather!.. and I only cut some of the field down .. which was about 100 bales..
so if something happened.. if something broke .. I wouldn't loose it all..
This year I hope to get a hay crusher/ crimper . . that would take a day off my dry time..
or even a tedder of some sort..
The original subject was "New holland 66 baler".
This is an old post. .but I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in. .
I bought a New Holland 66 baler off craigslist last year .. it was stored in a barn and I could tell right away it was in pretty decent shape!
Not all rusted and rotted out...
There was twine still in the box. .and it was still threaded through the machine. .. there was still a bale in the chamber..
I had NO history of this baler. .the owner passed away and they were just selling everything off.
I'm half way decent turning a wrench.. but had absolutely no experience with balers..
I did get couple pieces of advise from an experienced farmer. .. Keep your fingers away from moving parts when it's connected to the tractor!!!!!!
and keep the knives sharp! . .and use the sisal twine.. If I was going to work on anything . .turn the wheel by hand!
I got the unit home.. and went through it. .greased everything up. .and turned the wheel by hand to make sure it was going to work.
I downloaded the manual online.. Oiled the chains and tighten them up just a little..
I bailed a little over 500 bales with it last summer.. was very happy with it .. .it paid for itself..
You said you're going to use a sickle bar . . There is more of a learning curve for those!!
That's what I use!. . I bought one from a guy . .it was sitting on a stone wall. .
It was about 3 years ago. . it took me some time to figure it out and how to run it. .
I'm pretty confident with it after tearing it down a couple times!
The hard part I had bailing last year . .was looking for that window of nice weather!.. and I only cut some of the field down .. which was about 100 bales..
so if something happened.. if something broke .. I wouldn't loose it all..
This year I hope to get a hay crusher/ crimper . . that would take a day off my dry time..
or even a tedder of some sort..